Backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia
For a trip report of my backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail from Sunset Fields to Punchbowl Shelter in Virginia, see Appalachian Trail, Virginia, April 2008.

Hiking on Eastern Neck Island
For a trip report of my weekend trip to Maryland's smallest county that includes just a tiny bit of hiking, see Kent County, Maryland, March 2008.

Catoctin Mountain Tri-Leader Hike
Back in December 2007, Cindy was scheduled to co-lead a hike in Catoctin Mountain Park. Unfortunately, her event ended up getting canceled. She was still wanting to sponsor this event but not as the sole leader. This is where I came in. I thought I would make a good co-leader. I discussed the event with my partner in crime, Norma, who was also agreeable to helping co-lead the hike. Three leaders? Why not? Some say two is better than one, therefore, by inductive reasoning, three must be better than two...right?

I first met Cindy on May 7, 2006. For both of us, that was our first Maryland Outdoor Club (MOC) hike. We hit it off quite well. Thus, when she recently asked if I'd be willing to help her lead this event, I was eager since I felt she had many qualities that would make a fine co-leader. Hence, in early February 2008, the three of us scouted the route. Check out February 9, 2008.

Now that we knew our route, the next question was what to call the event. Let's see...Norma and I led the Pax Tri-Event, then I led the Tri-State Hike. With three leaders, why not call our event the Catoctin Mountain Tri-Leader Hike?

We wrote up the event description then submitted it for posting only two weeks prior to the actual event. In about a day and a half, our event was full with 25 people signed up. Of course we had some cancellations but with Cynthia's help, I managed to get us back to full capacity.

On the morning of Saturday, March 1, 2008, Cindy met folks at the park, Norma met people at the Grosvenor Metro, and I met people at the Columbia Park and Ride. Three leaders...three meeting locations.

The forecast that day called for
Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a west wind between 17 and 22 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
That meant a perceived wind chill temperature of about 30 degrees! Quite cold but at least we would stay dry.

Our event commenced. I mentioned a little bit about the history of the area and the origin of the word Catoctin. It came from the native American tribe, the Kittoctons, who once lived at the foot of the mountains near the Potomac River. I prepared some historical and geologic information to pass onto the group at each stopping point. I warned them they would be tested. Failure was not an option.

All the participants introduced themselves, stating their names, something they do well, and something they do poorly. I quickly learned that we had a very bilingual group after some claimed that they spoke French well, spoke Russian poorly, etc. We had folks who spoke German, Russian, French, Chinese, Persian, Japanese, and Korean.

There were several new faces. Cindy, Norma, and I (with dinosaur names Proto-Cindy-tops, Tri-norma-don, and Saki-saurus Rex) made an effort to chat with everyone, at least briefly. It was interesting how many in our group led other outdoor activities in the club. Both Chris B. and Amy were leading hikes the next day. I know Joe, Cynthia, Chuck, and KC were also trip leaders.

Twenty two of us were off and hiking at 0930. Cindy led us heading east along the pristine Hunting Creek for about a mile. See Joe at the trout-filled creek in the first photo at left.

We headed north on the trail towards Chimney Rock. Chris R. showed up late (better than never) but managed to catch up with us which brought our count to 23.

Norma, with map in hand, led the group up the first big ascent which turned out to be an ass-kicker for some...but not for Chuck and Sandra despite the fact that they brought packs full of overnight camping gear to physically prepare themselves for an upcoming backpacking trip. Hardcore all the way!

A little later, KC showed up, bringing our count to 24!

Our first scenic view was Chimney Rock at 1419 feet above sea level. Unlike our scouting trip, visibility was very good. See Chris B. trying to push a rock off the cliff in the second photo at left. I spoke about how melting water that filled spaces froze and expanded, breaking away pieces of rock, a process known as frost wedging.

The next stop was Wolf Rock. We took a snack and rock scrambling break here. See third photo at left. Two black vultures watched us from a distance, waiting for one of us to fall to our deaths off the high rocks. See fourth photo at left.

One person in our group was not feeling well so I escorted her back on a side path to make sure she returned to the visitor center safely.

While I was gone, Norma took the rest of the group to Thurmont Vista where they saw the city of Thurmont to the east. See the city behind (from left to right) Jennifer C., Verena, Norma, Maureen, Alice, Jennifer S., and Van in the fifth photo at left. At this stop, Cindy spoke to the group about conglomerate and phyllite...geography terms.

I headed north and eventually met back with the group near the Charcoal Trail.

I took our remaining 23 on the 0.6 mile muddy Charcoal Trail loop. We saw the remains of structures used in the charcoal making process during the 1800s. Norma explained the process in greater detail, clearing up any misconceptions about colliers being Lassie dog handlers. In the sixth photo at left, Jennifer (left) and Anya (right) stand in a teepee-like object used for creating charcoal.

Cindy led us to the Blue Ridge Summit Overlook. Unlike the first part of the hike, this area had significantly more snow. See seventh photo at left. Near the overlook, I spoke about the history of Camp David, which lay almost directly to our west.

Next, it was off to Hog Rock, our highest vista at 1610 feet above sea level. Time for a group photo. See eighth photo at left. From left to right in the standing row are Chris R., Amy, Chris B., Dee, Maureen, Alice, Joe, Cynthia (in front of Joe), Jennifer C. (behind Joe), Kevin, Verena (behind Kevin), Anya, Ali (in front of Anya), Sandra, KC, Chuck, and Cindy. Left to right in the kneeling row are me, Norma, Brendan, Jennifer S., Rachel, and Van.

Continuing onward, Cindy led us to Cunningham Falls in Cunningham Falls State Park. We walked on the boardwalk over some marshy areas to a viewing station. See ninth photo at left. The ice formations were rather impressive. See tenth and eleventh photos at left.

As promised, I asked some test questions. In short, everyone passed. Let's see how you would do.
Q: What is etymology?
Q: What was the name FDR gave to his Presidential retreat?
Q: Quartzite is a hard, metamorphic rock which was originally _________.
Q: What is a collier?
Q: What is brown coal?
Q: Who invented the charcoal briquette?
Q: Metabasalt is dark greenish-gray metamorphosed igneous rock, also known as _________.
Q: A sedimentary rock of irregularly sized gravel is called _________.
Q: How high is Cunningham Falls?
Answers appear in Catoctin Mountain Park Information.

After another group photo (see twelfth photo at left), Cindy led us on the Falls Nature Trail back to the start. We finished at 1500, having hiking the 7.5 mile Catoctin loop plus the Charcoal Trail for a day's total of about 8 miles.

An overwhelming majority of us went to Cindy's place for after-hike eats. Our gracious hostess served a make-your-own sandwich platter, chips, pasta, salad, soup, cake, cookies, and soda. Hungry MOCers started devouring food before it even reached the table.

From Cindy's back yard, we caught a clear view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Most of the guests headed home around dusk. The rest of us stuck around awhile longer then headed over to the Music Cafe in Damascus. In the thirteenth photo at left are (from left to right) Jennifer S., Cindy, Norma, me, Joe, Ali, and Jennifer C. Verena must be taking the photo. We listened to the Mary Shaver Band, a blues/rock/soul group. See fourteenth photo at left. We left at 2145.

It was a full day of fun activities...a day well spent.

Special thanks to Joe for providing many of the photos.
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Grantsville, Maryland President's Day 2008
For a trip report of my holiday weekend outdoor festivities, see Grantsville, Maryland President's Day 2008.

Cunningham Falls and Catoctin Mountain Park
On February 9, 2008, Norma, Cindy, and I scouted a route for an upcoming hike we plan to lead. We met at the Catoctin Mountain Park visitor center.

The goal was to follow Mike J.'s 7.5 mile Catoctin loop. Unfortunately, park rangers told us the western side of this route was closed due to a Presidential visit to Camp David. Hence, we were forced to improvise, adapt, and overcome.

After speaking to a ranger (who, ironically hasn't done much hiking in the area), we decided to drive a short distance to the parking lot on the west side of Catoctin Hollow Road and just east of the dam at Hunting Creek Lake. We were now in Cunningham Falls State Park. From here, we walked a tenth of a mile south on the road then caught the orange blazed Old Misery Trail, at the Dam Overlook Trailhead. We then headed east. No need to dress too warm when hiking up this trail as you'll quickly warm up. Our path was covered in a fresh coat of snow that gave the area a "winter wonderland" feel. See first photo at left. We didn't need crampons as there was no ice but we also weren't willing to take too big of steps.

Eventually we reached the yellow blazed Cat Rock/Bob's Hill Trail. We turned right (south) on this trail. Within two minutes, we were under some power lines. Continuing onwards, we soon came to the 1562 foot elevation Cat Rock. Norma rock scrambled to the top but found the view disappointing. I joined her at one of the lower rocks. See second photo at left. After a short break, we headed back (north) on the trail.

While we weren't looking for Old Misery Trail, we managed to walk past it without seeing it. If you're wanting to find it, I suggest you remember that it is only a couple of minutes north of the power lines.

As we continued northward and downward, we noticed there was less snow. Not sure if it was melting or if the lower areas just didn't get as much.

We crossed Bear Branch.

At Foxville Road (route 77), we crossed a parking lot and a bridge over Hunting Creek. About 100 meters west of the bridge and on the north side of route 77, we caught a trail that took us northeast into Catoctin. It climbed upward for a good distance. Soon we saw a sign for Chimney Rock. I expected it to be just up ahead. After what seemed like a third of a mile, we saw another sign again promising our arrival at Chimney Rock. This second sign displayed some integrity as now it really was just ahead. Don't let the first sign get your hopes up.

The Catoctin side is without blazes though we had no problems following the well worn trail.

We ate lunch at Chimney Rock. The overcast day didn't offer much of a view though it was obvious that on a clear day, this sight would be truly impressive. See third photo at left.

Continuing onward, we walked a short distance to Wolf Rock. I liked the information signs in this area as they appealed to my paleontological side. Lots of good rock scrambling in this area though I was a bit too cold to do any. See fourth and fifth photos at left. We saw the rock that supposedly looks like a wolf though I didn't see any resemblance.

We walked north and eventually came to Thurmont Vista. On a clear day, one could easily see the city of Thurmont. We could see it...just not very easily. See sixth photo at left.

By now, the snow was all gone. Soon, the sun came out and warmed things up a bit...just a bit.

Our original plan was to hike to the Blue Ridge Vista but this trail was closed because George was in town. Hence, we caught the trail that heads south, east of the Charcoal Trail, and straight to the visitor center. There were a couple of old relics on the Charcoal Trail. We saw a hearth, once used by a collier to make charcoal out of wood...a process that has Norma and me stupified. There was also a wood hauler's sled.

Back at the visitor center, we saw Colin and a group he led from the Maryland Outdoor Club. They finished a shorter hike in the area just a few minutes before us. At the visitor center, I spotted a chipmunk through the glass. See seventh photo at left.

Next, Cindy, Norma, and I headed west. We crossed Park Central Road then walked through a huge overflow parking lot. At the west end of this lot was the start of the Falls Nature Trail (look for the sign that reads "Cunningham Falls"). This trail took us parallel to route 77 for a mile. Not much to see here. The traffic noise and all the downed trees really didn't give it a "nature trail" feel.

We crossed route 77 then came to a parking lot for disabled drivers. This gives them access to a boardwalk that leads to Cunningham Falls. Unfortunately, it doesn't extend far enough to give anyone a good view of the falls. We were hoping to find a simple way to access the trails that lead to Hunting Creek Lake but we didn't find any. The maps we had didn't show the trails around the falls with much accuracy. It is good they have the boardwalks to allow people to see the falls who normally might not be able to do so but the high walls also restrict the more able-bodied hikers.

It was getting late and we were getting tired so we didn't stay at the falls very long. I had time for one photo from the boardwalk. See eighth photo at left. We'll see more next time. Norma, Cindy, and I walked along the busy, shoulderless route 77 to Catoctin Hollow Road then south on the road to our vehicles. Not exactly the ideal way to end a hike but after walking 10.4 miles with 2250 feet of elevation gain (much of it on snow), we were simply looking for the shortest route.

Cindy took us to a quaint little nearby cafe called Cool Beans at 4 East Main Street in Thurmont (phone: 301-271-2633) for a snack where we refueled and warmed up. We discussed our plans for leading a hike next month. I think it will be a good one.
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Sunset Rocks
On February 2, 2008, I attended a Howard County Sierra Club hike led by Mike J. Our trip was Sunset Rocks in Michaux State Forest in Caledonia State Park, Pennsylvania. We met at the Route 70 and Route 32 Park and Ride.

In the Baltimore area, the forecast called for highs in the low 50s and sunny but where we were heading, meteorologists predicted much differently.
A slight chance of snow showers before 1300. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. West wind between 6 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Hence, we headed out, leaving the milder weather for something more fitting of winter. I drove up with Ken in "Big Red," his big red van. It easily fit 10 of us and all our gear. We drove through Gettysburg then arrived at our destination a couple of hours later.

We parked next to Furnace Stack Pavilion near the Appalachian Trail Hostel in Pine Grove Furnace State Park. By 1130, our enthusiastic conglomeration of 25 were on the move.

The hike began with a group photo at the Pine Grove Iron Furnace. Back in 1764, iron was mined nearby and heated to nearly 3000 degrees Farenheit. See first photo at left.

Quite a few folks were smart enough to bring trekking poles to help balance on the ice. But Ellen, myself, and one other person brought crampons. They wore Yaktrax while I had Stabil-Icers crampons. I've found that the Yaktrax tend to come off whereas Stabil-Icers stay secure. Most of the route was fine for those without crampons but there were a few parts where they came in handy.

With such a large group, there were many familiar faces including Ken C., Ken (Big Red driver), John, Teresa, Donald, Laurie, Andy, Ellen, Ted, Mary, and of course Mike J. I also met a few new people such as Brenda and Winnie. I know I met more...I just don't remember their names. If you were one of them, I apologize.

We headed west on the Appalachian Trail.

A thin layer of hard snow covered the ground with broken bits of ice on top of that. It looked like there was freezing rain over the previous night since most every branch was covered with a thin layer of ice. See second photo at left.

I mentioned that there were a few parts where the crampons came in handy. They were the biggest help during our walk across a foot bridge over Tom's Run. My feet were secure over the ice-covered planks but those without crampons were not so confident. A large percentage of the group crossed on their hands and knees. See third photo at left. Mary carried her shoe wearing Shih Tzu across in one arm while holding onto a pole with the other. Ken C. followed closely behind to help her if she lost balance. See fourth photo at left.

Soon after, we came to the the remains of an old stone barn built by Hessian prisoners captured at the Battle of Trenton during the Revolutionary War. See fifth photo at left.

At the westmost edge of our lollipop hike, we stopped at Tom's Run Shelter for lunch where we found two shelters, a couple of picnic tables, and an outhouse. See sixth photo at left. Icicles hung from both the shelters and the tables. See seventh photo at left. I found a Playboy magazine in the outhouse. Unfortunately, there was no time to look at it since the hike was about to resume.

Continuing onward, I never ceased to marvel in the beauty of the ice covered landscape. It was as if mother nature coated everything in a layer of glass. See eighth photo at left.

We returned partly on Little Rocky Ridge Trail.

A short distance off the main trail took us to what Mike described as a spillway, perhaps for a saw mill, near the remains of the Camp Michaux prisoner of war camp (from World War 2). Based on what little remained, I don't think I would have known a camp existed there unless I was told.

A steady ascent took us up Rocky Ridge. We could see across the valley below but with all the trees present, there was no way to get a clear view. See ninth photo at left.

The next part of the trip included a rock scramble. However, once we reached the base, we found all the rocks to be covered in a layer of ice. We had no injuries up to this point and Mike didn't want any now. Hence, he took us back and we returned along an alternate route. Without crampons, I don't know if I would have wanted to do this scramble myself.

By mid-afternoon, the sky cleared up a bit and the sun shone through. It illuminated the ice and cast a silver glow on the frozen terrain. See tenth photo at left. For about half an hour, we were in awe of this spectacular natural wonder. Winnie, Ellen, and I stopped frequently to take photos. See Ellen in eleventh photo at left.

By 1600, we were done, having hiked about 9.5 miles. Despite the icy conditions and the large number of participants, there were no serious falls. A good way to end the day.

To learn more about this hike, check out AT - Sunset Rocks Circuit.
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Billy Goat Trail and Scott's Run
Winter is generally not when people think of hiking. But each season has something special to offer. A good trip leader knows how to choose a scenic route depending on the time of year.

On January 5, 2008, Norma and I participated in a Howard County Sierra Club hike led by Ken C. I think the last hike I did with Ken was a couple of years ago near this same area.

Sixteen of us met at the Broken Land Parkway and Route 32 Park and Ride then carpooled to Carderock. I rode with Norma and Stacy. We actually missed the turnoff due to my poor navigational skills but managed to recover quickly and meet the rest of the group in time.

We began the hike at about 0930. Ken took us east on the C&O towpath where we spotted some mallard ducks. See first photo at left. Then we caught the C section of the Billy Goat Trail and walked west...upstream, alongside the Potomac River.

There were a few easy stream crossings. I noticed that ice formed on some of the rocks near the streams and the river. This is what I meant about a good hike leader choosing an interesting route based on the time of the year. Many hiking areas just have bare trees. But today's route had plenty of scenic water and ice views. Awesome! See second and third photos at left.

It wasn't long before we came to a popular rock climbing area. Unfortunately, there were no climbers.

Back on the towpath, we continued west, passing mile 11. We caught the east end of the B section of the Goat and ventured west.

After a short stop for a group photo (see fourth photo at left), we continued onward, moving at an impressive pace for such a large group.

Soon, we came to Anglers Inn where we had our third restroom break. There's no shortage of porta-johns in the Great Falls area.

Next, Ken led us on the opposite side (east side) of the towpath on some trails further away from the river. We followed Valley Trail north to the Gold Mine Loop. The loop led us to an old gold mine. I never knew folks mined for gold in Maryland. It turns out that very little gold was found and the miners spent years of toil and drudgery with little reward. According to the trail sign:
"...gold was extracted from quartz. The quartz was dug in the Maryland Mine, one of over 30 mines that once dotted the landscape here. During the Civil War, a Union soldier assigned to guard the Great Falls area discovered gold in the quartz rocks in the surrounding hills. After the war, he returned and purchased land from local farmers and began prospecting for gold. While the former soldier and his partners are only known to have found 11 ounces of the precious metal, their find inspired hundreds of men to continue the hunt. Gold fever, dreams of wealth, and a better life, caused men to risk everything in search of the elusive ore. Hoping to succeed where others had failed, the Maryland Mine began operations here in 1890 and ran intermittently until 1940."
Today, the mine is fenced in and covered with metal roofing material.

We stopped for lunch on the Overlook Trail. Appropriately named, it provides a very nice view of the towpath and river below, especially when the trees are bare. See fifth photo at left.

A nuthatch and a woodpecker were spotted. See the sixth photo for the nuthatch and the seventh photo for the pecker.

Our group went to the visitor center for our 4th restroom break!

The park purchased a new boat that is a replica of one used back when the locks were operational. Unfortunately, it was covered up for the season so we didn't get a good look at it. But we did see the locks used to hold back water on the canal. See eighth photo at left.

At the Washington Aqueduct Observation Deck, we saw ice frozen to a bush. Cold water from the dam (ninth photo) splashed onto the plant, froze, and added to the natural ice sculpture. See tenth photo at left. Elsewhere, ice slowly melted, creating stalactites that reminded me of teeth from a large predator or perhaps the snout of a sawtooth fish. See eleventh photo at left.

We couldn't leave without checking out the Great Falls Overlook. This boardwalk provides some of the best views in the state of rushing water (see twelfth and thirteenth photos) and fearless whitewater kayakers (see fourteenth and fifteenth photos). It may have been too cold for the rock climbers but these kayakers don't know the meaning of "too cold." They were right out there paddling alongside the icicles and taking advantage of the high water. To see them paddling down the fast, rough conditions was indeed humbling.

Andy took some of the group on the A section of the Billy Goat Trail while the rest of us followed Ken on Berma Road and the towpath. Along the way, we saw a great blue heron catching fish alongside some ducks. See sixteenth photo at left. Neither seemed to mind the other. I wondered if they shared some sort of symbiotic relationship. I also wondered if the heron's skinny legs were cold.

We made it back to our cars after hiking roughly 8.5 miles. It was truly a scenic winter hike.

But our hike wasn't over...at least not for Norma, Stacy, and me. The three of us drove to Scott's Run Nature Preserve which was only about 10 minutes away. We had never been there. In years past, I'd only made it to the parking lot but I knew there was a short loop trail and a waterfall. Hence, I put it on my list of places to explore. It might not have been worth while to drive out just for a hike at the Preserve (since the trails are so short) but with Ken's hike so near, I felt it was now necessary to see what the Nature Preserve had to offer.

We parked at the east lot then walked, heading north. Much of the trail was pretty ordinary but we did manage to find a chimney at and old homesite. See seventeenth photo at left. We also saw the thickest poison ivy vine I'd ever seen. Don't touch that Norma! See eighteenth photo at left.

We took a shortcut (or so we thought) down a steep section to the Potomac River. This area of the river is known as Stubblefield Falls. But this was not the falls we came to see.

Scott's Run, a medium sized stream, flowed into the river. But before it joined the mightly Potomac, it fell down some rocks. These were the falls we wanted. Once again, winter added some exotic beauty to the scene as ice hung down from the rocks and along the side of the falls. Quite beautiful. See nineteenth photo at left and the photo at the top left corner of this page. We stuck around until we started to get cold then continued our hike, resuming counterclockwise on the loop.

The three of us crossed the stream then passed through the much larger west parking lot. At the lot, we read a sign that mentioned that the waterfall is comprised of very unclean water. Oh well, at least it was pretty. A little further and we were done. Only an additional 2.2 miles in the Preserve for a day's total of 10.7 miles.

It was a great day to get outside. Sunny, low humidity, great visibility and active birds. Seeing the water and ice was quite remarkable. I've never been a fan of winter but days like this make it all seem kinda nice.
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