Hiking the AT around Harpers Ferry Overnight 3/3

[stowe18]

Got off work @ 4pm Friday, made the hour or so drive to Weverton parking lot near the AT.. My cousin was running about a half hour late, so by the time we got to the route 9 parking area, it was after 6pm. By the time we're all strapped up and ready to go, it's getting dark. So we night hiked about a mile north of route 9 on the AT and found a great spot 30 or so yards off the trail with a small fire ring.. Had some Market Pasta from Packet Gourmet for dinner, yum. Night low was upper teens, I brought my 0 deg HG setup with my Superfly and Dutch Wide Netless 1.6 Hex. TOASTY warm all night..

MySetup.jpg

Still trying to advocate the Hammock route to my cousin...

DalesSetup.jpg

Woke up early the following day, hit the trail shortly after 10. Beautiful day, saw a few people, not too many though, and got to the old church ruins in HF. At that point we realized the pizza place, Mena's (which was awesome) was over a half mile backtrack. But we're pretty ravenous, so we hike back there for lunch. Afterwards, we hike over the RR Bridge onto the C&O..

Potomac Train Bridge_2.jpg

Easy 3+ mile hike back to the parking lot.. GPS said we did around 11 total from rte 9 with the back track in Harpers..

Great time - now itching to continue farther south.. I'm doing the first 40 miles of the Long Trail Memorial Day weekend this year.

Some more pics:


AT Shen Bridge.jpgC&O Overlook.jpgDale_AT_Overlook_East.jpgHarpers Downtown.jpgRyan_AT_Overlook_West.jpgShenandoah River.jpg

[TrailSlug]

Looks like a fun trip but that sleeping on the ground is for animals

[stowe18]

Looks like a fun trip but that sleeping on the ground is for animals

That's what I basically told him, but he's a hardhead


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[TrailSlug]

That's what I basically told him, but he's a hardhead


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Age will eventually win out and he'll see the light one day

[Drum Man]

I have been thinking about doing a HF backpacking trip. Do you have any maps or suggestions for that area?

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[rick417]

Thanks for the report. I really want to bikepack the C&O between HF and DC.

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[stowe18]

If you Google the interactive AT trail map, that was very helpful for this trip.. as far as other trails in the area, I'm sure there are maps/books out there. I did see some bikers out on the c&o with backpacks.. was wondering how far they came/going. I forgot how pretty the C&O was. Scenic river right next to you with trains running every 15 min or so. Will definitely be going back.


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