winter camping warmup - WV, Dec. 9 - 11

**Crash** · 12-04-2011, 07:35

I have to check with the boss!
I've been wanting to do more camping in WV's territory.
I have snowshoes.
Is mountain biking allowed in this area?
I might bring it if the snow is not high.

WV · 12-04-2011, 08:59

Originally Posted by Crash

I have to check with the boss!
I've been wanting to do more camping in WV's territory.
I have snowshoes.
Is mountain biking allowed in this area?
I might bring it if the snow is not high.

No mountain bikes in the Cranberry Wilderness, but the adjacent Cranberry Backcountry and Tea Creek areas have no restrictions, plus the Highland Scenic Highway itself is a glorious ride (albeit with a few "hills"

). I'll post later today on the current conditions when I get back from collecting spring water and scouting for a Friday campsite. We'll camp near the Cranberry Visitor Center Friday so we can meet Saturday arrivals around noon and head up the Scenic Highway (Rte 150).

**Medecine Hat** · 12-04-2011, 18:01

I wish I'd been back to HF more regularly and seen this earlier. I would have loved to go, but now have things planned for the weekend already. I'm hoping to get out and get more experience in snow camping this winter. I did a guided trip in the Shenandoah during that big storm two winters ago and loved it. Maybe if there is a return trip at some point, you guys would let me tag along?

**L.D. Cakes** · 12-04-2011, 18:08

Originally Posted by Medecine Hat

I wish I'd been back to HF more regularly and seen this earlier. I would have loved to go, but now have things planned for the weekend already. I'm hoping to get out and get more experience in snow camping this winter. I did a guided trip in the Shenandoah during that big storm two winters ago and loved it. Maybe if there is a return trip at some point, you guys would let me tag along?

You could try and make the Mt Rogers Hang in January!

**sweetbabyd** · 12-04-2011, 19:08

hi WV, Idcakes,

with over an 8 hour drive and a lot going on with family, i'm not going to be able to make this trip. but soon... just fair warning

Dave i'll miss seeing you, and Idcakes - hope to meet you soon!
sbd

**L.D. Cakes** · 12-04-2011, 19:47

Originally Posted by sweetbabyd

hi WV, Idcakes,

with over an 8 hour drive and a lot going on with family, i'm not going to be able to make this trip. but soon... just fair warning

Dave i'll miss seeing you, and Idcakes - hope to meet you soon!
sbd

Well that would be a long drive for you. Sorry you can't make it and I hope things settle down soon. We'll run across each other sometime. Maybe in the Linville Gorge!

WV · 12-04-2011, 20:12

I went to get spring water this afternoon, and took the opportunity to look for potential campsites for this outing. I've never camped close to the trailheads before, but I had an idea that there were areas close enough to the meeting place at the junction of WV Rte 39 and Rte 150 ("Highland Scenic Highway") and also the trailhead for the North-South Trail which is 8.6 miles north on the Scenic Highway.

I took photos at both locations, which I'll post when the temporary work on the HF Gallery is completed. In the meantime, mere words may suffice.

The roads are passable at present. There are a few shaded stretches in the first mile or so of 150. where snow and slush are on the road. These areas will be icy in the mornings. In the woods there is snow on the ground where shade or northern exposure has allowed it to remain despite recent daytime temperatures as high as 50° F. South slopes are bare of snow. Even with some snow expected in the next few days, there probably won't be enough to require using snowshoes, x-c skis, or pulks. The first 9 miles of the scenic highway have good exposure to the sun, so they are mostly free of snow. Beyond the North-South Trail trailhead at 8.6 miles the highway descends toward the Williams River and is shaded, so it was snowy and slippery today. It will be quite slippery when the temperatures drop, so we won't plan to drive on that stretch. (I didn't use 4wd today - no problems on the snowy stretches.)

The junction of Rtes 39 and 150 is across from the Cranberry Nature Center, and is the logical meeting place. Co-ordinates are N 38.18407° and W 80.25371°. Elevation is 3551 ft. Those arriving Friday might meet there at noon and make camp not far away on the Charles Creek Trail (vicinity of N 38.18464° and W 80.25467°). Warning: I used my car GPS to collect these data. It said the elevation of the Charles Creek site is 3615 ft., but it's downhill from the meeting place.

Those arriving Saturday also meet at the junction of 39 and 150. Tentative time is noon. We'll then drive north on the scenic highway to the North-South Trail and hike in about a mile to make camp. The trailhead (well marked) is at N 38.27665° and W 80.23761°, elev. 4481 ft. Campsite is in the vicinity of N 38.27536° and W 80.24845°, elev. 4207 ft.

Participants, PM me with the day and time you can get there, and we'll adjust meeting times to suit. Looking forward to this. The weather forecast is still good.

**L.D. Cakes** · 12-04-2011, 20:28

Well with the lack of snow I won't bring my snowshoes but I think I'll at least bring some crampons. I spent most of today sewing a couple of extra tie-outs on my 12X10 tarp so I can close both ends. I have it dialed it in with new no-tangle cord too! All I need now is to find some tarp tensioners.

WV · 12-05-2011, 08:03

ldcakes, I have a large stock of bungee cord in a various diameters. I'll bring enough 1/8" diameter cord to make a bunch of tensioners. One of the things I want to try out is hanging a section of aluminized cuben vertically on one side of the campfire to block breezes and reflect heat, so I'll be adding grip clips, bungees, and guy lines to a 54" wide piece of cuben about 8' long.

Incidentally, with the high temperatures, the ground and snow are quite wet. I'm debating bringing a lightweight beach chair to use with my ccf pad. I can bring an extra chair if you need one. This will be interesting - we'll be less than a mile from the trailhead, so it's not quite car camping. My pack is getting heavier, and I haven't even started loading it yet.

**L.D. Cakes** · 12-05-2011, 08:38

Thanks WV! I posted a WTB thread last night and got my tensioners already in the mail (well as of today) from Flatline. I wouldn't mind a lesson though in how you do it.

I have a chair...not sure how light it is though. I'll bring it and we can compare. I also have a sling chair that weighs a pound but it's a little tippy. LOL!

We need snow so we can use a pulk with our extra winter stuff! But this will be a good test.