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  1. #1
    Senior Member HappyCamper's Avatar
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    Comments needed for Dolly Sods - Sept 17-19 Hang/Backpacking trip

    Discussion on Dolly Sods - Sept 17-19 Hang & Backpacking Weekend

    Map of Dolly Sods here.

    This is not the final thread on the Sept. Dolly Sods trip. It’s a discussion thread on what people want to do. Once I hear comments I will do a Dolly Sods Hang thread with finalized information and directions. Although many have backpacked the Sods, we've never done a HF meet-up in the area. Here is what I’m currently suggesting because it allows for:

    1. A short hike in on Friday which allows for Friday drive-time and time to meet and greet. Easy for anyone to night-hike in the short distance to campsite. And there's a lot of trees in the area.
    2. It allows for quite a few different circuit hikes on Saturday depending on how far you want to hike.
    3. Less than 3-mile hike out on Sunday for people who need to hit the road quickly.

    I’m open to suggestions before I finalize it. I’ve been to the Sods but I’m not an expert so if you want to chime in -- please feel free.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

    Friday Parking: Parking is across from the start of Black Bird Knob Trail near Red Creek Camp Ground. See attached picture of Trail Sign. Circle on map shows Friday night and Sat. night campsites.

    Friday Night Campsite: Less than 1/4 mile in on Black Bird Knob Trail. There’s a picnic table in the area and plenty of hanging trees. See attached photos of area. People will need to hike in water for evening and morning breakfast. (There’s water further up the trail once you start hiking on Saturday.)

    Saturday: From Friday night campsite heading west on Black Bird Knob Trail, there are any number of circuit hikes that can be taken to the north or south. See map. You can pretty much pick the mileage you want to do. Friday night would be a good time for people to talk about the hike they want to do on Saturday and pick hiking groups. For anyone who doesn’t want to do much mileage, it’s only 2.5 miles to Saturday night campsite if you stay on Black Bird Knob Trail.

    Saturday Night Campsite: Meet at west side of Black Bird Knob on Black Bird Knob Trail. Intersection of Blackbird Knob Trail and Red Creek. There's camping on both sides of the creek AND plenty of water. See attached map.

    Sunday – Less than 3 miles to car taking the Black Bird Knob Trail back out. So you can have a leisurely morning or get out pretty fast.

    Let me know your comments and suggestions.

    Thanks to RockRat for the pictures of Friday night's campsite.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by HappyCamper; 07-12-2010 at 20:20.
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  2. #2
    Senior Member PuckerFactor's Avatar
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    I can't wait for this trip! It's gonna be awesome.
    There is a great little swimming spot on Red Creek where the Red Creek trail crosses the creek about a mile south from Bbird Knob Tr. There's probably other great spots too. I did a loop last Aug. with a group and came in from the south. Somewhere near the Rocky Point Trail is where we camped Sat. night, and there's an incredible rock field we stargazed in.
    I like the plan, HC!

    Acer
    It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

    Formerly known as Acercanto, my trail name is MacGuyver to some, and Pucker Factor to others.

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  3. #3
    Senior Member HappyCamper's Avatar
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    Acer, I've heard of the swimming hole you mentioned. We wanted to hit it last year but it didn't work out. That's the direction I want to hike with this trip.
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  4. #4
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    Your plan sounds great to me. Thank you, HappyCamper!

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    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
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  5. #5
    Senior Member HappyCamper's Avatar
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    Also, the Friday night campsite is close enough to the cars that if people want to hike out in the morning and start Saturday's hike from a different trailhead (like Bear Rocks or others), it's certainly doable. If you do that, you won't be hiking parts of Black Bird Knob Trail twice. If people want to hit Dolly Sods earlier in the week, there's lots of other trails to hike and you could then meet up with the group on Friday.
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  6. #6
    New Member Bobs's Avatar
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    Are there trails without the bogs? I read some of acreas of wet mushy bogs.

  7. #7
    Senior Member HappyCamper's Avatar
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    Oh yeah. Here's an interactive map with pictures. You can see a lot of the trails aren't bogs. Stream crossings though, so you have to watch rain and level of water if it's been raining a lot.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    Acer, is that swimming hole one of the ones near the Forks? I camped next to one fairly close to where the Breathed Mountain Trail comes in.

    HC, I'd like to do a pre-hike with a loop in Roaring Plains, then connect to Red Creek via the Rorbaugh Plains Trail, maybe camping at the Forks Thursday night, then heading up to Blackbird Knob to join up with the group hang. I think the campsites you suggest for Friday and Saturday make a lot of sense for the group, with people arriving at different times.

    My avatar photo was taken on the Rocky Point Trail.

  9. #9
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobs View Post
    Are there trails without the bogs? I read some of areas of wet mushy bogs.
    Some of the trails in Dolly Sods North are boggy, especially the Dobbin Grade Trail, but there are lots of dryer trails to choose from.

  10. #10
    Senior Member PuckerFactor's Avatar
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    WV, yes, we were coming up Red Creek Tr. and heading west onto Breathed Mt. Tr., and did a little detour down to the creek.

    Acer
    It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

    Formerly known as Acercanto, my trail name is MacGuyver to some, and Pucker Factor to others.

    It's not procrastinating, its proactively delaying the implementation of the energy-intensive phase of the project until the enthusiasm factor is at its maximum effectiveness. - Randy Glasbergen

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