West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Mountain Odyssey 2001 Schedule

February 4 (Sun) Climate Change and the Salamander -- Gateway to the Refuge Snowshoe/XC Ski Series. Dr. David Culver, professor of environmental studies at American University, leads a trip through the local mountainside habitat and reviews how global climate change can impact species such as the endangered Cheat Mountain Salamander. Departs White Grass lodge at 10 a.m. For further info. call White Grass Ski Touring Center at (304) 866-1144.

February 24 (Sat) Winter day hike. Blackwater/Canaan area. Leader: Peter Shoenfeld. Phone: (301) 587-6197, e-mail: peter@cais.net.

February 25 (Sun) Canada Gone Astray – Gateway to the Refuge Snowshoe/XC Series. Local naturalist and White Grass manager, Chip Chase, leads a trip through the Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge. Learn about this unique boreal system that is typically found far to the north and how it survives in the Potomac Highlands. Departs White Grass lodge at 10 a.m. For further info. call White Grass Ski Touring Center at (304) 866-1144.

March 25 (Sun) Meditation Hike in the southern Mon Forest. A quiet, mindful hike, with a period of sitting meditation. Bring lunch and a tea cup. Easy to moderate. Leader: Ruth Blackwell Rogers. Phone: (304) 636-2662, Email: ruthbr@wvhighlands.org.

April 21 (Sat) Bringing back the Spruce. Join the Mountaineer Chapter of Trout Unlimited in its long-term effort to help restore the red spruce ecosystem and the native trout fishery on the upper Shavers Fork. Families with children able to walk 2-3 miles are welcome. Bring a shovel and work gloves. Leader: Ruth Blackwell Rogers, Phone: (304) 636-2662. Email: ruthbr@wvhighlands.org.

April 22 (Sun) Earth Day Extravaganza. Location TBD, but may be Middle Mtn. (between Laurel & Glady Forks of Cheat), north of US 33. Leader: David Powell, Phone: (202) 387-1680. Email: WDP320@aol.com.

April 27-29 (Fri-Mon) WVHC Spring Review at Canaan Valley. Outings will be planned.

May 5 (Sat) Fastwater Canoe Trip. Location depends on water levels and attendees, but present plan is to go down Smoke Hole Canyon from Upper Track to Petersburg. Leader: Carter Zerbe, (304) 343-3175.

May 6 (Sun) North Fork Mountain day hike. See the gorgeous and little visited part of North Fork Mountain south of US 33. Leader: Peter Shoenfeld, Phone: (301) 587-6197. Email: peter@cais.net.

May 12 (Sat) Dolly Sods North. 6 hour, easy day hike from Bear Rocks west across the 6000 acre proposed addition to the wilderness. We will ground-proof cover types mapped from satellite images. Meet 11 AM at Bear Rocks. Leader: Don Gasper, (304) 472-3704.

May 19-20 (Sat-Sun) Seneca Creek Backcountry backpack trip. Leader: Peter Shoenfeld, Phone: (301) 587-6197. Email: peter@cais.net.

June 2-3 (Sat-Sun) Northern Canaan Valley overnight. Leader: Dave Saville, Phone: (304) 284-9548. Email: daves@labyrinth.net.

June 9 (Sat) Cacapon State Park to Paw Paw -- a "good long day hike." Leader: Rich McGervey, Email: mcgervey@hotmail.com. Phone: (304) 235-054 (M-F).

June 9 (Sat) EarthWalk outdoor educational activity based upon Hugh and Ruth Blackwell Rogers’ beautiful "Four Worlds So Far" program and scroll. We will round the day off with a picnic, campfire, and music. This outing is designed as a family experience. Children should be 10 years old and above. Limited to 15 people. Leaders: Ruth Blackwell Rogers. Phone: (304) 636-2662. Email: ruthbr@wvhighlands.org. And Jack Slocomb, Home phone:(301) 777-8810, work phone (301)777-1084, JSLOCOMB@prodigy.net.

June 9 thru 11. An outing to the plains. Leader: guidebook co-author, Bruce Sundquist. Phone: (724) 327-8737 or email: bsundquist1@juno.com.

This is typically the peak weekend, permitting us to catch the mountain laurel, azaleas, pink ladyslipper orchids and other colors of late spring. The Plains are not for first- time backpackers since the area is remote, and some trails are steep and rocky in spots. The Plains are a backpacker’s heaven, less-visited than Dolly Sods just to the north, but still very popular. The US Forest Service did a lot of work in early 1999 getting foot trails into excellent shape. Group size is limited to 10 people -- no pets. The trip is not planned to be tough --only 16. But there is so much to see and do on the Plains that it tends to be a very busy trip. [Look for Bruce’s write-up on the Plains in the April Voice].

June 16 (Sat) EarthWalk environmental education experience at Bear Rocks (Dolly Sods North). Leader: Jack Slocomb, Home phone (301)777-8810, work phone (301) 777-1084. Email: JSLOCOMB@prodigy.net.

June 23 (Sat.) Simultaneous Summit Celebration. Several day hikes of varying difficulty on prominent peaks in the highlands. All the hiking groups will unite in spirit to celebrate these high points, and by extension the entire highland region, with flags, horns, rattles, songs, and flowers! Leader, Ruth Blackwell Rogers, Phone: (304) 636-2662. Email:ruthbr@wvhighlands.org.

June 29-31 (Fri-Mon) Backpacking trip along Otter Creek Trail during the rhododendron season. Leader, Susan Bly, (304) 876-5177 day or (304)258-3319 evening,. Email:sbly@shepherd.edu.

July 15 (Sun) Sinks of Gandy. Follow Gandy Creek 3/4 mile underground through the Sinks of Gandy cave. Safe for beginners. Leader, Barnes Nugent, Phone: (304) 284-9548. Email: barnes@geosrv.wvnet.edu.

July 21 (Sat) 4 hr. Buckhannon River flatwater canoe trip above town through the 5-mile reservoir pool. Meet at Sheetz off Corridor H (US 33) at the Buckhannon- Phillipi exit at 11 AM. Leader: Don Gasper, Phone: (304) 472-3704. EASY

July 27-29 (Fri.-Sun) Dolly Sods Stem to Stern Backpack. Leader: Jack Slocomb, Home: (301) 777-8810, work: (301)777-1084. Email: JSLOCOMB@prodigy.net.

August 3-5 (Fri.-Mon) Car camping trip to Dolly Sods to do stream hiking along RedCreek and Big Stonecoal Creek. Unlike stream crossing, stream hiking involves travel upstream or downstream, using hiking poles and beach shoes. Leader: Susan Bly, (304) 876-5177 day or (304) 258-3319 evening. Email: sbly@shepherd.edu.

August 4 (Sat) Easy 5 hr. day hike on Spruce Mountain Meet at Spruce Knob parking lot 11AM. Leader: Don Gasper, Phone: (304) 472-3704.

August 11(Sat.) Northern Canaan Valley day hike. Leader: Linda Cooper, Phone: (304) 296-0565. Email: cooper@hsc.wvu.edu.

August 25 (Sat) Otter Creek Wilderness (downstream half) and tour of the USFS Fernow Experimental Forest. The tour is by car to the trail head. The hike is 7 miles to the mouth and involves a stream crossing. Meet at Sheetz in Parsons at 11AM. Leader: Don Gasper, (304) 472-3704. Easy, moderate at crossing.

Sept 1-3 (Labor Day weekend) Pack in with Bruce Sundquist on a 2-day backpacking trip to the southern half of North Fork Mountain (12 miles total). Prior backpacking experience required -- and carry your own water. An optional third day would be spent exploring Dolly Sods North. Phone: (724) 327-8737. Email: bsundquist1@juno.com. If you know anyone who has explored the eastern fourth of Dolly Sods North, I would like to talk with them.

September 7-9 (Fri-Mon) A car camping trip to the Shavers Fork area for some early fall hiking. We’ll follow the West Fork trail and visit the High Falls of the Cheat. We’ll stay at the Laurel Fork campground. Leader, Susan Bly, (304) 876-5177 day or (304) 258-3319 evening. Email: sbly@shepherd.edu.

September 29 (Sat). Bickle Knob, Bear Heaven Rocks, Stewart Park, Bowden Cave, Bowden Trout Hatchery. Meet at Hatchery at 11 AM. Bring a flashlight if you care to cave for 1 hour. Caving is pretty easy and very safe, and as it can be a little muddy, it will be the last activity of the day. This is mostly a tour with short walks. 6 hours. Leader: Don Gasper, (304) 472-3704.

Oct. 7-9 (Fri-Mon). Otter Creek wilderness backpack trip. Group limited to 6. Leader: Nathan Anderson, (304) 386-4686. Email: nathan@ovis.net.

Oct. 12-14 (Fri-Sun) WVHC Fall Review. Outings will be planned.