West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Mountain Odyssey 2001 Schedule

January 7 (Sun): Winter Wildlife Exploration – Gateway to the Refuge Snowshoe/XC Ski Series. Join the Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge staff on a snowshoe-xc ski trek at White Grass Ski Touring Center. Theme for this trek is global warming and the trek is through the headwaters of the beautiful and scenic Blackwater River. Learn more about this unique ecosystem and the animals that call it home. Departs White Grass lodge at 10 a.m. For further info. call White Grass Ski Touring Center at (304) 866-1144.

January 20-21 (Sat-Sun): Cranberry Wilderness/ Backcountry overnight trip. Hopefully on skis, otherwise on foot. Leader: Dave Saville, (304) 284-9548, e-mail daves@labyrinth.net.

January 28 (Sun): Winter Wildlife Tracking – Gateway to The Refuge Snowshoe/XC Ski Series. Naturalist Natalie Boyland, a graduate of Jim Brown’s renowned tracking school, follows in the footsteps of some of Canaan Valley’s more elusive woodland residents. Departs White Grass lodge at 10 a.m. For further info. call White Grass Ski Touring Center at (304) 866-1144.

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, (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, (304) 636-2662, e-mail ruthbr@wvhighlands.org.

April 21 (Sat): Bringing back the Spruce. Volunteer tree planting on upper Shavers Fork Contribute to the long-term effort to help restore the red spruce ecosystem and the native trout fishery on the Shavers Fork. Leader: Ruth Blackwell Rogers, (304) 636-2662, e-mail ruthbr@wvhighlands.org.

April 22 (Sun): Earth Day Extravaganza. Location to be announced, but may be Middle Mountain (between Laurel & Glady Forks of Cheat), north of US 33. Leader: David Powell, (202) 387-1680, 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 12 (Sat): Dolly Sods North. 6 hr. day hike (easy) 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, (301) 587-6197, e-mail peter@cais.net.

June 2 (Sat.): North Fork Mountain day hike. See the gorgeous and little visited part of North Fork Mountain south of US 33. Leader: Peter Shoenfeld, (301) 587-6197, e-mail peter@cais.net.

June 9 (Sat): Cacapon State Park to Paw Paw. A good long day hike. Leader: Rich McGervey, e-mail mcgervey@hotmail.com. (304) 235-0541 (Mon.-Fri.)

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, (304) 636-2662, e-mail ruthbr@wvhighlands.org; and Jack Slocomb, home (301) 777-8810, work (301) 777-1084, e-mail JSLOCOMB@prodigy.net.

June 16 (Sat): EarthWalk environmental education experience at Bear Rocks (Dolly Sods North). Leader: Jack Slocomb, home (301) 777-8810, work (301) 777-1084, 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, (304) 636-2662, e-mail 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, e-mail 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, (304) 284-9548, e-mail 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. Easy. Leader: Don Gasper, (304) 472-3704.

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

August 3-5 (Fri.-Mon): Car camping trip to Dolly Sods to do stream hiking along Red Creek 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, e-mail sbly@shepherd.edu. 

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

August 11(Sat.): Northern Canaan Valley day hike. Leader: Linda Cooper, (304) 296-0565, e-mail 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.. Easy, but moderate at crossing. Meet at Sheetz in Parsons at 11 AM. Leader: Don Gasper, (304) 472-3704.

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,.e-mail 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, e-mail nathan@ovis.net.

Oct. 13-15 (Fri-Mon): WVHC Fall Review. Outings will be planned.