Highlights included a stop at Big Run Bog (a National Natural Landmark currently threatened by Corridor H), a long lunch stop, and an interesting encounter with a group of dedicated and serious ramp diggers.

This Spring Review outing took Jeannie Sutton, J.T. Sutton and Tom Rodd far up the Blackwater by canoe and Kiwi. The boats were launched at Camp 70 up-river from Davis. They paddled up the Blackwater to the confluence with Little Blackwater, and up Little Blackwater to the mouth of Glade Run. Then they came back.

Highlights included naps, lunch, short hikes, swimming and sunburn. This time, Tom Rodd did not lose his hat.

A third Spring Review outing took a group of twenty-two hikers eight miles across the Dolly Sods North area proposed for wilderness expansion. The route ran along Cabin Mountain, Raven Ridge, both forks of Red Creek and the Bear Rocks Trail. From Raven Ridge, the group also viewed the privately held and unprotected Dobbin Slashings area at the head of Red Creek.. Marilyn Shoenfeld writes:

"One of the best memories I have of the WVHC Spring Review was the hike we took across the northern part of Dolly Sods on Saturday 4/28. The day combined good company, good weather, spectacular scenery and truly talented leadership!

A wonderful time was had by all--we hope to repeat the experience this summer."

On Sunday, while the Board of Directors deliberated, a few of the non-deliberators took a hike. Marilyn Shoenfeld writes:

"Led by Rick Landenberger, an ex-Forest Ranger and current biology teacher at WVU, an intrepid group ventured into the Otter Creek Wilderness for a Sunday hike along Otter Creek. As we proceeded up the trail, it became apparent that the spring wildflowers were the rage. Our pace slowed as we examined each variety of flower and competed to correctly identify them. John won, but he had been studying for two years. Painted trillium and dwarf ginseng were two of the highlights. We dined on hummus sandwiches and home made cookies, while sitting on rocks at the creek's edge. In all, the hike was delightful and just whetted our appetites to return."

Carter Zerbe led a happy group of nine down the South Branch for eight on ten miles between Petersburg and Moorefield. The trip had been planned for Smoke Hole Canyon, but the water there was too low.

The group met for breakfast at the Family Traditions Restaurant in Petersburg. From there they went to Eagles Nest Outfitters, where they got the equipment and car shuttle together and put in nearby.

The water was mostly smooth, but there were a few Class II spots, including one where (unfounded) rumor had spoken of an "eight foot hydraulic."

A group of ten hiked the 8 mile portion of North Fork Mountain, in Pendleton County between Peter Shoenfeld’s cabin on Goshen Ridge and Pike Gap, just south of the Nature Conservancy's Pike Knob Preserve.

Peter writes:

"We went back up to my place and hiked along the North Fork Mountain ridge line from Goshen Ridge to Pike Gap-- about 8 eight miles.

"The last two miles was through open woods-- following the map and compass was essential here. We wound up meeting our car shuttle on the old Circleville Pike, on the east slope of the mountain, between Franklin and Judy Gap."

Don Gasper led an expedition to this wonderful site, hoping to "ground-proof some cover types." However, the weather didn’t cooperate. Don writes:

"A gentleman from Frostburg, MD, met us but it was very windy and showered off and on. He went home as he was not dressed for it."

"Another fellow called my home (he obviously had a cell phone) saying he could not find us. My wife told him we had a white car, but we saw nothing of him. (We drove up & down the road some). There were only about 4 other cars up there around 11 AM. So my son, Mark Gasper, & I hiked around about 2 mi., out from Bear Rocks. It rained & BLEW, and about 3 PM and chilly we sheltered in the car and went home."

" Wonderful day though. Identified several new flowers."

David Powell led a group of eight into the gorgeous area along Laurel Fork, north of US 33 in Randolph County. David writes:

"We followed one of many old hunting trails on top of Middle Mountain. With permission from two property owners, we hiked first up to the high top, to scan from the ‘Sound of Music’ mountain meadow, where we were going that day.

"After photos on the high point, we hiked through old mountain laurel and wild azalea glades, then followed a stream down to Laurel Fork, coming out at a railroad bridge abutment.

"We followed Laurel Fork north, the sun came out, the rain never came, we saw the tracks of very big bird (heron ?) or small dinosaur along the stream, we saw a gorgeous Lady Slipper, a big red headed woodpecker, trout, frogs and tadpoles. We stopped for lunch at a four-foot waterfall dropping into a large pool. As we got closer to it, the Laurel Canyon walls got steeper and steeper, so we were hidden deep in a peaceful place at lunch time."

"We followed a different stream bed up and out of Laurel Fork, we came out at the base of a truly West Virginia meadow, it was vertical. As hungry vultures circled us, we climbed straight up to the ridge top of Middle Mountain, walked about a mile to the cars, and ended a special day in Almost Heaven Wild and Wonderful."

Bad weather may have discouraged some, but Peter Shoenfeld and Murat Tandirci ventured forth this rainy weekend anyway. Peter writes:

"There was a lot of rain and high water and so I decided to move the far end to the other Big Run trail head on FS 112 (Spruce Knob Rd.), allowing for possible shorter routes with less high water to cross.

"The rain continued all day Saturday. We walked north on Huckleberry Trail from Spruce Knob to intersection with Judy Springs Trail.

"We camped below the bridge at Judy Springs. The rain finally stopped and the sky started to clear.

"Had a gorgeous hike on Sunday. Cloudy and cool all day, and wet, but not actually raining. The streams were high, clear and beautiful. We quickly gave up any attempt at dry feet and waded them boots on. Some crossings were knee deep. There are beautiful open beaver meadows and bogs all along North Prong and Big Run of Gandy. Vegetation is much like Blister Swamp, a few miles away.

"There are many Balsam Fir trees here. This is my favorite area in the Seneca Creek Backcountry. We got back to the car about four PM Sunday."