Hiking (Backpacking)
Bonnycastle Circle
Dolly Sods
This will be a 4-day backpacking trip. Provided we have enough cars, you can do either only the first half (Dolly Sods, May 8-10), or only the second half (Spruce Knob, May 11-12) or both.
Tentative itinerary:
Friday afternoon — meet at Bonnycastle, drive to Dolly Sods, stop for dinner on the way (or bring it with you), camp 1 mi from the cars.
Saturday — 18 mi day hike around the plateau of DS North, with some fun scrambling/bouldering at the Rocky Point. (If another leader in the group is willing to lead an alternative shorter hike, a 12 mi option will be available). A delicious dinner at the camp cooked by Becca, provided she signs up.
Sunday — after the breakfast, break the camp and drive 10 miles to DS South, camp 2 mi from the cars and day-hike the spectacular Canyon Rim Trail. To the best of my knowledge, this will be the FIRST EVER club’s trip to Dolly Sods South, all the previous trips were in the North.
We WILL get lost, guaranteed (especially if I bring my GPS!)
Sunday night, those who want, go back to C-ville, the rest of us stay at DS South camp.
Monday — drive to Spruce Knob (highest point in WV, awesome views!), meet the group coming from C-ville to join us, and backpack 7 miles to High Meadows — ALL downhill (honest!). Camp either at the meadows or near waterfall. Another delicious dinner, which somebody will have to cook following Becca’s recipes.
(I can only (jet-)boil water).
Tuesday — hike back to the road along Seneca Creek. If we have 2 cars, do the shuttle, if not, I have a feeling somebody will volunteer to race me to retrieve the car from the Spruce Knob.
Drive back to C-ville with a mandatory stop at Wright’s in Staunton for ice-cream/frozen youghurt.
Club will provide 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches (Sat — Tue), and 3 dinners (Sat-Mon). Bring cash for dinners along the way Friday and Tuesday.
Everybody is waitlisted until the drivers sign up
Starting time on Friday flexible and can be adjusted to suit everybody.
You’ll need daypack, backpack, backpack rain cover, tent, sleeping bag/pad, headlamp (club can provide the gear you need). Also, bring 2 water bottles for the longer day-hike.