Monongahela National Forest Night Skys

 

Good angle but really a bad spot to close to the tents!

Better but the heat lightning was epic!

A guy was lost and blew the shot  then my head lamp did not help lol

The best shot but I still had the clouds to deal with

Day 4 Monongahela National Forest

This would be the first day my friend would join me on a hike. I chose for us to hike up to Spruce Knob. This hike would be 11.2 miles and ascending and descending over 1300 feet. We would follow the Huckleberry Trail.  This is the highest peak in the Mountaineer State, being 4,863 feet.

Looking back, I do regret we did not go to a better vantage point that day to get better views.  The constant climb up was challenging but not too strenuous so that it was unbearable.  You do have to really concentrate on where you step 70% of the time due to exposed roots and displaced rocks.

The way down was the same but with the assistance of gravity lol it was easier.

Day 3 Monongahela National Forest

 This would be a day or rest. I would do errands into town. I would get the gallon water jugs filled and have to go to Elkins West Virginia Walmart. I needed to find another Mini SD card because mine was almost already filled!

This is me driving out of the Monongahela National Forest.

Day 2 Monongahela National Forest

The morning routine was the same as yesterday to include the snorting and stomping deer.

The cloud bank was heavier and vastly bigger than yesterday. The sunrise did manage to poke out here and there. I hope you enjoy the attached videos and photos.

 

Today I would like to visit the Seneca Rocks State Park. After loading up the car and driving forest road 227 I made it to State Route 250. I arrived at the park at an empty parking lot, but what I did not know is most people park in the other lot. Lol

When I started to gear up at the car it was not raining, but as soon as I hit the foot bridge it began to rain. The rain was constant all the way up to the exposed signature rocks that Seneca Rocks is known for. The technical clothes I was wearing were made for weather like this. I wore pants and a long-sleeved shirt. This quick drying material kept me warm even though I was soaked. I pressed on up to the summit.  I passed several people and at some pint the rain had stopped. I did not know this, but it gave me a 15-minute rainless moment at the summit.

I know the rocks will still be wet and hopefully it would offer still an opportunity for me to get a few photographs. I got to the sign that talked about not being prepared and having the right gear could result in death if I want to proceed.  I pressed on because I have enough common sense.

I chose a route that offered me enough friction and handhold to climb a short section of these magnificent rocks. The rocks were slick, but the little route I had chosen to get to the first perch was a smart one.

I arrived at the first ledge and could see across the valley and could see a rainstorm moving in on me again.  I watched it for a moment to see if I could see lightning.  I saw no visual evidence of lightning and pressed on up the rock faces. I was using my military training to go up these rocks. I was keeping at a minimum of three points of contact and arrived at my last perch before the rain would find me. I thought it was taking minutes for the rain to reach me.

The winds aloft moved that storm to reach me in about it seemed like seconds. I got down from that perch as quickly as I got up it.  I still did not see any lighting, but what I did hear was thunder. It was constant and never ended as I climbed off the perch. As I finally got back to the dirt, rock, and tree root riddled path I pressed on. I was yet again soaked as I made my way off Seneca Rocks.

The trail showed signs of getting a lot of rain by forming little rivers of water.  Others may not know this but these trails when they get rain turn into waterways. You need to pay close attention to this fact.  In some areas there is nowhere else for the water to collect and run off. In some cases, these trails can hold running water inches deep.

The thunder never stopped the entire hike down the mountain. I hiked down the trail quickly. I had a piece of deadfall nearly hit me and that made me go even quicker. It’s been my experience if a piece of deadfall falls keeps going don’t stop don’t look keep moving.  There are more likely more hanging in the trees over your head and unless you’re a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle you will not be able to dodge the falling debris.

I got back to my car wet and ready to call it a day. I was praying that back at camp it was dry. With hope in my heart, I drove back to camp. While driving back to camp the clouds were parting and looking less threatening. The rain had slowed down drastically to the point where I could not see any physical evidence of rain.

I turned onto Forest Road (FR) 227 and continued to drive to camp. I was relieved that I did not see any rain puddles. This meant that the campsite saw no new rain! I finally arrived at camp and as I expected no rain had fallen.

The nightly routine would be the same except I choose to have chili tonight. I also in northeasterly direction mother nature was working overtime. The fog bank was so large that it made the horizon disappear.

I have seen fog this thick out in the open ocean but not here on land and so it was a real treat. This treat would end up hanging around for the next three days.

There was so much water vapor in the air, every surface was covered in moisture. This is one reason I always travel with my waterproof bags. It is because of these bags that my clothes remain dry and even my dirty clothes stay dry.  I mean come on who wanted to smell damp, sweaty, stinky, and dirty clothes?

Since these bags are waterproof you don’t need to worry about them. The only way to do this is you need to make sure they don’t blow away! Some dry bags when being used can blow away in the wind unless you hold them in place somehow.  You must remember these bags are filled with clothes and like a tent in the wind you need to tie or hold them down.

I went to bed that night listening to the rain hit the tarp. I was also relieved that I saw no lighting and being atop a ridge on a mountain this was real threat.

Day 1 Monongahela National Forest

I chose for this trip to pay a visit to the Monongahela Nation Forest in West Virginia.  I plan on dispersed camp in the Mower Basin for seven days. The first three I would be solo and on that Friday my partner in crime would come to camp.

I went to the primary camp site, and it was occupied. I had four other camp sites chosen and continued to the other four. I found that other campers were on the other spots.  I went to the last one and found it to be open.

In setting up camp I found two piles of bear scat. One pile was clearly fresher than the other, but still two piles!

The attached photo is the last dispersed camp site. It was a little over a mile from the other site. I was dispersed camping in the Mower Basin.  You can drive right up to your camp site, but don’t be fooled, this is primitive camping. You need to bring everything with you and take it all out with you.

I had made food for the trip, and it was under ice in the cooler. I brought with me also two cases of bottled water and 6 one-gallon jugs of water for showering. One thing that threw me for a loop was the number of flies there were present at the campsite. There re a lot of flies so many flies you need to be prepared. The flies will leave you alone after a few hours buts unnerving to witness.

I got the screened gazebo set up and moved onto my tent set up. I set up a tarp over my tent area so that even if it rained, I would have a dry place to sit. I would be able to enjoy the views of the camp site.

After I got that all set up it was time to run into town and pick up firewood.

I drove out of the forest and one hour later I would find the place to pick up the wood.

I loaded my Subaru and headed back to camp.  I brought with me a plastic trap, in case it rained I would be able to keep the wood dry.

I then realized I had not eaten and decided to heat up some turkey meatloaf.  I broke out my fuel cannister and the stove.  I do need to add that I found a fresh pile of bear scat at our camp site when I got there.

That means I prepared food away from the sleeping tent. That also means I would wash dishes in a different location from the cooking location and the sleeping tent.  I also would hang the trash in a treeaway from all the above forementioned.

I did this in the hopes the bear and other little furry visitors would be less likely to show up. I also brushed my teeth away from camp.

All this seems like a lot but in all actuality it’s a safe way to be.  

On my way to my tent to call it a night I looked up at the night sky. I chose this area also because it’s one of the darkest places east of the Mississippi River. It has a Bortle Rating of 2. You can read about the Bortle Scale here https://www.handprint.com/ASTRO/bortle.html

I could see the Milky Way Galaxy from Horizon to Horizon. This was what I really was after. I don’t have the camera equipment to take images of the Milky Way to show off her true raw beauty, but memories are enough for me now.  The other reason for coming to this location was also to take star trail photos. I did get that opportunity, but heat lighting along with cloud cover made that tough too. Its also important to point out that we go outside to enjoy the outdoors its not “us” who are in-charge of what happens to us.  I hope you enjoy the photos attached below.

This would be my first night here and it will turn out to be one of the quietest nights of my life in a long time.  The crickets were the music that lulled me to sleep. I do t recall falling asleep really but all I recall was my head hitting the pillow and it was lights out.

Day 1

I was awoken in the morning by a snorting deer stomping its hooves to the point where I believed I could hear it stomping.  I laughed out loud and yelled “good morning to you too”.

I dragged myself out of the tent and proceeded to heat up coffee for breakfast.  I did not see any new evidence I was visited by any uninvited guests. The trash I hung in the tree was untouched and there was no evidence of tracks or disturbed grass where I brushed my teeth either.

This would be my first sunrise at camp and mother nature was not disappointed. She painted her canvass effortlessly with pastel pinks, reds, blues, and various shades of white. The overnight low was in the 50’s and a dense fog bank had settled into the valley.

I hope you enjoy the following photos and videos from this moment attached below.

The water started to boil in the kettle, and I put together the coffee. Then I would turn my attention to making oatmeal.  The oatmeal I premixed was basically a candy bar with oats in it lol. 

I finally got to set down and further enjoy the scenery and the moment that I was being a part of.

There was a slight breeze out of the North-Northeast and it was nice and cool.

I started to think about what I was going to do today since I came down a day early. I came down a day early because I was afraid of setting up camp in the rain. For all of us who have set up or torn down camp we know it’s not fun at all. It’s wet and gets everything else wet and not forgetting it weighs more!!

Let’s get back on track here with what I was going to do today.  Well, I wanted to hike but which one means how many miles did I want to do. I choose to do the Loop that was a combination of Lumberjack, High Meadow, and Seneca Creek Trails.  I look at these trails on my Garmin Base Camp mapping program. I knew that the final grade and last leg of this loop would be a brutal slow burn accent.

The bottom of the gorge was at an approximate elevation of 3148’ and the end was at 3953’ elevation. Now that does not sound bad, but I made no mistakes, but I did not know or research how many creek crossings I would have to in this last leg of the hike.  So, the last 5.58 miles was a real treat fest.

I started this hike late. I started at noon, but in preparation for this I packed my headlamp. I also packed 3 liters of water and snacks.

I kept my pace of 2 mph and while I will not set the world on fire with that pace it’s a pace I am comfortable with. This is also the pace I used to complete my 17-mile hike months earlier.

The start of the trail was wet on the Lumberjack Trail (LJT) and would end wet. It was plagued by stinging nettles so be very aware pants should be worn.  There are dozens of springs leeching out of the mountain side.  This is part of the Spruce Mountain in the Allegheny Mountains.

With all the springs comes bugs, but the bugs were not as bad as the nettles. We all need to pay close attention while hiking because you could miss something amazing.

I was walking on this single-track trail and found a few railroad spikes. I also found a few remnants of stone walls. These just appeared as I was hiking the trail they popped up like magic. I don’t know what structure they would have been used for. The age of the rocks looked to it would predate the area becoming a park. I will attach photos and videos below to show you what I am talking about.

The other magical part of this would be seeing three blue cray fish!! Yes, you read that right I saw three blue crayfish, crawdads, or mudbugs! I had no idea they would be this high up on a mountain. 

I was hiking down the trail and saw something blue. My brain was automatically thinking about who threw trash on this trail and then I saw it move. My body locked up to a dead stop. My brain took a few minutes to recognize and process what I was seeing.

I had assumed that the trail was drier than their habitat and maybe they came up on the trail to warm up maybe. I am not a biologist but that is my guess.  I found them at an elevation of 4035’.

I created this loop out of three trails and after the section of the LJT it would lead me to the High Meadow Trail (HMT). Here is where I saw how a horse had been through here recently and pushed back some brush. Meanwhile after I saw several wild black berry bushes and what I believed to be elderberries I pulled out my bear spray.  The last thing I need to do is surprise boo-boo eating his or her dinner! So, I had my bear spray out going down the trail until it opened. I will add a video below showing how narrow the trail was and seeing a bear here could have happened!

What I did not realize is that the fun had not really begun yet. Unknown to me when I got down to the banks of Seneca Creek I would need to do 5 creek crossings. Now this would have been nice to know about going on the hike.  So, you can just imagine how frustrating it was with only myself to blame.

I am extremely fortunate that the creek was not high and not crossable. If it had been so I would have had to go back to the way I came or take a chance again to cross it. This would have been really dumb of me to take a chance.

When you don’t know how many water crossings you need to do you will never know if you’re on the correct bank.

I kept pushing myself and at one point I stopped taking off my GoPro and putting on my headlamp. This was thought of from the start knowing I would not start my hike until midday.

As I hiked up the mountain and made a vertical accent of 805’ in 5.58 miles. It does not look that bad and it was not, but being at the last leg of the hike and the sun had set it was worrisome.

I just kept thinking you are fine and praying I did not have to cross the creek anymore.

When I finally reached the trailhead, I hiked 13.3 miles, traversed Seneca Creek five times, and hiked out of gorge of Seneca Creek.

It was 1930 when I arrived back at the trailhead and it was so late even the owls were saying who! Lol Like “who in the hell would start a hike this late?”.

Beaten and battered I pointed the Subaru to camp.  I arrived at camp an hour plus later.  I heated up water to heat up the meatloaf. Since I did not have a skillet, I figured out I would eat the turkey meatloaf like stew. That meant heating up enough water to make the meatloaf hot. I placed the three pieces of meatloaf in individual baggies. In doing this it allowed me to breakup the meatloaf inside the baggy. After I did this, I could then pour the crumbled meatloaf into the small pot.  I then poured hot water into the small pot and put it onto the burner. After the water started to boil the water, I pulled the pot off the flame. That second dinner out at camp was such a mouthgasm!

After dinner and washing dishes, it was time to take care of myself.

The other part of this journey today would be taking a field shower at night. The temps plummeted and the water was in the 60’s. So, needless to say it was a shock to the system and if the wildlife did not know I was there they would know after I hooted and hollered after every rinse of my body as I washed off the soap. Lol

I went to bed and barely recalled zipping the tent shut. I do remember grabbing the bear spray and air horn before passing the heck out!

Monongahela National Forest Dispersed Camping Random Photos Part 01

 

Sunrise at Mower Basin Dispersed Camping, Monongahela National Forest

Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia Part 01

Here is a taste of how amazing the trip was. I have a ton of artwork to go through, but here is a sample!