Wanderbirds Hike Schedule for July thru September, 2010
All outings depart 17th & K Streets at 8:00 am sharp unless otherwise noted. VA=suburban pickup in Virginia; MD=suburban pickup in Maryland (see maps of pickup points). Hikes marked MD & VA will pick up at both suburban locations. Hikers should be at suburban pickup points by 8:20 am.
To join us on a hike, make a reservation with the leader at the telephone number listed at the end of the hike description. Membership is not required unless specified. It is club policy that hikers new to the club will take the moderate hike.
Please
try to sign up before 4:00 pm Friday afternoon before the hike!
Otherwise the hike may be cancelled due to low number of sign-ups.
And PLEASE don't call leaders after 9:00 PM!
Rating of hikes based on elevation and terrain. Easy: less than 1,000 ft elevation gain. Intermediate: less than 2,000 ft elevation gain. Strenuous: 2,000+ ft elevation gain. Rating may vary with weather and terrain. Consult the leader at the phone number provided for advice.
Where park fee is indicated, holders of Annual, Golden Eagle, Senior or Golden Age passes are not charged, but must have passes available. Others pay $5.00 park entrance fee December through February, and $8.00 March through November, in addition to bus fare. Senior or annual passholders may have up to three guests. This rule often allows the bus to enter the park free, unless too few passholders are on the bus.
June 27 (Sunday) AT and Rocky Knob to Caledonia State Park, PA Hiking the beautiful trails south of Pine Grove Furnace, long hikers will start at Shippensburg Road, take Fegley Road to the AT. They will hike south on the AT, Rocky Knob Trail to the reservoir, where they will join the moderate hikers. Moderate hikers head west on Orebank Road off Pine Grove Road (Rt. 233), will climb the side of Long Pine Run Reservoir dam, and then will follow the reservoir shoreline, where they will join the long hikers. All hikers will go left on Birch Run and Milesburn Roads continue to Locust Gap Trail. All hikers will follow Dark Hollow and Hosack Trails for a scenic loop and then will continue south on the AT. They will take the Three Valley and Ramble Trail to the bus located at Caledonia iron furnace parking lot. Est. miles: 12 (intermediate) 9 (easy). PATC Maps 2 and 3. Fare $27. Leaders: Jamie Whitcomb (202.236.6258) and Bill Peters (301.741.7916). (MD)
July 4 (Sunday) Old Rag Mountain, SNP (Carpool Hike) Hikers
will meet at 8 am at Vienna Metro. Long hikers will start at the Nethers Parking
area, ascend the Ridge Trail to the strenuous and popular Old Rag rock scramble,
and then to the Old Rag summit, returning to the Nethers Parking Lot via Weakley
Hollow Fire Road. Moderate hikers will start at the Berry Hollow Parking area
where they will take a more moderate approach up Old Rag by hiking up the
Berry Hollow Fire Road and turning on to the Saddle Trail to the Old Rag summit,
and retracing the hike back to the cars. After reaching the summit, the two
hikes can meet at the Byrd's Nest Shelter for a shared rest stop. An optional
brunch at the Thornton River Grille (Sperryville, VA) will follow. Est. miles:
5-6 (intermediate) and 8.8 (strenuous). PATC Map 10. Fare: $5.00 plus $10
to carpool driver plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Josh Silverman 703-591-2822
and Bill Peters (301) 741-7916. (VA)
July 11 (Sunday) Riprap Falls, SNP - South District (Swimming Hike)
This outing is often mentioned as the best hike in the Shenandoah Park. Long
hikers start at Wildcat Ridge Parking area and go north on AT. They take a
left on Riprap Trail to the Riprap Falls and swimming hole and return to the
Wildcat Ridge parking area by ascending the Wildcat Ridge Trail. Moderate
hikers start at Riprap Trail parking area and then follow the AT north, leading
the long hikers to the Riprap and Wildcat Ridge Trails. Easy hikers can start
at Horsehead Mountain Overlook and hike 5 miles south back to the bus. Est.
miles: 9.6 (strenuous) and 7 (intermediate). PATC Map 11. Fare: $27 plus park
fee. Leaders: David Saah (703-352-4685) and Anne Ralls (443-624-2532). (VA)
July 18 (Sunday) Hazel Mountain SNP (Swimming Hike) Long hikers
start at Route 211 and take Buck Ridge, Hazel Mountain, Hot-Short and Nicholson
Hollow Trails to the Nethers Parking area with Hughes River swimming hole
near end of hike. Moderate hikers start at Skyline Drive and descend via Hazel
Mountain Trail and follow long hike. Est. miles: 11.6 (strenuous) and 8.9
(intermediate). PATC Map 10. Fare: $27 plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Mike
Ollinger 202-291-3868 and Anna Oldak 301-528-2399. (VA)
July 25 (Sunday) Camp Rapidan-Big Rock Falls (SNP) (Swimming Hike)
Both hikes combine opportunities to tour the rustic former Presidential retreat
of Camp Hoover (now Camp Rapidan) and to take a refreshing dip in the Big
Rock swimming hole. Moderate hikers will start at Milam Gap, go south on AT
turning left down the Laurel Prong Trail to Camp Rapidan, and then ascend
to Milam Gap via Mill Prong with a swimming opportunity at Big Rock Falls.
Long hikers start at Fishers Gap, go south on the AT, turn left onto Laurel
Prong, and follow the moderate hike. Est. Miles: 11.3 (strenuous) and 7.0
(intermediate). PATC Map 10. Fare: $27 plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Annette
de Pompa 410-535-5171 and Carmen de Perignat 301-461-8760. (VA)
August 1 (Sunday) South River Falls (SNP) (Swimming Hike) Long
hikers will start at South River Picnic Area, take AT north to Pocosin Fire
Road, to Pocosin Trail, right onto the South River Fire Trail, left onto unnamed
fire road and left along South River Falls Trail to the South River Falls
(dip possibility). The hikers then ascend trail to South River Parking Area.
Moderate hikers start at the picnic area, head directly towards the Pocosin
Fire Road, turning right onto Pocosin Trail, right at South River Falls Trail
and join the long hike route. Est. miles: 10 (strenuous) and 7 miles (intermediate).
PATC Map 10. Fare: $27 plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Emil Friberg 202-812-8990
and Keesha Egebrecht, 719-233-7364. (VA)
August 8 (Sunday) Overall Run, SNP Both hikes include the first 7.6
miles of the 220 mile Tuscarora Trail and pass by the beautiful Overall Run
Falls. All hikers will start at Little Hogback Overlook. Moderate hikers take
the AT south and descent on the Tuscarora-Overall Trail passing beautiful
Overall Runs falls to the hike's end near the Low Water Bridge crossing of
the Shenandoah (Route 613). Long hikers also take the AT south->Sugarloaf->Pole
Bridge-Link->Keyser Run Trails then take the AT (south) again and follow
the moderate hikers. Est. miles: 13 (intermediate) and 7-8 (easy). PATC Maps
9. Fare: $27 plus park fee. Leaders: Wendy Wigen and Jack Dawson 703-575-7684.
(VA)
August 15 (Sunday) Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Appalachian Trail
Museum, PA (Swimming Hike) This hike will include a stop at the
Appalachian Trail Museum which opened in June, 0.3 mile from the hike's ending
at Fuller Lake. Long hike will start at Fegley Rd and ascend to the AT. Hikers
will turn North on the AT and proceed to Shippensburg Rd where they join the
moderate hikers. Moderate hikers will start at Shippensburg Rd. All hikers
will travel North on the AT to Pine Grove Furnace area. When at Pine Grove
Furnace, there will be opportunities for swimming, ice cream, and a tour of
the AT Museum. Est. miles: 11.5 (intermediate, 1020 ft) and 8 (easy, 620 ft).
PATC Map 2-3. Fare: $27. Leaders: Annette de Pompa 410-535-5171 and Gerard
Murphy 301-990-1988. (MD)
August 22 (Sunday) Trout Pond and Rockcliff Lake, Trout Pond Recreational
Area (TPRA), WV (Swimming Hike) Long hikers will start at Trout
Run Valley Road ascend south onto the Long Mountain Trail, making rights onto
Trout Pond Road and Trout Pond Trail, crossing the Trout Pond Recreational
Area (TPRA, where swim at Rockcliff Lake is available) and thence to the hike's
end near the camping area. Moderate hikers start at the same area and hike
up the Long Mountain Trail, turning right onto Chimney Rock Trail to TPRA
and rejoining long hike with a swim at Rockcliff Lake. Est. miles: 12.5 (strenuous)
and 8.5 (intermediate). PATC Map F. Fare: $27. Leaders: Josh Silverman 703-591-2822
and Laura Heaton 571-212-2592. (VA)
August 29 (Sunday) Jewell Hollow Overlook to Nicholson Hollow, SNP
(Swimming Hike) All hikers start at Jewell Hollow Overlook and take
the AT south. Moderate hikers will head east when they reach the connector
trail for Nicholson Hollow. They will cross Skyline Drive and continue on
Nicholson Hollow Trail to the swimming hole and the bus at Nethers. Long hikers
will continue on AT to the Passamaquoddy Trail and go around Stony Man via
a horse trail to get back to the AT. They will then head north to the Nicholson
Hollow turn off and follow the path of the moderate hikers to the swimming
hole and the bus. An extra-long hike is also possible. Est. mi. 11.5 (intermediate)
7.5 (easy). PATC Map 10. Fare: $27 plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Michael
Roehm 202-758-2078 and Sherry Taylor 703-941-0209. (VA)
September 5 (Sunday) Lake Anna, VA(Swimming Hike) On trails
to be determined but pretty darned flat, moderate hikers will enjoy a relatively
easy approximately 8 mile hike and long hikers will stretch it out for about
12 miles (easy). MAP: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/documents/lakeanna.pdf
Fare: $27 bus (and $2.50 per-swimmer fee paid at park beach area). Leaders:
Bruce Milhans 240-997-6957 and Pat Fairfax 703-328-1501. (VA)
September 12 (Sunday) Catoctin Trail to Gambrills State Park, MD (Picnic
Hike Members Only) After an invigorating hike, we will have our annual
picnic, feasting on hamburgers or veggie burgers and an assortment of wonderful
homemade potluck items. (Indicate if your preference is vegetarian when reserving
the hike.) Long hikers will start at Delauter Road, go south on Catoctin Trail
to the trail's terminus at Gambrills Parking Area (off Gambrills Road) and
ascend to High Knob Picnic Area by the Poplar and Ash trails. Moderate hikers
start on the Catoctin Trail at Hamburg Road and follow the long route to High
Knob and picnic. Est. miles: 10 (intermediate) and 7 (easy). Longer and shorter
hikes available. PATC Map 5-6, Gambrills State Park map. Fare: $27 plus $10
fee for food if not bringing potluck item. Contact Laura Heaton regarding
picnic. Leaders: Chris Galik 202-364-0848 and Laura Heaton 571-212-2592. (MD)
September 19 (Sunday) Catoctin Trail (north half) and Cunningham Falls
State Park, MD (Swimming Hike) This hike will give extra ambitious
hikers the option of completing the entire 26.6 mile Catoctin Trail over two
successive weekends. Extra-long hikers can complete the Catoctin Trail by
taking it south after descending Cat Rock and doing an out-and-back trip to
Catoctin Furnace (start of Sept 12 hike). The long hike will start at the
northern terminus of the Catoctin Trail, go south and then do a counterclockwise
circuit of the Cunningham Falls-Wolf Rock-Cat Rock circuit ending at Hunting
Creek Lake for swim. Moderate hikers will start at the Visitors Center; do
a clockwise circuit of the loop above, ending at lake. Est. miles: 16 (extra-long
- those wishing to complete the Catoctin Trail), 12 (strenuous) and 8-9 (moderate).
PATC Map 5-6. Fare: $27. Leaders: Jim Fitzsimmons and Lorie Fitzsimmons 703-465-9022.
(MD)
September 26 (Sunday) Jeremy's Run and Traces Trail, SNP (Swimming
Hike for long hikers) Both hikes will start at the Elkwallow Picnic Area.
Long hikers will descend the pristine Jeremy Run Trail and take advantage
of a swimming hole before sharply ascending Neighbor Mountain and continuing
north on the AT, completing a loop at Elkwallow. Moderate hikers will take
the AT north to Matthews Arm campground area and return to Elkwallow Picnic
Area via Elkwallow Trail. Est. miles: 12.5 (strenuous) and 6-9 (easy). PATC
Map 9. Fare: $27 plus park fee or pass. Leaders: Jamie Whitcomb 202-236-6258
and Judy Russell 540-333-0100. (VA)
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