Great North Mountain

Page 1.  06/29/2002 - 03/22/2003

 

Maps: PATC Map F, Trails Illustrated Map 792: Massanutten & Great North Mtn., 

Books: Guide to Great North Mtn. Trails by PATC (see free update to this book at www. patc.net), Circuit Hikes in MD, VA, WV and PA by PATC, Tuscarora Trail, A Guide to the Southern Half by PATC, 50 Hikes in Northern VA by Leonard Adkins.

 

Hike 1.  Gary Tobin’s 24 mile loop.

 

Club: Jack and William’s group scouting.

Date: 06/29/2002

Parking: Rt. 55 to Wardensville, RT23/10 view miles from the town, between Deep Gutter Run and Half Moon Run where the map says Parking.

Trails: RT23/10, Long Mtn. Tr., RT691, Tibbett Knob Tr., Mill Mtn. Tr., Tuscarora Three Ponds Tr. and Pond Run Tr., Halfmoon Tr.

Trace file: GaryTobinsLoop_Gps20020629.tpo

*.gif Trace Maps: GaryTobinsLoop_GPS20020629Map1.GIF, GaryTobinsLoop_GPS20020629Map2.GIF, GaryTobinsLoop_GPS20020629Map3.GIF, GaryTobinsLoop_GPS20020629Map4.GIF

Notes: The first 1.5 miles there were no satellites, so the route is drawn free hand and is approximate.  The hike involves a short bushwhack after the 1^st mile on the trail. The bushwhack is not overgrown, but is hard to find the Long Mtn Tr. after reaching the top.  To avoid the bushwhack all together, one can just start at the Bucktail Parking and follow the Long Mtn Tr.  Beautiful overlook at Tibbet Knob.

 

 

Hike 2.  Little Sluice Mtn.  Little Schloss and White Rocks.

Club: First hike – Jack Thorsen and me scouting, second hike William Needham and me co-leading it for MWROP (my first hike as a leader).

Dates: 07/14/2002, 09/01/2002

Parking: RT42 to Columbia Furnace, RT675 for ½ mile, RT608 becomes RT88 to the end.

Trails: RT88, RT92, Little Sluice Mtn. Tr., Three Ponds Run Tr., Little North Mtn. Tr. of the Tuscarora Tr., Cedar Creek Tr.

Trace file: LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020714.tpo, LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020901.tpo.

*.gif Trace Maps: LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020714Map1.GIF, LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020714Map2.GIF;

LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020901Map1.GIF, LittleSluiceMtn_GPS20020901Map2.GIF

Notes: I highly recommend to read the description of this hike by L. Adkins before actually doing the hike.  Waypoint + and – on the second hike are the Jack Thorsen’s puzzle of why the creek is going in the “wrong” direction, to which we found the answer on the second hike.  On the Little Schloss it is not worth bushwhacking on the other side of  the peak after reaching the top – no views.  On the White Rocks continue following the white blazes all the way to the end – there is a Black Vulture nest there.  Wear boots rather than trail runners – it’s wet, slippery and grassy in several areas.  To make the hike a little shorter and more attractive, do a short shuttle between the RT88 and RT92 near the High Head instead of walking this distance on the gravel road.

 

 

Hike 3.  Name: Wilson Cove – Tuscarora Tr. White Rock Cliff and Halfmoon Lookout.

Club: Kate and me scouting.

Date: 08/11/2002

Parking: RT55, Wardensville, RT5/1 to the gate of the Wilson Cove.

Trails: Wilson Cove Tr., Old Mail Path Tr., Three Ponds and Pond Run Trs. of the Tuscarora tr. with side Tr. to the White Rock Cliff, out and back Half Moon and Half Moon Lookout Trs., Pond Run Tr.

Trace file: HalfMoonTr_GPS20020811.tpo

*.gif Trace Maps: HalfMoonTr_GPS20020811Map.GIF

Notes: WV is not yet the place, where blazes and posts are everywhere.  Be careful not to get lost.  Pond Run Tr. has a lot of stream crossings.  It’s worth doing this hike in both directions.

 

 

Hike 4.  Shuttle.  Long Mountain Tr. to the Trout Pond Recreational Area.

Club: Wonderbirds

Leaders: Kiko Alvarez Calderon and Susana Mendez

Date: 08/25/2002

Parking: 1^st parking: RT55, Wardensville, Trout Run Rd, Bucktail Parking.  2d parking: RT55, Lost River, RT259, Follow Directions to the Trout Pond Campground, Park at the Rockcliff parking lot.

Trails: Long Mtn. Tr., RT691 becomes RT51, Trout Pond Tr., walk along the campground, Rockcliff lake parking.

Trace file: LongMtnTr_TroutPondRecArea_GPS20020825.tpo

*.gif Trace Maps: LongMtnTr_TroutPondRecArea_GPS20020825Map1.GIF, LongMtnTr_TroutPondRecArea_GPS20020825Map2.GIF

Notes:  This hike is strenuous at times. Trails are easy to follow.

 

 

Hike 5.  Gerhard Shelter Tr. – Racer Camp Hollow Tr.

Club: MWROP

Leaders: Jack and William.

Date: 09/14/2002

Parking: RT55, I don’t know exactly, but it seems it’s RT93.  It’s off RT55 several miles before Wardensville and has no sign to turn.  The gates shown on the map are all opened, at least were at the time of the hike.  Park near the closed gate several hundred feet before the Gerhard Shelter Trail.

Trails: Gerhard Shelter Tr. (the map doesn’t show the name) – blazed white; County Line Tr. and Pond Run Tr. of the Tuscarora Tr.; Racer Camp Hollow Tr.; Vance’s Cove Tr.

Trace file: GerhardShelter_TuscaroraTr_GPS20020914.tpo

*.gif Trace Maps: GerhardShelter_TuscaroraTr_GPS20020914Map1.GIF, GerhardShelter_TuscaroraTr_GPS20020914Map2.GIF

Notes: The trail to the Gerhard Shelter is very strenuous, although not too long.  Pond Run Tr. is not as strenuous but much longer.  Tuscarora Tr. is not best blazed, so be careful.

 

 

Hike 6.  Laurel Run Tr. – Trout Pond Tr. Figure 8.

Club: MWROP

Leaders: Jack and William

Date: 10/12/2002

Parking: RT42 to Columbia Furnace, RT675, RT717 to Liberty Furnace, RT691, RT252.  If the gate is opened, drive to the intersection of the Laurel Run and Laurel Run Spur Tr.  If it is closed, drive to the parking at the gates.

Trails: Laurel Run Tr.; Laurel Run Spur Tr.; Falls Ridge Tr.; North Mtn. Tr.; RT691; Long Mtn. Tr.; Trout Pond Tr.; Trout Pond, Rockcliff Lake; Trot Pond Tr. up; RT59; Laurel Run Tr. to the cars.

Trace file: LaurelRunTr_RockcliffLake_GPS20021012.tpo

GPS TrackMaker file: LaurelRunTr_RockcliffLake_GPS20021012.gtm

*.gif Trace Maps: LaurelRunTr_RockcliffLake_GPS20021012Map1.GIF, LaurelRunTr_RockcliffLake_GPS20021012Map2.GIF

Notes:  Very beautiful hike – a lot of overlooks.  Worth going when the sky is clear.  Has two long and strenuous uphills: Falls Ridge Tr. and Trout Pond Tr.  Trout Pond is almost all gone underground.

 

 

Hike 7.  Falls Ridge Tr. w. a 60’ Waterfall  – North Mtn. Tr. – Laurel Run Spur Tr.

 

Club: Tania, Matthew, Weiming, me scouting.  Sierra Club.

Dates: 11/28/2002; 01/04/2003.

Parking: see *.doc file for description.

Trails: Falls Ridge Tr. w. a 60’ Waterfall  – North Mtn. Tr. –Pipeline - Laurel Run Spur Tr.

Trace file: LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20021128.gtm, LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20030104.tpo

GPS TrackMaker file: LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20021128.gtm, LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20030104.gtm

*.gif Trace Maps: LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20021128Map.GIF, LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20030104Map.GIF

General and waypoint description file: LaurelRunTr_FallsRidgeTr_GPS20021128.doc.

Notes:  see *.doc file for description. See the second trace file for the answer to the Scott’s puzzle: can you see the Big Schloss from the pipeline?

 

 

Hike 8.  Falls Ridge Tr. - Fat Mtn.

Club: Jack, Russ, Steve, Olivia, Weiming and me scouting.

Date: 03/22/2003

Parking: See waypoints D01 - D05.  Park on the curb of the road, where you see blazes on the other side of the stream.

Trails: Falls Ridge Tr.; North Mtn. Tr.; Pipeline; Laurel Run Spur Tr.; Fat Mtn. Tr.  

Trace file: FallsRidgeTr_FatMtnTr_GPS20030322.tpo

GPS TrackMaker file: FallsRidgeTr_FatMtnTr_GPS20030322.gtm

*.gif Trace Maps: FallsRidgeTr_FatMtnTr_GPS20030322Map.GIF

General and waypoint description file: FallsRidgeTr_FatMtnTr_GPS20030322.doc

 

 

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