FAR TREK

The trail is often described as the most scenic backpacking trip in the mid-Atlantic. Though we’d done lots of hiking, we had never tried to hike so far and never with packs loaded down with camping supplies. Mine weighed 35 pounds and hers weighed 28. And neither of us had camped since we were kids.

The North Fork Mountain Trail, in the Monongahela National Forest, runs from Route 33 to Route 55 in Pendleton County, West Virginia. The trail’s name is derived from the fact that it divides (creates a fork in) the North Branch and the South Branch, the two main tributaries that form the Potomac River.

The mountain lies in a rain shadow of the Allegheny

Due to the unique climate, numerous plant species that are cannot be found anywhere else in the state, are the Red Pine and the herb Hudsonia. Several patches of old growth forest also line the trail. But because the trail runs along a mountain ridge and receives little rainfall, there are no water sources. Usually, backpackers rely on portable purifiers to replenish water supplies.

Twenty four miles is long way to go without water or carry a two-day supply of water. Fortunately, a gravel fire road leads up to a campsite at the center of the trail. If you have enough people, you can leave cars on one end of the trail, shuttle water up to the center and then drive to the other end. If you’re one your own, or don’t want to bother shuttling cars, the Cliffs of Seneca Shuttle Service will take care of you.

My wife and I had been trying to arrange the trip with other would-be backpackers for months, but we finally gave up on our friends and called Cliffs of Seneca. We met the owner of the shuttle, Jeff McCracken, at 9:30 a.m. on a beautiful fall Saturday morning near Smoke Hole Caverns on the North end of the trail. The shuttle can carry nearly a dozen passengers, their packs and water jugs. It took almost two hours on the backcountry roads to make the run up to the center of the trail, hide our three jugs of water and then arrive at the South end. Jeff gave us all kinds of pointers about what to look for and how to stay on the trail.

As we exited the shuttle, he told us to just head up though the woods until you see the footpath then turn left and follow the blue blazes. We almost got lost within the first few minutes. With all of the leaves covering the ground, it was hard to discern what was a path and what was just woods. Upon seeing a blue blaze nailed to a tree, we breathed a sigh of relief and happily marched on.

Within about a mile we came to a rocky outcropping and took in the view of the valley and the Allegheny Mountains beyond. The dense forest seemed to be covered in a crimson carpet from all of the red leaves. But with less than seven hours to sunset, we had to make it to the campsite before dark. We pressed on under a canopy of Red and White Oaks and Maple trees, their leaves various hues of red, gold and yellow.

I used an internal frame pack and Karen had an external framed model. Mine was comfortable, but the close fit also makes your back sweat. My wife’s external frame pack provided an air space between her back and the main storage compartment—no sweaty back for her.

Packs are sized by volume in cubic centimeters (cc). For a weekend trip of up to three nights, packs of about 4000-5000cc are recommended. For longer trips, you need the mondo pack of 7000cc. The key parameter for proper fit is the torso measurement, from hips to shoulders—the two areas that bear the weight. In order to see if the pack fits well, go to an outfitter store and try on a variety of models. The store should have a supply of water filled jugs or other weights to put in the pack to simulate the fully laden condition. Be sure that there’s enough adjustment in the various straps to compensate for wearing bulky clothing. It should also have several storage compartments to separate your gear and a place to carry water. My pack has the typical side pockets for carrying water bottles. With the pockets behind my hips, grabbing one of the bottles and then putting it back is a bit of a hassle. Karen’s pack includes an internal pouch for a Camelback style water bladder. Through holes are provided for the drinking tube to extend out of the pack.

After about three miles we stopped for lunch at a power line cut out. We were amazed that no other hikers were out on such a beautiful sunny day. For lunch we brought along snack-type foods: nuts, raisins, baby carrots, energy bars and candy bars.

The trail became an open grassy road. After another mile we passed a four-wheel drive access road leading down into the valley. Just before we re-entered the forest, Karen yelled, “Look, a hang glider ramp!” We diverted back up to the top of the ridge to find a large wooden ramp overlooking Germany Valley.

My wife and I are hang glider pilots and we had no clue that there was a launch along the trail. We finally figured out that it must be the North Mountain launch belonging to the West Virginia hang gliding club - the Mountaineers. At some point the locals had dropped the word ‘fork’. Out in the valley, several species of hawks soared high above us in the updrafts created by the wind coming up the mountain. It would be a perfect day to fly a hang glider here and be one with the birds for several hours. But just like the trail had been empty of human traffic, so was the sky.

We spent too much time watching the birds and needed to pick up the pace. But just over the eight-mile marker we arrived at another cliff and had to marvel at the view of Seneca Rocks far below. At 10 miles the woods opened to a gravel road. Jeff had told us to head for an antenna tower and then follow a road down to the left for about a mile to reach the campsite. Despite our frequent stops, we still had 90 minutes left until sunset and only a mile to go for the day. We took another break and lay out upon the warm rocks for 15 minutes.

The last mile was closer to a mile and a half. We found a large group of backpackers who had come from the opposite direction and were already setting up their tents and building a campfire. I retrieved our hidden water and we scoped out a good place to pitch our tent.

You need a nice flat spot that won’t collect water should it rain. It’s usually better to use an area where the ground is hard rather than soft. Soft earth can become bumpy and uneven as you tramp around putting the tent together. Modern bedrolls are as comfortable as most mattresses and work better on a hard surface. We found a nice location away from the other campers and spread out the tent so that one of the doors would open to the east for a view of the sunrise.

Like most other campers, we had a dome-style tent that assembles in minutes. Fiberglass or aluminum poles are threaded together with bungee cord. The poles connect to form long rods and then the rods are pushed through fabric channels in the tent. As the rods bend under tension, they form arcs to make the dome. You then stake down the corners and a rain fly can then be buckled to the corners. A large rain fly that covers the entire tent is essential for backpacking.

Inexpensive tents with a small flies only covering the top of the tent leak like sieves and guarantee you a night of heavy showers. A ground cloth is placed under the tent to keep the bottom from being scuffed up. A fancy nylon ground cloth can cost over $20. We just used a large plastic garbage bag. And even though rain was not forecasted, we attached the rain fly to act as an additionally layer of insulation against the cold.

Our tent weighed seven pounds so we split up the weight with me carrying the tent, fly and stakes and Karen carrying the poles. Our 3-person tent really only fit the two of us. We had square bags that could be zippered together. For bedrolls, we used self-inflating mattresses. Once our little home was all arranged, I fired up our camper stove for dinner- dehydrated pasta primavera for Karen and rice pilaf for me and little bottles of wine to complement our gourmet feast.

After eating, we tied our food supplies and garbage to tree limbs away from the tent to discourage rats and other critters from being a nuisance. Twilight settled into darkness and we strapped on our headlamps (another essential item) and joined the large group by the campfire. It was a treat not having to collect the wood and build the fire. (For starting a fire, we carried a baggie full of cotton balls coated in Vaseline.) The group was an explorers club from Pittsburgh, my hometown. Many of them were graduate students at Carnegie-Mellon University, my alma mater. Small world. One guy even graduated from my high school and also knew several of my old teachers even though he was over a decade younger than me. Really small world.

As he talked about the various adventures they’d been on, I asked if he had participated in any mountaineering trips. He responded that he was afraid of heights. To which I said, “I guess you wouldn’t like our main sport, hang gliding.” Out of the darkness, a very English accent replied, “I thought I recognized your voice.” It was British hang glider pilot we knew who was living in Pittsburgh. Damn it’s a small a world.

After talking until about 10:00pm, we retired to our tent. Temps in the upper 30’s were predicted for the night. Inside our ‘not really’ 20 degree bags, we wore a layer of fleece long underwear, heavy socks, glove liners and fleece headbands to stay warm through the night. The sound of whistling wind quickly lulled us to sleep.

I awoke at first light, unzipped the tent and we watched the sunrise. Stepping out to relieve my bladder, I noticed a dramatic temperature change. Our little tent really did lock out the cold. The other tents showed no sign of activity. So I climbed back into the sleeping bag, closed the tent and drifted back to sleep. Rustling sounds from the Pittsburgh group woke us an hour later. For our morning repast we had breakfast cereal bars, individual orange juice boxes, bananas and a can of Coke. “What, no tea?” Karen asked. Ooops. Didn’t think of that. But I knew who might have some extra tea. Sure enough, our Brit friend had a couple of extra teabags. I boiled up a pot of water and we completed our meal with tea in my Lexan water bottles.

After breaking camp and re-packing, we said our goodbyes, made a final sweep of the site and double-checked to make sure that the fire was completely extinguished. You should always leave the campsite as you found it. Some parks forbid the building of campfires. Always check the regulations before embarking on a trip and remember Smokey the Bear’s motto.

The next section of trail followed a more contoured path through the woods with numerous elevation changes. The ups and downs took a toll on our knees; so we made walking sticks out of fallen branches. Several times the forest opened to views to the east of the Potomac River Valley and parts of the path snaked along the thin knife-edge of the ridge, granting views on both sides. The sheer Tuscarora sandstone cliffs serve as a nesting ground for Peregrine Falcons and are a haven for rock climbers willing to brave the long hike and escape the crowds at nearby Seneca Rocks.

Unfortunately, the trail did not follow the tops of the cliffs. It would dart down into the woods and then come back. Each time, we’d take off our packs and scramble around the rocks seeking the best overlook. These views of the Monongahela National Forest were the highlight of the trip. After the Chimney Rocks overlook, the trail finally hugged the cliff edge for about a mile as we began our descent and then turned back into the forest. This last few miles of hiking down through a series of switchbacks was the most difficult part of the trip. The beauty of the fall foliage only partially distracted us from our aching shins, ankles and knees.

Down and down we went, feeling that it would never end. The weight of the packs also began to wear on our backs and shoulders. Having spent the better part of the day goofing around on the cliffs, daylight waned and we were running out of water. A cooler full of water, Gatorade and snacks awaited us in my car. Rounding another switchback, I finally saw the parking lot and my car. I felt like jumping for joy. But that would have required the ability to jump. We hobbled down to the car, unloaded our packs and celebrated with a glass of unbelievably delicious lime Gatorade.

Though every part of our body ached, we were hooked. We’re planning a backpacking trip to the Dolly Sods in the spring and the Cranberry Wilderness Area in the summer (both in West Virginia). If we neglect to mention our numerous aches and pains, maybe some of our preoccupied friends will join us this time.

Before embarking, give all of your gear a dry run. Set up your tent and sleep out in your back yard. Try setting up your tent in the dark. Load your pack and take a short hike around the neighborhood.