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DC UL Backpacking hosts an average of 80 backpacking events each year, specializing in high-mileage, lightweight backpacking trips throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Our membership structure helps backpackers gain or enhance their outdoor skills. In general, our trips are quite challenging but you’ll find a wealth of experienced backpackers who are eager to share advice. Visit our website (www.dculbackpacking.com) to learn more about our group and our membership and trip ranks, and to read our FAQs.
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Upcoming events (4+)
See all- MO: North Fork Mountain Trail (25 Miles)Vienna Metro North Kiss and Ride Lot, Vienna, VA
I've been kind of obsessed with hiking this trail lately so hopefully we can make it happen. The plan is to hike this south to north with splits of 12/12. We'll meet up at Vienna Metro @ 6:45am and head out as soon as possible, set up a water cache and shuttle, and start hiking no later than 11am hopefully. We'll camp around our water cache at Mile 12 and finish up the remaining half the next day, reverse the shuttle and get some lunch before returning. We can play with the campsites/mileage a little depending on how people feel. Also, I haven't hiked this trail before. If you want perfection, this probably ain't it.
Difficulty: This is marked as a Member's Trip but due to the lack of water on this trail I might be a little picky on who can come. You must be able to carry enough water and be in good shape.
Shuttle: This hike requires a shuttle, and to make it happen I'm going to need at least one other driver depending on how many people show up. Three drivers would be ideal. Rough plan is meeting at northern trailhead and drop a car off, set up water cache at half-way point and then drive to southern trailhead to start the hike.
Water: Water is the main challenge of this hike, as there are no water sources on the trail. A small seasonal spring does exist, but it will probably be dry. We will need to cache water at FR 79 at about the 12 mile mark.
Navigation: Trail is marked with blue diamond blazes so it should be fairly easy to follow but there are a few trail intersections so be alert.
Additional Information found here: https://www.beyondthemap.org/single-post/wild-wonderful-the-north-fork-mountain-trail
https://myhikes.org/trails/north-fork-mountain-hikeDCUL'ers have maps!
- Caltopo: https://caltopo.com/m/1ENSAS9
- Purple Lizard Map: https://www.purplelizard.com/products/dolly-sods-seneca-rocks-map
- Trailhead directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jptrC6cHHu8o8eNJ7
- Water Cache Driving Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pBCe42b3NH3GLwMEA
----------------THE IMPORTANT WARNINGS-------------------
As per our carpool policy, riders should plan to pay drivers $0.10/mile.
Oh, and I’m just a co-participant on this trip, not a guide or an expert. I’ve never hiked this trail and this posting is all I know of it. I’ve been hiking with DC UL since 2022 but have no special training, such as organizational, medical, or navigational. If you sign up and can’t come, please let me know—don’t ghost.
By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms (https://www.meetup.com/DC-UL-Backpacking/pages/Liability_Waiver/)
Dues: Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)Not open - IO: Wonderland Trail (Mount Rainier National Park, WA) (93 miles)Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, SeaTac, WA
Updated 4/12 We now have a campsites reserved and an itinerary after going through the early access permit process (details below). The group is also full at the moment, but if you're flexible feel free to reach out to be identified as a backup.
For my first trip to the PNW, I'm going all out with the Wonderland Trail. This famous trail loops around Mount Rainer, covering 93 miles and +-20,000'. ~5 days around labor day weekend is the plan, so expect long daily mileage and significant elevation changes.
This trip could go up to 4 people, although some campsites may be cramped. If you're interested, go ahead and hop on the wait list! This will be invite only because of the difficulty (VMO) and commitment needed. Message me if you have any questions.
I will also be looking into contingency plans due to the uncertain federal situation.
Itinerary:
Wednesday Aug 27- Fly into SEA ~10-11 am
- Get rental car
- Drive to Mt. Rainer National Park, stopping along way for supplies
- Pick up permits from White River WIC. Drop off Food Cache White River Camp
- See where we can stay in/near the park when get there. Options: (1) get walk-in permit to start trail early, e.g., at Pyramid Creek, (2) stay at front country campground, or (3) free dispersed camping in the NF 2.4 miles from the Longmire on skate creek rd ( 46°43'38.2"N 121°49'53.8"W ).
Thur Aug 28 - Mon Sep 1
- Hike!
Campsite: Golden Lakes, Cataract Valley, Sunrise, Maple Creek
- Splits (approximate):
- 24 / 17 / 15 / 25 / 10
- ↑8800'↓6500' / ↑4700'↓5300' / ↑6100'↓4200' / ↑5600'↓9200 / ↑2600|↓2600
See screenshots attached to event for details.
Note: there's an opportunity to change campsites when we pick up the permits on 27th. In particular, we are hoping to swap Maple Creek with Summerland or Indian Bar (best campsites, even out splits).Mon Sep 1
- Hike ends
- Drive rental car back to SEA
- Fly out late, ~10pm - 12am
Costs: transportation to WA (assuming folks will fly to SEA like me), hotel/campsite for arrival day, rental car, permits.
The Fine Print
- By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to DC UL's liability waiver terms. (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver)
- If you are a member, don't forget to pay your annual $10 dues. You can check to see if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip with the group. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15
Permit Situation (Archived/outdated, from Feb)
We can't know the exact splits at this point. In the best case scenario, I/we will win the early access lottery and have a decent chance of reserving campsites with balanced splits. If we don't win the lottery, that means having to try when reservations go on sale to everyone on April 25th. However, I would expect most campsites to be scooped up quickly.That leads to trying for walk-on permit, which they set aside 1/3 of the permits for. In this scenario, you show up the morning of and take whatever campsites you can get to complete the loop. I am prepared to do this by default. It will require flexibility with the splits and ability to hike longer days to make an itinerary work. For example, instead of balanced ~14-17 mile days, there might be one 6 miles and one 20-25 mile day in there. If we don't succeed getting an online reservation, I am going to commit to walk-on and ask that participants are okay with that uncertainty.
- VMO: Mid State Trail: Fourth March (roughly 100km)Needs location
So, this is just me putting the dates up. Essentially, this will be the next 100km of our MST section hike, which should be some of the best terrain. I'm reasonably committed to doing this over Labor Day weekend, unless the temperatures are very high, in which case, I'll cancel.
It will be a Friday-Monday trip, which should be fine for us getting the next 100km we need.
For those who don't know, the Mid-State Trail cuts across the center of Pennsylvania, running roughly 504 kilometers from Maryland to New York. It is an adventuresome trail that resists being hiked. Think of a trail like the Tuscarora Trail, but wilder, rockier, wetter, stranger, bramblier, etc. (Beware the trail hookers!) Very few boots or running shoes cross these miles each year.
If you sign up for this trip, you will probably get lost and feel miserable; you will likely curse my name, at several points, but afterwards you will tell everyone what a great time you had just to fool them into trying it themselves. In short, good clean class 2 fun.
To learn more about the Mid-State Trail (and acquire maps) go here. You might even check out the end-to-ender's list, where I'm #9. A number of other foolhardy DC ULers have etched their name on this list (and a few forgot to turn in their paperwork ... shame!).
So what am I proposing? Basically, just to section hike it in the coming cooler months. I reserve the right to get distracted by skiing and all manner of other things, but we'll get 'er done. Last time it did take more than one season ...
Not open - MO: Three Ridges, the Priest, and Spy Rock (28 miles)Vienna North Metro Parking Lot, Vienna, VA
DCUL might have succeeded in saving the world once last year, but you know what they say: You Only Hike Twice! haha ok that's enough creativity from me let's get down to the details:
We'll leave from Vienna at 4, grab sheetz, and then set up a very short shutte leaving car(s) at crabtree falls and parking at the priest trailhead on VA 56. We'll camp on the east side of the river and in the morning hike up and do the Mau-Har/3 ridges loop, which has some very beautiful streams and waterfalls. Then we'll go all the way back down to where we camped and then all the way up the priest, which is the longest/tallest pitch on the AT! or something like that, idk but it's a pretty grueling climb. We'll camp at the priest shelter at the top. Sunday morning, we'll keep going south on the AT and check out spy rock, and then we'll turn around and head out to the crabtree falls parking. I'm also looking forward to checking out the waterfall. We'll get brunch on the way home, and have plenty of time to have a relaxing labor day celebration.
This is an MO trip but be advised, it is VERY vertical, we gain almost 7500 ft on Saturday so be prepared for that. Also, there is the potential for it to be rather hot this time of year, if it's something crazy like mid-high 90s or if everyone would prefer I'll move this to a similar mileage in dolly sods but hopefully it will cool off in the next couple weeks??
Also, we will need a couple cars for the shuttle, so let me know in your RSVP if you can drive.
Splits are 1/17/10
DCUL'ers have maps!
- PATC Map #12
- NatGeo Map #789
- CalTopo
Important Information:
- As per our carpool policy, riders should plan to pay drivers $0.10/mile. (300 miles RT = $30)
- Members and above, make sure to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DCUL profile. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project).
- By RSVPing to this trip or any other DCUL trip, you agree to DCUL's waiver liability.
I’m just a co-participant on this trip, not a guide or an expert. I have no special training, such as organizational, medical, or navigational. You are officially on the trip if you both RSVP on Meetup and you meet me at the trailhead. Otherwise, you are doing your own trip until you make physical contact with me and I recognize you as a co-participant.
