Canaan Mountain Backcountry and Winter Backpacking 101 Trip
Details
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Here are 2 great areas I have done for years for a one of a kind trip. We will start out at Canaan Mountain Backcountry and enjoy the highlights of this often overlooked but beautiful area. We will then hike over to Otter Creek Wilderness, enjoying all the sights from a different direction. So if you like adventure, beauty, a good workout, and of course great comraderie, this is your trip!
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Canaan Mountain Backcountry is a high elevation plateau ranging in elevations from 4,145 feet at Pointy Knob to 3,100 feet near Blackwater Falls State Park. The semi-primitive area consists of approximately 13,532 acres on the top of the plateau. Since Canaan Mountain is relatively flat, there are many seasonally wet places.
Fees: None
Restrictions:
Keep fires small and use only dead and down branches, however, we encourage the use of lightweight camping stoves.
Closest Towns: Canaan Valley, WV and Davis,
WV Water:
All water should be considered to be contaminated by an intestinal parasite called Giardia. Vigorously boiling the water will destroy the parasite. This is the best method for getting rid of it as some filters may not be small enough to catch the parasite and chemical treatments such as iodine or chlorine are not considered reliable. The Sawyer filter system as well as some others will produce potable water.
Restroom: None
Operated By: Monongahela National Forest Service
Map for Canaan Mountain Backcountry here:
http://www.heartofthehighlandstrail.org/Maps.html
Otter Creek Wilderness is 20,698 acres in size. The Otter Creek Wilderness lies in a bowl formed by Shavers Mountain and McGowan Mountain. Most of the streams flow north into Otter Creek. Vegetation consists of second-growth timber, rhododendron, and a variety of mosses and lichens. Elevations range from 1,800 feet at the mouth of Otter Creek to 3,900 feet on McGowan Mountain.
Map for Otter Creek Wilderness is here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=12369
Click the link for Monongahela National Forest, Canaan Mountain Backcountry or Otter Creek Wilderness "Trail Map" to download your map and print it off and bring it in a zip lock bag. We will be car camping on Friday night at a great little spot I know. This will allow us to get an early start on Saturday hiking out to some stellar overlooks such as Chimney Rocks and Pointy Knob to name only 2 of many, and also enjoying some of that one of a kind high mountain red spruce and rhododendron in the snow on a high "Canadian Like" plateau to help get you into the Christmas Spirit! Total distance of the hike will be about 12 miles with about 2000' elevation gain/loss which makes this the ideal Winter Backpacking 101. You will get sweeping vistas, gorgeous high mountain bogs, majestic spruce, hemlock, moss and rocks, with some roaring streams thrown in for good measure. If there is enough snow, this is a great place to cross country ski and snowshoe!
Campsite:
Our campsite is on a great hiking loop I have laid out of up to 12 miles, with options for up to another 12 and an additional 2000' elevation gain if you want.
Saturday dinner: Cost is about $10-$15/pp.
Saturday group dinner for will be Texas Chili, Dutch Oven Style, with all the sides and fixins'. So you are responsible for Friday dinner and your breakfasts and lunches for Saturday and Sunday.
Additional Information on the Area here:
http://www.hikingupward.com/MNF/CanaanMountainTableRock/index.asp
Carpooling
Please secure your ride by posting your comments and coordinate among yourselves, making friends & sharing cost.
*Carpool ride is NOT a free ride: Please pay your driver(s) min $20/pp. *If you can offer a ride: From where and how many you can take. *If you need a ride: From where or carpool location.
More and more.....
Beg me enough and I may even throw in a fabulous waterfall or 3 just for fun on top of all the other beautiful spots! Come prepared for some sleet just in case, but normally there is plenty of snow up on this high mountain plateau.
We will also stop for a great meal on the way home in nearby Davis. So time to saddle up for one of the finest areas you did not know about in the Midatlantic, one of my old haunts, and a grand adventure high up on the mountain, WB style!
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