4 Days in Dolly Sods Wilderness

***UPDATE*** Red Creek is expected to be full on Thursday due to bird banding. New Thursday night plan is to hike in a bit on Blackbird knob to find a campsite. I (Sarah) will have a red hammock with gray rain flap if you are looking for my camp. Otherwise, see you at 9 am at the trailhead on Friday!

Four days' backpacking in the Monongahela National Forest Dolly Sods Wilderness. Area information and trail map from fs.usda.gov.

Route map: https://caltopo.com/m/959FFR8 (geocoded PDF that will work in Avenza; expires in 7 days)

Some small details of this trip, such as start time on Friday are subject to change at the moment. Make sure you are checking your Meetup messages so you don't miss an update, and RSVP with integrity. See FINAL NOTES below for other trip details.

Our Thursday-night campground — Red Creek Campground — is first-come-first-served and apparently does fill up, so if you can, arrive Thursday and grab us a spot. Sites are $11/night.

If not camping overnight on Thursday, meet us at Blackbird Knob trailhead (39.03356, -79.31432) for a trail time of 9 am.

This is a wilderness area with no privies (toilets) and no potable water. You are expected to bring your own shelter, sleep system, food for four days, and water filtration/purification equipment, or contact the organizers in advance if you need a loan for certain items. Special food storage methods are not strictly required, but we will hang our food regardless.

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Friday)

• Red Creek campground to Blackbird Knob to Lion's Head
• have to get water before camp
• highest mileage day (~8.5)

Day 2 (Saturday)

• Lion's Head to Red Creek trail to second Breathed Mountain campsite
• about 6 miles

Day 3 (Sunday)

• Breathed Mountain to Raven Ridge campsite
• ~7.5 miles; there are campsites before Raven Ridge if we don't want this many miles

Day 4 (Monday)

• Raven Ridge (or alt on Dobbin Grade) back to Red Creek campground
• 4.3 miles or less if we choose an alt campsite

FINAL NOTES

1. No-shows: RSVP with integrity and mark yourself as not going or contact the organizer if you can't make it. No-shows are a hassle for the organizers, and keep someone else from being able to go.
2. Cost: The cost of gas to be shared with your driver; camping at Red Creek is $11/site/night if you stay overnight on Thursday.
3. Skill level: Moderate.
4. Terrain: Daily traverse distance will between 4 and 9 miles, between 1000–1200' elevation gain/loss.
5. Weather conditions: the trails we'll be on range between 2800–4200' elevation, which means up to 10 °F cooler than nearby Petersburg, WV. Expect wet conditions and dress/pack accordingly.
6. Pace: Moderate. An experienced hiker will hike "sweep" and no one will be left behind. If you hike ahead, stop at trail intersections to let the group catch up, so we don't become separated.
7. Leave No Trace: if you packed it in, you can pack it out. Remove litter left by others if you can feasibly carry it out. Water sources that we need to drink from tend to flow together at Dolly sods, so pay special attention to the guidance for burying your poop; namely, dig a 6–8" deep cathole 200' from camps, trails, and water sources.
8. Travel time: About 7 hours driving time from Cincinnati on US-50.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY

The trip leader is guided by the doctrine of assumed risk by all participants: you are responsible for knowing the risks of backpacking and agree to assume those risks. We are hobbyist backpackers just like you, and not professional hiking, backpacking or mountaineering guides.

Promptly report any issues to the trip organizers (allergies, severe pain, injuries) so you don't become a liability to others.