Dolly Sods/Roaring Plains Trail Maintenance and Party!

Ok, here is our last of the year classic annual work trip and party on the mountain in the best Wilderness areas in the Mid-Atlantic! We will head up to Dolly Sods on Friday evening, backpack in about 1/2 mile at the Red Creek trail head behind Laneville Cabin. On Saturday morning we will break into groups of 5-7 and do trail maintenance on the trails in Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains for the Monongahela National Forest Service. The trails and views are fabulous while doing the work and afterwards we can do some swimming and campfire fun at camp! This end of summer trip is a great time to visit the "Sods" as Red Creek will "almost" not freeze you to death when you swim in it! By the end of the weekend you will be able to relive all the great sights and know everything about Dolly Sods, especially how much cooler it is up there in the Summer! The first hints of Fall will be around, especially in the evenings! We will do our normal feast on the mountain, so the food will be first rate with a pot luck for Saturday dinner. The cabin is in disrepair so not available, so we can do a group feast with what we bring in our cars. People will need to bring some sides or another dessert or drinks, and everyone needs to help with the cooking and/or cleanup. Normally the food contribution ends up being around $25 per person so bring cash. If there is a good response for the summer trips maybe you can talk me into doing a fried turkey like old times on this trip! You will need to supply breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. So let's do our annual trail maintenance in Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains like we did 5 years ago and fix up more of the trails! In the process you will learn all there is to know of one of the finest Wilderness Areas in the United States, while making a few more great friends with great stories to boot! Please be in shape as Dolly Sods can be some of the toughest hiking in the midatlantic, but we will vary the work crews to suit your fitness level. For the newbies, this year we will have to backpack up Red Creek 1/2 mile to camp, but will be next to Red Creek where we all linger far into the night and one of those memories you will remember for a long time...especially the cool Dolly Sods summer evenings (15-25 degrees less than the DC area)! So for your effort on Saturday you get 2 nights in your tent in a beautiful location next to a swimming pool and whirlpool, give back to a great Wilderness while enjoying the coolest place to be in Summer in our area, help the backpacking and hiking community, and get a great party to boot! Kids and well behaved dogs are welcome, so this is a family event as well. Oh, the pictures you ask? Check out some of the many Hidden Falls, Swimming Holes and Vistas you will get to enjoy as we did in year's past! Pics here:
https://www.meetup.com/dc-backpackers/events/13192731/
and here:
https://www.meetup.com/dc-backpackers/events/13457820/
So enjoy the pics and get ready for one of our great summer extravaganzas on the mountain, Washington Backpackers Meetup Style in all it's glory!
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Laneville cabin/ Red Creek trail head GPS location:
38.97234,-79.39824
Map of Dolly Sods and driving directions, information, and wilderness restrictions here:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5152038.pdf
Please print a copy of the map and bring it with you.
****Remember there is no cell service where we will be so if you have to contact us, please do so by Friday by noon as we will go up early.
Weather: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.020266643861994&lon=-79.32609558105469#.UdwOODvQqeR
To sign up for potluck, please respond to me in the discussion.