MO: We Otter Go Backpacking! (Otter Creek Wilderness) (31 miles)

I’ve never backpacked the Otter Creek Wilderness. It is popular with DCUL, so I assumed that one weekend or the otter I’d get to it, but I never have. So why not now? I don’t even know what an otter is! Who wants to explore with me? We’ll go over Labor Day weekend, but will treat this as a regular weekend and not use Monday. We can return to work Tuesday not otterly exhausted! Are you a Member hoping to notch a 20 mile day to earn Veteran Member status? Here is your chance.

The Plan (I copied this from Mark (Brightside’s) trip):

We'll meet at the Vienna Metro at 6:00 pm Friday evening and drive out to Mylius Trailhead, camping just next door at the conveniently located (and free) Lower Glady Dispersed Campground. On Saturday we'll rise early and put in a full day, starting with a long climb up to the ridge and then circumnavigating the western half of the wilderness. The afternoon will see us hiking through the marshes of upper Moore Run and then crossing Otter Creek itself, so expect to have wet feet. We'll find a suitable campsite for the night somewhere along the creek, and on Sunday we'll have a 10-mile morning to complete the loop and hopefully make it to Davis in time for brunch!

DCULers Use Maps!

• Monongahela NF Map: https://bit.ly/3FOs7wF
• Purple Lizard Map: https://bit.ly/46EUwRB
• CalTopo: https://caltopo.com/m/5BF0P
• Weather: https://bit.ly/490kwbH
• Driving Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QAdy2nh8TYt5TB3M9

----------------THE IMPORTANT WARNINGS-------------------
This trip is over Labor Day weekend, but only running Friday night through Sunday. You will be home for the holiday on Monday.

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 been hiking with DCUL since 2017 but have no special training, such as organizational, medical, or navigational. As far as I know otters are more dangerous than bears.

If you sign up and can’t come, please let me know—don’t ghost. You are officially on the trip if you both RSVP on Meetup and meet me at the Metro. Otherwise, you are doing your own trip until you make physical contact with me and I recognize you as a co-participant. I’m open to questions.

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://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/)

COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/

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.)