Maryland Heights and the C&O Towpath

A friend of ours was in town for a couple of weeks of training, so we had the opportunity to spend a day hiking with him last weekend. The Harpers Ferry area was centrally located and the Maryland Heights hike is such a great introduction to the area. It can be really crowded, but we were hoping that the sudden cold snap would keep a few of the crowds away. One way to beat some of the crowds is to park at the Weverton Cliffs lot, three miles down the C&O towpath from the Maryland Heights trailhead. The walk along the towpath is pleasant and quiet and you don't have to club people for a spot in the tiny Maryland Heights lot.

It was just above 20 degrees when we started, which was a bit of a shock after the 80 degree day we had three days before. This is one of my favorite sections of the towpath to walk. The river is pretty and there are good views of Harpers Ferry and Loudon Heights. We didn't see anyone on the towpath until we were almost to Harpers Ferry. We did see a bald eagle, thanks to the sharp eyes of our friend. The hike up to the overlook at Maryland Heights was just as steep as I remembered. We had a nice clear day with a view of the north end of Massanutten in the distance, 40 miles to the southwest. As we took pictures, more and more people kept arriving at the overlook, so we decided to continue with our hike.

Once back at the trail junction, we took a right and headed up the hill towards the Stone Fort, the ruin of a civil war fort overlooking the valley to the east. We ate lunch in the sun at one of the other civil war structures on the mountain, the Powder Magazine. From the top of the ridge, we were actually able to see Sugarloaf Mountain off in the distance as well as the high-rises of Tysons Corner in Virginia. It was definitely a good air quality day. We had a nice walk back down and we took a break across the bridge in Harpers Ferry on the way back. We had a wonderful hike.

 Harpers Ferry from the C&O Towpath.

 Harpers Ferry from the Maryland Heights Overlook. The Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac on the left side of the photo. If you click to enlarge, you can see the line where the waters of the two rivers are different colors.

 Looking up the Potomac River from Maryland Heights.

 The wall of the Stone Fort.

 Looking east down the Potomac. If you click on the picture, the tall buildings of Tysons Corner are visible in the center of the horizon.

 Rodent teeth marks on a sign at the Stone Fort.

 A Downy Woodpecker along the towpath.

Another view of the Downy Woodpecker.

A Windy Spring Ride out of Brunswick, Maryland

We rode out of Brunswick, Maryland yesterday. We are starting to train for this year's bike tour and the ride we did yesterday helped us get back into some climbing. We are going to need a lot of it over the course of the next few months.

It rained all the way to Brunswick. I kept checking the radar and the forecast and both promised that the area would dry out in the morning from west to east. Since Brunswick is west of here, we had our fingers crossed. Sitting in the car in the parking lot watching it sprinkle didn't help. Finally, we decided it may as well be now or never. The sprinkles stopped and about 30 minutes into our ride, we actually saw a bit of sun. As the day went on, it got sunnier and windier.

The route took us from Brunswick to Burkittsville, then over South Mountain and down little rural roads along the west side of South Mountain. Eventually, we wound up connecting with the C&O Towpath at the Maryland Heights trailhead. We rode the towpath back to the car and then up to Beans in the Belfry at lunch. While we were waiting to order, a reporter from the local Brunswick paper asked us if he could feature us as this week's "Cyclists of the Week." This will be our second feature (which we let him know). A little over two years ago, we rode to Beans in the Belfry while on our way from Pittsburgh to DC and we were featured then!

 Farm fields north of Brunswick

 Michael and our friend riding past flowering trees

More farm fields. Everything is starting to turn green.

We stopped for a quick break and happened to see this pheasant. It isn't a great picture, but I can't say that I've ever seen one before in Maryland. (And it turns out, they are actually pretty rare in the state).

 An even rarer sighting: The lesser known Cotton-Tailed South Mountain Bigfoot.

Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchmans Breeches) on the C&O Towpath

 Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

 My ride for this year's unsupported tour. I'm starting to ride with weight to get ready for carrying all of my stuff.

 The Potomac from the footbridge at Harpers Ferry.

Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn)

Turtles on a log in the old canal. This is one of my favorite things about the Towpath in the spring.

Old Rag Mountain Stewards at Harpers Ferry

It has been a few weeks since I posted as we have been busy and haven't been able to get out for a hike.  We were able to do a little bit of hiking this weekend, but the main event was spending the weekend with the Old Rag Mountain Stewards.  WanderMindfully had a brilliant idea a few months ago that we should have a winter gathering.  The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club's (PATC) cabin, Highacre, in Harpers Ferry was the perfect location.  Mountain Stewards are tough and used to rustic conditions and, truthfully, there are PATC cabins that fit that bill.  Highacre, however, is located right in the middle of town, with full running water, electricity and a modern kitchen.  Talk about getting spoiled!  As usual for Old Rag Mountain Steward events, everyone contributed to a feast of epic proportions Saturday night.  We had a great weekend catching up, exploring the area, and eating good food.  I can't wait for spring season to start.

Pictures (click to enlarge):

 Highacre "Cabin" in Harpers Ferry.

Looking north over the Potomac River from the bluff in Harpers Ferry.

An old car parked in town.  I think it is a Ford Model T, but feel free to let me know if that isn't correct.

We stopped in at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters and found the photo of a Mountain Steward who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail a few years ago.

Looking down the Potomac from the ruins of a church.

Sun glaring off of the Potomac from the C&O Towpath.

Snowdrops blooming in town - the first flowers I've seen this year.

 The rail trestle along the Shenandoah River in Harpers Ferry.

 Underneath the rail trestle.

The church on the hill in Harpers Ferry.

A Quick New Year's Hike: Loudon Heights

There are three classic hikes around Harper's Ferry, West Virginia that lead to rock outcrops overlooking the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.  Maryland Heights is probably the most famous due to the Civil War battle that took place there.  It overlooks the confluence of the two rivers and the town of Harpers Ferry.  Weverton Cliffs are just three miles down the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry and mark the first big climb of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland.  The last is Loudon Heights and it was the only one we hadn't done.  We passed near there when we hiked the section of the Appalachian Trail leading from Virginia into Harpers Ferry, but we didn't actually go out to the overlook since it would have added several miles to an already long hike.

Tuesday, we took advantage of the holiday for a rare mid-week hike with WanderMindfully.  We started at the small parking lot on the Appalachian Trail and the US Highway 340 bridge.  The Appalachian Trail crosses the bridge and is separated from traffic by jersey barriers.  It is quite possibly the least pleasant half mile out of a total of over 2,200 miles on the Appalachian Trail.  At least it isn't very long.  There was a dusting of snow on the ground at the trailhead and, as we climbed, it got deeper and covered the trail.  We steadily climbed to the top of the ridge where we left the Appalachian Trail and headed north on the blue-blazed Loudon Heights Trail.  We had lunch out on the rocks overlooking the Potomac.  On our way back, we returned to the Appalachian Trail via an orange-blazed trail which makes a short loop along the side of the ridge. It was a pretty hike with which to welcome 2013.

Pictures (click to enlarge):

Looking west up the Potomac River towards Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  The overcast skies gave the river a beautiful steel blue color that doesn't quite come through in the photo.

 A fern on the rocks where we had lunch.

The snow-covered orange trail.

A Mallard Duck on the Shenandoah River.

Looking northeast down the Shenandoah River from the US 340 bridge towards the confluence of the rivers.  Harpers Ferry is on the left.

An Easy Hike in the Rain: Maryland Heights

The forecast for yesterday was pretty grim and my mood matched it when we pulled into the Weverton Cliffs parking lot.  It was just one of those mornings where I wanted to stay in bed and nothing came together quite right in getting ready to go.  In spite of my mood, we decided to go hiking.  As would be the case yesterday, I rarely regret getting outside and getting some exercise, even and especially when I least feel like it.  When we set off, it was drizzling and grey and I was in a funk.

The Appalachian Trail descends for about half a mile from the parking area, under Highway 340, to the C & O Towpath.  Normally, this isn't a terribly interesting section of the hike, but yesterday the hillside near the bridge was covered in white flowers, all shining with raindrops.  Then, at the highway, we passed a guy asleep right on the trail under the bridge.  He looked like thru hiker, based on his gear, and we speculated on why he couldn't make it three more miles to the next shelter.  At the Towpath, we turned right and headed towards Harpers Ferry.  The flowers on the Towpath were spectacular:  Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) and Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn) everywhere.  We ate lunch on a concrete block on the side of the towpath in the rain. 

After lunch, the rain finally ended and I realized that my mood had improved considerably. We made good time to the Maryland Heights trailhead.  We stopped several times on the way up to the overlook to photograph flowers and to read the signs about the Civil War structures that are still visible.  One of my favorite times of year is when the redbuds and dogwoods bloom in the woods.  They are the first splash of color after the long, gray winter.  The Maryland Heights Trail has countless redbuds and they were all blooming yesterday. 

We spent a few minutes at the overlook before returning to the Stone Fort Trail.  This trail climbs up to the top of the ridge, ending up at a Civil War fort that was only partially built before the war ended.  The stone foundations are still visible.  From the fort, the trail does a u-turn and descends the west side of the ridge.  By the time we started down the hill, the sun was actually out.  We enjoyed a sunny walk back to the car along the Towpath.  We hiked 11 miles in all.

Pictures (click to enlarge):

 Dogwoods on the Maryland Heights Trail

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) on the C&O Towpath.

Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) on the C&O Towpath

Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn)

 Spring on the Towpath

 Looking south down the Shenandoah River and Harpers Ferry from the Naval Bombardment area of Maryland Heights. 

 Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue Anemone) on the Maryland Heights Trail.

A bootshot over Harpers Ferry and the confluence of the Shenandoah (left) and Potomac Rivers.

Micranthes virginiensis (Early Saxifrage)

 Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty)

Turtles on a log in the C&O Canal.  On our way back to the car, the sun had come out.  Turtles were sunning themselves on nearly every log in the swampy parts of the old canal. 

Three States in Thirteen Miles on the Appalachian Trail and Flowers

We've been slowly picking up sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the area.  Mostly, we've been doing end-to-end dayhikes with friends when we can set up a car shuttle.  Yesterday, we didn't have a car shuttle, so we did an out-and-back to pick up the section from Keys Gap in Virginia to the Maryland border, just past Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.  We also had a friend's dog with us, who helped lead the way.

The easier way to do this hike is to start in Harper's Ferry and hike south.  One gets the climbing out of the way early in the hike.  We wanted to have Harper's Ferry at the mid-point of the hike, though.  We could hike across the Potomac and on our take a break at a coffee shop in town.

At Key's Gap, there was a moderately-sized Boy Scout Troop getting ready for a backpacking trip in the parking lot when we arrived.  We headed north in sprinkling rain and cold wind.  It was definitely still winter on top of the ridge.  There were just a few plants poking up through the leaves.  The trail stays on top of the ridge for four miles.  The only views are at a power line cut about 1.5 miles north of Key's Gap.  After a couple of miles, it started raining hard enough that we had to put on rain gear, but it didn't last long.  We passed another Scout Troop along the way, but other than them, we really didn't see anyone else. At the junction with the Loudon Heights Trail, the AT turns downhill towards the Shenandoah River.  The descent was relatively easy and nicely switchbacked.  On the way down, we saw a few more plants, some with buds on them, but the woods were still mostly dormant.  We crossed a road and descended the rest of the way to the river. 

We had a nice view of the river, the bluffs on the other side, and the ominous oncoming storm clouds from the bridge over US Highway 340.  The pedestrian walkway on one side of the bridge makes it safe to walk across it, but that doesn't mean it is pleasant.  Constant traffic whizzing by isn't the most charming part of the AT, but it is the only way to cross into West Virginia.

We were rewarded on the other side by spring.  Early spring flowers were blooming and the entire bluff was green.  I stopped to take pictures of Dentaria lacinata (Cut-Leaf Toothwort) when the sleet started.  There was definitely rain mixed in, but the quarter-inch pieces of ice got most of our attention.  We got our rain jackets back out and ten minutes later it was sunny again.  We walked through town and crossed the bridge over the Potomac into Maryland so we could say we hiked in three states in one day.  The steps from the bridge down to the trail on the Maryland side are see-through metal grating.  The dog was having none of it.  She tried a few steps, but was terrified by them.  We decided that since we were physically over land in Maryland, that was good enough.  She did a little better on the way back up, but was visibly relieved when we were back on wooden slats.

Back in Harper's Ferry, we stopped for a break and for coffee.  The section of the trail in town from Jefferson Rock to Maryland was the only part of our hike that we could say was crowded. Considering that Harper's Ferry is a tourist town, it wasn't bad at all. The weather held for the rest of the hike.  We made good time on the way, finishing 13.5 miles in just under seven hours.  It was a really nice hike and the weather did not turn out nearly as bad as it was forecast to be. 

Pictures (click to enlarge):

The Appalachian Trail on the top of the ridge north of Keys Gap.  It is definitely still winter on the ridge.  It will be at least a couple of more weeks before much is growing up there.

Moss on a log.

The Shenandoah River from the Virginia side.  The highway 340 bridge is to the left.  Note the storm clouds.

Spring has arrived on the Harper's Ferry section of the AT.

Edited:  Cardamine concatenata (formerly: Dentaria lacinata) (Cut-Leaf Toothwort)

Sleet on Sammie's back.

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)

The G. Byron Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River from the Maryland side.

A sign for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in Harper's Ferry, a less well-known long distance trail that passes through Harper's Ferry.  The trail is over 3,700 miles long and passes through 11 states.

Corydalis flavula (Yellow Corydalis)

 Saxifraga virginiensis (Early Saxifrage).  The leaves are still their winter color on this plant.

Barbarea vulgaris (Winter Cress).  This is an alien, and can be invasive in some places.  In spite of that, it was very pretty against the early green grass.