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Kay and Bruce backpack into the little-seen "heart of darkness" of West Virginia
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| Day 1 | The Road | Anxious Start |
| Waterfall | On the plateau | Beyond Expectations |
| Day 2 | Early Morning | Break camp |
| Caffeine for the raod | ||
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Click on any for a larger view
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Day 1
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The road from Morgantown, WV
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170 _09Jul07-wv_0807 Packs configured at our model in Morgantown.
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171 _09Jul07-wv_1039 A town along the way re-branded to attract well-heeled tourists. This is a big change since 1973!
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172 _09Jul07-wv_1040
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Day 1
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Into the wilderness at 2:40 PM, much later that I'd hoped.
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173 _09Jul07-wv_1140 Bruce's first backpack trip in at least 12 years, Kay's first into a real remote wilderness.
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279 _DollySodsMap Dolly Sods is an area of high elevation wind-swept plains on the Allegheny Plateau. At elevations of 2,600 to over 4,000 feet, the area has extensive flat rocky plains, upland bogs, beaver ponds, and sweeping vistas. This landscape is the result of geographic isolation caused by the high mountains and man's attempts to tame this rugged area. The plant life and climate on this high plateau resembles northern Canada, and many species found here are near their southernmost range. The high plains area was once covered with 7 to 9 feet of humus. This humus layer was formed under a beautiful forest, consisting of red spruce trees, hemlocks, balsam firs, basswood, where the average tree was four feet in diameter. Unfortunately, extensive logging and fires have eliminated any traces of the once magnificent forest.
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174 _09Jul07-wv_1225 First impression is charming.
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174 _09Jul07-wv_1247 Ford.
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175 _09Jul07-wv_1249a
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175 _09Jul07-wv_1251
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176 _09Jul07-wv_1304
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177 _09Jul07-wv_1304a
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213 _09Jul08-kayWV_1318
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Day 1
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The reward for the long steep climb
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178 _09Jul07-wv_1422 Charming floor covering.
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177 _09Jul07-wv_1348 The hardest moment. Long, steep, rough climb.
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178 _09Jul07-wv_1423
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178 _09Jul07-wv_1424
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178 _09Jul07-wv_1427
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178 _09Jul07-wv_1427a
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179 _09Jul07-wv_1428
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180 _09Jul07-wv_1428a
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213 _09Jul08-kayWV_1438a
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213 _09Jul08-kayWV_1440
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213 _09Jul08-kayWV_1444a
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181 _09Jul07-wv_1429
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181 _09Jul07-wv_1434
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182 _09Jul07-wv_1434a
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213 _09Jul08-kayWV_1500 Not swimming weather but will this chance come again?
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214 _09Jul08-kayWV_1501
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214 _09Jul08-kayWV_1501a
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183 _09Jul07-wv_1453 Let's walk up the stream for a ways. The bottom is smooth and not slippery.
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215 _09Jul08-kayWV_1503
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215 _09Jul08-kayWV_1504
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215 _09Jul08-kayWV_1508
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183 _09Jul07-wv_1454
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183 _09Jul07-wv_1455
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Day 1
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Resuming the trail on the plateau, it is an other world from that below.
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183 _09Jul07-wv_1456
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183 _09Jul07-wv_1456a
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184 _09Jul07-wv_1511 Hemlock thickets alternate with rhododendron forest
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184 _09Jul07-wv_1518 "I hear the rain moving away from us"
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185 _09Jul07-wv_1518a
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186 _09Jul07-wv_1518b
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186 _09Jul07-wv_1523
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186 _09Jul07-wv_1527
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187 _09Jul07-wv_1538 Underfoot is not "dirt" but a springy sod apparently very thick, interrupted by roots and rocks.
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187 _09Jul07-wv_1538a
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187 _09Jul07-wv_1543
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188 _09Jul07-wv_1544
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189 _09Jul07-wv_1544a
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Day 1
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"Can we camp here?"
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193 _09Jul07-wv_1549 "Are mortals allowed access to such a place?"
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192 _09Jul07-wv_1548a The "mortals" proceed to take many pictures.
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194 _09Jul07-wv_1549a
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194 _09Jul07-wv_1549c
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197 _09Jul07-wv_1600
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198 _09Jul07-wv_1601
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200 _09Jul07-wv_1602
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201 _09Jul07-wv_1603
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202 _09Jul07-wv_1604
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203 _09Jul07-wv_1605a
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205 _09Jul07-wv_1607a
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206 _09Jul07-wv_1618
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206 _09Jul07-wv_1618a
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219 _09Jul08-kayWV_1630a
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220 _09Jul08-kayWV_1630b
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206 _09Jul07-wv_1618b
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207 _09Jul07-wv_1619b
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209 _09Jul07-wv_1624
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215 _09Jul08-kayWV_1611
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215 _09Jul08-kayWV_1611a
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216 _09Jul08-kayWV_1612
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221 _09Jul08-kayWV_1651a First use of high-tech Swiss water purifier.
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221 _09Jul08-kayWV_1652 We entrust our health to this. This water is certain to contain giardia.
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221 _09Jul08-kayWV_1652a "Whoa, that looks funky!"
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211 _09Jul07-wv_1644 Well, TASTES good - better than our highly chlorinated Morgantown motel water.
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211 _09Jul07-wv_1644a This is our water supply. Be happy!
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221 _09Jul08-kayWV_1716
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222 _09Jul08-kayWV_1717
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212 _09Jul07-wv_1807 Conclusion of dinner.
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Day 2
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Before 6 AM. Dew and early morning sun
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223 _09Jul08-wv_0335 Up, at 5:35 AM. (These timestamps are Pacific time.)
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225 _09Jul08-wv_0440 Dew scenes.
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225 _09Jul08-wv_0440a
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225 _09Jul08-wv_0441
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225 _09Jul08-wv_0441a
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225 _09Jul08-wv_0442
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229 _09Jul08-wv_0447
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230 _09Jul08-wv_0448
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Day 2
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Ready to leave - before 8:20 AM. (We must hike out, drive to Pgh airport, fly to SF and get him on BART - TODAY!)
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231 _09Jul08-wv_0516 Bruce appears to need sleep.
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232 _09Jul08-wv_0518 "Goodbye." We won't forget you, enchanted clearing.
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235 _09Jul08-wv_0520c
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235 _09Jul08-wv_0520
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235 _09Jul08-wv_0520b
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236 _09Jul08-wv_0522
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236 _09Jul08-wv_0522a
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236 _09Jul08-wv_0525
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237 _09Jul08-wv_0526
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237 _09Jul08-wv_0531
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238 _09Jul08-wv_0546 Beginning the steep descent from the plateau.
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238 _09Jul08-wv_0546a
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238 _09Jul08-wv_0600
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240 _09Jul08-wv_0628a Wilderness policy: Do not disturb logs fallen across the trail unless they create hazards.
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241 _09Jul08-wv_0630
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241 _09Jul08-wv_0630a Wilderness policy is: no signs. So these trail-marking cairns are indispensable.
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241 _09Jul08-wv_0631 Mushroom abundance - but they defy the photographer.
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244 _09Jul08-wv_0634a
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244 _09Jul08-wv_0653
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245 _09Jul08-wv_0654 Detail of the rock forming stream bed. It is pink!
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246 _09Jul08-wv_0655
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247 _09Jul08-wv_0657
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248 _09Jul08-wv_0659
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250 _09Jul08-wv_0659b
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252 _09Jul08-wv_0705
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251 _09Jul08-wv_0702
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252 _09Jul08-wv_0713
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254 _09Jul08-wv_0728 "Platypus" in action.
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253 _09Jul08-wv_0726 End of the trail. 10:26 local time.
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Day 2
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Bracing for the LONG ride to Pittsburgh Airport
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254 _09Jul08-wv_0840 Espresso within 40 minutes of Dolly Sods wilderness? 36 years ago I would not believe this remote rural area could change so much.
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