Sod Fest, Dolly Sods West VA.

[refrigerator]

There is a well planned backpacking gathering called SOD FEST, in West Virginia on June 24th through the 26th. Many hikers and backpackers will be there. Last year this was an awesome gathering. Hiking and meeting people all over the country.

If interested in this trip please contact me for detail info.

[e-mail]

[refrigerator]

I will be staying at Red Creek Camp ground thursday night June 23. Some others will show up early also.
Friday noonish we will move out a couple miles or so and set up camp to let others catch up. The exact trail has not been determined but will be very soon.

[Hikerhead]

Put me down for a strong maybe....If I go, and I think I will, I won't get there till sat morning. I have a link to a good map of Dolly Sods marking the trails. I'll just need to know about where you'll be sat morning or where the camp site will be sat night and I'll be able to track you Sod Busters down.

[refrigerator]

Hey Hikerhead! Thanks for the Map Info.
I hope to see you there and if we are very, very, very lucky we will meet Whitedove and her son.

I have not any information as to the exact trail we will be taking saturday but will soon find out and when I do I will give you a shout.

Good to hear from you man!

[Hikerhead]

That would be excellent if Whitedove shows. This is a one of a kind place as the pictures on the site you posted on another thread above shows. Anybody else coming?

My first and only time there was about 5 years ago. I went solo, parked at Bear Rocks. Asked some guy standing there where the trail was. I don't think there was any maps available at that time. He pointed off towards the horizon and said just make your own trail. So that's what I did. Following animal trails. Headed west around the bog in the valley and camped out behind a grove of trees. The wind that night must have been near 50 MPH. My tent took a beating as 2 or 3 stakes were pulled out of the ground. And it got cold too. This was in Sept. I now see where I camped at was just south of Dobbins Bog which is private property, I didn't see any sign. But what a lasting impression it left on me. Awesome place.

[refrigerator]

The sods is unpredictable, I hiked the sods first in 1980, like you said no trails. I remember crossing red in the gorge on a friday evening and rain all night hard. When i wanted to pull out to hike back out , the creek was a river. It tested my river crossing skills. The water falls at red creek was now a serious mini Niagara.

I did make it across but I started approx 100 yards up stream so I could hopefully end up near where I needed to be on the other side.

I was using a military Alice pack in those days, and plastic bags to keep my gear dry . I made a poncho raft I learned in the military and my gear only sustained minimal wetness.

NO MAP< NO IDEA Red Creek could rise so fast from a creek to an unbelievable "river".

This will be my 5th time there, and I still know very little about the trail system there.

Beaver was there at Red Creek , I wonder if they are there know?



As soon as I get more info on trails I will send it to you.

[Hikerhead]

Good story Frig. Just about all of this will be new to me so I'm looking forward to this. That MidAtlantic hiking site is really good. They tell of some loop hikes that we might want to check out on the Bridge of Death weekend. The Seneca Creek hike was one that caught my eye.

[whitedove]

Bridge of Death!!! I can't wait!

[Hikerhead]

Whitedove, are you coming to the Sods?

Hey I had to go take another look at the BOD pictures. It still looks intimidating but we think you can do it.

[whitedove]

Aww thanks for the confidence Hikerhead! Since I was voted to be going over first, if you all need me to hold your hand as you cross it I will! ;D

As of right now it looks as if I will make the Sods trip but I still have to get a few schedule things cleared up before I fully commit. I hope it works out.

[Hikerhead]

My hands will be squeezing the life out of the hand rail or cable.

I hope you get to go to Dolly Sods Whitedove. That will be a fun trip.

[refrigerator]

BOD ! Someone will need to stay behind, heheh, just in case the team needs someone to go for help LOL, That someone should be me hehehehehehe, I suppose some one will have to do it , so I will stay behind and watch Whitedove and Hikerhead and others traverse across gripping the cables so hard that smoke rolls out from there palms , sweat rolls down there forehead and drips off only to drop through the cracks of the wooden walkway down to the bottom of the canyon. There breath becomes heavy and hearts pound like thunder. Eyes so wide all you see are the whites, Butt so tight they squeek when they move, saying oh my GOD several times, then realizing when they reach the other side they need to check themselves for #1 and # 2 . Then getting to watch the next victim cross. hehehe.

Has anyone thought about , if the only way back is crossing the BOD back !!!! Ye haaaaaaaa.

[Hikerhead]

Nice description there Frig.

And if it comes right down to it, I think I would rather go back across the bridge than do what's coming up afterwards, The Wall Of Death.

[refrigerator]

Trail specifics for Sod Fest 2005/ (Friday) Enter at Bear Rocks trail head which is north of Red Creek Campground. Camp will be just past where the trail crosses Red Creek before going up hill. There are some campsites in this area. I should be there friday by 3 pm.

second day, hike Bear Rocks trail to Raven Ridge where the views are awesome. From there head south down Rocky Ridge Trail to Harmon Knob Trail to Blackbird Knob Trail. There again will be awesome views of the Sods area. Camp will be near Red Creek just past the Harmon Knob Trail which you can take s a short cut. Camp just west of Red Creek.

Third day take Blackbird Trail out to Red Creek Campground to meet shuttles back to the original Trail Head at Bear Rocks.

See you there.

[refrigerator]

Time is near, Lets go to the SODS!!! The weather looks good!!! Hey hikerhead ? You going to be there saturday sometime? I will have my 2 way but what frequency will you be on or are you roaming?