looking for trip suggestions

[tom-o]

I am leading a backpacking trip in mid-march and am looking for trip suggestions. I'm in Pittsburgh, and would ideally like to be within a 10 hour drive...
Looking for (of course) great scenery for a 4 day, 5 night hike. I have alot of hiking experience, but my participants do not...so we will not be doing many miles.
Hoping to go where I at least have some chance of hitting some decent weather.
Any suggestions?
thanks.

[MOWGLI]

I am leading a backpacking trip in mid-march and am looking for trip suggestions. I'm in Pittsburgh, and would ideally like to be within a 10 hour drive...
Looking for (of course) great scenery for a 4 day, 5 night hike. I have alot of hiking experience, but my participants do not...so we will not be doing many miles.
Hoping to go where I at least have some chance of hitting some decent weather.
Any suggestions?
thanks.

If you're not set on hiking the AT, I would recommend the Foothills Trail in South Carolina. That's probably about a 10 hour drive. Great trail, great scenery, not too darn difficult, tons of solitude, wildflowers will be blooming, no shelters. The Foothills Trail Confernece can hook you up with a shuttle if you need one.

http://www.foothillstrail.org/

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=1882

I would recommend Whitewater Falls to Sassafrass Mountain (40 miles or so). That's through the Jocassee Gorges section. Bring your fishing rods, but don't forget a SC non-resident license.

Whatever you choose to do, have fun.

[smokedog]

I agree with MOWGLI16, the Foothills Trail is really something. More bridges, rivers and waterfalls than you can count. This would be a great trail for inexperienced backpackers.

[The Weasel]

Otter Creek Wilderness in West Virginia. About 4 hours from Pittsburgh. Incredibly wild, rushing streams with great pool dipping, challenging, great scenery, good road access, hardly any people. The creek provides easy access to good water, and is a feed to the New River. Part of the US Forest Service. Outstanding.

look here:

http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?...k%20Wilderness


The Weasel

[tlbj6142]

Dolly Sods in WV. Which is a bit East of Otter Creek is very nice. And, I'm told, that Cranberry Wilderness and Cranberry Backcountry in southern WV is very nice as well.

All three (Dolly, Otter and Cranberry) are part of WV's awesome Monongahela NF (commonly called "The Mon").

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/

[Spirit Walker]

The Laurel Highlands trail is not far from you and has shelters if the weather is bad. It would make a good five day trip.

[chris]

Get on a plane and fly to Las Vegas. Rent a car and drive to Death Valley, where you'll find the largest park in the US outside of Alaska and nice weather. DEVA is supposed to have one of the great wildflower years this time around. This will be less than 10 hours of travel.

Short of that, you'll have some problems finding reliable weather and few people along the AT corridor. I'd suggest something along the southern slopes of the Smokys, where few people go.

[tom-o]

thanks for the suggestions! Am looking into the foothills trail and it looks great.
I'd love to hop a plane to vegas...two years ago I took a group from Pittsburgh to New Mexico, thirty six hours in a van...It turned it to some sort of odd reality show...I haven't been the same since.
I like the Dolly Sods and other trails close by, but am hoping South Carolina will provide better weather (in theory, at least).

-tom

[MOWGLI]

I like the Dolly Sods and other trails close by, but am hoping South Carolina will provide better weather (in theory, at least).

-tom

You could have great warm weather, but March in the Blue Ridge mountains can bring just about anything. Sassafrass is the High Point in SC, so even though it's less than 4000' high, you're still in the mountains. Make sure your friends are fully prepared for some precipitation. (rain gear & garbage bags lining packs) There is nothing worse than getting all your stuff soaked the first night out. That could be both unpleasant & dangerous.

I say this cause you mentioned your friends aren't all that experienced.

Have fun!

Oh yeah - look up the wildflower called the Oconee Bells. They are endemic to that part of SC - and found nowhere else on the planet. I believe they bloom in early March.

[ljallen]

I would NOT recommend the foothills if you're looking for scenery. It is pretty around the lake but that is it. I lead a group of ten high schools kids on the entire trail this summer and the views were few and far between. However it is a nice hike, just don't count on the views. I would STRONGLY recommend the Shenandoah National Park. They have amazing views and the AT through that park is fairly flat so your friends would not leave the experience miserable from hiking up and down hard hills. Hope this helps

[kentucky]

I second the motion for the SNP its very nice and the views are great ! KY.

[tom-o]

It looks like the weather on the foothills trail (although rainy) is shaping up to be better than Shenandoah (rainy/snow and colder)...Any other opinions suggestions? Foothills trail is getting some mixed reviews

[Youngblood]

It looks like the weather on the foothills trail (although rainy) is shaping up to be better than Shenandoah (rainy/snow and colder)...Any other opinions suggestions? Foothills trail is getting some mixed reviews

The Foothills Trail was a gem when I hiked it with Mowgli, maybe ljallen was just looking for something that the FT didn't provide. It doesn't have the numerous big mountains like some of the AT but the view from the Pinnacle at Table Rock State Park is wide open and the view to Table Rock Mountain is awesome. It has Lake Jocassas and many rivers, streams, whitewater and waterfalls. Upper Whitewater Falls is huge and spectacular; and the Oconee River is a federally designated wild and senic river that only allows hikers and fisherman along the section that the FT passes. I think you will like it, it should be appreciated for what it is... not put down for what it isn't.

Youngblood

[Granger]

Take this how you may, but I would be very careful taking a group of inexperienced people into the sods. This is an awesome place but the terrian isn't very forgiving and the trails are poorly marked. Even the map provided by the park service has some major errors. It has been about 2 years since I have been out there so this may not still be the case. If you do decide that this is where you want to go please consult:

http://home.adelphia.net/~johntrudy/

http://www.briski.us/Exploits/DollySods/DollySods.htm

Another option may be the Tuscarora Trail. This is pretty similar terrian to the MD/lower PA section of the AT, but tends to have a lot less traffic.

http://www.patc.net/hiking/destinations/tuscarora/


Good luck and I hope this helps,
-Granger

[Nightwalker]

Whatever you choose to do, have fun.

I second the Foothills Trail recommendation. The Jocassee Gorges section is my favorite fitness section, and I'm doing it Monday-Wednesday next week. (I'm slow)

I was under the impression that fishing from the bank required no license, but maybe it's fishing from the bank with a cane pole. Anyway, licenses aren't expensive, and IIRC, <16 year-olds don't even need them.

[MedicineMan]

the Foothills Trail, South Carolina is a neat state-one of my favorites because of the sea kayaking opportunities there...and speaking of, this coming May 12-15 there is a www.paddling.net get-together on Lake Jocassee.