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View Full Version : effect of Hurricane on AT?



wilconow
09-17-2003, 12:51
sort of new to hiking here in Maryland. been going on the AT every weekend these path few weeks was wondering if the storm hits on Thursday and Friday, does that mean it probably won't be a good idea to go on the AT on the weekend? worried about down trees, muddy trail, etc.

Don
09-17-2003, 13:05
Hi...I'm from Towson... The projected path of the hurriance this morning showed it passing directly over Western Maryland. The area around the A.T. is likely to feel the brunt of whatever remains of Isabel after it chews up North Carolina and Virginia. With the ground already saturated from all the recent rain and streams running at several times normal, I would expect a lot of water on the trail after the hurricane passes through. I suspect low areas will be really saturated and have a lot of standing water. Also a good chance of downed trees or limbs on the trail as the trail pretty much follows the ridgeline... The weather is supposed to clear on Saturday and Sunday but the water and wind damage will still be there.....take some dry socks!

Projections at 5:00 p.m Wednesday were for VA, WV and Western Maryland to get 9 to 12" of rain. Given the size of the Shennandoah and Potomac drainage basins, you probalbly will want to give the lower sections of Harpers Ferry a miss this weekend....

DebW
09-17-2003, 15:50
It could take the maintainers a couple weeks to a month or more to clear the trail if there is extensive damage from high winds. Let's hope it's not that bad.

wilconow
09-17-2003, 15:53
i think im going to write the patc and ask them what they think. might as well offer to help in the possible cleanup effort too.

Spirit Walker
09-17-2003, 17:30
Check out the PATC forum (www.patc.net - resources - forum) there will be announcements about trail crews going out.

Streamweaver
09-17-2003, 17:58
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2003/091703b.html

Heres a link from MD DNR About closings of all State owned lands and campgrounds Streamweaver

Streamweaver
09-17-2003, 18:00
It looks like these lands might not even be open this weekend Streamweaver

squirrel bait
09-18-2003, 04:41
It's alittle before 5am and Isabel has started to arrive here. May get to utilize camping gear early. Winds and widowmakers are always dangerous. Take care ya all I'm riding her out.

Red Hat
09-18-2003, 09:54
Squirrel Bait, are you there waiting out the storm? Outer Banks is a fabulous place to be, but not in a hurricane of this size! Be careful!

Don
09-18-2003, 10:00
Squirrel Bait.....hope you don't have to change your name to fish bait.....best of luck with Isabel....

squirrel bait
09-18-2003, 10:05
I've got my gear for when we lose power, which thank the big guy hasn't happened yet. Winds up to around 50 now and not letting up, starting to rock the house. Might have to cook me a good ole sgt rock burritto. The canal behind my house has lost about 15 feet of water. All the boats are sitting in the sand. When the wind changes around it'll start to do the opposite and flood. I'll keep in touch.

wilconow
09-18-2003, 10:09
what part of the outer banks are you in? i was just in corolla a couple weeks ago for vacation

chknfngrs
09-18-2003, 11:00
hunkering down in DC.

they even closed the metro.

Mini-Mosey
09-18-2003, 12:11
Here in Charles Town, WV, it's dark and the wind is starting to blow. I have to go to work but hope to get out early; I will ride out the storm with my friend's big black German Shepherd and portly black-and-white cat, as she'll have to stay over at her job tonight.

Mini-Mosey
09-18-2003, 12:13
please let us know if you're still alive after all this.

gumball
09-18-2003, 16:47
From another Trail Forum:

Shenandoah National Park
SNP began closing the Park Wed. afternoon in anticipation of a repeat of what Hurricane Fran did here in '96. There was horrible damage to the trees, trails, Skyline Drive, and some Park infrastructure then, and deadly flooding in the nearby Valley. It took weeks to get all reopened. If anything, Isabel has the potential to be even worse, but let's hope for the best. It DOES seem as if everyone is being more proactive this time.
Hikers on the Trail were ordered out of the Park Wednesday. The campgrounds, backcountry, and all facilities are officially closed. I was up at Thornton Gap offering assistance in evacuating hikers about 5pm Wed., and have had a couple calls this AM (Thurs.). It is generally thought everyone (the Park knows about) has gotten out, but of course there's always the fool who will try to stick it out. Some are holed up in Luray, others have yellow blazed south to the Daleville area.



9/18/03 11:06 AM

squirrel bait
09-19-2003, 23:53
Thanks ya all for wondering if I am okay. Just got power back on here at 11:30 pm Friday. Three fishing piers gone. All beach house steps to the beach gone. Curfew in effect till saturday noon. Wow what a storm, ya all if this would have been a category 4 or 5 this little ole island would have been gone. I am in Nags Head. Trip to SNP is postponed. HOI and Keorsene I'll have to come up with a new hike. My gear (thanks lil redmg) sure came in handy and am be coming quite the cook with a single pot. Thanks again.

Mini-Mosey
09-20-2003, 05:40
thanks very much for letting us know you're ok; I was relieved to see your post!

squirrel bait
09-20-2003, 05:48
Your welcome.

Don
09-20-2003, 08:28
Mini-Mosey...

what's going on with the rivers in HF.....flooding?

Don
09-21-2003, 10:09
From the Baltimore Sun

POINT OF ROCKS - The Potomac River overran its banks in communities upstream from Washington on Saturday as rainwater from Hurricane Isabel coursed toward the Chesapeake Bay.

The National Park Service urged people to avoid the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park towpath, a hiking-and-biking trail that follows the river along the Maryland bank for nearly 185 miles into the nation's capital.

"We really need people to stay away from the park for the next several days," park spokesman William Justice said. "It's going to be quite unsafe for some time to come, until we manage to finish cleaning it up."

Minor flooding occurred at Paw Paw, W.Va., where the Potomac crested at 27.9 feet, or 2.9 feet above flood stage, and at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., where a crest of 20.5 feet, or 2.5 feet above flood stage, was expected by 11 p.m.

Moderate flooding began Saturday afternoon at Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Point of Rocks, Md., the weather service said. At Point of Rocks, the Potomac was expected to crest around 2 a.m. Sunday at 23.5 feet, or 6.5 feet above flood stage. The high-water record there is 41 feet, set in 1936.

Mini-Mosey
09-23-2003, 07:22
According to the Sunday paper(Martinsburg Journal), flooding in the area wasn't too bad. While driving over the 340 bridge going into Harpers' Ferry yesterday, I snuck looks at the river;it's very muddy and choppy. There are now other threads on this site which contain updated info on the effects of Isabel which are very informative. There was a lot of damage from trees in Harpers' Ferry. A lot of people lost power; I'm pet/housesitting at a house near Harpers' Ferry;power was lost here also, just got restored yesterday, so I went "camping" for a while!!

wilconow
09-28-2003, 16:06
yesterday i joined the PATC for my first day of trail maintence. we did a few miles north of the south mountain INN (not too far from the wash. monument) and the area around dahlgren campground.

there were some pretty bad areas. especially around dahlgren. one place had like 6 trees down in a 20 yrd area.

if you cant use the chainsaw, a lot of standing around and waiting for them to finish cutting. then clean up for a few minutes. then wait around again., etc etc

but it feels good that those areas are now clear.