Thru-hiking the Allegheny Trail?

[Rufous Sided Towhee]

Rufous Sided Towhee.....I am the one that posted the thread about living near the south end of trail.....In fact on the map (section 4) you posted I live just west of interior.....in fact if u were to walk the AT north of pine swamp shelter for about 1.5 miles you would walk with-in 30 yards of my house across the creek....It would be my pleasure to provide any help to you or any other hiker ...you ask about rt 311 it is a fairly busy 2 lane.. 540-626-5409 or [email protected]

Wow, thanks so much Captain! Do you have an estimate of what a donation towards a shuttle would be? I'd want to be sure that, especially with the cost of gas these days, you were fully re-imbursed for both your time and fuel. Could you estimate a shuttle donation for us? And also, would it be alright for me to post that information on my trail journal over at postholer as well? I am always careful to ask first before posting other folks' contact info.

[thecaptain]

Rufose sided towhee.......from where to where? and when? I work a fulltime job so that limits my time frame somewhat you could call me most any night untill 11 or so....no worry just me and my dog here

[The Solemates]

how close does the northern terminus of the allegheny get to the southern terminus of the laural highlands trail in PA? thats a nice little trail, and you could tack it on to the end of your trip...

[Rufous Sided Towhee]

Rufose sided towhee.......from where to where? and when?

Sorry, Captain. I thought your post was a reference to providing a shuttle northbound across the "dead zone", , er, the missing section from Laurel Branch to Jerry's Run.

As far as when, not sure yet since my departure date for my thru-hike of the ALT is still three months away. But I could certainly know the exact date and approximate time of day at least a week beforehand.

[Frau]

Did anyone section or finish the Allegheny Trail? I have just started sectioning/day hiking it. We live about an hour east of Jerry's Run so this is within day hike distance, and I have hiked near my home SO much. Something new will give me welcome respite

Frau

[e-doc]

My friend and I were up the AT in '07, on Peters Mt north of the intersection with the AT. We ran into some guys with a cabin and a homemade golf course on the mountain, the WV side. We passed a bottle of moonshine amongst us and talked about Dale #3. That was only one of the weird happenings on that trip. Most interesting 3 day hike I've ever done.

[Hikerhead]

My friend and I were up the AT in '07, on Peters Mt north of the intersection with the AT. We ran into some guys with a cabin and a homemade golf course on the mountain, the WV side. We passed a bottle of moonshine amongst us and talked about Dale #3. That was only one of the weird happenings on that trip. Most interesting 3 day hike I've ever done.

I've played that course! http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2...47269387Pbtpwa

I've heard the folks that own the land up there are really nice, friends to the hikers as I can see you found out. We waved at the one that owns the house with the million dollar view once when the trail used to go right down beside his house. He was inside while we passed on by. I'm not going to tell what Hammock Hanger did. I've been across there 5 or 6 times now. Once as a dayhike from Sugarcamp Farm to the parking lot on Peters Mtn. we saw so much wildlife it was like a zoo. Walked up on Ma and baby bear and watched them for about 15 minutes while they turned over rocks looking food. Then a raccoon, and then an owl from close up. That's always been a fun hike.

[Hikerhead]

Did anyone section or finish the Allegheny Trail? I have just started sectioning/day hiking it. We live about an hour east of Jerry's Run so this is within day hike distance, and I have hiked near my home SO much. Something new will give me welcome respite

Frau

I do believe Mrs. Gorp has thru hiked it. There's a journal on line somewhere, I think it was by one of her hiking partners. When you get to Seneca Shelter you can say you know someone who helped to build it.

[e-doc]

That is exactly the place. I figured nobody on the forum had been there. As we walked away they teed of, sliced pretty bad. Probably from all the beer. They had a huge garbage can full of crushed cans.

[Cookerhiker]

Did anyone section or finish the Allegheny Trail? I have just started sectioning/day hiking it. We live about an hour east of Jerry's Run so this is within day hike distance, and I have hiked near my home SO much. Something new will give me welcome respite

Frau

I believe Leonard Atkins aka Habitual Hiker has completed it. I've briefly hiked portions of it in Monongahela National Forest in the Canaan Valley area not too far from where I live. When I last researched it about 2 years ago, there's a section in the southern part that's incomplete and part of the north was closed for road construction.

Update: see Veteran's post

[Cookerhiker]

The plan is to leave Trail Days around noon Sunday, drive north and be at the northern trailhead Monday morning where we'll leave the car and get a shuttle to Stony Creek where the AT crosses near Pine Swamp Branch Shelter. We hike about 2.8 miles on the AT to the southern terminus of the ALT and start our trek north. On about the second or third day, we come to the "missing link" where as noted above on this thread, we can arrange a shuttle to where the trail resumes at I-64.

I've obtained the guidebook, maps, and updates from the WV Scenic Trails Association website. I've also e-mailed the WVSTA coordinators for the 4 sections of trail for any recent updates and status changes. Using this info, I've compiled a 3-page spreadsheet of key points along the trail and id'd resupply options and a few "luxury" stays i.e. cottages, B&Bs, restaurants of which there are very few in the 286 miles.

Details still need to be worked out but the last major hurdle is finding a shuttler willing to take us from the northern terminus on the PA/WV line to the southern terminus. Having lived for 2 1/2 years in Western MD, I've called on some contacts there and while there are some promises, nothing concrete yet. If anyone on WB knows of someone willing to do a shuttle this long (about 275 miles one-way), I'd appreciate a PM.

Today I set up a TJ account but it's devoid of any info right now. Probably won't actually fill in the journal until trip's end.

Any WBers have any recent experience with the ALT or knowledgable about anything you wish to share - trail conditions, resupply options, cool side trips, etc.? BTW, we'll be too early for the Cass Scenic Railway - it doesn't open until Friday before Memorial Day. But I'm looking forward to a brew and some music at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas!

[Donnie]

Two Buddies and I hiked a third of the Allegheny Trail about a year ago. We started at the northern terminus and under 72 hours later were at Blackwater Falls. If I remember correctly, it was a decent amount of walking on old logging road/dirt roads. I think one of more interesting parts of the trek included rescuing a red-tailed hawk after it came crashing down through a laurel bush. We took a few awesome pictures that I have saved to a CD but never did upload to the Internet. My buddy carried it a few miles until we came to a house where we could could call animal protection people.

Some advice: Don't lie awake at night joking with your friends about getting up extra early to bang out a 34-mile day. Your body won't like you the next day.

-Donnie

[Cookerhiker]

Two Buddies and I hiked a third of the Allegheny Trail about a year ago. We started at the northern terminus and under 72 hours later were at Blackwater Falls. If I remember correctly, it was a decent amount of walking on old logging road/dirt roads. I think one of more interesting parts of the trek included rescuing a red-tailed hawk after it came crashing down through a laurel bush. We took a few awesome pictures that I have saved to a CD but never did upload to the Internet. My buddy carried it a few miles until we came to a house where we could could call animal protection people.

Some advice: Don't lie awake at night joking with your friends about getting up extra early to bang out a 34-mile day. Your body won't like you the next day.

-Donnie

Donnie, thanks much. The section you hiked is the one I had wondered about the most because of all the road walking. It's nice to know much of it is on dirt roads as opposed to blacktop.

34 mile day? I might cover 34 miles on a good 2-day stretch.

[Cookerhiker]

We're getting psyched about this hike. A lot has fallen into place but at this point, 2 hurdles are occupying much of my planning time.

1. The ALT's appeal - relative isolated and non-commercialized - means resupply options are limited-to-non-existent especially since we wish to minimize our off-trail time and distance. So we're relying on mail drops.
Shipping my fuel canisters with my maildrops - in light of the recent thread on this subject, I consulted my local PO who basically punted and said to check with the another PO. So I'm still not sure how I'll send the canisters. One possibility is to hand-deliver them when driving from Trail Days to the ALT northern terminus but that takes more time.

2. My efforts to arrange a full north-to-south shuttle proved unsuccessful; at least I can't risk continually waiting on all the people who said "maybe." So we've changed gears and will now take AMTRAK to Lynchburg. I'm seeking shuttles from the northern trailhead to Cumberland MD on Monday the 17th and Lynchburg to the southern trailhead on Tuesday morning the 18th. Hopefully those shorter distances will be tenable.

I'd like to hear of others' ALT experience -both the hike itself and the logistics.

[Hikerhead]

Go with a alcohol stove. Plenty of Gas Stations will have Heat in the Yellow container. A coke bottle full of alcohol will last me a week and a half. A Trangia stove will only cost 20 bucks and it simmers. Be flexible, bend a little.

Have you looked at taking amtrak to Covington, va or Hinton WVa. There was talk of a spur of the GET going from Pearisburg to Pipesteam following the New River, Hinton is just down the road, there might already be a trail on the ground. Get to Pearisburg and get on the AT to the ALT. Little Bear would probably know about this.

We're getting psyched about this hike. A lot has fallen into place but at this point, 2 hurdles are occupying much of my planning time.

1. The ALT's appeal - relative isolated and non-commercialized - means resupply options are limited-to-non-existent especially since we wish to minimize our off-trail time and distance. So we're relying on mail drops.
Shipping my fuel canisters with my maildrops - in light of the recent thread on this subject, I consulted my local PO who basically punted and said to check with the another PO. So I'm still not sure how I'll send the canisters. One possibility is to hand-deliver them when driving from Trail Days to the ALT northern terminus but that takes more time.

2. My efforts to arrange a full north-to-south shuttle proved unsuccessful; at least I can't risk continually waiting on all the people who said "maybe." So we've changed gears and will now take AMTRAK to Lynchburg. I'm seeking shuttles from the northern trailhead to Cumberland MD on Monday the 17th and Lynchburg to the southern trailhead on Tuesday morning the 18th. Hopefully those shorter distances will be tenable.

I'd like to hear of others' ALT experience -both the hike itself and the logistics.

[Cookerhiker]

Go with a alcohol stove. Plenty of Gas Stations will have Heat in the Yellow container. A coke bottle full of alcohol will last me a week and a half. A Trangia stove will only cost 20 bucks and it simmers. Be flexible, bend a little.

Have you looked at taking amtrak to Covington, va or Hinton WVa. There was talk of a spur of the GET going from Pearisburg to Pipesteam following the New River, Hinton is just down the road, there might already be a trail on the ground. Get to Pearisburg and get on the AT to the ALT. Little Bear would probably know about this.

The AMTRAK line you're referring to - The Cardinal - also stops in Clifton Forge which is probably the nearest point to the ALT. I looked into it, but this line only runs 3 days per week so we lose at least a day, probably 2.

Alcohol stove? Nah, not for me. Close-minded? Yeah!

And I'm not altogether certain of Heet's availability on this hike. I might be better off taking my heavier Coleman Peak One white gas stove since I could use unleaded gasoline which I can probably obtain.

[Hikerhead]

You can take Amtrak to White Sulpher Springs but it involves an overnite in DC most likely, probably not a problem for you since you have friends there. White Sulpher has an outfitter there that shuttles, not sure of a price but not much if you start on the Jerry Run Trail just up the road and then come back and pick up the 20 miles of unconnected trail on Peters Mtn. You could even play a game or two on the slot machines at the Greenbrier if that's been set up by now, I believe that passed the vote they had a while back. You might look a little out of place with all the blue bloods but the hell with them.

We're getting psyched about this hike. A lot has fallen into place but at this point, 2 hurdles are occupying much of my planning time.

1. The ALT's appeal - relative isolated and non-commercialized - means resupply options are limited-to-non-existent especially since we wish to minimize our off-trail time and distance. So we're relying on mail drops.
Shipping my fuel canisters with my maildrops - in light of the recent thread on this subject, I consulted my local PO who basically punted and said to check with the another PO. So I'm still not sure how I'll send the canisters. One possibility is to hand-deliver them when driving from Trail Days to the ALT northern terminus but that takes more time.

2. My efforts to arrange a full north-to-south shuttle proved unsuccessful; at least I can't risk continually waiting on all the people who said "maybe." So we've changed gears and will now take AMTRAK to Lynchburg. I'm seeking shuttles from the northern trailhead to Cumberland MD on Monday the 17th and Lynchburg to the southern trailhead on Tuesday morning the 18th. Hopefully those shorter distances will be tenable.

I'd like to hear of others' ALT experience -both the hike itself and the logistics.

[Hikerhead]

The AMTRAK line you're referring to - The Cardinal - also stops in Clifton Forge which is probably the nearest point to the ALT. I looked into it, but this line only runs 3 days per week so we lose at least a day, probably 2.

Alcohol stove? Nah, not for me. Close-minded? Yeah!

And I'm not altogether certain of Heet's availability on this hike. I might be better off taking my heavier Coleman Peak One white gas stove since I could use unleaded gasoline which I can probably obtain.

Maybe your buddy is a little more flexible. I hope so. One of you can carry the Gas stove and the other alcohol. I can guarantee you'll find something for the alcohol stove before the gas stove. The Peak would be a good choice.

[Hikerhead]

Here you go. Pay off your hike with one pull.

http://www.greenbrier.com/site/packa...nd-escape.aspx

[Cookerhiker]

.... You could even play a game or two on the slot machines at the Greenbrier .... You might look a little out of place with all the blue bloods but the hell with them.

Gee do you really think so?

Again, that means waiting until Wednesday - it's all the same line (Cardinal).