Thru-hiking the Allegheny Trail?

[Rufous Sided Towhee]

I realize that Whiteblaze is for AT hikers, I apolgize if this post is OT here. But I have been able to find barely any info on thru-hiking the Allegheny Trail on the net and was hoping maybe someone here could help.

I did find one website: http://www.wvnet.edu/wvsta/ but info there is scant, and there are no dates on it, for all I know the website hasn't been updated in years. They do advertise a trail guide (3rd edition), but again, with no publication date listed, there is no way to know if it is current.

Ebay has a very old hiker guide for 8 bucks, but descriptions of the booklet include the term "crudely made", or something.

No luck on trailjournals.com either.

What I am hoping to find is info on current trail conditions, current maps, shelters, re-supply points, etc. And basically if this trail is safely do-able in under a month for a lone hiker. I hope to thru-hike it this spring (2007). What I'd REALLY love to find is a trip report from someone who has done it end to end recently.

Any help or advice would be great, thanks!

RST

[MOWGLI]

I realize that Whiteblaze is for AT hikers, I apolgize if this post is OT here. But I have been able to find barely any info on thru-hiking the Allegheny Trail on the net and was hoping maybe someone here could help.

I did find one website: http://www.wvnet.edu/wvsta/ but info there is scant, and there are no dates on it, for all I know the website hasn't been updated in years. They do advertise a trail guide (3rd edition), but again, with no publication date listed, there is no way to know if it is current.

Ebay has a very old hiker guide for 8 bucks, but descriptions of the booklet include the term "crudely made", or something.

No luck on trailjournals.com either.

What I am hoping to find is info on current trail conditions, current maps, shelters, re-supply points, etc. And basically if this trail is safely do-able in under a month for a lone hiker. I hope to thru-hike it this spring (2007). What I'd REALLY love to find is a trip report from someone who has done it end to end recently.

Any help or advice would be great, thanks!

RST

RST:

The West Virginia Scenic Trails Association has a very good map set that they sell. It is spiral bound. I recently sent Hammock Hanger my copy in prep for her upcoming Great Eastern Trail hike.

Suggest you contact WVSTA. They are the folks who build and maintain this trail.

Good luck!

[Rufous Sided Towhee]

RST:

The West Virginia Scenic Trails Association has a very good map set that they sell. It is spiral bound. I recently sent Hammock Hanger my copy in prep for her upcoming Great Eastern Trail hike.

Suggest you contact WVSTA. They are the folks who build and maintain this trail.

Good luck!

Thanks, Mowgli!

Their site was the one I found, my concern is that the link to their guide here: http://www.wvnet.edu/wvsta/guide.html gives no publication dates. Glad to hear it is a good guide. I also emailed them off that site and asked some other questions.

When is HH doing her hike? I've heard that the ALT is sparsely populated and that it's not uncommon to do the entire 330 mile thru w/o seeing a single other hiker.

[emerald]

drink-your-teeeee che!

[MOWGLI]

Thanks, Mowgli!

Their site was the one I found, my concern is that the link to their guide here: http://www.wvnet.edu/wvsta/guide.html gives no publication dates. Glad to hear it is a good guide. I also emailed them off that site and asked some other questions.

When is HH doing her hike? I've heard that the ALT is sparsely populated and that it's not uncommon to do the entire 330 mile thru w/o seeing a single other hiker.

You're . HH should be up that way sometime in July. A class of 2000 hiker named Camo has hiked the trail. maybe someone here knows how to contact him. WB member Hikerhead lives near the southern terminus. I plan to get out and hike some with him soon.

PS: The guide costs about $25.

[Hammock Hanger]

I hiked a small piece a few years back with Hikerhead (aka Hokey Pokey). It was indeed a very quiet trail but we enjoyed it. I look forward to hiking it again this year. When are you hiking?? Sue/Hammock Hanger

[Minerva]

My information is 6 years old but, I hiked the ALT in the spring of 2000.

I'm used to data book style hiking. Since the ALT didn't have a data book, I created one using the 2nd edition guide book (I think the 3rd edition came out in 2002 or 2003) and the webpage updates that were available at the time. This condensed the 4 sections into an 11 page mini booklet.

"Sparrowhawk", Ray Ward, hiked this in 2003 and at one time had a very good journal on TJ.

In 2000, resupply options went like this, and are most likely somewhat outdated. There's a good chance the Post Offices are still there, not sure about the meal, lodging and groceries for short term resupply. Maybe someone else who lives there can chime in.

Key PO Post Office G Groceries M Meals L Lodging

Mile Point/Miles Between (N to S)

8.6m/0.0 US Rte 48/Old State 73 Bruceton Mills, WV PO 26525, M

30m/21.4m WV Rte 26 Albright, WV PO 26519, Exxon Gas Station/Deli, Groceries

39m/9m WV Rte 7 Terra Alta, WV PO 26764

53.9m/14.9m Rowlesburg, WV PO 26425 G, M

90m/36.1m WV 32 Thomas, WV PO 26292 G, L

93.3m/3.3m Blackwater Falls State Park C, M, L, Laundry, showers

96m/2.7m Davis, WV PO 26260 G, M, L, Laundromat, Outfitters

106.1/10.1m Red Creek, WV PO 26289

141.2/35.1m Glady, WV PO 26268 G

163.9m/22.7m US Rt 250 Durbin, WV PO 26462 G, M, L, Laundromat, Train Rides

184.9m/21m Cass, WV PO 24927 M, L Train Rides; Dunmore WV G, L

210.8m/25.9m Huntersville, WV G

263.3m/52.5m White Sulphur Springs, WV PO 24986 G, M, L, Outfitter, Laundromat, showers at Truckstop on outskirts of town

This Trail was easy walking and provided lots of solitude. We saw perhaps 4 other hikers the entire Trail. Besure to ride the train in Cass or Durbin if you have the extra time! Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

MrsGorp

[Hikerhead]

You're . HH should be up that way sometime in July. A class of 2000 hiker named Camo has hiked the trail. maybe someone here knows how to contact him. WB member Hikerhead lives near the southern terminus. I plan to get out and hike some with him soon.

Pick a date..I'm ready when you are.

"I hiked a small piece a few years back with Hikerhead (aka Hokey Pokey). It was indeed a very quiet trail but we enjoyed it. I look forward to hiking it again this year. When are you hiking??" Sue/Hammock Hanger

This is a fun section to hike. I'll send Mowgli16 up ahead to see if anyone is home at the house. Mowgli16, you'll enjoy this. Hopefully we'll see some "hawks" from the observatory.

"Sparrowhawk", Ray Ward, hiked this in 2003 and at one time had a very good journal on TJ." Minerva

I thought you had a jounal on TJ of this hike, I know I've seen it somewhere. Maybe that was Sparrowhawk's journal that I'm thinking of.

[Booley]

Minerva thanks for the info. I've been wanting to do this trail as well since I don't have time to do the whole AT. I have done some sections of the ALT but would like to thru hike it. Guides say it's 330 miles long. How much is not completed, 70 or so miles? RST, what town are you from?

[MOWGLI]

Pick a date..I'm ready when you are.

I'm waiting on a new tent (MSR Missing Link) and a possible appointment in Abingdon in January. I'll be in touch.

[Hammock Hanger]

Stay out of people's bedrooms......

[Hammock Hanger]

Mowgli: How many of 330 miles of ALT is part of the GET??

[Hikerhead]

Well you did knock first. BTW, they have rerouted the trail around this house. Remember the hard time we had trying to find the trail thru the bulldozed trees. I need to go find my old pictures.

[Hammock Hanger]

Answer to my own question is 60 miles.

[Hikerhead]

Both of these folks below are fine people. Section 1 is the northern most part of the trail. Section 4 is the southern part. Sue, you know I have you covered for the shuttle on the missing 20 miles.

Elsa Nadler is coordinator for section 1 and can be reached at 304/599-4917 (home) or 304/293-3546 (109 Oakview Drive, Morgantown, WV 26505).

Doug Wood, coordinator for section 4. Doug can be reached at 304/466-2724 (HC 65, Box 182, Forest Hill, WV 24935-9261).

[Kerosene]

Sue, you know I have you covered for the shuttle on the missing 20 miles.

Such a gentleman.

[Hikerhead]

Naa, just a Virginian.

[stumpknocker]

Naa, just a Virginian.

Yeah, that AND a friend.

[Hammock Hanger]

You are a gentleman through and through and you know it.

[Hikerhead]

Well thanks. <BLUSHING>