The sap is rising

[Groucho]

Yup, it’s that time of year again, time for the Whitetop Mountain Maple Festival, March 28 & 29. More information here:
http://www.tcvaevents.com/Whitetop_M..._Festival.aspx

Countdown timer:
http://eventful.com/whitetop/events/...gets/countdown

Whitetop Mountain Band Mar 29 2009 3:00PM
http://www.myspace.com/whitetopmountainband

Forecast: Snow?:
http://www.accuweather.com/us/va/whi...chg=1&metric=0

Well, you know about these long term forecasts

Thinking about going on a hike of x no. of days afterwards.Has anyone ever been? How are the pancakes and the band?


A trivia question; I have my own candidate: What is the nearest maple collection area along the AT? I'm thinking of those semi-permanent tubing to reservoir rigs, but others are of interest.

[Lone Wolf]

north of whitetop to elk garden

[JAK]

Yeah I'm awake, so what?

Oh, maple syrup. Yeah, really looking forward to that this year.
High of 34F yesterday, 24F last night, going to 40F today, back to freezing again...
Getting into prime Maple Syrup season even up here. Should be a good year I hope.
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/..._metric_e.html

We go to a place each year over on the Kingston Penninsula where they provide some education and sugaring off for the kids, and kids at heart, and always run into the same old friends. Its nice. They put on a pancake breakfast as well. In the winter they have cross-country ski trails but we never got over as we did all are skiing on the river. If we get more snow we might be going over though as the river is still pretty thick but turning to mush in too many places to be trusted.

Love this time of year.

[Groucho]

north of whitetop to elk garden

Yep, less than a quarter of a mile from the AT by the road; don't know the distance as the crow would fly. Wondered if there were any closer.

Know if their syrup is any good?

[Cookerhiker]

Out here in the Alleghenies, the biggest festival is in Meyersdale, PA: http://www.pamaplefestival.com/

There's tubing and containers less than 100' off the Great Allegheny Passage only a few miles out of Cumberland.

[sheepdog]

I've got some trees tapped. Usually make about a gallon a year. My best year 9 gallons (way too much work)