Tag: winter

Backpacking Dolly Sods in the Winter: Staying Warm Takes Work

February 23, 2025By y2kemo

frozen creek and waterfall covered in snow — Frozen Red Creek off Fischer Spring Run Spur Trail

The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness (DSW) in the Monongahela National Forest is a rocky, high-altitude plateau with great views, wind-carved boulders, heath barrens, grassy meadows, and centuries-old sphagnum bogs. And while summers are generally cool and wet, winters are, to put it mildly, brutal. Minimum temperatures can drop to −30°F and the average seasonal snowfall is around 150 inches.

Having visited Dolly Sods in the winter before, my buddy, Coop, and I decided to revisit the area, this time exploring the southern portion, a section we hadn’t yet ventured into.

Backpacking the Roaring Plains West Wilderness: A Second Chance

November 11, 2024By y2kemo

trees lining a path with rolling mountains in background

trail cutting through pine trees with rolling mountains in background — Pipeline Access Road at Hidden Passage Trail

The Roaring Plains West Wilderness (RPW) is a picturesque backpacking destination in eastern West Virginia—3 mile southwest of the Dolly Sods Wilderness and 5 miles south of Canaan Valley State Park. The areas 6,792 acres of mixed hardwoods of red spruce and brush and bogs, grasses and rhododendron, ranges in elevation from 3,000′ along the southern perimeter to over 4,700′ feet’ at the top of Mt. Porte Crayon. The area is part of Roaring Plains, which spans 12,376 acres and is considered backcountry as opposed to RPW’s wilderness designation.

In 2017, my buddy, Coop, his brother-in-law, and I set out to pack the RPW circuit following South Prong to Canyon Rim Trail and down Boar’s Nest to the parking lot. Given the Monongahela National Forest’s fickle and unpredictable weather, we were met with a raging and impassable South Fork Red Creek. Unable to complete the route as planned, Coop and I decided to take another shot.

Backpacking Iron Mountain and Grayson Highlands: Horses and ponies

July 3, 2024By y2kemo

view of field from an outcropping with mountains in the background

The summertime is a great time to hit the trails. The best! Well, except for the heat, dried up water sources, things that bite, things that fly and bite, and the heat. Did I mention the heat? Man, I am not a fan of the heat. When my nephew, Joaquin, came to town I wanted to take him on his first backpacking trip and needed to find a location where the conditions were just right (i.e. the aforementioned exceptions could be managed). Enter the Iron Mountain Trail (IMT).

The yellow-blazed Iron Mountain Trail spans 47 miles from Highway 91 near Tennessee in the south to VA16 at Iron Mountain Gap in the north. Up until 1972, the IMT was part of the Appalachian Trail (AT) when it was relocated to the south to accommodate communication towers and power lines in order to maintain the secluded experience hikers have come to expect from the AT.

I hiked the IMT previously and figured its solitude, milder temperatures, and close proximity to Grayson Highlands made it the perfect place to take my nephew.

Backpacking the Cranberry Wilderness: Let it Snow

February 25, 2024By y2kemo

The Monongahela National Forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of east central West Virginia covers more than 920,000 acres and is home to some sweet backpacking destinations including Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains, and the Cranberry Wilderness. For this trip, I invited Rodrigo, and we set our sights on Cranberry.

Situated between the Highland Scenic Highway to the east, the Williams River to the north, and the Cranberry River to the south and west, the Cranberry Wilderness spans 47,815 acres and includes 15 interconnected and unblazed trails covering over 75 miles with elevations ranging from 2,400 to over 4,600 feet. In the winter it’s crazy cold and the chance for snow is always looming overhead.

Backpacking Mt. Pleasant to Seeley-Woodworth AT Shelter

February 18, 2023By y2kemo

view of mountains from ridgeline — View from Tar Jacket Ridge

In November 2019, I ran the Mountain Masochist 50-mile trail run from Monroe to Montebello, Virginia with my buddy, Coop. During the race, we completed a 5-ish mile loop around Mt. Pleasant, an aptly named national scenic area with picturesque views. As we finished the race, and for the next couple of years, we talked about returning to the area with backpacks, but we never did, until we did.

Backpacking Mt. Rogers and Iron Mountain: The Cold Changes Things

January 16, 2023By y2kemo

The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (NRA), a nearly 200,000 acre National Forest in southwestern Virginia is one of my favorite backpacking destinations. Sure the terrain can be challenging and the weather is often unpredictable, but there are wild ponies, the Appalachian Trail (AT) runs through the area, the views are magnificent, and it can be exceptionally peaceful when there is snow on the ground. It’s a place I keep coming back to and a place I thought I’d take a friend of a friend, Rodrigo, for his first winter backpacking trip in the southeast.

Backpacking the Cranberry Wilderness: Wet Trails and Bears

December 30, 20212 commentsBy y2kemo

mushroom on a tree with ferns in the background

trail through spruce pines with ferns and moss all around — North-South Trail (TR 688) in the Cranberry Wilderness.

The Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia is home to some of the best backpacking options on the east coast including Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains, and the 47,815-acre Cranberry Wilderness. For this trip, my brother-in-law, Ken, and I decided to hit up the latter.

Situated between the Highland Scenic Highway to the east, the Williams River to the north, and the Cranberry River to the south and west, the Cranberry Wilderness includes 15 interconnected, unblazed, and well-maintained trails covering over 75 miles with elevations ranging from 2,400 to over 4,600 feet. The wilderness is home to deer, turkeys, rabbits, mink, grouse, bobcats, and foxes, and is a designated bear sanctuary.

Backpacking the James River Face Wilderness: A frozen wonderland

February 21, 2021By y2kemo

hiker walking snowy trail with ice-covered trees all around

When my buddy, Coop, suggested we hit the trails for a February backpacking trip we kicked around some ideas: Cold Mountain and Mt. Mitchell in NC, Cranberry Wilderness in WV, and Mt. Pleasant and Apple Orchard in VA. To refine the list, he put together a handful of options in each location before we ultimately decided on the James River Face Wilderness in Jefferson National Forest between the James River on the north and Blue Ridge Parkway to the south.

The James River Face Wilderness is an 8,907-acre area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia that includes several well-maintained trails including the iconic Appalachian Trail (AT) which passes over the 623 foot James River Foot Bridge, and the Belfast Trail which leads to the Devil’s Marbleyard and its colossal, car-sized Antietam Quartzite boulders.

Backpacking Mt. Rogers Recreation Area: Always a bear track, never a bear

December 31, 2020By y2kemo

Winter is arguably the best season for backpacking. Top 4 for certain. Sure, I shake uncontrollably between the fire and my sleeping bag, and my nose runs like an open spigot, and I generally cannot feel my toes, but it’s also peaceful, quiet, and serene. Oh, and let’s not forget about the snow. Man I love snow!

With COVID-19 still running amuck, my brother-in-law, Ken, and I were desperate to stave off cabin fever and get outside. Our only criteria: water and fire. Looking around, we considered Pisgah National Forest, Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area, and Monongahela National Forest before deciding on Mt. Rogers and its nearly 200,000 acres of National Forest in southwestern Virginia.

Backpacking the Cranberry Wilderness: Whole lotta yes!

February 23, 2020By y2kemo

The Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia is home to some of the best backpacking options on the east coast. My buddy, Coop, and I had already visited Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains within the forest, but we hadn’t had a chance to check out the 47,815 acre Cranberry Wilderness.

Situated between the Highland Scenic Highway to the east, the Williams River to the north, and the Cranberry River to the south and west, the Cranberry Wilderness includes more than 15 interconnected, unblazed, and well-maintained trails covering over 75 miles with elevations ranging from 2,400 to over 4,600 feet. Black bears are abundant and share the Wilderness with deer, turkeys, rabbits, mink, grouse, bobcats, and foxes.

Sounds awesome, right? Absolutely, that’s why we went.

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