We have enjoyed some beautiful winter hikes despite heavy snowfall. Ice formations on this hike were unusual. Those who hiked marvelled at how different the forest looks this time of year.
Pictures are often worth a thousand words. This day was beautiful. Our footprints were the first after the snowfall the day before. The soup afterwords was delicious as usual.
Kanawha State Forest was blanketed in snow as seen by the attached photos. Skies were blue and the sun out in full force. Those who hiked agreed that hiking is a good remedy for cabin fever. Thanks to George and Christy for the great photos.
We rung in the new year in Putnam County with a hike in Eleanor. This park has added many new trails in recent years and now has multiple loops to hike. It is a great place to hike especially in winter months. We look forward to hiking more new trails in the future.
This was the last hike completed by the club in 2009. The last hike of the year ended on a sunny note as seen by the pictures below.
Cricket led a group of hikers on Saturday along Yellow Birch Trail at Blackwater Falls State Park. The rivers were too high to cross at our planned hike at Dolly Sods. Therefore, Lois led an alternate hike along the Brown Trail which is part of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The picture of the Wood Frog was Taken by Christy on this hike. Sunday proved to be a perfect day for hiking or bird watching. Kathy led the group to Pace Point from the Dobbins House Trail.
Lois and Gina scouted this new hike at Cave Run Lake State Park in Kentucky last July. The pictures are from that scouting expedition. Five hikers took up the challenge of hiking twelve miles in a downpour late September. There would be no pictures on this trip only soggy sandwiches. We endured and our boots dried out in time for the following Sunday hike.
Lois hiked Great North Mountain in George Washington National Forest in WV and wanted to share her pictures with fellow hikers. Please take a few minutes to enjoy the scenery.
Three trail club members traveled recently to Banff, Jasper and Yoho National Parks in Canada. Many excellent day hike originate in the Bow Range and Jasper town sites and are easily accessible. Ron, Kathy and Carl enjoyed a number of hikes that included marshlands, glacial lakes and waterfalls as well as an encounter with a friendly black bear.
Seneca State Forest is the oldest of the West Virginia forests. In addition to the parks twenty three miles of looped trails, hikers can also visit the nearby Greenbrier River Trail which borders the forest or hike along a section of the Allegheny Trail. Lois led an eight mile hike to the fire tower and down to the Allegheny trail and then finished along the Thorny Creek Trail.
