Mired at Otter Creek, West Virginia (9/13/2014)
Sept 15, 2014 10:36:49 GMT -5
Post by GaliWalker on Sept 15, 2014 10:36:49 GMT -5
Mired at Otter Creek
It rained, and rained, and then rained a little bit more. An otter would have felt right at home if it had accompanied me on my hike, this past Saturday, in West Virginia's Otter Creek Wilderness.
Intended route: Mylius Trail (E) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Moore Run Trail (W) > McGowan Mountain Trail (S) > Yellow Creek Trail (S) > Otter Creek Trail (S) > Hendrick Camp Trail (E) > Shavers Mountain Trail (N) > Mylius Trail (W)
Actual route: Mylius Trail (E) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Moore Run Trail (W) > FR324 (S) > Yellow Creek Trail (S) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Mylius Trail (W)
I knew it was going to be a rainy hike when I looked at the forecast of a 60% chance of showers. 60% though isn't 100%, so maybe I'd get lucky? I ditched my trekking pole for an umbrella, which doubles as a pole when furled up, and called it good.
Early morning, at 6:30am, I began my hike from the Mylius Trailhead. This is my favorite way to get into the heart of the Otter Creek Wilderness, though you do have to go over a pass on Shavers Mountain. My long drive over from Pittsburgh had been atrocious, with a lot of rain, but it had mostly stopped now. In the early hours of the morning, I couldn't even tell if it was overcast or not, so skipped along up the flanks of Shavers Mountain, with not a care in the world.
I made good time up to the pass on Shavers Mountain. As I started to drop down towards Otter Creek, the gentle mist that had been bedewing my face began to thicken into the fatter drops of a cold rain. I kept the umbrella furled up for a while, but had to open it just before reaching Otter Creek. The crossing of Otter Creek was a simple rock hop. A few yards further, and I was on the Otter Creek Trail, where I took a right. It had taken me about an hour to get here; as I mentioned earlier, the quickest way to get to best parts of Otter Creek.
This late in the season Otter Creek was running the lowest I've ever seen it, though I was pleased to see that it wasn't bone dry. As I walked along the Otter Creek Trail, it was still nice to hear the sounds of splashing water. A scant mile later, after re-crossing Otter Creek, I paused momentarily at a complex of cascades for some photography. Soon after packing my camera gear away the heavens opened up. The steady rain I'd been experiencing had become a deluge. Oh-oh, this might get more interesting.
One more crossing of Otter Creek deposited me on the Moore Run Trail, which would take me up McGowan Mountain. The start was miserable. Rhododendron bushes, plus an assortment of other vegetation, encroached on the trail. All of this greenery was laden with moisture, which was gratefully shed onto my pants as I brushed past. The umbrella was pretty much useless; I couldn't even hold it aloft because of the thick rhododendron branches which insistently latched on to it. By the time the encroachment decreased I was as wet as one could be. I think I got about a mile of brush free travel, before it was back to tunneling my way through drippy, clingy rhododendron bushes.
The top of McGowan Mountain has an interesting boggy section. I had found it quite entertaining on my one previous visit, though remembered that it had been quite muddy. This time around, with the rain still pouring down, I knew I wasn't going to be entertained. I reached the grassy meadow and took stock. It didn't look that much worse than before; maybe a touch more water. I cautiously put my first foot forward and sank ankle deep. OK, I can do this. A couple more steps and my right leg went into the mud to the knee. I quickly swung my left leg to what looked like a better spot, and sank in to mid-thigh. Let me repeat that: and ... sank ... in ... to ... mid-thigh. I had to dig my hands into the mud and put all my weight on the right leg - still knee-deep in the mud - before I could pull the left leg out. Thankfully, I was able to cross the rest of the meadow without sinking in to more than mid-calf. All thoughts of a fun hike were a distant memory. I was into survival mode.
With the rain was still coming down steadily, boots squelching, I made my way to the end of the Moore Run Trail and its junction with the McGowan Mountain Trail. I was in need of a mental break, so I pulled out the map and tried to figure out alternate routes. Less than a quarter mile off lay FR 324, which seemed to parallel the McGowan Mountain Trail. While walking a gravel road isn't what I consider 'hiking', it would provide me my mental break. I'd add about 0.7mi to my hike, but wouldn't get any wetter. It all looked awfully attractive to me, almost relaxing.
After getting to the road and walking along it for a while I began to feel back on balance. I was able to find a sheltered spot and clean myself up a little. This clean up mainly involved wringing out my socks; most of the mud had already been washed away!
At the end of FR 324 I picked up the Yellow Creek Trail. More rhododendron bushes, but thankfully of the less touchy feely variety. The hike back down to Otter Creek was unexpectedly quick and painless. It was still raining, but not heavily.
I had originally planned to head south on the Otter Creek Trail to make a bigger loop of the hike, but by now just wanted to get it over with. So, I took a left instead of a right, and took the Otter Creek Trail north for 1.8mi, where I took a right on the Mylius Trail, to close my loop. The final 2.4mi back to the car were filled with thoughts of the hot coffee I'd treat myself to, on the drive back.
Cumulative stats:
- Distance: 16.5mi
- Elevation gain: 3000ft
- Hiking time: 8hr 20min
It rained, and rained, and then rained a little bit more. An otter would have felt right at home if it had accompanied me on my hike, this past Saturday, in West Virginia's Otter Creek Wilderness.
Intended route: Mylius Trail (E) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Moore Run Trail (W) > McGowan Mountain Trail (S) > Yellow Creek Trail (S) > Otter Creek Trail (S) > Hendrick Camp Trail (E) > Shavers Mountain Trail (N) > Mylius Trail (W)
Actual route: Mylius Trail (E) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Moore Run Trail (W) > FR324 (S) > Yellow Creek Trail (S) > Otter Creek Trail (N) > Mylius Trail (W)
I knew it was going to be a rainy hike when I looked at the forecast of a 60% chance of showers. 60% though isn't 100%, so maybe I'd get lucky? I ditched my trekking pole for an umbrella, which doubles as a pole when furled up, and called it good.
Early morning, at 6:30am, I began my hike from the Mylius Trailhead. This is my favorite way to get into the heart of the Otter Creek Wilderness, though you do have to go over a pass on Shavers Mountain. My long drive over from Pittsburgh had been atrocious, with a lot of rain, but it had mostly stopped now. In the early hours of the morning, I couldn't even tell if it was overcast or not, so skipped along up the flanks of Shavers Mountain, with not a care in the world.
I made good time up to the pass on Shavers Mountain. As I started to drop down towards Otter Creek, the gentle mist that had been bedewing my face began to thicken into the fatter drops of a cold rain. I kept the umbrella furled up for a while, but had to open it just before reaching Otter Creek. The crossing of Otter Creek was a simple rock hop. A few yards further, and I was on the Otter Creek Trail, where I took a right. It had taken me about an hour to get here; as I mentioned earlier, the quickest way to get to best parts of Otter Creek.
This late in the season Otter Creek was running the lowest I've ever seen it, though I was pleased to see that it wasn't bone dry. As I walked along the Otter Creek Trail, it was still nice to hear the sounds of splashing water. A scant mile later, after re-crossing Otter Creek, I paused momentarily at a complex of cascades for some photography. Soon after packing my camera gear away the heavens opened up. The steady rain I'd been experiencing had become a deluge. Oh-oh, this might get more interesting.
One more crossing of Otter Creek deposited me on the Moore Run Trail, which would take me up McGowan Mountain. The start was miserable. Rhododendron bushes, plus an assortment of other vegetation, encroached on the trail. All of this greenery was laden with moisture, which was gratefully shed onto my pants as I brushed past. The umbrella was pretty much useless; I couldn't even hold it aloft because of the thick rhododendron branches which insistently latched on to it. By the time the encroachment decreased I was as wet as one could be. I think I got about a mile of brush free travel, before it was back to tunneling my way through drippy, clingy rhododendron bushes.
The top of McGowan Mountain has an interesting boggy section. I had found it quite entertaining on my one previous visit, though remembered that it had been quite muddy. This time around, with the rain still pouring down, I knew I wasn't going to be entertained. I reached the grassy meadow and took stock. It didn't look that much worse than before; maybe a touch more water. I cautiously put my first foot forward and sank ankle deep. OK, I can do this. A couple more steps and my right leg went into the mud to the knee. I quickly swung my left leg to what looked like a better spot, and sank in to mid-thigh. Let me repeat that: and ... sank ... in ... to ... mid-thigh. I had to dig my hands into the mud and put all my weight on the right leg - still knee-deep in the mud - before I could pull the left leg out. Thankfully, I was able to cross the rest of the meadow without sinking in to more than mid-calf. All thoughts of a fun hike were a distant memory. I was into survival mode.
With the rain was still coming down steadily, boots squelching, I made my way to the end of the Moore Run Trail and its junction with the McGowan Mountain Trail. I was in need of a mental break, so I pulled out the map and tried to figure out alternate routes. Less than a quarter mile off lay FR 324, which seemed to parallel the McGowan Mountain Trail. While walking a gravel road isn't what I consider 'hiking', it would provide me my mental break. I'd add about 0.7mi to my hike, but wouldn't get any wetter. It all looked awfully attractive to me, almost relaxing.
After getting to the road and walking along it for a while I began to feel back on balance. I was able to find a sheltered spot and clean myself up a little. This clean up mainly involved wringing out my socks; most of the mud had already been washed away!
At the end of FR 324 I picked up the Yellow Creek Trail. More rhododendron bushes, but thankfully of the less touchy feely variety. The hike back down to Otter Creek was unexpectedly quick and painless. It was still raining, but not heavily.
I had originally planned to head south on the Otter Creek Trail to make a bigger loop of the hike, but by now just wanted to get it over with. So, I took a left instead of a right, and took the Otter Creek Trail north for 1.8mi, where I took a right on the Mylius Trail, to close my loop. The final 2.4mi back to the car were filled with thoughts of the hot coffee I'd treat myself to, on the drive back.
Cumulative stats:
- Distance: 16.5mi
- Elevation gain: 3000ft
- Hiking time: 8hr 20min