Backpacking to the Ghost Town of Spruce.
Nov 8, 2014 8:18:19 GMT -5
Post by arfcomhkr on Nov 8, 2014 8:18:19 GMT -5
Did this a few years back with a fellow from the other board.
The town of Spruce was at one time the highest year round town East of the Mississippi. It supplied pulpwood to the mills at Cass. Later the Western Maryland railroad had some shops and the like there to service steam engines hauling coal out of the the area.
This area is on the Upper Shavers Fork of the Cheat in what was added to the MNF from the old Mower Lumber tract. It's between Cheat Bridge, Bald Knob and Silver Creek (snowshoe) ski resorts. There are no trails in the area.
We left one vehicle at the end of FR233 at Beaver Creek then drove up FR235 to the gate on what seems to be FR237. Hiked over towards Bald Knob, took a side trip up there where the Cass railroad ends along with another side trip to the cabin and fire tower. Retraced back to FR237 which is more a trail than a road at this point, and down the mountain to "Old Spruce" (I think) where the tracks split and head to Spruce. A nice walk along the river and we were there.
The second day of the hike was not much fun as it was walking down the tracks back to Beaver Creek. Nice scenery along the river though.
A few pics from the Bald Knob area.
What's left of Spruce.
The town of Spruce was at one time the highest year round town East of the Mississippi. It supplied pulpwood to the mills at Cass. Later the Western Maryland railroad had some shops and the like there to service steam engines hauling coal out of the the area.
This area is on the Upper Shavers Fork of the Cheat in what was added to the MNF from the old Mower Lumber tract. It's between Cheat Bridge, Bald Knob and Silver Creek (snowshoe) ski resorts. There are no trails in the area.
We left one vehicle at the end of FR233 at Beaver Creek then drove up FR235 to the gate on what seems to be FR237. Hiked over towards Bald Knob, took a side trip up there where the Cass railroad ends along with another side trip to the cabin and fire tower. Retraced back to FR237 which is more a trail than a road at this point, and down the mountain to "Old Spruce" (I think) where the tracks split and head to Spruce. A nice walk along the river and we were there.
The second day of the hike was not much fun as it was walking down the tracks back to Beaver Creek. Nice scenery along the river though.
A few pics from the Bald Knob area.
What's left of Spruce.
Besides, I was moving pics to Imjur and figured why not.
