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GaliWalker 
Group: Members
Posts: 585
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 11:17 am |
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Every fall I've fallen into the rut of heading south to West Virginia's northeast (Dolly Sods/Roaring Plains/Seneca Rocks/Spruce Knob). I need more options! I was thinking of either Shenandoah, or the Cranberry Wilderness/Backcountry area, though I could be persuaded with something nice in the Spruce Knob region.
Specifically, I would lookinf for the following, in decreasing order of importance:
1- Views of ridge lines and slopes, hopefully comparable to this:
North Fork Mountain, WV
2- Waterfalls surrounded by fall foliage.
Any advice would be welcome. Help!
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 2
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aseege1
Group: Members
Posts: 370
Joined: Jul. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 12:02 pm |
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Hmmm...anyone have a coin?
I vote Shenandoah. Old Rag would prolly look beautiful this time of year, not much solitude tho.
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| Post Number: 3
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MRHyker
Group: Members
Posts: 3555
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 1:15 pm |
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Seneca Creek Backcountry ....Waterfalls and High Meadows in the Spruce Knob Area..
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 4
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Panhandler
Group: Members
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Joined: Aug. 2011
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 4:13 pm |
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I was in Cannaan and Roaring Plains last week. Foliage will be peeking there very soon. Not so much near Seneca Rocks and Petersburg. Bear dogs and hunters were definitely peaking, tho.
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| Post Number: 5
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MRHyker
Group: Members
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 4:25 pm |
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I'd also recommend Big Schloss, Tibbet Knob and Halfmoon Lookout for views. It's a lot closer to you than SNP, more rugged and isolated as well.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 6
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MRHyker
Group: Members
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 4:47 pm |
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View from Tibbet Knob
View from Big Schloss
Halfmoon Lookout
White Rocks
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 7
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vdeal
Group: Members
Posts: 1193
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 7:20 pm |
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Nothing is going to be exactly like North Fork Mt. but I would second MR's suggestion of Big Schloss - it is very nice.
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"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation, INCREASED and NOT IMPAIRED in value." Theodore Roosevelt
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| Post Number: 8
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arfcomhkr
Group: Members
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 8:50 pm |
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Not much of the way of views in Cranberry. Most of the better ones are along the road (150). Cowpasture trail should be nice when the leaves are peaking. There's a spot in the talus up on top of tea creek mountain trail that has a nice view.
For the most part when hiking in Cranberry, you're pretty much in the woods rather than looking out over it.
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| Post Number: 9
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ki0eh
Group: Members
Posts: 2421
Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 9:56 pm |
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The Old Loggers Path/Rock Run area in northeast Lycoming County, PA this fall - get there before the frackers do (survey pegs already out)
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| Post Number: 10
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GaliWalker
Group: Members
Posts: 585
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 01 2012, 10:21 pm |
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Wow, thanks for all the advice! I had been toying with Seneca Creek, but I have been there once before, though wouldn't mind a return trip since I just missed fall on that trip.
Big Schloss looks pretty cool too. The photos MR posted are kind of what I was looking for. Need to start planning now...
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 11
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strez
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Posted on: Oct. 02 2012, 10:49 am |
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SNP may be crowded. Big Schloss is a fantastic alternative.
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| Post Number: 12
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MRHyker
Group: Members
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 02 2012, 11:10 am |
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The Stack Rocks hike, though short, has a mini-North Fork Mt feel to it.
Re Seneca Creek: Did you get to explore the High Meadows, especially the "Hidden" or "Lost" Meadow?
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 13
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rpcv
Group: Members
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Joined: Aug. 2006
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Posted on: Oct. 02 2012, 1:37 pm |
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It might be too far and the area probably won't peak for another week or so, but we did Three Ridges last year at the height of fall colors and it was spectacular. It is located in the George Washington National Forest 15 miles or so south of Shenandoah National Park, just of the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are more pictures on the blog entry linked above.
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Silver Spring Wanderer
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| Post Number: 14
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| Post Number: 15
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MRHyker
Group: Members
Posts: 3555
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 03 2012, 8:56 am |
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The Spruce Knob plan would work but that is one hell of a climb to get back up. I know it's more pedestrian and very muddy in places and some here do not like the trail but the fastest/easiest way to get to the High Meadows (if you're going to do the High Meadows you really must visit the "Lost Meadows".)is to take the Lumberjack Trail. Don't plan on taking any pictures here. Just pin your ears back and go, son!
If your most interested is cool vistas and not so much the trails in between I'd go to GWNF and park at Wolf Gap Campground. From there it is a 2.0 mile climb to Big Schloss. You can then return to the campground, cross the road and climb 1.5 miles to Tibbet Knob for another shoot. I know you're a strong/fast hiker so that is easily in your scope of capabilities. If you plan it just right, it's a short drive on Trout Run Road to the Halfmoon Lookout Trailghead. That's a longer trek - 4.5 miles one way. I'd use the Pink Halfmoon Cut-off trail to do the major climb. If you could pull that off you would capture a big chunk of what the Great North Mt was about.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 16
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GaliWalker
Group: Members
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Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 08 2012, 10:00 am |
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Thanks for all the advice everyone - I had a great weekend!
MR, I ended up taking your advice: I hiked up Tibbet Knob and Big Schloss, from Wolf Gap. Big Schloss, in particular, was awesome. For you:
Tibbet Knob view
Big Schloss view
Trip report: http://forums.backpacker.com/cgi-bin....1160599
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 17
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MRHyker
Group: Members
Posts: 3555
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 08 2012, 2:02 pm |
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Pictures aren't here.
Disregard.
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 18
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vdeal
Group: Members
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Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Oct. 08 2012, 9:52 pm |
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I like the Big Schloss view the best. Closest you'll get to North Fork Mt. IMO.
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"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation, INCREASED and NOT IMPAIRED in value." Theodore Roosevelt
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| Post Number: 19
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GaliWalker
Group: Members
Posts: 585
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 9:13 am |
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If it had more relief, I'd say that the views from Big Schloss would be equivalent to North Fork Mountain.
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 20
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MRHyker
Group: Members
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Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 10:43 am |
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All you need to do now is to get up to Halfmoon Lookout and you'd have the trifecta (although there are other nice views of the valley).
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
Midatlantichikes.com
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| Post Number: 21
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EpicBeast
Group: Members
Posts: 19
Joined: Jun. 2012
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Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 11:41 pm |
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Hey MrHyker, those pictures you posted up there (Tibbet Knob, Halfmoon Lookout, etc.) are those under the Trout Run Valley Circumnavigation?
Me and two buddies were planning on heading out this weekend to catch some fall colors. Originally planned 2 night but it's looking like a one-nighter. For some reason your website won't open up on my work computer.
Done all the Old Rag/Hawksbill/Three Ridges stuff so I was looking for something new. So either the Trout Run or North Fork mountain is looking like the best unless anyone has other suggestions.
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| Post Number: 22
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