Catoctin Mountain Park

Circumstances have brought me to the state of Maryland, so I will do what I do best and explore the area. The state has, so far, offered many areas to hike that prove to be both challenging and rewarding with views. Catoctin Mountain Park was one of my first areas to explore. It is part of the National Park Service and unlike some other National Parks, Catoctin Mountain Park allows dogs. Perfect!

The park is great and I highly recommend visiting if you are in the area. Whether you are looking for a quick out and back or a longer loop, there are many trails that offer experiences for all. There are also different parking lots for easier access to the vistas you want to see.

Chef and I hiked the outer loop which was a connection of trails (highlighted in pink in the picture to the right). It ended up being around 8 miles. The trail is rocky, like most trails in Maryland, and offers some ascents and descents. We started in the parking lot at the Visitors center. You can find friendly, helpful staff there... as well as bathrooms. Hiking clockwise on the map, the trail starts off up hill. Go figure. The trail comes close to route 77 where you can walk across and follow a short trail about .2 miles to Cunningham Falls. Cunningham Falls State Park borders Catoctin Mountain Park with route 77 being the boundary. This time of year the falls weren't too impressive, but worth a quick peak. Continuing on the loop you come to Hog Rock, then Blue Ridge Summit Overlook, then Thurmont Vista. None of these seemed to strike my fancy, but you may feel otherwise.


My favorite spots during the hike were Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock. Both are large formations that were left after glacier melts and years of erosion. Wolf Rock was an awesome area to do some mini exploring and rock climbing. Be sure to use caution, its easy to fall between or off rocks. There were DANGER signs for both areas. That's how you know its worth checking out!

Chimney Rock was my favorite vista of the whole park. After a while views become just views, but this one made me stop for a minute. There is a very short off shoot trail that takes you to this vista. The first thing you see is a sign warning you of all the dangers (left). Maybe it was the climb out to the edge of the rocks that made the view better than the rest. The air was chilly, the lighting was great, and the world seemed still for a minute. It was a good place to sit and just soak in quiet.

We continued on down the trail and back to the visitors center. The temperature was good and it only sprinkled for a minute while we were hiking. An after-hike snack had to be finished in the car instead of at the picnic table due to the clouds finally deciding to dump their contents, but I was grateful they held off until we were done. It took us about 3 hours to complete our day hike, which includes some short stops and minor goofing off.


Chimney Rock Vista

Overall, I would say Catoctin Mountain Park is a great area. The fact that dogs are allowed always puts parks at the top of my list. There are areas of the park I haven't explored but we'll save that for another day. 

The itch is back.

Its been about 5 months and I miss it.  I miss it like an addiction. Maybe it is an addiction. The constant body aches, throbbing feet, an uncontrollable hunger, the mindset to keep going while your body screams stop, the fresh air and mountain peaks, the silence and the noise is what I crave. The feeling is hard to explain. Its a restlessness that only seems to subside if I'm lost in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, that feeling has me planning the next thru hike.

I am currently trying to take advantage of mild winter weather with some short hike when I can fit them in to my schedule. I need to keep my body AND mind in shape for this.

The Sheltowee Trace Trail is my next thru hike. This is the plan anyway. It runs the state of Kentucky from north to south covering about 300 miles. It winds through the Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The blazes I will follow are white turtles!




Google it to find out more information. Until then, I need to save money because although you live and smell like a homeless person hiking isn't the cheapest of passions. I would like to make a few upgrades to my gear and  I will be in need of another pair of boots soon.

I have a few over night hikes in mind to keep me busy for now. Go get outside people!

Done!

 

Coming to an end

Teddy and I pushed through the 100 mile wilderness. I felt like I was running to Abol bridge. Waiting for me was a hot meal and some beverages. There were a couple of spots within the wilderness where views of Katahdin were possible. Let's just say I was robbed multiple times in seeing the elusive rock.  

Even when the goal was in sight, clouds blocked the view of the peak. 

 

Although a bit rushed, only to finally be done, we had a great time in the deep woods. 

 

   

 

Luckily the water was very low this year. We had many fords across streams and rivers. This was one where shoes were taken off and you held on to the rope while you crossed in knee deep water. We rock hopped across most of the fords because of the lack of water. 

 

I loved seeing the signs that counted down the miles to Katahdin.

 

 The warning chatter of red squirrels is heard constantly. So often that I want to throw rocks and hit them with sticks. I ignored them most of the time, but there was that occasional circumstance where one would catch me off gaurd and chatter right next to me making me jump. These guys also like getting into food bags if you don't hang secure it at night. Who knew you could pack so much confidence and tenacity into a cute, tiny body the size of a softball. 

 

This is the only thing that remains.... I will see you soon Katahdin. 

So Close

I've made it this far; 2000 miles. I feel like I'm so close and yet so far. Only a few more mountains to climb, walk through the hundred mile wilderness and then I get to summit that mountain that I've hiked all this way to get to and I can finally go home.  

Here are a few pictures of what I've been up to.

 

 

 

 

 

The leaves are starting to change and the air has a bite to it now.  I have yet to see a moose on trail. Less than two weeks and my journey should be complete. .... Can you tell I'm ready to come home. 

Maine is No Joke

It's only been 3 days in Maine. My heels have raw spots, my left knee is a tad swollen and my walking stick broke in two. A single mile took a group of us almost two hours (average is 2-3 mph). I've been up and down ladders made of wood, rebar, steel, and tree roots. I've free climbed rock faces to summit mountains. I've even used a rope for the first time on trail to repel down a rock to a ladder. But you can't beat the views, and we do have some fun doing it!

 

Finally. It only took me 5 months to get here.

 

A rebar obstacle...

 

Which led to this wooden ladder.

 

We walk across a lot of these boards; if we're not walking on rock.

 

This picture makes the ground look flat and level; it's quite the opposite.

 

We get to see clouds up close.

 

I chucked my walking stick down the mountain so I could use both hands to climb down this rebar ladder. My poor stick hit a rung and broke cleanly in two. I almost cried. That was the end of the first day in Maine.

 

This was how we started our second day in Maine. Mahoosuc Notch; look it up.

 

 

 

 

 

Don't mind my butt. I crawled into this crevasse because I saw moose bones (Teddy and I called them bits). Needless to say, we each have a moose bit as a souvenir. 

 

Back to climbing through boulders.

We had a great day though.

 

 

 

 

There's lots of straight ups and downs.

 

 

That's Teddy way in the back.

 

 

Maine hasn't killed us yet! (White Cap, Teddy, me, Crocamole)

 

This is Jimmy, he likes triscuits.

The Whites

Vermont was nothing but a mud hole. What did impress me was the plethora of mushrooms.

(Pictures aren't downloading)

The White Mountains provided a more challenging trail and even more impressive views. 

 

The Presidentials. The peaks in order from left to right: Jefferson, Adams, Madison

 

The cog rail train on its way down to the base. This was a biodiesel engine. They railway also has a steam engine. I was just coming down from the peak of Mount Washington. 

 One of the many huts wishing the white mountains... For tourist who can afford them :)

Hikers may get a chance to get a work-for-stay at the ones along the AT.

 

Teddy found a friend at a hut, where we stopped for snacks and water. 

 

One of the many views. 

 

Maine, here we come.