It was the coldest of times, it was the hottest of times, it was a day of blue skies, it was a day of downpours, it was the weekend of celebration, it was the weekend of resurrection.
As I am writing this, my backpack lays outside my apartment room drying from the drenching it went through from over the weekend for I found myself, yet again, on the Trout Run Valley Loop in West Virginia. This marks my 9th time doing this trail and you can bet I will be seeking to hit the magic number 10 in the near future (this will be a big deal — I might have to make this an Invite Only trip).
But wait, you might ask, isn’t this trip report about the March 28th – 29th trip? It didn’t rain over that weekend! Indeed you are correct. So why was my backpack wet? Well it’s because I went back again the following week and the conditions were much different from the week before. Yes, I did the same backpacking loop in back-to-back weeks, but I have no regrets. This loop is my favorite among all the Mid-Atlantic trails that I have done (and I have done a fair amount). To repeat a trail doesn’t equal redundancy. Each trip presents new challenges, new experiences, new blooming flowers, etc. I recently heard someone say that “history doesn’t repeat itself — it rhymes” which I have appropriated for the defense of my Trout Run Valley obsession.
I thought it would be an interesting exercise to compare the two trips of Trout Run Valley in this trip report. So… I am going to do that. To supplement your reading, I have linked The Breeze by Dr. Dogg to add some ambience to your reading experience. It should create a nice feeling of nostalgia.
Chapter 1: Before the Trip
New Usual Suspects (March 28 – 29)
This popular DCUL trip started like most: with all 10 slots signed up within the first hour and nearly 20 people on the waitlist. “Taco Bell” (This is a new trail name I am bestowing onto this person) was kind enough to add me as a co-leader on this trip, so competition for a spot was nonexistent for yours truly. The last time I had backpacked was exactly a year ago — another Trout Run Valley trip — so the prospect of getting outside again was exciting.
Maddie and I decided to up the participant list to 15 people for this trip. This is unusually high, but we knew, as with most DCUL trips, we would have dropouts as we approached the hike date. We did save a few spots for applicants on this trip, one of whom I recruited after a run-in at the chocolate store.
Taco Bell was actually the only one on the trip I had ever hiked with before, though most everyone else was either a member or a veteran member. It had been over a year since I went on a DCUL trip, so many new faces have joined the club and established themselves as regulars since then. One aspect of DCUL that I have always appreciated was the space the club provided to meet and talk to new people who share a love for backpacking and the outdoors — I definitely missed that.
GW Trails (April 4 – 5)
I, for a multitude of reasons, dismissed many opportunities to connect with my peers in college. I eventually found most of my friends from DCUL, REI, and the Chocolate store but I still felt separated from my university. It got to the point where I had to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in between my sophomore and junior year. At times I thought about joining GW Trails (My school’s outdoor club) came across my radar. I had actually learned about the club my Freshman year from a Trails guide. For reasons I don’t quite remember I didn’t apply and the thought of joining them faded until I came back from my thru-hike. Long story short, I didn’t join the club and did not associate with the members for most of my college time.
I lay this all out because ironically, since graduating, my only friends my age have been former GW Trails guides. During college they were not in my periphery at all but as soon as I graduated our interests merged and we eventually found ourselves in the same orbit. That orbit led us to organize a trip to Trout Run Valley on Easter weekend. And in some strange turn of events, I found myself preparing the GW Trails guides on a backpacking trip.
Chapter 2: Tibbet’s Knob
A Cool Climb (March 28 – 29)
I often underestimate the bad. That was the story of Tibbet’s knob. With over 800 feet of gain in 1.5 miles, it doesn’t seem all that bad compared to other notable Mid-Atlantic climbs such as the Priest or the perpetual ups and downs of the Rollercoaster. The deceiving part about the climb to Tibbet’s knob is that the real climb begins at mile 0.79 and you gain 600 feet in 0.7 miles. Adding the fact that this is the first thing you do on the Trout Run Valley loop, Tibbet’s Knob can be a real ass kicker. Fortunately for the group, the temperatures were quite cool and a nice breeze surrounded us during the climb.
The saving grace of the Tibbet’s Knob climb is the view. I might argue that this is a better viewpoint than Big Schloss. The scenery of the valley below and the outline of trails that one will soon walk on is a rejuvenating sight after a long, arduous climb. Coupled with a pleasant breeze acting as a cooling agent, Tibbet’s Knob is one of my favorite lookouts in the Mid-Atlantic.
A Hot Start (April 4 – 5)
This climb was hot. We decided to start the trail at 9:00 am to hopefully beat the heat. While we avoided the climb when the temperature was at its highest, it was over 70 degrees on the climb. And with a bluebird sky and the sun beating down on us, I was reminded how difficult a climb Tibbet’s Knob can be. It got so bad, I did something I never thought I would do: hike in shorts and short sleeve. Since I started backpacking on the East Coast, I have never backpacked with shorts. I have been a convertible pants and long sleeve shirt person to protect against the sun and ticks. But the heat today proved to be too much so I unzipped my pant legs and took off my sun hoody — I was showing skin!
This ended up being a good decision as temperatures were close to 80 on top of Tibbet’s Knob. The group slowly piled onto the Tibbet’s Knob and we stopped for a much needed snack break. A breeze eventually picked up but was nothing compared to the air conditioner I got the week before. I nearly housed an entire bag of Cretor’s caramel and cheese popcorn and then we continued on with the hike.
Chapter 3: The Long Mountain Trail
A Great Water Source (March 28 – 29)
Over emphasizing the good can be a bad thing for group morale. I was teetering on this idea on the topic of water sources. Knowing the trail really well, I instructed the group to skip a decently flowing water source to instead walk another 1/2 mile to one that I considered “significantly better.” I noticed some members of the group were skeptical of this claim. One person even said “if this source isn’t considered good, I don’t know what is!” I, however, was confident that the one I had in mind was better. So we pushed on and sure enough, it was indeed much better. A fast moving stream, a nice pool to scoop or allow one’s water collecting device to fill up to the brim, and ample space on trail to take packs off and eat lunch.
One thing to note about the Long Mountain Trail is that the water sources can be hit or miss depending on the season. I have done the trip in July where there has only been three reliable water sources throughout the entire loop (The one I led my group to, Trout Run, and Sandstone Spring).
The Road (April 4 – 5)
I forgot how long the road walk is here. Without looking at the map, it is at least 2.5 miles, and with the sun shining down, it makes for a brutal hour of hiking. Fortunately for me, I had my “tactical rain deflection device,” (TRDD) which also protects against the sun’s UV rays. I often get ridiculed for using this piece of equipment, but it is probably the most important & effective piece of rain/sun protection in my kit (later on, I will discuss my full rain gear setup).
After trudging down the road, we finally made it to the Long Mountain Trail. We met some other hikers who were coming from DC and were actually doing the Perry Valley Loop, which adds another 3 miles to the trip. It requires some more road walking, which doesn’t sound great, and the campsite apparently is near a touristy lake. While the hikers told me it was a beautiful site, I was skeptical about how isolated it was from car campers and day hikers (I also naturally invited them to join DCUL). I also doubt that the trail the Perry Valley Loop uses to connect to the Bucktail trailhead could be as beautiful as the Long Mountain Trail.
Long Mountain can feel long to those who aren’t used to hiking it once per year. There aren’t any real climbs but the trail does go up and down like a rollercoaster for 9 or so miles.
Chapter 4: Camp
Boys State, Alcohol, and TVP (March 28 – 29)
Map correction needed. On the Caltopo provided in the Meetup, we mark the campsite where one would start the climb to halfmoon. This makes Saturday a 15 mile day. In reality, the campsite DCUL typically uses is near Trout Run near the road. This can fit up to 10 tents & hammocks. The campsite at mile 15 is great but requires a bit more flexibility in campsite locations.
I learned that Bio-Dome and I were both Boys State alumni. We reminisced about the chaotic nature of that all boys camp and had great fun explaining the concept to the other DCULers around the campfire.
Wiz-Kid introduced me to something so simple yet so delicious that I am shocked that it wasn’t on my radar already. TVP or otherwise known as Textured Vegetable Protein. Sounds weird… I know. But it is essentially grounded up tofu. It absorbs the flavor of everything around it and cooks within 5 minutes. I was told it also makes a fantastic cold soak meal. Wiz-Kid let me snag a bite from his dinner (he combined the TVP with his knorr rice side which I ultimately copied for my trip a week later).
Moody was trying an alcohol stove that he created using the Andrew Skurka cat food design. I have been a cat food convert for the past 3 years so it was nice to see a new member join the often ridiculed club. Moody demonstrated to me an effective way to avoid bringing matches and instead only bring a lighter. By using a small twig nearby, he fashioned that as his match and started his stove with something that is already so abundant. I typically bring matches because I don’t like getting so close to the alcohol when I light it which is the case when using a Bic lighter. With Moody’s technique I know longer need to carry matches.
On the topic of alcohol stoves, I recently tried a new windscreen using a tin bowl I got from a halal carryout restaurant in the city. Supplementing the design with paperclips I bummed from local businesses, I created an effective windscreen that didn’t require holes or a soda can.
A high school kid backpacking alone spent the night at our campsite. I obviously invited him to join DCUL next year when he goes to college.
No Trout in Trout Run (April 4 – 5)
I bought a Tenkara rod thinking that somehow my luck catching fish would improve. $120 down the drain. Frosty and I walked downstream for at least 1/4 of a mile looking for trout but we were seeing and getting nothing. Frosty hypothesized that the warm temperatures of the area just isn’t conducive to a healthy brook trout population. Instead of fish I found some good onion grass. I will say that Tenkara rods are great for backpacking. My rod weighs only 2.8 oz and packs down to the size of a folded down trekking pole.
When Frosty and I returned back to camp empty handed, everyone in the group had arrived. At one point, I hadn’t heard from two members of our group and was getting a little concerned. I recently got into a little debate with a friend about a story in Austria where a man was charged for the death of a climbing parter due to negligence. It is a fascinating story and an interesting legal question. Read the article here.
The two members I was wondering about were at camp and explained that they were creating watercolor paintings of the trail on the approach to the campsite. They drew these beautiful images of mountain laurels and a trail corridor that more than demonstrated the wonderful inspiration that nature provides artists. They very well might have been very average drawings, but as someone with zero artistic abilities, they might as well have been the works of Renoir & Rembrandt.
We were told by Frosty that we should expect rain overnight. So I braced for the eventual wetness that would overtake the camp and closed my tent door amidst the high temperatures that inhabited the camp. Camping near a stream has its benefits (white noise, access to water) but it does create for a humid camp atmosphere. I eventually had to unzip my tent fly because I couldn’t bare the humidity. I ultimately slept really well after doing that.
Note: There are no specific regulations on food storage on this trail. We did a bear hang, ursak, and bear can. I would recommend an ursak or a bear hang (though a bear hang is arguably not that effective for bears and more apt towards rodents). I have never had a bear issue here, and I believe that the mere fact that people can hunt near these lands is reason enough to believe that the likelihood of running into a bear is quite low.
Chapter 5: Bucktail Trail
Roller Coaster (March 28 – 29)
I slept in. I got these new earplugs that work a little too well. Taco Bell tried waking me up to no avail. After shaking my tent and raising her voice, I finally woke from my slumber. I found out later that she thought maybe I was dead and had a heart attack as I am usually the first one up on DCUL trips. If you are looking for effective earplugs, then get the Dream Loops. We started hiking before 7:30am no thanks to my sleepy ass.
Trail goes up and down for here quite a bit. It is quite annoying. One thing to note is that there is a water source before the climb to halfmoon so one can choose to fill up at camp or along the way to halfmoon.
A Religious Experience (April 4 – 5)
I thought it would be cute to “celebrate” Easter as a few of my friends skipped Easter with their family to go on this backpacking trip. So I asked my friend who works at a church to write me an Easter meditation that I could read to the group over the weekend.
But before I wanted to read the meditation, it started to dump rain upon us. Luckily another member of the group brought a tactical rain deflection device, so with the power of two TRDDs, we create a small shelter for all 7 of us to squeeze under so people could get their rain gear on. As I held up my TRDD in one hand, with the other I pulled up the document my friend wrote and recited the Easter meditation. The rain came down harder as I yelled the Collosians to the heavens. I finished up with an amen and we intuitively started to hurry up the trail as the water pooled up below us. In a biblical sense, the trail was flooding. In a real sense, it was just puddles.
Chapter 6: Sandstone Spring
Taking Our Time (March 28 – 29)
We really took our time and stopped for breaks frequently. We decided to go up Halfmoon as most of the group had not been up there before. Great view but out of all the views to skip, I would recommend this one. It adds an extra 2 miles to the trip and Sundays can already feel a bit long. Maybe wake up early and catch sunrise here, but if you’re waking up late, just move on.
Sandstone Spring is by far the “weaker” water sources on the trip. It is not that easy to get a water bottle or a water container in the water. Downstream there are better options to scoop water but even those aren’t the best. Water is on trail and impossible to miss. It is also pretty reliable even in the summer months. I have been here in July with the flow being about the same as in other months.
Quick Stop (April 4 – 5)
We were wet. Some of us were cold. We skipped the halfmoon lookout (thankfully) and proceeded to Sandstone Spring. When we got to the Spring we chowed for maybe 15 minutes before we decided that moving in a light drizzle was better than standing in a light drizzle.
Oh I also shared some delicious chocolate bars with the group. The white chocolate lemon and salt bar was a favorite. Lately I have been doing serious PR for white chocolate by showing the interesting ways chocolate makers have redefined what white chocolate can do.
Chapter 7: Big Schloss
New Views (March 28 – 29)
Bio Dome wasn’t feeling well so he offered to stay at the bottom of Schloss and watch our packs so we could go up the Schloss bagless. Bless. The only people who had done this trip before were me, Taco Bell, and Bio Dome so it was exciting to introduce people to the Schloss. The views didn’t disappoint as it was a blue bird sky with no one at the top with us.
Pro tip: When going up the Schloss, as you are exiting the bridge, make a hard right and climb up on the rock. Scale the Schloss via this path instead of following the path after the bridge. It becomes difficult to scale up the Schloss, especially for those with short legs and little flexibility.
Wet, Magical Views (April 4 – 5)
Two folks skipped out on Big Schloss which was unfortunate because the experience on Schloss is spectacular. The views are okay but its the process of getting up, crossing the bridge, and moving between the boulders that make it fun. One of the more unique viewpoints in the Mid-Atlantic, this gives Old Rag a run for its money. Less people, 360 degree view, no entrance fee, and campsites near the top, I am going Schloss everyday of the week.
It was and windy at the top but still enjoyable. The other two will need to come back and do the loop again to experience the magic of the Schloss.
Chapter 8: Home
The Wind Down (March 28 – 29)
There is a massive descent back to Wolfgap Parking lot. It is very steep and after a long day hiking, it’s brutal. Trekking poles recommended here to reduce the impact on the knees!
Three of us were ready to go home. So we made the difficult decision to skip out on the tradition of eating out after every DCUL trip. Taco Bell took the rest of the group to a diner in Woodstock which I am not quite sure how it went. Hopefully it was good? The traffic into the city wasn’t too bad (we were expecting worse due to the Cherry Blossom festival), and I got home at a reasonable time — and when I mean home I mean the chocolate store.
Running Home (April 4 – 5)
I was hungry, wet, and irritable at this point. I ran down to the car as fast as I could. Frosty beat me to the bottom.
We changed into fresh clothes, looked at our soaked and blistered feet, and decided on a place to eat: Vibrissa Brewery in Front Royal. I was hoping to hit the pie shop nearby but they were closed for Easter 
I told both groups before hand that on my 2nd time doing this loop, someone surprised me by bringing a gun, we ran out of water, and someone got hypothermic. I am happy to say that we avoided all three of those incidents. That is success to me.
Who knows when my next backpacking trip will be? With work and other commitments, backpacking doesn’t occupy my entire life anymore, and there are so many other trails to explore in the area. Yet I know that I will hear the call of Trout Run beckoning me to its trails again. I have said this before, but hiking a familiar trail feels like catching up with an old self. For example, I can still see my younger self from five years ago, a confused college student, hiking on the same paths I walked these past two weeks. In a sense, I can observe the changes in my life when I hike a familiar footpath. Because of this, I will not get bored with hiking this trail. So fear not, Trout Run Valley — I will be back.
Thank you to both groups for joining me on two wonderful trips and handling my idiosyncratic tendencies throughout our hike. I hope to see everyone again on a future trip whether that be DCUL related or not. –Willy Wonka
DC UL Backpacking 
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