A beautiful weekend at Seneca Rocks. This is the annual WVMTR weekend of running on the North Fork Mountain Trail.

The North Fork Mountain Trail is a 24 mile trail. The only trail access, except for the ends is an old, winding, firetower road around mile 12. This is the only place for food and water access, so you need to plan your water and food carefully.

I got to Seneca Rocks early, the first tent set up, and I ran over to Seneca Rocks, and ran to the top.

Ok, I ran a little bit. I ran the flats on the switchbacks, and then until I ran out of air on the climb. And I ran by all the other walkers. But I did run the whole section down!

We had a smaller crowd than last year for the run. This led to less car switches at both the start, middle, and end of the run.

Bill Young didn’t show up until the start; and I believe he stayed for the first snap of the camera, but then he was down the trail like a shot!

I was one of the first 10 runners up the trail, but that changed pretty quickly. I was feeling very good about the run; North Fork MTN 06 was my first trail run in WV and I really did not know what to expect. Today, I felt great, had been on both the first section and second section of the trail, and was going to run the entire length. Weather conditions could not be better-low humidity and temps-maybe reaching the high 70′s, a change from former years!

I thought I was the last runner out there, until I stopped for a bathroom break, and Tony and Juli Hooks passed me, and then I caught back up to them and we ran together for a short while.

Hopefully everyone stopped for  a short time at all the scenic views. The next two below is from the first half, next to the hang-glider ramp:

So hopefully everyone stopped for this look!

I got to the 1/2 point in three hours, which I fully expected. I refilled water bottles quickly and told Gene who was behind me (actually a few more than I expected.) Then I headed off for the second half.

The long downhill seemed more like 2 miles than one mile downhill, and I cheered myself up by thinking I now had less than 10 miles to the finish! It seemed like I then was off at every mile marker on this second half, although I had just ran it the year before.

It seemed like a long portion of the 2nd half is run on the side of the ridge. Then, all of a sudden, you are now on top of the ridge, and it’s so very cool because if you look off to your left or right, you can see mountains on either side. The ridge is only about twenty feet wide or so here.

There is a trail here. Really.

Oh yeah, see here’s the trail!!

I kept waiting for the scenic overlook where we took pictures at last year. I finally found it, about three miles from the end of the trail.

Just after this nice scenic outlook, the long descent begins, through the rocks. This is where Amy and Mike, from VHTRC, overtook me. They had finished the 24 miles, then ran up a dirt road, up the mountain, and was working on a smaller loop for more mileage. They bounded over the rocks like..bunnies? I’m not sure. I got a very small look as they ran off ahead.

I hit the shale part of the trail and endured its interminable switchbacks. At this point, I was only looking forward to getting some water in me, since it had been at least 1 hour since I had last swallowed some. It seemed to go on forever, this down hill, but I finally hit the last little incline, and with a whoop! I was done!!

There were the last two runners before me, Rick and Marti, and then Amy and Mike, and Mike’s wife Nancy, still there. Tony Hooks was also lounging behind the wheel of the van and I asked him “so who’s still out there?” expecting to hear I was last in.

To my surprise, he said “Juli” his wife. I was floored. Juli, who’s not run anything longer than 8 miles in training, and that I fully expected to stop at mile 12, was still out there. Good for her! I was very proud of her. This was a big step and alot of mileage for her to bite off. This took alot of determination.

At 4pm, Tony went back up the trail to look for Juli. I made him take water with him, because I knew she would be out of water.

About 430 pm, two hikers and dog came off the trail. They immediately stopped to talk to me, because I had passed them up on the trail. They had not seen Juli, but had come across Tony on the trail. They also had only gone on the trail about 4 miles or so before hiking back out again. I thanked them for their info. I was planning on going up the trail too about 5pm, if Tony and Juli were not back. I knew the WVTR gang would come looking for us eventually if the van never returned. I was only concerned at this point, not worried-unless of course, Juli had turned an ankle out there on the trail.

About 15 minutes later, Juli and Tony come off the trail! Juli looks great!! She looks like she’s been out for a 5K run. She’s more concerned about how TJ (her 11 year old son) has done out on the run-TJ ran the full 24 miles-than herself! She doesn’t even feel or look bad! I’m so proud of Juli! It’s like a future ultra runner here in the works!!

Tony drives us all back to the campgrounds, where the festivities are only beginning. I devour a hotdog and some lentil salad (Marty, that was great!) and some beer as I started chatting with others to see how their runs went.

With the North Fork Mountain Run being just a fun run, it takes the pressure of runners to run for time. As usual, some new folks came up and did their first mountain trail run of 12 miles. It’s a great run to experience some good technical trails. More food and goodies were brought out to devour, and I did, (as Adam also said) “devoured more food than a 24 mile run”. But it was all good. I had a wonderful time, chatting with some new friends around the campfire. The next morning, as we cleaned up, it looks like many of the WVMTR will be working at the Aid Stations at Cheat Mt. Madness–so I will see you all soon!!

Several folks from WVMTR enjoyed a sunny, wet and fun day out on the Highlands Sky course. Pictures and a brief report can be found at Straggling Irregulars.

Highlands Sky Training Run58 pictures

- Michelle

Contact me at price14@gmail.com if you plan to join us.

Out the door by 7:30, in this week just past the solstice and already well into Daylight Savings Time, there was still light in the sky. I’d just go for a few miles, just to stretch out the legs.

Now this might be incomprehensible to a non-runner, but the above scenario happens to be a perfect possible recipe for a long run. Kinda like making babies, you just have to have the right ingredients in the right place at the right time and it might or it might not happen. In this case, it happened (not babies, but a long run). 2 miles in, I was feeling really smooth, strong and good. So instead of turning for home, I kept going, “oh, maybe I’ll do the slightly longer loop,” I thought. I still had options for a 6 or an 8 mile loop.

Well, those two turnoffs came and went. Its starting to get fairly dark now, though the mild spring weather was quite pleasant, in daylight and at night, it was a shorts-and-a-tshirt kinda run. It was Wednesday evening, and by that time of night it seems that most of the other inhabitants of my area are pretty well holed up for the night. The roads were almost completely empty of cars.

You could probably guess that I didn’t turn back at the 4 mile or the 5 mile points either. Nope, I took the last turnoff available that would really get me back at all — the long way. Up around across the mountain and looping over the hills in a particularly indirect direction, I finally ended up back on a road that led back to town. No street lights out there, no cars, an occasional house or abandoned strip mine. Complete peace — within and without. I haven’t been feeling much like running lately, but everything clicked tonight and the miles passed without effort or notice. Winding through the hills on these narrow gravel roads, I could only hear my footsteps and breathing and my night-vision was working nicely.

4 miles turned into 14. I wasn’t wearing a watch, so I have no idea how long it took. But I was back home, and eating a hastily prepared (bagel cheese sandwich) dinner before 10 o’clock.

At mile 2.4, the first aid station on the HS course, we were pleased to find the newly relocated Flatrock Trail through the Ebaugh property. This is the route the HS originally took but was rerouted two years ago through Canaan Crossing. It will be nice to return to the actual trail past the horse barn.

As we climbed to Flatrock Plains we encountered remnant patches of snow and ice. At 4700′ the Red Spruce and heath were ice covered. It was great.

The winter blow downs were not too bad until the climb up South Prong Trail. About half way up the mountain the trail was blocked with 5 or 6 huge Black Cherry trees. There will need to be some trail work this spring. It was a good day for all. Kim, Sara and Ron will be running their first Highlands Sky this June. They are ready.

Laneville, WV

Here it is November 2007 and the winter snows are on their way. Hopefully March 29 will see the beginnings of spring in the high country. Once again we will do this Rite of Spring run on the first half of the Highlands Sky course.

We will meet at the Laneville Wildlife Cabin at starting point of the Highlands Sky race. There will be two distance options, 14 or 21 miles. The 14 miler will do the first 2500′ climb and 1800′ descent to the South Fork of Red Creek and then take FS 19 back to the start. The 21 miler will add the second 1200′ climb to Red Creek Plains and then to FS 19 back to the start. Both will end back at the Wildlife Cabin. You can check out the course at Highlands Sky Course Maps .

Weather can be very unpredictable on Roaring Plains. Bring appropriate clothing. This is not an easy run, but it is beautiful and will give you a feel for the Highlands course.

Directions
From Davis proceed south on Rt. 32. Pass entrance to Canaan Valley State Park and go 1 mile, turn sharp left on East Laneville Road and continue 5.8 miles to a gray metal bridge. The Start is just across gray metal bridge.
From Harman proceed north on Rt. 32. At 4 miles turn right on Bonner Mt. Rd, go 5 miles and T into Laneville Rd, turn right. Go 1.3 miles to gray metal bridge.

Please let me know if you are coming Dan Lehmann.

Dan Lehmann

Check out some photos of the latest club fun run.