Sojourn in the Sods ver. 3.0

February 16, 2011

Copy and pasting this post that I put on our WV caching board (MAGPI):

So once again we find ourselves (myself really) at a crossroads. I'm not giving up hope on this event concept just yet. For those unfamiliar with it, in 2009 I hosted an event in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in Tucker County, WV called Sojourn in the Sods. This area has the best collection of backcountry trails and geocaches in all of WV (in my opinion) and possibly the best in the mid-Atlantic. It is a rugged, relentless area though with many miles of trails and bushwhacking (for some caches that is). The original event was for any interested geocachers to get together and go backpacking. Set up camp a mile or two from the trailhead and enjoy a meet and greet in WV's most beautiful setting...and do a little caching if you so desire .

At the first event the only attendees were myself, PilotJ and Crew. Since PilotJ broke his toe on the stream crossing to Lion's Head cache earlier in the day he was not able to do the backpack. So I ended up backpacking in solo. On the morning after the event the heavens crashed down upon me in the form of a huge thunderstorm so I decided to bail out. This past year I set out to gauge interest once again and like the first run through, there were no takers. Did I mention though that I'm not giving up? So without an event last year I decided to day hike the Roaring Plains and do all the caches there in one day. LucyAmberAlex of Charleston accompanied me on the hike and we ended up doing 24 miles in a single day...which I would not recommend to the average Joe. We started at 7 am and didn't make it out until midnight. I would prefer an event that was far more laid back that involved just some time chilling around a campfire and visiting. I have the perfect campsite in mind within very reasonable distance to the geocaches Red Creek Plains, South of South Prong, Pancake Rocks, Boars Nest and Bushwhacker's View. Camp Cody is also a reasonably short hike from this site, especially along the canyon rim trail. Those willing to take the ultimate plunge into madness can make the trek to Thunder on the Mountain (but only if ye be men of valor) or even through hike to Flatrock Run Waterfall cache and down to that trailhead (we can leave a car there). Also...there is a fair chance that a new earthcache could show up out there

So with some new blood on MAGPI and with renewed enthusiasm I'm asking once again if there are any interested people in doing this event? Could those of you familiar with other mid-Atlantic area messageboards (i.e., SW Penn., MD, DC, NoVA, etc.) post there to gauge interest? I just finished listening to last week's Geocaching Podcast where they interviewed the host of a similar type backpacking event on North Manitou Island in Michigan where they have great turnout every year and the host said it is the greatest event in the world that he wouldn't trade for anything.

For those of you that are interested, I am very flexible on times and days so give me your suggestions.

Addendum: Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is located just outside of Canaan Valley, WV (mapquest "Laneville, WV"). It is about 180 miles from Washington DC, 150 miles from Pittsburgh, etc. Let's put it this way...I own a camp about 1/8 of a mile from the Red Creek Trailhead into the Wilderness Area so I'm up there a good bit. I RARELY EVER see a vehicle at the trailheads with West Virginia tags. On a busy weekend I may see 2 dozen cars at a trailhead and 22 of them are from Ohio, Penn., DC, New Jersey, Maryland, New York and Virginia. So I know the rest of you jokers are coming here to backpack anyway so lets have an event!

Just to entice you...here are a few pics from the area:

Here is a pic of me near the Camp Cody cache. I found this cache on Aug. 6 of last year and the log prior to mine was in November of '09. There were cachers from the Baltimore area going for the cache at the exact same time that I was there and we logged it together.

Early fog rising near Boar's Nest cache

Me signing the log at Bushwhacker's view

Pancake Rocks cache...

Me at Lion's Head cache...

If anyone wants to email me directly to RSVP/suggest a date, you can contact me at wvangler1@yahoo.com or you can reply to this thread. I will check it periodically.

Edited February 16, 2011 by WVangler