Return to Sugarloaf

I returned to local mountain Sugarloaf on a weekday and enjoyed hiking it with fewer crowds. This time, I parked at the East View parking lot, hiked the white trail clockwise, and the then ascended and descended via the orange trail. The parking lots start halfway up the mountain, but the white trail takes you back to the base, allowing you to climb the entire thing. 

The map claims the white trail is 2.2 miles, but my tracker and Footpath both put it at 3.5 - and it certainly felt like the higher number. I don't mind the higher mileage, although it is frustrating when you have to be done by a certain time.

The orange trail is the hardest of the three summit trails, with lots of big boulders to climb. It made for a nice challenge.

Back on the C&O

My longest hike for September was an out-and-back on the C&O - pretty as always, but not noteworthy for difficulty.

I started at Riley's Lock, which I had never been to before, and walked southeast five miles. Less than a mile from the start is the next parking area, where I had been before, so most of it was known territory. There is some pretty territory with "cliffs" made in building the canal, and a good mile of the Potomac River is filled with rocks and rapids. I saw a lot of birds on this section, too.

Camping at Deep Creek

I have been eager to visit western Maryland, where they have meaningful snow and more dramatic scenery. Finally, we got a chance to go camping at Deep Creek Lake State Park. 

We did not do a lot of rugged hiking during our long weekend. Instead, we visited the Alpine Coaster at Wisp (checking off a bucket list item for me), drove around the lake, and hiked Swallow Falls State Park. We didn't even make it to the fire tower, which was .3 miles from the campsite - although the trail is longer than that.

Swallow Falls State Park was a really nice hike, perhaps my favorite in Maryland so far. It is only a mile, and while it has a lot of rocks and roots, you will want to go slowly anyway. It is also heavily traveled, hardly a backcountry wilderness excursion. But it has four different waterfalls, as well as plenty of cliffy overhangs, and follows scenic creeks and rivers. I would certainly do it again.

I am ready to go back again anyway and see some of the things we didn't have time for on this trip.

Around the lake, almost

We live near a lake, so I've been plotting for some time how to hike around it. My conclusion was that a full circumnavigation wasn't really possible, but that you can get most of the way around.*

Thus I set out one day in August to walk around Little Seneca Lake. I walked counterclockwise, as it made a more sensible path from my starting point, but it could be done either way. 

The hike is a mix of paved trails, dirt trails, and a bit of roadwalking. Some parts are fully in the woods, especially along the western side; others are past houses. The only bit of roadwalking that requires real caution is along Maryland 121; parts of it have almost no shoulder.

At Boyd's there is a market (with a port-a-potty) that marked the end of the walkable portion. From there I called a ride to take me to Long Channel Circle, a residential street about a mile away. After walking past condos, I reentered the park and continue the very few miles back to my starting point. 

Most of the trail is not in view of the lake, but there are many fine lake views along the way. The elevation gain is a little under 100 feet per mile - not flat, but very modest hills.

*About 1 mile at the southeastern end of the lake is off-limits due to the dam. The shortest roadwalk is just over 5 miles, but it uses a busy road with no shoulder where cars regularly exceed 45 mph. And I mean no shoulder. A safer route is over 7 miles, and it takes you a long way from the lake. A more intriguing idea would be to canoe or kayak it.

Gambrill's yellow trail

My plan for this hike was to hike the entire Yellow Poplar trail at Gambrill. This trail forms a big loop, from the well-trodden southern end to the less-used northern end. It started off fine - if very humid - from a major parking lot in the southeastern part of the trail. From there, I headed counterclockwise.

It's a nice trail and a nice park. The trail is pleasant, with stands of laurel, plenty of ferns, and varied terrain. At the North Frederick Overlook, alas, there were a great many spotted lanternflies. But the view was terrific.

I crossed under power lines, followed an old road, and ventured out to the Headless Hollow Trail. I used the road briefly so as to make a loop returning to the main trail.

Along the western side of the loop, the trail crosses Gambrill Park Road. I crossed and headed through the woods, only to stop when I saw a bear cub in front of me, maybe 40 feet away, while the trail curved off the the right. To the baby's left was mama bear. She turned and looked at me, then loped off with baby following.

I booked it back the way I came, figuring that following the trail looked more aggressive, but then I had a choice - a long retrace, or a walk along the road. The road is safe enough with modest attentiveness, but the bears had headed toward the road. After turning the wrong way on it, I turned back around, figuring I would keep to it until I was well past the bear area. 

But as I walked along, I saw the cub again, maybe twenty feet off the road. I walked fast, signing terribly to warn wildlife I was coming. Eventually, I returned to the trail again. But the two encounters had taken enough out of me that I cut my hike short - after all, I hadn't gotten the entire trail anyway.

So, yes, Gambrill, lovely, but next time I will hike with a friend.