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Re: Harper's Ferry section closed?

Andy Hiltz just posted info on the closing of the AT in this section
in rec.backcountry.  If you are Northbound, you will come 
down from Loudoun Heights, to US 340 ; you may turn left and follow the road
to cross the bridge into Harpers Ferry if you want to get your picture 
taken at the ATC and resupply, but you will now have to backtrack back out 
over this bridge.  If you choose not to go into Harpers Ferry, you will turn 
right onto 340 and follow the road about 1-3 miles south (depending on the 
reroute) to a second 340 bridge crossing over the Potomac.  You will cross 
here, and on the other side (Maryland), you will pick up Maryland road 180 
that goes past Sandy Hook.  You will follow 180 about 2-3 miles, and pick the 
AT back up at where the current routing comes off the C & 0 canal, which is 
near the Weaverton Cliffs area.  PLEASE NOTE THAT PATC WILL BE POSTING NOTICES 
OF THE EXACT ROUTING AS YOU NEAR THE HARPERS FERRY AREA.  

Andy also mentions that the physical structure of the current walkway over 
the railroad trestle across the Potomac section is now structurally suspect 
and is closed pending an engineering examination.  On the other side, the 
treadway on the canal portion is gone.  He also mentions that the Park Service 
will fine persons who are found on this section of the Canal (what's left of 
it).  Current estimates of the total damage for the overall length of the
canal are topping $20 million.  Many individuals and private companies are
donating materials, time, labor, and money in trying to begin the process
of rebuilding.

I believe that this reroute is similar to the original route of the AT prior
to the moving of the ATC from DC in the late 60's-early 70's.  Where you
now make a sharp left turn off the top of the Loudoun Heights, the old
AT routing continued straight (I believe) onto what is now the Loudoun
Heights Trail which is blazed blue.  You then crossed the second bridge
I mentioned above over the Potomac, bypassing Harpers Ferry.  Several years
ago, I was hiking on top of the Loudoun Heights area, and continued on past
where the AT turns.  I eventually saw a familiar blaze off to the side
of the ridge top, still white after all these years...
                         Marshall
                         "Tarkus"
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