Re: [at-l] lost in space

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

Aurora Madden wrote:
> 
> Ok, now that I've got my thousands of messages sorted through(I go
> away for one week and this is what I get)I can finally stop lurking.
> I'm wondering about trails in the Laytonsville/Gaithersburg area.
> That's Maryland, fyi.  I want to get some miles in before my big
> yo-yo.  I also need to buy *everything*!  HELP!!  I'd also like to go
> with someone most of the time(being a small woman doesn't pay)  Are
> any of you near me?
> 
> -Chevy Blazer
 

Hi Aurora - We're neighbors - in Silver Spring.  We do a lot of hiking -
sometimes nearby, sometimes far away. The farther you go from the city,
the better the hiking. If you want to do some real training, it would be
best to avoid the flat easy trails (i.e. C&O canal walking) and go for
the hills and rocks. The AT isn't that far from you - northern VA and MD
have some good ups and downs. They don't call it the roller coaster for
nothing. Southern PA is a bit easier. Pine Grove to Caledonia is an
especially nice overnighter. For day hikes, go to the Shenandoahs and
hike from the trailheads at the bottom of the ridge to the top (3000'
climbs!); there are dozens of choices for long day hikes and
overnighters. In Western Maryland the Greenridge trail is nice and has
some decent hills. The Big Blue has some trail that resembles the AT,
without the crowds, and is not that far (just avoid the road walks and
canal walks.) The Catoctin Trail is also very good this time of year -
very few people - with rolling hills and some of the side trails in
Catoctin National Park have good climbs. Sugarloaf is like a city park -
as is Seneca Creek. Both are likely to be very crowded, but they are
easy.  If you don't have much time and don't want to drive, the Billy
Goat Trails at Great Falls give you a  combination of easy flat walking
and fun rock scrambling. (Practice for the Whites!) Prince William Park
is also a nice one for hills and easy trail, though it is hard to make
much mileage. All these can be found in the various PATC guides for the
area.  We'll probably see you out there - we're in training mode too.
Ginny
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