Dans Mountain, Maryland and Piedmont, WV

As you all know by know I have had it up to my eyeballs with PATC maintained trails. So I went looking for new vistas and decided that Dans Mountain in Western Maryland shall be explored via a bushwhack. I set my sights on going from the overlook at the northern tip and head on the ridge as much as possible to the southern tip near Westernport. The only taker for this adventure extravaganza was Keith.

Things went pretty well for the first couple of miles. We started at the Dans Mountain Overlook, we found a nice bubba trail to Wolf rock and then were able to follow some wildlife trails for another mile or two. But things got really rough due to the damage from an ice storm a few years back, the same storm that made things hellacious up at the Big Savage ridge last year. So we bushwhacked east down the steep ridge to the road and then went back up the ridge at the power lines. There are some logging roads/DNR roads up there that crisscross in that area so one could have some fun without too much trouble near the southern trip of the ridge. One can access this area from the convergence of Stoney Run Road and Pond Hill Road. The people in those hills are very nice and friendly. This entire extravaganza took 2 full days so take a backpack if you wish to go from one end to another via some bushwhack. I saw bear tracks and one herd of white tail so there is a lot of good wildlife. I'd stay out of this area in warm temps because there is a great deal of loose talus and the area is a hotbed for rattlers. New Years eve was quite the party in the valley, we saw lots of fireworks from our camp and heard a great deal of gun and rifle shots. Hunting season had wrapped up on Saturday so I guess people were blowing off unused ammo.

After our backpack, Keith and I took some time out to visit Piedmont, WV. Now I remind you that I live in a ghetto, but this place takes the cake when it comes to squalor. I can't figure out why Westernport, MD looks so nice and economically healthy and Piedmont, WV which is only a 50 ft. bridge away looks so god awful. If anyone can clue me in I'd be much obliged. Here is my Piedmont, WV slide show.

I also hear through the grapevine that the PATC is a tad upset with me regarding one of my Youtube videos. I would like to convey my heartfelt sympathy for the way they feel and also tell them that there will be a snowball's chance in hell that the video will be removed.