Catoctin Group

The Catoctin Group encompasses Carroll, Frederick and Washington counties in Maryland. The geography of the region and the area these counties cover offers a plethora of opportunities to explore nature.  But it presents a challenge to organizing our over 1,000 members, as it can take up to an hour to travel from Carroll and Washington counties to Frederick city, our historically central meeting place.

Carroll County

Carroll County lies in the Piedmont region of north-central Maryland between Baltimore and Frederick counties. Just under 456 square miles, it is about 27 miles in length and width at its greatest dimensions. Its elevations range from 300 feet above sea level in the southeast to 1,080 feet in the northeast. Home to forests, farms and wetlands, Carroll County sits in two major drainage basins: The Monocacy River to the west, which flows into the Potomac River, and the Patapsco or Gunpowder rivers to the east and south, all of which lead to the Cheasapeake Bay. Bear Branch and Piney Run nature centers and Morgan Run, a designated wild lands area, offer many recreational opportunities to the counties 168,541 of residents.

Frederick County

Bordered by the Potomac River and Pennsylvania, Frederick County is a transition county from the Piedmont in the east to the first ridges of the Appalachians and continuing west. Rolling hills of mostly farmland and small communities dominate the east. The county boasts a population of 220,000 residents. At the center is Frederick city, Maryland’s second largest city with about 59,000 inhabitants. To the west and north are the Catoctin Mountains, which are protected by Gambrill State Park, the Frederick Watershed, Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mountain National park. These parks offer numerous hiking trails, including the 28-mile Catoctin Trail, the longest in the region. Fifty-eight miles of the Monocacy River, nearly its entire length, is in Frederick County and is navigable when water levels are sufficient. The C&O Canal National Park parallels the Potomac River through the county, and the old C&O towpath has been preserved as a hiking and biking trail.

Washington County

The South Mountain ridgeline forms the border between Frederick and Washington counties. The Appalachian Trail winds its 40 miles through Maryland along this ridgeline.

Environmental Challenges

The greatest environmental challenges these counties face are population growth and suburban sprawl due to the spread east and north of the greater Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas. As predominately agricultural counties, none have been designed for commuting: there is very little mass transit and planning processes have lacked vision. While there are many excellent recreational walking and biking trails, none were designed to be practical alternatives to driving. The water supply is also strained, and in some areas polluted, and the air pollution across the counties has been getting worse.

Catoctin Group Action and Activity

The Catoctin Group has been very active in working with and supporting other grass roots groups to help address these issues in an intelligent and environmentally sound way.

We organize a variety of informational gatherings throughout the year and recently launched Cool Cities campaigns in Carroll and Frederick counties. We are currently working to do more programs in Washington County.

Turn your interest into action

Currently, we are a five-member executive committee (excom) elected to two-year terms. However, we have lots of room to grow and would welcome more help.  If you live in Carroll, Frederick or Washington counties, please consider volunteering for a seat on the excom. We especially need people interested in chairing our conservation and political committees and putting out a newsletter. If this level of engagement is out of the question, but you’d like to get more involved, consider helping us organize a program, join the Cool Cities initiatives, lead a a hike or just join a hike or attend a film or social and get to know us.

For more information or to get involved, contact us!  We hope to hear from you soon.

Carroll County

Dan Andrews
Cool Cities Westminster
Energy issues/Chairman of Catoctin group
dooze@qis.net
410-857-4129

Frederick County

Ken Eidel
Treasurer
Cool Cities Frederick
kceidel@comcast.net 

301-696-5933

Lew Sherman

Conservation Chair

lewsherm@comcast.net

301-898-7910

Secretary

lennonfan4ever@hotmail.com

410-857-4129

Karen Moody-Springer

Outings Chair

Carolyn Puckett

 cpuck@comcast.net 

Jessica Renner

CATOCTIN GROUP ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

IMPORTANT NEWS!!!

 2011  Calendar:

NEXT EXCOM MEETING:

 Saturday, December 3rd 2011

10:00 AM-12:15 PM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EVENTS:

All hikes meet at the specified location at 11:00 am second Saturday of the month, hike will start  promptly at 11:15 am. Please check the Sierra Club online calendar for more information closer to the hike date.  Hikes are cancelled in the case of pouring rain or lightning at the site. For questions, call or email Karen at: karen@lunafiberarts.com; 443-789-1638.

(Carroll County) December 10 – Bear Branch Nature Park. We will walk the white and yellow trails,  approximately 3.5 miles (2.5 hours). Trails are mostly through second growth forest, rolling hills, and stream area. There is also a birds of prey display along the way. The address is 300 John Owings Road, Westminster, MD.  From travelling north on MD 97, make a right on John Owings road, travel 1.5 miles, turn left onto Hashawha Rd., travel 1/4 mile to Bear Branch Nature Center on right. Meet at the Nature Center parking lot. http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/recpark/hashawha/default.asp

(Washington County) January 14 – Antietam Battlefield. We will walk the Antietam Remembered trail (1/4 mile) – a paved walkway with monuments and other sites of historical interest) and West Woods Trail (1.5 miles) – a woodlot significant in the battle. Easy terrain. The address is 5831 Dunker Church Road, Sharpsburg, MD Traveling west on Interstate 70 from the Baltimore/Washington area, take exit 29 onto Rt. 65 South towards Sharpsburg. Travel about 10 miles south to the Park Visitor Center entrance which will be on your left side. Meet at the Visitors Center Parking lot. http://www.nps.gov/ancm/index.htm

(Carroll County) February 11 – Pine Valley Park/Charlottes Quest Nature Center, Manchester, MD. This is a nice little hike (approximately 1.5 miles, 1.5-2 hours) in the northwestern part of Carroll County, mostly through second growth forest/pine forest and across old field. Easily hiked in snow. The address is 3400 Wilhelm Lane, Manchester, MD. From MD 27 east, turn right on Rt. 30 (south) in Manchester.  Shortly thereafter, make a left on York St. Turn left onto Wilhelm Lane (at the sign on the right labeled Charlotte Quest Nature Center. Drive to the end of Wilhelm Lane.  We will meet at the parking lot. http://www.charlottesquestnaturecenter.com/

(Frederick County) March 10 – Catoctin Mountain Park, Thurmont Vista Loop. This is a 2.5 mile, moderate hike (approximately 2 hours), the “high” point being the Thurmont Vista Overlook. The address of the Visitor’s Center is 14707 Park Central Road, Thurmont, MD, however, we will meet at the Wolf Rock Parking lot (the next parking lot down from the Visitors center on Park Central Road). The park is off of  Rt. 77 , on Park Central Road.  For directions: http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/directions.htm

About the trail: http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/upload/ThurVistaL.pdf

(Washington County) April 14 – Maryland Heights. 3.5 miles. This is a strenuous hike with a big payoff  - to Overlook Cliffs on Maryland Heights, which overlooks Harpers Ferry. We will start from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Parking lot (799 Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV), hike the scenic 0.25 mile side trail down to Harpers Ferry historic district, cross the railroad bridge, travel a short distance on the C&O canal, then hike up to the Overlook Cliffs.  On the way back, for those interested, we can have a late lunch or enjoy Harpers Ferry museums and shopping. Directions to the ATC from I70 - exit onto US 340 west and travel 20 miles.  Cross Potomac River, then cross Shenandoah River.  Less than 100 yards after crossing the Shenandoah River, make right onto Union Street, then right turn onto Washington Street.  ATC is .25 miles up the hill.

 http://www.appalachiantrail.org/who-we-are/locations/directions-to-atc-headquarters

Here's what our members have accomplished, and some future work:
 
~Piney Run Park Hike
Saturday, Nov.12, 2011
Sykesville, MD
Organized and conducted by Karen Moody.
 
~Still opposing the WTE incinerator. Waste Not Carroll Meeting, Wed.  
Nov. 30th.,
Westminster Library, 7PM.
Latest news: Robin Davidov retires from NMWDA.
A members urged to write LTE's.
Lehigh test burn "fluff" pushed off until wintertime.
Plasma Gasification plant proposal in Taneytown... (we're watching  
that unfold).
Attended 11/1/11 MDE/Wheelabrator meeting and they were well prepared.  
  We asked many questions and were interviewed by the local news crew.
 
~ Dan & Don West were interviewed on Show called "The Flip Side",  
hosted by Neil Ridgely, on local Comcast Cable Channel 19.  Discussed  
the current state of solid waste collection & disposal, recycling, and  
the proposed Waste to Energy Plant scheduled to be built for Carroll  
and Frederick Counties.  The show will next air on 11/18/2011 at 6:30  
PM and again on 11/25/2011 at 6:30 PM.
 
~ Super important MDE/Wheelabrator Public Meeting meeting:
There will be a meeting in Frederick regarding the Siting and revised  
Materials Separation Plan for the proposed WTE Incinerator on  
Wednesday, December 7th, starting at 6:30 pm at Frederick County  
Community College, The Jack B. Kussmaul Theater, 7932 Opossumtown  
Pike, Frederick, Maryland, 21702.  Please visit the website for the  
NMWDA for details of the meeting.
(http://www.nmwda.org/fcqa/permit_info.asp).
 
~ One Cat. Grp. SC member, Carolyn Puckett, is conducting Weed  
Warriors w/ the Carroll County Forest Conservancy Board, sponsor of  
the Carroll County Weed Warriors, is offering a one-day class on  
January 14, 2012, at the Westminster Ag Center:  Are you interested in  
learning how to better manage the natural areas on your property or  
convert some lawn into natural area? If so, you are invited to  
participate in the upcoming “The Woods in Your Backyard Workshop” on  
Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 9AM to 3:00pm.  For more information,  
see the announcement attached.  You can register at  
http://www.naturalresources.umd.edu/Events.html#WBY.
 
~ On 11/17/11, Dan will attend a movie "Gasland" on hydro-fracking.
A Wells Fargo group wanted me to attend. I'm reading up on the issue.