August Day Hike, McKeldin Area
Rain threatened but passed us by as 8 Sierrans completed the longest loop inside the McKeldin section of Patapsco State Park. We glimpsed some of the whitetail deer common in this area and enjoyed a shaded hike, partly alongside the river. After lunching at one of the picnic pavilions near the entrance, half of the group continued across Marriottsville Road towards Liberty Dam, only to eventually be deterred by extensive and particularly messy mud patches before reaching the dam.
August Camping Trip, Dolly Sods
After a beautiful drive through the winding roads of West Virginia, the Young Sierrans arrived at Dolly Sods Wilderness area and hiked less than a mile in to their favorite campsite for an encore August weekend outing. This Dolly Sods trip - our second as a group - featured everything from a 5.5-mile hike, swimming in our very own swimming hole, rock scrambing on the river, veggie and scallop kabobs over the fire followed by yummy s'mores, anarchist charades, and boat races! What a weekend. Only to be completed with a stop at the Purple Fiddle blue grass pub for pints and lunch on our way home.
July, Patuxent River Park
Blue skies and refreshing river water on a hot July day is what 14 of us encountered at the Patuxent River Park where we kayaked. We took a break to dock at Mt. Calvert to enjoy lunch, toss the football, and jump off the dock into the cool water. We also encountered turtles, butterflies, osprey, and a blue heron along the way. What a day!
June, Seneca Shadows Campground
On solstice weekend, we set up camp at the Seneca Shadows Campground in wild and wonderful West Virginia, then hiked 3 miles to check out the top of Seneca Rocks before the deluge began...so no potluck, but we did find some good pizza with quite a vista in town. After waking up a little soggy on Saturday, the skies cleared and we went to the nearby Via Ferrata at Nelson Rocks, where we spent the day sporting fashionable harnesses and helmets, clipped into a metal line attached to the cliff sides while climbing up vertical walls on metal rungs, across a chasm-spanning bridge, and scrambling around some incredible rock formations with amazing views of the surrounding valley. We enjoyed a bit of rain-free campfire time in the evening, then Sunday up to nearby Spruce Knob (the highest, and perhaps windiest, point in West Virginia) and Spruce Knob Lake before heading back to Balmer.
May
Despite threatening skies and a gloomy morning, the Young Sierrans carpooled with their bikes to the Pennsylvania border. (Did you know you can fit two bikes in the back of a Honda Fit? Fitting name, yes.) We rode 32 miles, with our tires singing on the stone rail-trail, and the sun chasing away the threatening clouds. We passed buildings dating back to the civil war, fun sculptures, lots of chipmunks, and we stopped at a trail cafe for organic foods and a 10-minute massage before we rode the last 11 miles. What a beautiful day!
March: Hemlock Gorge
With spring just a few days away, March 14 was a great day to hike to Hemlock Gorge on the western tip of the Gunpowder Falls State Park. We hiked tall hills, forged rushing streams, and lunched at the convergence of the Gunpowder River and Walker Run where we sat among some of the oldest Hemlock trees in Maryland. What a beautiful way to welcome Spring!
February: Gunpowder Falls
On a beautiful, crisp February morning the Young Sierrans hiked 5.1 miles on the Gunpowder North and South trails along the Gunpowder Falls River, and then visited the Basignani Winery in Sparks, MD for an afternoon wine tasting.
January: Robert E. Lee
Park
Neither cold, nor the threat of rain, nor grey cloudy skies kept our
group from wandering for 5 miles around the trails of Robert E. Lee
park in Baltimore City. Roland Lake was starting to freeze and the
ice shelves made for pretty pictures. The only sound of the city we
heard was the clickety clack of the Light Rail every once in awhile.
In this photo, Meredith and Kirk lead us across the light rail bridge.
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