Dates ........ Thursday May 4, 2000
Miles ........ 12.5 miles
From ........ MD - Pine Knob Shelter
To ............. Devils Race Course Shelter
Weather ... Warm morning turned hot, hazy and humid, 62 to 80 degF, very
light evening rain shower.
I left the shelter and climbed to the ridge. The views from Black Rock Cliffs were mottled by haze but were inspirational nonetheless. The trail was relocated in this area and my trail guide was useless. Looking for the (old) Hemlock hill Shelter (now closed) I found the new Phillip Cowall shelter unoccupied with a large fire going full blaze in its fireplace and the new floor littered with cigarette butts. I cannot believe serious hikers did this but it is so close to the road I believe irresponsible partying kids left this beautiful new shelter this way. Such behavior leads to rules and regulations which hurt the good, responsible hikers; rules such as fire bans. Of course, just like well intended gun control, the rules or laws brought on by the irresponsible jerks punish the responsible majority. The jerk that left that (and other) shelter fires unattended probably will not abide by any fire ban rules anyway
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| Phillip Cowell shelter. |
I put the fire out before returning to the trail. I followed the blazes over the hill, across a powerline clearing and through the woods to a valley stream. There I found a cooler full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies, a register, and a note directing hikers to the stream for - what else - Grape Soda! Fannypack's MAGIC works well into Maryland, and probably beyond. It went back to Bearfence Mtn. Shelter, where I met him - that is over 142 trail miles - many more by car. And, probably back further, from what I heard from other hikers. THANK YOU FANNYPACK FOR ALL YOUR TRULY APPRECIATED TRAIL MAGIC.
It was just what I needed for the grueling climb ahead of me. Now, the map only shows a 500 foot climb. What is fails to show is that it is extremely steep. The hot 80 degF day did not help, but the P/J fuel sure did. The relocated trail switchbacks alongside a huge rock formation (Raven Rocks) jutting lengthwise out of and down the middle of Quirauk Mountain. On top, you can see where the old AT comes in. It levels of on top of the ridge
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| Raven Rocks divide the face of Quirauk Mountain. |
I got to the Devils Racecourse Shelter side trail and followed IT down its 0.3 miles damn-near-straight-downhill from the ridge to the shelter. Alone, I washed myself and shaved. Medicine man came in, set his pack down, and went back to help AuSable Mike's wife up the hill by carrying her pack. She was having a rough go of it, especially with blisters on her blisters and the heat. AuSable Mike, his wife and Medicine Man arrived at the shelter, followed by Duck Crossing and CruisinCanuk.
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| Devils Racecourse shelter. |
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| "Duck Crossing and Cruisin Canuk". |
As we sat out a short, light rain shower in the shelter, five young men with no gear headed up the trail from a nearby road. Intent on doing their drugs , they pretended to be looking for a campsite. Yeah! Right! Mike laughingly offered to "bring the papers". After the surprise of seeing us in the shelter, they just went up the trail, did their thing, and went back where they came.
The Devils Racecourse here was serious. You could hear water running beneath its boulders but there was no water to be seen. AuSable Mike, herewith holder of the AT record of 28 mice trapped and killed in one shelter, trapped two at this one, properly administering the coup de grace to one of them with his hiking boot at precisely midnight.
This was to be my final night on the trail. Though most anxious to get back home and to my loved ones, I have really enjoyed this hike, despite its challenges and hardships.
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| 4/19/00 | 4/21/00 | 4/22/00 | ||||
| 4/30/00 | 5/01/00 | 5/02/00 | 5/03/00 | 5/04/00 | 5/05/00 |