Backbone Mountain (3.0 miles; d=4.40)
Read More
Backbone Mountain Hike Route Map
Our hike to the high point of Maryland on Backbone Mountain as depicted a la Google Earth...
Backbone Mountain Hike Route Map
The approximate track of our hike to the high point of Maryland on Backbone Mountain...
The trail begins off US-219 here, just a mile south of Silver Lake, West Virginia. The trailhead is just a few hundred yards up the dirt road on the left but, unless you have a high-clearance vehicle, I'd suggest starting here...
We were happy to see sunshine lighting up the treetops and had high hopes for bagging another summit with dry feet...
Unfortunately, this large blowdown was covering some rather deep water and my oldest son, Alex, was the first get a wet foot...
A hodge-podge of unofficial trail markings like this one help keep you on the right path...
The sun continued to shine!!
Another odd blaze (if you can call it that)...
I found it kind of odd that someone had taken the time to construct these little cairns most of the way to the summit...the kids found them interesting also...
Chris doing a bit of trail maintenance...
The only major split in the trail comes about a quarter mile from the top but the blazes on the trees are easy to see...
The trail doesn't for a second ease up on the climb until you gain the ridge...
As we neared the ridge the ground became more littered with stones of various sizes...
Highpoint-State Line Trail Junction
Atop the ridge you have a choice of visiting the state line monument to the left or the highpoint to the right. We opted for the highpoint first as it was once again clouding up...
Backbone Mountain - Hoye Crest -- 3,360'
Hoye Crest (3,360'), the highest point in Maryland...
Backbone Mountain - Hoye Crest -- 3,360'
The second highpoint of the day and all smiles...one of the most special days on the trail I'd had in a while!
Backbone Mountain - Hoye Crest -- 3,360'
A small clearing at the highpoint provides limited views to the east...
Backbone Mountain - Hoye Crest -- 3,360'
A closer look at the hills of West Virginia rolling away to the east...
Backbone Mountain - Hoye Crest -- 3,360'
The sun broke through as we were leaving so I had to shoot one more pic...
Of course since we were leaving the sun was once again shining brightly. This shot is of the ridge between the summit and state line monument...
We detoured around to the state line monument on the way back which was tricky to reach on the wet rock...
The Maryland side of the ridge...
...and the West Virginia side...
With more time it might have been fun to hang out and climb around for a while but we were all anxious to get down and get a bite to eat...