Channel: sintax77

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Tags: campingamok draumr xlrain campingbackpacking tripcamping in the rainhammock campingmonongahela national forestwest virginiawest virginia backpackingcranberry backcountrycampfirehiking in the rainhammockrainhammock camping tripcranberry wilderness campingwilderness campingsintax77amok draumrhikingwild campinghammock camping in the raincampbackpacking in the raincranberry wilderness backpackingoutdoorscranberry wildernessbackpacking

Description: 3 Days of Hiking, Backpacking, & Rainy Hammock Camping in the Cranberry Wilderness using the Amok Draumr XL Hammock. sintax77.com For this 3 day, 2 night spring backpacking trip, I’ll be hiking a 20 mile loop in West Virginia’s Cranberry Wilderness, part of the larger Monongahela National Forest. The specific area for this hike, located between the Williams River and the Cranberry River, is commonly referred to as the Cranberry Backcountry. Official Cheeseburger Time Shirts teespring.com/stores/sintax77-official-merch-store For an easier read, check out my full blog post sintax77.com/hammock-camping-in-the-rain-cranberry-wilderness-backpacking Each of the 3 days will be comprised of three different “vibes”. Day one will mostly be a lowlands hike in the woods, day two will be primarily along the the beautiful Cranberry River, and day three will be a mossy, higher elevation ridge hike along Kennison Mountain. With a new Amok Fjol XL tarp in hand to thwart the forecast of rain, each night will be spent hammock camping and testing the new Amok Draumr XL hammock, which Amok kindly sent for evaluation. No permit is required to camp in the Cranberry Wilderness, but there are rules and regulations regarding backcountry camping. You can find more information on the USFS Cranberry Wilderness website fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recarea/?recid=12368 Full GPS track data, including campsites, water sources, etc, for this trip can be downloaded on in the above blog link or on my website’s Trip Data Page. Trailhead Used: Kennison Mountain Trailhead Parking Lot, N38° 11.113′ W80° 16.837′ Hillsboro, WV 24946 Kennison Mountain Trailhead parking area has room for a half dozen dozen or so vehicles. No parking fee or permit required. Loop begins from the parking lot side of the road. Trails Used, Day 1: Begin at the Kennison Mountain Trail Parking Lot At the intersection, head right (northeast) on the South Fork Trail At the fire road, depart the South Fork Trail and head left (northwest) on the road. Camp along the Cranberry River (1 mile after the bridge and South Fork Shelter) This is a medium sized camping spot with space for multiple tents or hammocks. There’s an established fire ring with rocks for camp stoves, etc. It’s located right along the river, so there is no need to pack in water. If taken, there is another option one tenth of a mile up on the right, where Lost Run meets the Cranberry River. Day 1 Mileage: 6 miles Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 217 feet Trails Used, Day 2: Continue northwest on the fire road. Camp along the banks of Cranberry River, near House Log Shelter This is a large camping area with multiple tents or hammocks. There are spots to camp right by the shelter, or if it’s busier,, there are more options along the river, a few hundred yards downstream from the shelter. Established fire rings are at those locations, as well as by the shelter, which also has two picnic bench and a nearby privy. All of these spots are right along the river, so there is no need to pack in water. Day 2 Mileage: 5 miles Day 2 Gross Elevation Gain: 207 feet Trails Used, Day3: Continue a short distance southwest on the fire road. At the sign for Kennison Mountain Trail, ford the Cranberry River (look for the blue diamond on the other side). Stock up on water here, as it will be your last reliable source for the rest of the day. Continue on Kennison Mountain Trail. At the intersection with Frosty Gap Trail, head left (east) to stay on the Kennison Mountain Trail. Pass intersection with South Fork Trail. Return to parking lot. Day 3 Mileage: 9 miles Day 3 Gross Elevation Gain: 2,070 feet Grand Total Mileage: 20 Miles Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 2,494 feet Notable Backpacking Gear: Amok Draumr XL Hammock (flat laying hammock system) amokequipment.com/collections/draumr-xl-introduction Amok Fjol XL Sleeping Pad amokequipment.com/products/fjol-xl-pad Amok Borg Tarp amokequipment.com/products/borg-multitarp EMS Longtrail 70 backpack go.magik.ly/ml/kait Mesh water bottle pockets by JustinsUL etsy.com/shop/JustinsUL Hammock Gear Burrow 40 Top Quilt hammockgear.com/premium-burrow DIY Esbit Stove Esbit Fuel Cubes amzn.to/2ZKE6Vp Toaks 750ml Titanium Pot amzn.to/2GR7AJX Sea to Summit Long Handled Spork amzn.to/2uyl5GJ Katadyn BeFree Water Filter amzn.to/2WcjfYZ Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite Rain Jacket amzn.to/2XVxnX7 Outdoor Vitals Adventure Jacket, Loftek version bit.ly/2WHh940 Dutchware Folding Sit Pad dutchwaregear.com/product/folding-sit-pad Olight Wave LED Headlamp amzn.to/2D443Vq Garmin Oregon 650 GPS amzn.to/2WFzsps Casio ProTrek PRW-2500 amzn.to/2FPpAmd Spot Messenger amzn.to/2WiDO6o Mountain House Backpacking Meals amzn.to/2FPpAmd Disclosure: A commission may be earned on some of the links on this post.