Summer Here, Some are There 🌞🤙
Aug 18, 2022 7:25 pm
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A peek at peak summer
When the goldenrod starts to bloom and thick fog blankets West Virginia's serpentine valleys every morning, you know that we've crossed the apex of the summer bell curve. With highs in the 60s and lows in the 50s here in Canaan Valley, it already feels like the dog days are behind us. But, much to my chagrin, I know more 80-degree days are lingering somewhere on the horizon.
Foggy scenes where the shoulder of Spruce Mountain looms over the bucolic Potomac Valley in Pendleton County.
With summer's peak behind us, I thought I'd offer a peek at what we've been up to during the dog days. If you've been anywhere in West Virginia since early July, you know it's been one helluva wet summer! Normally, the region's avid whitewater paddlers admonish "Dry July," forced to begrudgingly participate in lesser activities like biking, hiking, or, gasp, trail running. But this year, July and August (so far) have been quite wet, with near-daily deluges swelling our multitude of superb rivers with thrashing, brown waters. Nikki and I were fortunate to get out a few times, including a double run in inflatable kayaks on the Cheat River Narrows and a thrilling float down the Lower New River.
A most-excellent float down the Lower New River at a juicy level of 4.8 feet. Big thanks to local New River Gorge climbing legend and guidebook author Mikey Williams for guiding us safely through the New's massive rapids. 10/10 would recommend!
We've also been fortunate to do a ton of mountain biking this summer, and the steady wear and tear on our rigs proves it. All the constant trips through axle-deep bogs and mudholes have resulted in broken spokes, worn gears, and blown-out bearings. John Herrod, a legendary area rider, users the hashtag #wveatsbikes in his social media postings, and he's certainly on-point. One thing is for certain - our notoriously rugged terrain helps keep our local bike shops in business!
Late evening light framed a spectacular late-summer scene in Canaan Valley State Park.
And, of course, summer rains mean mushrooms! We've been fortunate to come across a steady bounty of golden chanterelles, my personal favorite edible 'shroomy.
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What the hell(bender)?!
Last weekend, we met up with Friends of the Cheat's Maddy Ball and Lisa Maraffa to haul weird science tools around on sleds and inner tubes, and dive, headfirst, into the shallows in search of the elusive hellbender, aka the Allegheny Alligator.
If you're intrigued, good - that's the point! However, you'll just have to sit with bated breath for our fall issue to get the full scoop on what FOC's scientists are up to.
FOC scientist Maddy Ball playing with science tools. What is she doing? You'll have to wait for our fall issue!
Maddy and me doing science in Shavers Fork, high up on Cheat Mountain.
Nikki and Maddy going (not so) deep in the East Fork Greenbrier River, searching for a resident hellbender.
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Have you seen these yet?
Did you know that the western portion of West Virginia was once covered by a massive proglacial lake that extended far into Ohio? Read on to learn more about this geological oddity named Lake Tight.
Within some of the deepest and most remote river valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, an extraordinary scene unfolds season after season. The few souls that practice this niche discipline of whitewater kayaking are known as steep creekers.
Through weekly trailwork sessions, a dedicated group of volunteers has transformed a wooded hillside outside Hurricane, WV, into one of the state's premier mountain bike trail systems.
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Stay tuned for our next installment following Labor Day, which will feature a sneak peak at our upcoming Fall 2022 issue of the mag.
Enjoy, and thanks for reading #westvirginiasoutdoormagazine!
Dylan Jones
Editor-in-Chief
Highland Outdoors