
Posted: 8/15/2017 1:06:22 PM EST
Some friends and I will be backpacking this week/weekend at Spruce Knob.
I do not currently possess a concealed carry permit but that is mostly because of laziness on my part. Is there any reason that I can't open carry on this trip. I understand that West Virginia is a constitutional carry state. Does this apply to nonresidents as well? Not so much worried about critters as I am about West Virginia Mountain Tweakers and other backwoods weirdos. While were at it, is anyone familiar with Spruce Knob or the area around it? This will be my first time down there and my first multi day backpacking trip. |
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No issues with open carry or concealed. As long as your not a prohibited person and 21 your GTG. I normally carry a 9mm on the side of my pack, be it my P226, or a Star Firestar plus that I use for a beater gun.
As far as the area where your hiking, if I can help you out a bit, try not to camp at Judy Springs, I know it's where there's water close by, but everyone camps there, and sometimes you get idiots that will roll their coolers of beer 3mi in there and have a party. If I have to recommend a nice place to camp i'd say go down along the creek above the water fall on Seneca Creek. There's also a spot below the falls as well, but it is a bit damp. What is your hiking route plan?? I know most of the trails, I can help you out. |
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WV HTF Mod
You will find Sympathy between Shit and Syphilis in the dictionary. RIP Kevin Carney |
I thought you had to be a resident of wv or have your on state's ccw to carry here in wv. You might want to check wc website to make sure.
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Originally Posted By Cazio:
I thought you had to be a resident of wv or have your on state's ccw to carry here in wv. You might want to check wc website to make sure. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Cazio:
I thought you had to be a resident of wv or have your on state's ccw to carry here in wv. You might want to check wc website to make sure. The relevant text: (c) Any person may carry a concealed deadly weapon without a license therefor who is:
(1) At least twenty-one years of age; (2) A United States citizen or legal resident thereof; (3) Not prohibited from possessing a firearm under the provisions of this section; and (4) Not prohibited from possessing a firearm under the provisions of 18 U. S. C. §922(g) or (n). |
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Thank you for that info, I never knew that was the case I always thought it was for residents only. I really appreciate you posting that.
Cazio |
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Well, I am back. The trip went off without a hitch. No West Virginia Mountain Tweakers to be found. Just some nice, friendly forest service guys that didn't bat an eye at the Ruger LCR strapped to the waist belt on my pack and a handful of mountain bikers who were far braver than I to try to tackle those trails on two wheels. Hardly another backpacker to be found. We pretty much had the whole mountain to ourselves.
The whole spruce knob area was gorgeous. We were out there for 3 nights and 4 days total. I will give the rundown for anyone familiar with the area. First day was a bust trying to find the Allegheny Trailhead but instead ending up on a "road" that runs parallel and dead ending on a private property line. The second day we started on the Horton Trailhead and made it all the way up, through most of the Huckleberry Trail to within approximately 2ish miles of the top of the knob before calling it quits and setting up camp. It doesn't look that far on the map, but those hills were brutal and my thigh muscles were screaming through most of the ascent. I am a reasonably fit dude, but this was my first time on a serious backpacking trip and it was probably the most physically demanding thing that I have ever done. On the third day we reached the top of the knob. Did you know that there is no running water at the top of the knob? We found that out the hard way and were nearly out of our reserves by the time that we made it back down to a viable water source. That being said, the whole top of that ridge line is absolutely beautiful. The entire forest changes to thick patches of evergreen trees broken up with bushy/rocky clearings. It was like being in another world. Getting to the top was very rewarding and made all the effort of the previous day worthwhile. After that we decided to dial back on all the effort and spread our decent out over days 3 and 4. I got to bathe at the bottom of a kick ass waterfall along the way down which was pretty sweet. Thanks for the advice! |
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Originally Posted By avtomat_badassnikov:
Well, I am back. The trip went off without a hitch. No West Virginia Mountain Tweakers to be found. Just some nice, friendly forest service guys that didn't bat an eye at the Ruger LCR strapped to the waist belt on my pack and a handful of mountain bikers who were far braver than I to try to tackle those trails on two wheels. Hardly another backpacker to be found. We pretty much had the whole mountain to ourselves. The whole spruce knob area was gorgeous. We were out there for 3 nights and 4 days total. I will give the rundown for anyone familiar with the area. First day was a bust trying to find the Allegheny Trailhead but instead ending up on a "road" that runs parallel and dead ending on a private property line. The second day we started on the Horton Trailhead and made it all the way up, through most of the Huckleberry Trail to within approximately 2ish miles of the top of the knob before calling it quits and setting up camp. It doesn't look that far on the map, but those hills were brutal and my thigh muscles were screaming through most of the ascent. I am a reasonably fit dude, but this was my first time on a serious backpacking trip and it was probably the most physically demanding thing that I have ever done. On the third day we reached the top of the knob. Did you know that there is no running water at the top of the knob? We found that out the hard way and were nearly out of our reserves by the time that we made it back down to a viable water source. That being said, the whole top of that ridge line is absolutely beautiful. The entire forest changes to thick patches of evergreen trees broken up with bushy/rocky clearings. It was like being in another world. Getting to the top was very rewarding and made all the effort of the previous day worthwhile. After that we decided to dial back on all the effort and spread our decent out over days 3 and 4. I got to bathe at the bottom of a kick ass waterfall along the way down which was pretty sweet. Thanks for the advice! View Quote I'm guessing the Allegheny trailhead you were looking for is the "high allegheny" trail?? it's off the main FS road past the lake. Its a easy trail, and old 4x4 road. All you have to do is ask. I have hiked just about all of these trails, and know the area very well. I live near elkins it's my backyard! |
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WV HTF Mod
You will find Sympathy between Shit and Syphilis in the dictionary. RIP Kevin Carney |
Originally Posted By jnk556:
Seneca creek is really the only water source up there. You do know you could have drove to the top of the knob, and hiked down, that is the route most folks do. It is a very scenic area, but like you said it is dry, unless you are on the creek. I'm guessing the Allegheny trailhead you were looking for is the "high allegheny" trail?? it's off the main FS road past the lake. Its a easy trail, and old 4x4 road. All you have to do is ask. I have hiked just about all of these trails, and know the area very well. I live near elkins it's my backyard! View Quote And yeah, on the third night we camped at the first campsite just below the main waterfall. It was very damp, especially after raining that morning, but it's also probably the coolest site that we found on the whole trip so we couldn't turn it up. Thanks for the advice. I would have gathered more info from you before leaving but I was super busy in the days leading up to the trip. I almost didn't even get this thread posted before leaving. |
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Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.. |
Originally Posted By Waldo:
You can get from the parking lot on Spruce Knob down to Judy Springs for water in less than two hours. I've backpacked the area quite a bit. Great in the fall. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/43500.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/43497.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/5086.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/20411.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/5087.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/422/5080.JPG View Quote ![]() |
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WV HTF Mod
You will find Sympathy between Shit and Syphilis in the dictionary. RIP Kevin Carney |
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