[Summit team: Targo]
I visited Spruce Knob on March 9th, 2004, and this is one of the more
adventurous highpoints I've ever visited. It was snowing again and this turned
out to be another easy highpoint where our car couldn't take us. While we
were driving uphill, the snow got heavier and heavier, and about 4-5 miles
before the summit we got rather stuck. Turning the front-wheel drive car around
on the narrow and slippery road was quite an adventure on its own since the car
tended to slip away from the road and we had to gather some rocks and gravel
from the roadside to secure it.
Someone else was driving by in a big-ass four wheel drive vehicle, and I asked
if he could take me closer to the summit. The guy was reluctant, thinking that
after I come back from the summit we couldn't get down any more as the snow was
getting thicker by the hour, and told us to come back in a few days. What a
wimp. Since a little snow is no deterrent for a serious highpointer, I took our
car downhill by about half a mile and started walking up. The road goes actually
past the summit by a mile and a half and then turns back. I didn't want to waste
time on it and took a shortcut through the woods (click on topo map below). The
correct place for a shortcut is relatively easy to find since it is a bed for a
small creek (which actually disappears pretty quickly when going upstream).
Still, crossing the woods made an interesting map and compass exercise. I
covered the way back mostly jogging, making for a 2.5 hour hike total.
Note: Going off the roads and trails in snow may be dangerous. Don't do
it unless you have 1) a map, 2) a compass, 3) warm clothing, 4) some
hiking/orienteering skills.
Here are the instructions from Backbone Mountain, MD:
1. Take US-219 South (West)
2. Go 7.9 miles and keep straight onto SR-32
3. Go 21.7 miles and turn left onto US-33
4. Go 22 miles and turn right onto CR 33/4. It is couple of miles before (north
of) Judy Cap.
5. After 1.8 miles turn left to stay on CR-33/4
6. Go 0.6 miles and turn right onto Public Road 112
7. Go 7.2 miles and bear right onto Public Road 104
8. Go 1.5 miles and there you are!