NOTES: The Event Date/Time entry is for the purpose of letting you know how current the provided information is. This it not a race calendar, and while I will attempt to keep the information current, it will not always be possible. The course information is supplied by RDs, ultra runners and other interested parties, and while everyone attempts to provide accurate information, **IT HAPPENS! Always check with the Race Director for the latest information.
Location: George Washington National Forest
Nearest Town(s): Front Royal, Woodstock, VA
Event Date/Time 4/29/00 6:30AM
Course Type: Loop
Surface: Trails and fireroads, 5 miles public road (3 miles paved, 2 miles gravel). Often quite rocky with roots, leaves and possible mud.
Description: Mountainous with little level terrain. Mostly forested with some views from the ridge lines. No significant stream crossings.
Elevation Change: 4000' climb; 4000' drop
Altitude Range: 800' - 2100'
Longest Climb: 1300' over 3 miles
Time Limit/Cutoffs: Mile 5.5 - 2:15 hours; Mile 11.3 - 4:30 hours; Mile 19.3 - 8 hours; Mile 27.2 - 10.5 hours.
Aid Stations: 4 (see below)
Website: PATC's Annual Dogwood Half-Hundred
Race Director: Wilson Riley
Mail:
Dogwood Half Hundred
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park Street, SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Additional Information: Limited to first 250 entrants (1999 filled early). No race day registration. All participants must be at least 15 years old on the day of the event.
Submitted By: Jim Winne
The following is from the information sheet for the 2000 race
REGISTRATION:
All participants must be at least 15 years old on the day of the event and complete and return the attached registration form with a check in the amount of $25.00. This form must be received in PATC's office no later than Friday: April 7, 2000. You must be pre-registered to hike. The registration fee covers food, a Dogwood Half Hundred patch, cost of mailings, etc. A finisher rocker bar will be given to all hikers who complete the hike.
STARTING TIME AND PLACE:
The hike will start promptly at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2000 at Powells Fort Camp in the Massanutten area of the GWNF. Powells Fort Camp is approximately 75 miles from the DC Beltway (I-495). The hike will both start and finish at Powells Fort Camp. Plenty of parking spaces available.
A numbered card will be assigned to each hiker. The card may be obtained during registration periods on Friday, April 28 from 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. or at final registration Saturday morning. Final registration will commence at 5:30 A.M. on the day of the hike. You will be asked to show this card at each of the four checkpoints and at the finish. Prior to receiving this card you will be required to leave us your drivers license or other photo identification. Once you reclaim this ID at the end of your hike we will know for sure that you have safely finished thus eliminating many hours of extra work and concern for our search and rescue teams.
FOOD, WATER AND SAFETY
A light breakfast will be served at the camp beginning at 5:30 a.m. Water and some snacks will be available at each checkpoint. A hot dinner will be served upon your return to the camp. This dinner will also be available to guests at a cost of $5.00 per person. We strongly suggest that you carry plenty of high-energy foods as well as water.
Given the possibility of warm, humid weather in late April, it is critically important that each participant in the Dogwood Half Hundred carry an adequate supply of water at all times. Checkpoint officials will not permit any participant to proceed past a checkpoint without at least one-quart of water in a suitable container.
In the interest of participant safety, PATC reserves the right to remove from the event anyone who, in the judgement of the checkpoint officials, appears to be in sufficient physical distress to make continued participation harmful or dangerous.
TRANSPORTATION
You will need to arrange your own transportation to the start. If you drop out at one of the checkpoints and do not HAVE a ride waiting for you, we will arrange a ride back to the start. Please do not leave without your ID. !!!
LODGING:
There are plenty of tent sites at Powells Fort Camp. The following are some local motels:
Ramada Inn Woodstock 540/459-5000 $45.00 single or double
Budget Host Inn Woodstock 540/459-4086 $32.00 single; $37 double
Shenandoah Motel Front Royal 540/635-3181 $30.94 single; $39.78 double
(Be sure to mention "Dogwood Half Hundred" to get these rates)
HIKE ROUTE AND CHECKPOINTS:
Dogwood 2000 will follow a challenging new course in the GWNF. After leaving Powells Fort Camp, we will head south and up the mountain on an orange-blazed trail. At the ridge we will turn right on the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail heading north, then left on the orange-blazed Massanutten West Trail to Checkpoint 1 at Signal Knob. From the Checkpoint we head east for 1 mile on the yellow-blazed Signal Knob Trail, then turn right and follow the white-blazed Maneka Peak to its intersection with the Tuscarora Trail. We then turn left on the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail and follow it to Checkpoint 2 at Elizabeth Furnace. Leaving the Checkpoint, we follow the white-blazed Botts Trail for 0.9 miles, then swing left on the pink-blazed Sherman Gap Trail and climb to the ridgeline where we meet the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail again. We turn hard left on the Tuscarora Trail and follow it north to Shawl Gap and then down the mountain to Checkpoint 3 at Elizabeth Furnace. We cross route 678 and continue on the Tuscarora Trail for 0.3 miles, then turn right on the white-blazed Tuscarora Spur Trail and follow it to the Signal Knob Parking Area. At the northwest corner of the Parking Area we pick up the yellow-blazed Signal Knob Trail and follow it up the mountain for 3.4 miles and then turn left on the white-blazed Maneka Peak Trail. For the next 2.9 miles, we will retrace our earlier steps, first on the Maneka Peak Trail, and then left on the blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail. After 1.8 miles on the Tuscarora Trail, we turn right on the pink-blazed Sidewinder Trail. Please be careful not to miss this turn. We now follow the Sidewinder Trail south 0.8 miles to Checkpoint 4. At last on the homestretch, we leave the Checkpoint and follow the purple-blazed Mudhole Gap Trail back to Powells Fort Camp. Please take extra care on the multiple crossings of Little Passage Creek during the final mile. It is strongly advised to have dry shoes and socks available at the finish of the hike.
The four manned checkpoints are as follows:
CHECKPOINT LOCATION MILEAGE CUT-OFF TIME
# 1 Signal Knob 5.5 8:45 a.m.
# 2 Elizabeth Furnace 11.3 11:00 a.m.
# 3 Elizabeth Furnace 19.3 2:30 p.m.
# 4 Jct. of Sidewinder & 27.2 5:00 p.m.
Mudhole Gap Trails
Finish Powells Fort Camp 30.5
PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to reach a checkpoint by the noted cut-off-time you will have to drop out. All of our support on the day of the hike, checkpoint workers, trail sweeps, finish registrants, cooks, search and rescue, medical teams and ham operators are volunteers and, although happy to be out here for the day, do wish to arrive home at a reasonable time! These cut-of-times are set for what we believe to be a reasonable hiking pace for this type of hike. This is a tough hike! If you plan to participate we strongly recommend that you spend several weeks training prior to the day of this hike.
ROAD DIRECTIONS TO POWELL'S FORT CAMP & THE CHECKPOINTS:
Powells Fort Camp: (Start and Finish) From the DC Beltway (I-495) take 1-66 West approx. 60 miles to US 340 south. (Exit 6, -second Front Royal exit) Follow US 340 south 1.1 mile to traffic light at VA Route 55. Turn right onto VA 55 and follow it west for 5.2 miles to Waterlick. Turn left (south) onto VA 678. Follow VA 678 for 8.6 miles to intersection of VA 771. (Watch for Powells Fort Camp sign at this intersection). Take VA 771 for 1.1 mile to fork, stay to the right and continue 0.5 mile to second fork. Bear fight here onto Forest Service Road No. 66. Follow this gravel road 1.9 miles until you see Powells Fort Camp on your left.
CHECKPOINT # 1: SIGNAL KNOB: Access from Powells Fort Camp is by four-wheel drive vehicles only. Follow the Forest Road north to the Strasburg Reservoir. Park there and walk north for 1.8 miles to the Checkpoint.
CHECKPOINTS # 2 and # 3: ELIZABETH FURNACE: From checkpoint 1 return to Powells Fort Camp and reverse the above instructions to reach VA 678. Turn left and follow VA 678 to the Elizabeth Furnace area. Look for Forest Service signs for the Tuscarora Trail crossing. Turn right here into the picnic area. For Checkpoint 2 cross the bridge to the picnic area parking lot adjacent to the beginning of the Botts Trail. Checkpoint 3 will be next to the parking lot between VA 678 and the river.
CHECKPOINT # 4: JUNCTION OF SIDEWINDER AND MUDHOLE GAP TRAILS: From Checkpoint 3 head south on VA 678 a short distance to the parking lot on the right opposite the entrance to the Elizabeth Furnace Camping Area. Park here and walk west on the crushed-stone surfaced logging road blazed purple as the Mudhole Gap Trail. Checkpoint 4 will be in approximately 1.5 miles at the juction of the Sidewinder Trail.
NOTE: PATC map G shows all of the above roads and all of the trails that will be used for the hike. Cost of this map is $7.00 for non-PATC members or $6.00 for members, postage included. See registration form.
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