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Once again: Loudoun/Clarke monkeys

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
Ok, I think this weekend I might go exploring. I have been looking at topo maps that show a system of trails coming down the side of mt weather south of the installation and ending on rte 50 near paris. If I cant find these trailheads, I might just ride down dirt roads to the river, I don't know.

The usgs maps are, as usual, stupidly old and these might be long forgotten or on private land, I just don't know. They may even be a section of the old AT that was closed after the infamous re-route around the base.

Any thoughts?
 

MikeT

Monkey
Feb 17, 2002
336
0
Hell
isn't it hunting season? I'd be carefull. I'm hitting up the watershed on sunday, otherwise I might have been interested in going this weekend with you. I do live in Loudoun county

-MV
 
Jun 4, 2002
93
0
Berryville, VA
Like MikeT said, rifle season starts this Saturday, and lasts untill January. I feel your furstration, all these mountains and no place to ride. Every trail I have heard of up here goes thru private property or somehow hits the AT. If your going to ride dirt roads try Morgans Mill road but this road runs right along the FEMA facility and I would not stop. A buddy of mine was driving up Morgans Mill and stopped to take a wizz, it wasn't 30 seconds later that a couple of black sububans stopped him and asked what he was doing. No Sh!t. If your feeling bold there is a "fire road" off of the Old Mt. Weather road. Go towards FEMA off rt. 7 and take a left on to Mt. Weather road. It's in a little housing area about a mile or so before FEMA. There is a cable in front of the fire road with about 20 no tresspassing signs on it. I was told it takes your to Ebenezer road. I'm pretty sure that is crosses the AT, so you know what that means.
My boss said I could ride at his place, but like your place, the property down the hill from his is private and pushing back up sucks.
Good luck man.
 

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
Because of rifle season and the fact that i'll be with the gf, I think I'm gonna do morgan's mill road. I dont want to drag her down some death march of a trail since she is just warming up to the sport. I havent bombed a dirt road since i left ca, so this should be interesting.

As far as the housing area on mt weather rd, it looks like you'd have to take a right off of 601 to get to ebenezer rd. There are some little private lanes that go off that way, but nothing on the map that indicates a real trail on mt weather. Maybe you're thinking of eagle rock rd for forest ridge ln? There's a trail on the topo map over there but i can't tell which it comes off of. I know there are power lines coming up by eagle rock so maybe it follows them.
 

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
PS: I am going to try to find out who owns the land below my property and get permission to cut a simple trail. I've hiked down there and the terrain is much steeper and rockier, so I'm thinking my property will have all the fr stunts and jumps and the bottom part will be strictly dh. Already some nasty rock sections on the lower part of my property. . . stuff i'm reluctant to make a trail through for fear that i'll kill myself or others. I'll probably get over it though.
 
Jun 4, 2002
93
0
Berryville, VA
Because of rifle season and the fact that i'll be with the gf, I think I'm gonna do morgan's mill road. I dont want to drag her down some death march of a trail since she is just warming up to the sport. I havent bombed a dirt road since i left ca, so this should be interesting.

As far as the housing area on mt weather rd, it looks like you'd have to take a right off of 601 to get to ebenezer rd. There are some little private lanes that go off that way, but nothing on the map that indicates a real trail on mt weather. Maybe you're thinking of eagle rock rd for forest ridge ln? There's a trail on the topo map over there but i can't tell which it comes off of. I know there are power lines coming up by eagle rock so maybe it follows them.
You are correct, the fire road is a right on old Mt Weather, my bad. My boss lives to the left in the same area, I got brain fade for a sec.
 

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
I learned how to ride in middleburg. I used to go hit the horse trails that are all over the woods back behind middleburg downs on my huffy.