Otter Creek can be tricky. The junction of Green Mtn/Shavers Mtn trail junction is not marked nor easy to see. I know the campsite you were shooting for. It used to be easy to find (there is a spring near it), but is now not so easy to find. Glad you otherwise enjoyed your trip to Otter Creek. It is one of my favs. Most times, I don't see anyone.
I went back and forth three times trying to find the intersection, which would explain why there is no footage from Shavers Mountain Trail. hahaha I'm glad there is a campsite along Shavers Mountain, though. I guess I'm not completely crazy. This trip I was ALL alone, I didn't see anyone other than the family that I ran into. Such a peaceful place, and hiking along Otter Creek is absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Tim, so I see you were doing the same loop we did but going clockwise instead of counter-clockwise like we did. For us, we had the same navigational issues you did when we were supposed to be turning left (west) on the Green Mountain Trail - instead the trail just seemed to go on and on north through ever-thickening rhododendron. The farther on we went, the greater the deepening threat was that we may never find that trail intersection and with water supplies running low, that's when we made the decision to back-track and camp back near the spring along the ridge. The trail to the campsite is marked by cairns if you're travelling south, they would be to the left. The spring is to the right and literally just a gurgling water hole in the mud. Final note - we also had trouble with starting and maintaining fire. I consider myself an better-than-average fire maker. Yet this was overall the toughest time I had maintaining fire. true, it had rained for 2 days prior to our trip, but I've been able to make fires in downpours. I think it has something to do with the type of wood that's up there. Well, glad to watch your trip and see some familiar places and also some places that we never got the chance to see - specifically the creek. I think next time we go we'll avoid the ridge all together and just hike point-to-point up the creek.
I appreciate you checking out the video! Good stuff! As much as I want to camp in those pine trees, I think I'd rather explore a new part of the wilderness. This area is BLAH and LOTS of bear tracks along Green Mountain Trail - I think I counted 6 the ~mile I hiked. The creek was amazing, I really enjoyed hiking along it. I have been told there are a bunch more waterfalls. So this area is definitely worth an out-and-back hike! I also keep seeing photos of a suspension bridge - still trying to figure out where that is and explore around it a bit.
Glad to see you had some fun out there. That's one of my favorite spots in WV.
Thanks for the video.
Glad to see you post!
Robb Southard we have to get together and make a winter camping collaboration video!
Otter Creek can be tricky. The junction of Green Mtn/Shavers Mtn trail junction is not marked nor easy to see. I know the campsite you were shooting for. It used to be easy to find (there is a spring near it), but is now not so easy to find. Glad you otherwise enjoyed your trip to Otter Creek. It is one of my favs. Most times, I don't see anyone.
I went back and forth three times trying to find the intersection, which would explain why there is no footage from Shavers Mountain Trail. hahaha I'm glad there is a campsite along Shavers Mountain, though. I guess I'm not completely crazy.
This trip I was ALL alone, I didn't see anyone other than the family that I ran into. Such a peaceful place, and hiking along Otter Creek is absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Tim, so I see you were doing the same loop we did but going clockwise instead of counter-clockwise like we did. For us, we had the same navigational issues you did when we were supposed to be turning left (west) on the Green Mountain Trail - instead the trail just seemed to go on and on north through ever-thickening rhododendron. The farther on we went, the greater the deepening threat was that we may never find that trail intersection and with water supplies running low, that's when we made the decision to back-track and camp back near the spring along the ridge. The trail to the campsite is marked by cairns if you're travelling south, they would be to the left. The spring is to the right and literally just a gurgling water hole in the mud. Final note - we also had trouble with starting and maintaining fire. I consider myself an better-than-average fire maker. Yet this was overall the toughest time I had maintaining fire. true, it had rained for 2 days prior to our trip, but I've been able to make fires in downpours. I think it has something to do with the type of wood that's up there. Well, glad to watch your trip and see some familiar places and also some places that we never got the chance to see - specifically the creek. I think next time we go we'll avoid the ridge all together and just hike point-to-point up the creek.
I appreciate you checking out the video!
Good stuff! As much as I want to camp in those pine trees, I think I'd rather explore a new part of the wilderness. This area is BLAH and LOTS of bear tracks along Green Mountain Trail - I think I counted 6 the ~mile I hiked.
The creek was amazing, I really enjoyed hiking along it. I have been told there are a bunch more waterfalls. So this area is definitely worth an out-and-back hike! I also keep seeing photos of a suspension bridge - still trying to figure out where that is and explore around it a bit.
If you wanna take the whole thing front end to end I’ll take you.