I found Mt. Davis located in Somerset, Pa. It is the highest elevation in Pa. It is 30 miles long and is part of Forbes forest. Does anyone know if their are snowmobile trails?

That's kinda funny you mention that. Dvarmit and I were told on Saturday that there are snowmobile trails down there and that they even have a groomer down that way. DCNR guy told us this, but of course there is NOTHING on the DCNR snowmobile site. He said it was quite nice and seldom used. Neither of us had ever heard anything about it.

Sounds like an HCS exploration trip is in order.

I've ridden there a few times,usually some deep snow.

details please! How many miles of trails? Where to park? etc.

Thanks

I'm up for an exploration trip, do you want to try next weekend? Sat morning. A little bit of a winding road for trailering after RT 40 though. Does everybody know how to get there? If I remember, there is a ranger station by the fire tower, I'll have to ask a friend who took me there yrs ago.

I'm up for an exploration trip, do you want to try next weekend? Sat morning. A little bit of a winding road for trailering after RT 40 though. Does everybody know how to get there? If I remember, there is a ranger station by the fire tower, I'll have to ask a friend who took me there yrs ago.

I was there a few times but really don't know my way around at all. We parked at another guys place and rode sleds over from there.

I talked to DCNR. They confirmed legal trails at Mt Davis. They are mailing me a map. Once I get it I'll let you know the details. I am up for a trip whenever.

I would be willing next sat, but I cannot make it until noon or 1 pm, unless my daughter has her baby, then I cannot make it at all, guess u figured out why. Im sure we will talk about it alot till there is more snow at LH.

This week isn't looking good either

I live about a half hour from MT. Davis. There is usually snow, but not much of a trail system. There are some trails though, but I have never seen a groomer over there! If the roads are bad, you better bring a plow truck. Wind drifts the road shut 2 minutes after plow goes through. My buddy got his truck stuck last year in the middle of the road...I made it through the drift, he got stuck. We had to unhook the trailer, and luckily a local farmer came and pulled him out with a farm tractor!! What a day!

Now that pretty much cap's my desire to run Mt. Davis.

I'll pull that little H3 out for ya' if you get her hung up!

LOL, you could with that tank you drive around... good to know someone is looking out for me

Most of the trails are just joint use roads. Some they plow, which sucks, but some they don't. One of the best days I have ever had riding was up there, but it was during a storm back in 2002, I think. We got about 3 feet of snow over 2 days. We rode main roads up to mt. davis! The snow was easily waist deep, even deeper up there.

OK guys, anybody want to try Mt.Davis saturday? I plan meet up with Jerry from VA to ride there.
Hay Trail Time, did you ever get the info from DCNR? Doo you want to try it? Im going to ride LH today, leaving around 10am, and from there go Ohiopyle, ride the little they have there, then off to the camp. If anybody wants to meet up somewhere tomarrow, post before 9:30, and we can exchange info. Tomarrow,after breakfast, we will be off to the Highest point in PA in the AM. Jerry Ill call u tonight. No web at the camp.

I got the map. No listing on where to park but does show some trails. I may go. I'm in Lake George NY, it will depend when I get home. I'll post later.

Snofish and I were going to head up there later this morning but with all the snow, we don't know if we can make it up the mountain.
I think we are going to head up to LH since it's close and there's plenty of snow. If I don't hear from anyone, I am heading to the rt31 lot at 10am.

Anyone ever ride from the southern end of LH maple Summit area near Cranberry Glade to Mt Davis?

Viper, when we rode in LH we were on a pipeline for a short distance down south near the windmills... ever ride that east towards Rockwood?

I ask because the pipeline goes east to Rockwood, then a powerline goes south to Mt davis. So it could be possible to ride from LH to Mt Davis without riding the roads.


Varmit? Snofish? Sledneck?

Never rode it in that direction. I've only gone as far south as I took you guys where the blue gate stopped us from going any further. I would think a pipeline and a powerline could be accessed without too much red tape.....maybe.

looks like something we should consider for the summer, maybe take a saturday and explore the possibilities. We have time, but I know what usually happens, put if off till............................I would deffinately be willing to help. I do know the trails by Ohiopyle, but dont know how to get to Mt Davis from there, Ill check it out next weekend. I should be fishing by mt davis.

I work in Rockwood so I can ask around.. I never made it out this far from south of the 31 lot but I think a couple guys that work here and ride have ran to Seven Springs from here.. I will ask them next time I run into them and see what they have to say.

So I can get my bearings, where is the pipeline your referring to?

The UP still has a lot of snow...

It runs East/West and is south of the LH trails, in the Maple Summit area. Dustin took us past that area on the way to see the windmills. He could probably tell you more.

Thanks for checking.

I plan to explore that area more for next year too. I've gone from 7Springs down south all the way close to an area called Draketown/Draketown Rd. Might have to get the dual sport out and do some epxloring. I'm also curious how far that power line could take you east. I've always follwoed the marked trail when I hit that power line. Might be good to head towards Rockwood. I know that some riders come down from the other side of Somerset Cty and go thru Berlin and get to Rockwood. You could do a LOT of riding if that connection could be made.

Using google earth and topo software I can tell you for sure - barring and fences or other obstructions I can't see in the photography - you can ride unpaved roads (part way along a paved road) from the Mt Davis Lookout to Rockwood PA in under 10 actual trail riding miles. One problem I see is that the last northern most mile or so is along a powerline on a NW/SE axis which could be gated off here and there. I'm now gonna try to connect this route to High Point Lake - easy and then south to Keysers Ridge and into MD's Savage River Forest trail which I can get to from McHenry MD - Deep Creek Lake. Once I have it all mapped out (some time over the summer) we'll take the ATVs and Bikes up there to try to confirm it. Once I have the software figured out more I'll post the route file which can be loaded into a GPS. Judging by what can be seen on the aerial photography there are countless trails in the area. Enough such that you could probably spend a whole weekend exploring on the sled and not cover it all. That route I created is just the most direct one I see and there may be a better way to get to the south side of the bridge. Of course getting across the river is a problem too if we want to extend the ride north to 7 Springs of LH.

The E/W powerline looks to be almost 2 miles N of Rockwood and you'd go under it on Water Level Road.

Interesting, I run water level every week day on the way into work. Now, you really got me curious. I am just going to have to look for this power line. Quite honestly, I never really noticed it.

The east/west utility path is actually an underground pipeline. It runs south of 653, then crosses 653 east of New Lexington just west of the intersection @ Rt 281.

The idea is to link Mt Davis to DCL to the south and LH to the north.

The challenge linking LH to Mt Davis will be the Casselman River and the RR tracks, there are a minimum of two to cross.

Yeah I was gonna post that I don't know if there are any powerlines there but I can see a clear cut in straight lines for long distances. I guess the abandoned B&O rail bed is part of the Hike/Bike path correct? I assume that is a NO NO for sleds even with snow.

YEP, the RR bed is a problem, we used to ride them a long time ago, by Ohiopyle, before the bike trail system, and then there is the water, used to be able to go across a wodden RR bridge, but is is gone a long time now too. I know that is no help, but I just remembered all that, (getting old) Im sure there is some way up to LH from Ohiopyle if we just take the time to look it all over. Thanks Action for input, I was going to try to googleearth that too, but I didnt doo it yet.
Thanks for all the interest, it should make for an interested summer. Im up for a summer trail ride if anyone wants to explore.

The legal trail runs to within 1 mi of Ohiopyle. The biggest problem is getting down off the hill above it to the town. There is basically no easy way to get there short of running the paved road. If you are interested in the track log from the gps I can send it over to you. It shows the whole deal. I probably can send you a .kml file for google earth to view as well.

Steve

I checked out the power line this morning on the way in and it runs across the water level over Coxes Creek then up into posted property. Coxes creek is not that large in some places and in the winter could be easily crossed, I think. Once across the creek I think it hits posted property. Does anyone happen to know about the right of ways on power lines? I never really thought about them until now.

Snofish, as far as the Cassellman river goes I will ask Scotty. He lives right down in Cassellman. He may know of a place to cross.

Can you post the track log and kml in a post here?

I've mapped out an entire way from Deep Creek to Mt Davis and Rockwood and I'll post links to pdfs of topo maps with colored routes Mon or Tues when I get my laptop back from being fixed. There are several questionable sections that need to be scoped out but I'm pretty sure it can be done. There are a couple shoulder/road rides none more than a mile, some of which there might be ways around on trails. Its possible a link could be made to Ohiopyle too then on to LH. I'm really looking forward to trying it out by ATV and sled. Garrett County airport to Rockwood is 36 miles, 25 miles to Mt Davis Lookout. I might need to alter the first part from the airport and that will add about 6 miles.

DCL to Mt Davis to Rockwood Maps

http://www.hardcoresledder.com/forums/inde...t&p=3855159

Did your group ever do the Mt. Davis trip? If so - what was it like? Trails maintained and in good order? How many miles did you log? When in Pennsylvania - I typically ride LH but this coming year - I would like to see if there's a way I can ride all the way from Rt. 31 LH area to Ohiopyle. Any suggestions or ideas on whether it can be done or not?