Description
The Allegheny Trail runs from the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border near Bruceton Mills to the Appalachian Trail on Peters Mountain, north of Pearisburg, Virginia. The trail appears to be under construction, and will eventually be 330 miles long, but about 20 miles are yet to be completed (as of 2017).
Rebekah Trittipoe ran the existing 302 miles (?) of the Allegheny Trail in June 2007 to celebrate turning 50. She had full support during the run. A report of her trip lacks detail, and it is only clear that she had significant problems over the last 2-3 days. Rebekah provided some detail in an email on August 12, 2008:
I was by myself, got stuck when the mountain tops had been clear cut and trail markings gone with the trees, had to backtrack 6 miles on trail, and about 35 miles on road(some of which I hitch-hiked) to locate my crew, go in backwards to cover what I missed and then out again, then had to drive to find where the trail picked up for the final section, ran that and had only about 3 hours day light left for the last 12 miles. Sounds doable, right? But with no confidence in the trail marking, I decided to wait until first light. In retrospect, it took me 6 hours in the daylight. Would have been impossible in the dark by myself. Such is trail running...hence, a very, very soft "record"... Almost to the point of embarrassment.
This route on the old FKT site
Comments
I will be attempting a fkt ss backpacking in September. I will carry an InReach. My most pressing question is what is acceptable regarding the portion not yet completed. The trail guide suggests a shuttle. Is there a diary of what the current supported record holder did? TIA, onamission
Current record holder was supported thus took shuttle between endpoints of existing trail. There does not appear to be a road walk to join the two (other than including interstate 64, which does not allow pedestrians). Should I seek permission to walk interstate 64? Suggestions?
First, what an amazing trail! Rugged and beautiful through the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia.
I will be attempting to establish an Unsupported FKT, north to south, on the Allegheny Trail in July 2023. I'll be carrying all supplies necessary, including food provisions, to complete the 311 miles (which include the official road walk section that joins the existing gap in section 4). Water will be obtained from natural sources along the route. I will be tracking with the Garmin InReach with a backup tracking using the Coros Pace 2.
My goal is to complete the journey in under 14 days. In the event I need to transition to a self-supported style along the way, completion would still make a worthy SS FKT, with full respect to Brad Morris who recently set this standard. Well done sir!
Full report to follow, regardless of the outcome. See you on the trail!
-Michelle "MtnMomma" Frase