By Troop 1776
Backpackers from Troop 1776 spent November 7-9 backpacking through Maryland and West Virginia along the Appalachian Trail (AT). This particularly scenic stretch of the AT descends down into beautiful and historic Harpers Ferry, WV and crosses both the Potomac River and Shenandoah River near their confluence. After spending the night on the trail in West Virginia, the Scouts spent the next day visiting the town of Harpers Ferry and the National Historic Park learning about abolitionist John Brown, the town’s history, and the Civil War in general. The accompanying picture is of Jefferson’s Rock which marks where Thomas Jefferson stood on October 25, 1783, commenting in Notes on the State of Virginia that "this scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic."
Continuing on the trail into Maryland, the Scouts stayed the night at the Harpers Ferry Hostel which caters to through hikers on the AT. While the hostel had comfortable rooms, Wi-Fi, and board games, the Scouts slept outside overlooking the Potomac River on a brisk night. Troop 1776 Scouts were able to provide a service the next morning by cooking and cleaning up breakfast for the original group of people that established the hostel and were holding their 50th anniversary and reunion. The scouts finished their trek by climbing the Maryland Heights and taking in the incredible view of Harpers Ferry and the surrounding area.
