Planning a 90+ mile ridge run (German River to Reddish Knob) in a '25 Crosstrek. Anyone been up there lately?
Hey y'all,
I’m mapping out a pretty massive ridge run along the VA/WV border for late summer (late August or September) and wanted to see if anyone has been out that way recently to confirm gate statuses and conditions.
The route I have planned is about 91 miles with a ton of elevation change. The rough itinerary is:
Start in Bergton ➡️ German River Rd ➡️ Vepco Rd ➡️ FSR 72 Long Run Rd (the last bit of it) ➡️Skidmore Reservoir over to the north side of Flagpole Knob ➡️ Stoney Run ➡️ Reddish Knob➡️ finish up dropping down Leading Ridge Track by Todd Lake.
For context on the rig and experience: I drive a 2025 Crosstrek Premium. It’s stock height (8.7" clearance) but it has X-MODE... lol. I’ve already done the entire Bald Mountain Jeep Trail from start to finish in this car. It definitely pushed the limits of a unibody, but it was totally doable.
Just had a few quick questions for anyone who has been up there in the last few weeks from some rough googling and OnX‘ing:
The Powerline Construction: I know Dominion Energy has been doing a ton of tower work along the German River / Vepco / Long Run corridor. Are the contractor gates open on weekends now, or are there still active closures I need to worry about?
Track Conditions: I just wanted to check if there are any fresh washouts or nasty downed trees along any stretch.
General Obstacles: Any crazy mud bogs or deep ruts along the northern ridges right now that might high-center a Subie?
Planning to do a mix of car camping and tracking the whole thing. If you've been up there recently, let me know how the trails are holding up. Appreciate any insight!