This was my final highpoint, number 24, for my 4-day jaunt through this part of the United States. This also marked my 40th state highpoint, so I'm starting to smell the finish line! From my two hikes on Backbone Mountain, I came down through Canaan Valley State Park (to scout Weiss Knob, the Tucker county highpoint which I decided not to do due to time), then along US-33 a ways east and south through some very steep and mountainous terrain toward Spruce Knob. Some traffic made for slow going but the weather was just behaving barely to allow me to gain decent time.

I left US-33 at the Spruce Knob State Park sign, then up about 9 miles of mostly gravel road to the top. The clouds were hanging at about 4,500 feet, so as soon as I got that high, I had about 30-foot visibility in the dense fog. A steady rain was falling and it was downright cold! I was worried the rain would create some problems with the road, but other than mudpits and other small puddles, my little passenger car did fine. I was surprised to come upon other vehicles; in fact, three of us "convoyed" the final mile or so to the Spruce Knob parking area. We parked. The rain was falling steadily. Two women in one vehicle didn't bother to get out at all. Another vehicle, a mini-van, consisted of a family with 3 kids. They were all getting prepped for a rainy walk. I started in on the brief hike first, getting wet but figuring I wouldn't be out long. After about 5 minutes, I came upon the lookout platform and took shelther underneath it. The rain wasn't heavy but it came down in "sharp" sleet-like droplets. The fog prevented any views. I stayed long enough to meet and greet the family of five as they arrived to the tower. This was deliberate so I could get on of them to snap a photo of me with my camera. The mom was kind enough to do so, in between nagging her kids to stay on the path.

Well, that was that! I descended the road back down below the clouds and made the long twisty drive west through Elkins and Buckhannon to Interstate-79, from which I went north toward Morgantown. The rain was pretty heavy most of the way. I stayed the night in St. Clairsville, Ohio, near Wheeling, and visited a child-hood friend of mine who lives and works in Wheeling. I hadn't seen him in 14 years and got to meet his family, too. The next day: back to Columbus and home.