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the Degree Confluence Project
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United States : Virginia

2.8 miles (4.5 km) W of Paris (Fauquier), Clarke, VA, USA
Approx. altitude: 396 m (1299 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap topo aerial ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 39°S 102°E

Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: eMap showing the 00's. #3: Val looking for a way through the tangle of downed trees. #4: View across the mountains about .1 mile from the point. #5: Jack-in-the-pulpit nearby #6: Trillium grandiflorum along A.T. on the way back to car #7: I espied a morel on the way back. #8: Looking west down the pipeline clearing #9: Milkweed and butterflies were abundant in the clearing

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  39°N 78°W (visit #2)  

#1: The point was a couple of feet behind the logs in the center of the picture.

(visited by Kathy Bilton and Val)

24-Apr-2002 -- I had attempted to get to this confluence in the summer of 2001, going through Sky Meadows State Park and then hiking up to the Appalachian Trail. Proceeding north along the trail as far as the pipeline clearing which was parallel to N39, I then followed the clearing down the mountain until I got to W78. The spicebush thicket did not look particularly inviting, but onward I went.

Though I was able to get within about .15 of a mile of the confluence, I gave up because I could not keep a signal due to heavy tree cover. In addition it was extremely hot, and trying to penetrate the spicebush thicket made for slow and difficult going, and it was getting late. I determined to come back in the early spring and try again.

This time I realized that it would be a much shorter hike if I were to just park on Route 50 where the A.T. crosses it near Paris. From there the confluence point was less than 2 miles away. It was a little later in spring than I had intended, but the day was perfect, sunny but not too warm. And though I lost the signal a few times, I was always able to get it back.

There was another car parked by the trailhead when I arrived with my pal, Val. Three men were standing there talking. One was the trail overseer for that section while the other two were thruhikers, trailnames Tuna and Peanut. They had started their hike in Georgia in early March and expected to reach the terminus in Maine sometime in July.

Before leaving the trail I encountered three more hikers, one was a section hiker and the two others were doing a long day hike. I headed off the trail after getting to within about .4 of a mile of N38W79. There were lots of downed trees as well as spicebush to slow us down. Eventually we got to a large clearing, portending development in the near future. Following the eMap arrow took us back into the woods. It took a while to get to the point where the eMap read all 00's, but I managed to get a couple of pictures and then headed back. There were more unwelcome clearings (though they certainly made for easier walking)close to the vicinity of the confluence point. On the way back I seemed to notice a lot more wildflowers, as well as some morels which I had passed without seeing coming the other direction, paying more attention to the eMap.
 All pictures
#1: The point was a couple of feet behind the logs in the center of the picture.
#2: eMap showing the 00's.
#3: Val looking for a way through the tangle of downed trees.
#4: View across the mountains about .1 mile from the point.
#5: Jack-in-the-pulpit nearby
#6: Trillium grandiflorum along A.T. on the way back to car
#7: I espied a morel on the way back.
#8: Looking west down the pipeline clearing
#9: Milkweed and butterflies were abundant in the clearing
ALL: All pictures on one page
  Notes
1000 ft from the Appalachian Trail.