Sugarloaf mountain, located in Dickerson, MD, is what is know as a "Monadnock" which according to the Britannica online is an "isolated hill of bedrock standing conspicuously above the general level of the surrounding area. Monadnocks are left as erosional remnants because of their more resistant rock composition; commonly they consist of quartzite or less jointed massive volcanic rocks." Field tests indicate the rock composition is indeed resistant to the erosive effects of toes.
Sugarloaf mountain is an excellent training location, with many steep ascents, rocky terrain, stream crossings, and long forest roads. Trails from the upper parking lot are heavily traveled, so we've often started our runs from the parking lot at the base of the mountain. You head up toward the barn (behind which is a porta-potty). There are rough maps of the trails on the side of the barn. Nearby amenities include a new winery (!) and the Comus Inn. It would be fun to roll up in that fancy joint all covered in mud and ask for some cheese fries.
Yellow Trail (7 miles): Medium difficulty, has some good looong hills.
Blue Trail (5 miles): Steep, rocky sections. There are two overlooks off the blue trail but you have to work for them.
White Trail (2.5 miles): Steep! Joe can run up this trail, but I practice my "fast hiking."
Wildlife sightings:
- Snakes: 1
- Foxes: 1
- Hillbillies: 2
- Birds: those little brown ones, some cardinals, other medium-sized birds, "vultures" and "ostrich" (hey, I ain't Michelle)
- Deer: everywhere
- Frogs: 2
Ostrich? Yes, Joe sighted this creature on one winter training run. In 1925, Gordon Strong, a wealthy businessman who founded the Sugarloaf Stronghold, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a structure to grace the summit of Sugarloaf. The design was poorly received however, as it did not meet the expectations to "reflect the purity and natural beauty of the mountain" and the summit was simply turned into a parking lot. Enraged, Wright said, "I'll show you purity" and released a half-dozen ostriches onto they mountain. While the ostriches proliferated by adapting to a diet of wild chestnut, as the tree faltered, so did their numbers and now only one or two are fleetingly spotted on rare occasions.
