The Territory

The State of Maryland and the division of the four Packs:

South Mountain Pack

South Mountain is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Maryland and Pennsylvania.  From the Potomac River near Knoxville, Maryland in the south to Dillsburg, Pennsylvania in the north, the 70 mile long range separates the Hagerstown and Cumberland valleys from the Piedmont regions of the two states.  The Appalachian National Scenic Trail follows the crest of the mountain through Maryland and part of its portion in Pennsylvania.

There were numerous Revolutionary War and Civil War battles fought in Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties in Maryland.  Among them was the Civil War Battle of Antietam, near Sharpsburg, MD, on September 17, 1862 and the Battle of South Mountain fought on the mountain at Cramptons, Fox and Turners gaps during the Maryland Campaign on September 14, 1862.  After the battles, South Mountain Pack bought many homestead properties from settlers who decided not to rebuild or wanted to escape to a less populated area.  

Antietam Battlefield

The bloodiest single-day battle in American history with 22,717 dead, wounded and missing.  The Memorial Illumination, which involves almost 23,000 luminaries, takes place the first Saturday in December and is truly a breathtaking event to see in person.  

Crystal Grottoes Caverns

Crystal Grottoes is the only show cave in the State of MD, but South Mountain Pack discovered a series of caves when they first emigrated from Italy and use them as the base for their Pack safe room.

The Inn Boonsboro

Owned by famed writer Nora Roberts and featured in some of her books, it sits proudly on Main Street in Boonsboro, MD.










Long John Silvers 

Located in the Valley Mall, Hagerstown, MD.  Dante's says its the best restaurant in the world.

The Maryland Theater

Located in Hagerstown, MD, the historic theater built in 1915 is host to the annual Winter Festival for South Mountain Pack.

The Snarly Yow
“It’s an urban legend centered around South Mountain which started in the early 1800’s when a large black dog, as big as a small horse was sighted by the early settlers of the area.  He would appear as if by magic startling them and spooking their horses if they were traveling by horseback or wagon.  His eyes were described as glowing red and he would growl at people as if warning them away from the area.”  Carlo stopped and took a sip of beer.

“One night, when the moon was full, a known marksman encountered this beast and even though he was terrified, he took aim and shot the beast several times with no effect.  Frightened, the marksman ran back the way he had come and refused to ever go out on the mountain after dark again.  According to legend, within a year he moved away from the area and was never heard from again.  Over the years the Snarly Yow has been seen by dozens of credible witnesses and has been known to chase cars, hikers, bikers and has even been run over several times.  When they get out of their vehicles to investigate, the dog has either disappeared or been standing behind the vehicle growling.  At the top of South Mountain there is a roadside marker telling the story of the historic inn and the Snarly Yow.” 

He stopped and smiled before taking a long sip of his beer before leaning forward.  “I’m letting you in on a secret, it’s no legend… the Snarly Yow is real.”  The Millers eyes were wide and full of excitement.  “The first documented sighting was actually the first Alpha of SMP, one of my great-grandfathers.  He was patrolling the territory and came across a lost group of travelers.  Needless to say they were scared shitless; they thought they’d seen a ghost or some giant beast.  After that, random sightings have been us running around the woods.  Though the story about one of them getting hit by a car is real, that was my Grandfather, he wanted to add something to the tale and after he got hit, he got up growled and ran away.”

Washington Monument State Park

Located atop South Mountain, the monument is the first completed monument dedicated to the memory of George Washington.  The Washington Monument is a 30 foot high rugged stone tower that was initially erected by the citizens of Boonsboro, MD, in 1827.