WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Results 1 to 16 of 16

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Default Pennsylvania Mid State Trail

    Hey all,
    Planning on doing the PA Mid State Trail starting near the end of this month. Would like to know if anyone out there could give me a ride to the northern trailhead. I will be taking a bus into Elmira, NY (which is as close as I can get I think), and I'll need a ride to Lawrenceville, PA, or wherever the trailhead actually is. Can someone go through the grapevine for me on this one? I really need the help.
    Thanks to all,
    Tuts

  2. #2
    Coach Lou coach lou's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-03-2011
    Location
    Madison, Connecticut
    Age
    66
    Posts
    4,788
    Images
    400

    Default

    Tuts, I yearly go to Poe Paddy State Park [not Poe Valley], the last week of april. The mid state trail runs thru it, Lean-to site # 126. 26 April thru 29 April, stop by, we'll be car/camp fishin', so we'll have all the luxuries.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-02-2010
    Location
    Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    10

    Default

    Never heard of this one. Sorry i cant help, but thanks for posting. Ima pa. guy.... interesting. Very interesting.
    There is a 76mile loop called the quehanna trail that leaves from, and ends back in, parker dam state park... not too far from altoona.
    Nice hike and parker dam has a woodhick festival every year... sometime around august. It was a nice suprize when i walked into the park with a day left over at the end of my walk.
    Roots.. rocks.. shady spots.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by checker View Post
    Never heard of this one.
    Pennsylvania's longest and wildest footpath can be found online at http://hike-mst.org/ - part of http://www.greateasterntrail.net/ - also there have been several WB threads.

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-25-2008
    Location
    Rothrock State Forest, PA
    Posts
    93

    Default

    I sent you a PM

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-25-2008
    Location
    Rothrock State Forest, PA
    Posts
    93

    Default

    There is a thru-hiker on the Mid State Trail right now headed south to north. Check out Handlebar on trailjournals.com under Mid State Trail 2012.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Intercity buses go to a stop called "Corning Gang Mills, NY" which is a few blocks away from the Crystal Hills Trail roadwalk so that might be about a day and a half prequel to an MST hike if so inclined. Mansfield, PA is also reachable by bus so it might be that a hanger-on at http://www.wildasaphoutfitters.com/ might be able to shuttle you over from there or possibly even from Corning or Elmira.

    Or PM me the date you were thinking of and I'll check my schedule.

    Bring orange and avoid red, white, and blue during turkey season in PA.

  8. #8

    Default

    Good luck and have fun, the MST is a challenging and rewarding trail. More scenic, rugged, and isolated than PA's AT. The northern third of the trail traverses the plateau region with some big descents and climbs, many nice views, and several waterfalls. Sand Run Falls is beautiful and a great place to camp. Stony Fork has cascades, waterslides, and impressive swimming holes- be very careful trying to cross in high water. Gamble Run is another nice place to camp.

    The trail passes through several state parks that have showers, the park may allow you to shower, but best to contact them first. Some state parks allow backpackers to shower for a few dollars.

    The trail passes right in front of the Woolrich factory store, where there is also a shelter.

    The southern 2/3rds of the trail traverses the ridge and valley region. Trail gets very rocky in places, but there are some superb views. Ravensburg is a nice little state park, Poe Paddy is in a rugged gorge with talus slopes (and a tunnel the trail goes through). Indian Wells overlook is phenomenal, as are the views before the descent to Little Juniata Water Gap Natural Area, a great spot in its own right.

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Wondering if the OP changed plans, haven't heard from him. Also no postings from Handlebar since the 11th.

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-25-2008
    Location
    Rothrock State Forest, PA
    Posts
    93

    Default

    Tuts website now lists Taconic Ridge Loop Trail instead of the Mid State Trail.

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Although the geology is quite different there's still lots of edges of pointy rock there too.

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Did Handlebar drop out? Journal still holding on 4/11 in State College. Wondering what he thought of the snow this past week, there was some in Tioga County about when I'd figure he'd be there.

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    As of right now Handlebar's trailjournal is updated through 4/25 when he was partway through section 17. Trail journal reported that he had hunkered down in his tent on Oregon Hill during the snow.

    I led a (previously scheduled far in advance) hike through part of that section on 4/29, and seen that he had signed a trail register on 4/26 at forks of Slide Hollow near Morris just north of the reported campsite. I understand his plan was to head into Wellsboro, but the owner of the local outfitter there (Blue Heron AT '02) didn't report seeing him. There is a lot of nuisance crap broken tops down now that there wasn't last weekend.

    Also in the morning of 4/29 (we got there by 10 am so they must have been real early birds or date confused) at that register, "Skeeter" a SOBO thru-hiker had signed, and also "volks-man" who presumably is the fellow who posts here sometimes and also on YouTube. Not too common on MST to be the 3rd register entry at 10 am!

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    09-29-2008
    Location
    West Palm Beach, Florida
    Age
    69
    Posts
    3,605

    Default

    I've noticed in Handlebar's previous journals (Allegheny Trail), that he sometimes finishes journal entries after the hike is over.
    The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
    You never know which one is talking.

  15. #15

  16. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-19-2007
    Location
    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
    Posts
    2,465

    Default

    Some of his reported interactions with gas drilling people are especially interesting, such as when he yogi'd water off a security guard (perhaps at the same location in a State Forest where another guard tried to chase a much fitter hiker away), and later expressing a sort of admiration for Shell.

++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •