Tuscarora conditions in PA

[Camping Dave]

What are the current conditions on the Tuscaroroa in the Buchanan state forest? I'm looking for a spot to take some scouts but don't want to posthole through a foot of snow all day.

Thanks

[AegisIII]

I was just up there, approximately from the Sharpe Trail to the Bird Run Trail, just north of Cowans Gap, along with some of the local forest trails. In the Allens Valley area there was 2-4 inches of snow on the ground, with an easily break-through crusty surface. At the top of Tuscarora Mountain (not actually on the TT, but some of the local trails), there are 4-8 inches, with fallen, melted and re-frozen ice on the surface. The new Bird Run Shelter is basically complete, but the privy is not yet open.

Further south, you may expect more ice at the top of Big Mountain; there was still ice on the trees there when I drove by after my hike. Heavily traveled areas (just the Cowans Gap lakeshore) will have a good chance of being slick from packed down and refreezing. For the most part, you can expect to be breaking new trail.

There was rain later today at lower elevations, so conditions may have already changed.