2009 Mid State Memorial Day Trek...
State College section...
7 times, lost the trail.
4 times, fell.
3 times, section hiked mstOhell for Memorial Day.
1 hiking stick BROKE.
Hiking the Mid State Trail...Priceless?
FOV!
Midstate Trail State College Trek at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
im still learning how to work EveryTrail. so, uh. bear (get it?) with me....
anyhoooo...the annual MST trek overview! woo woo!
so, i blame this entire MST infatuation on CBB. really. it is totally his fault. he dragged my butt from maryland to everett three years ago...and now i have this god awful desire to eventually section hike the whole rocky ass trail.
im usually not angry at a trail. i mean, backpacking has become one of my passions...COMPLETELY. love. IT.
but. the mid state trail?
dude.
its a series of. ROCKS. (WHAT on earth was Tom Thwaites - the creator of the MST - thinking???? im soooooo sending him a ROCK for xmas. in an orange paper wrapped box. ha...ok. maybe not. postage on rocks is prolly quite high.)
see? rocks. rocks. and more rocks. yes...that little orange thing there? is a BLAZE. not on a tree. not on a stick. ON A ROCK. yup. thats what a good HALF of the state college section of the midstate looks like. you arent really hiking...you are scrambling.
its like...well,
like this HUGE meteor EXPLODED over state college, pa, and um. Tom decided to make a trail on top of it all.
its a ridge top trail. i understand. but damn dude...its downright CRAZY. *grin*
this year, i did 42 miles...MIND YOU, some of them were on side trails and roads. because, there came a point...where i could. NOT. deal. with the rocks anymore.
oh boy.
so...anyhow...my recap! including pics! (of course!) (yo, click that link of you wanna see all of em...)
Friday Night:
drove to the trailhead and in my typical MO style, arrived in the dark. decided to head down to poe paddy state park and crash there for the night, to take advantage of the pit toilets and running water in the morning.
YOU KNOW whats odd? when you see an oncoming "vehicle"...with its headlights shining and someone (thing) running in front of it.
yah, that would be an amish buggy.
kinda funnie in the dark.
word.
Saturday:
Tom Thwaites, AWESOME mid state legend (aka, creator!), was kind enough to shuttle me again this year...
a little about the trail and mr. thwaites:
A monument (erected 2003) marks MST's 1969 birthplace near Little Flat Fire Tower. Volunteers of Penn State Outing Club, and many others led by MST's Founder, Tom Thwaites, headed out of town up Tussey Mountain to clear trail over the rocky ridgetop as MST grew in both directions through the "Seven Mountains." (yes, i stole that from the website...but the pic to the right is mine from last year)
so he met me at the MS pike hunting camp (rich! i found out that they are all privately owned...i have more info too...since were saw so many near CKT)...and whisked me away down to colerain road, where i was starting the trail...
THANK YOU TOM! (love that guy!)
(side note, he informed me that 35 state parks in PA are to close this year...this is NOT. cool.)
back to trail recap...
OF COURSE it was raining.
so i started off in the rain. *sigh*
but...off i went.
and no sooner than a few short hiking steps, did i remember why i hated this trail (it REALLY is a love/hate relationship)...
WHO TOOK THE TIME TO DO THIS AFTER SCRAMBLING AROUND???? *sigh*
unfortunately, the section between colerain and the first road the trail crossed, was badly overgrown...it was difficult to find the blazes at times, but considering it was ridge, and pretty slender at that, there was really only one way to go.
a lot of down trees, and overgrowth...i fell at least twice...and BROKE ONE OF MY HIKING STICKS! can you believe that? the mid state ATE my stick!
thank god for warranties!
what made it worth it?
the challenge.
the solitude.
and the VIEWS.
anyhooooooooooooo...
after 10 miles of scrambling, i just couldnt hack it any more...i had 3.5 miles to go til the campsite i plotted out...
but, i had to give in and take a side trail down. the trail, was called ironstone(sOFhell!!!!) but at least all the rocks were in the shape of steps. that descended....FOREVER.
so i made it to a road...
<---saw this. (was this guy run over by a car...or DID A ROCK FALL ON HIM??)
continued to another road.
then a closed forestry road...
then back to the trail.
i wasnt on ridge top anymore...THANK GOD.
but the "grassy tree" trail portions arent all that much better.
see, there are still rocks.
all over the place.
and you are constantly looking down, to watch your footing.
you are continuously tripping. clunking. cursing....
but you know...I KEEP RETURNING! im sick, i tell ya. (stupid CBB!!!!! I. BLAME. HIM.)
(but really, honestly, it is a GORGEOUS environment....the views are PLENTIFUL...and the parts that arent 100% hell...are breathtaking!)
anyhooo..
i collapsed at camp that night.
after a vodka and cocoa.
Sunday:
i looked at the map...and i read the trail guide (Tom is awesomely thorough!)....and i decided that i was gonna hike to the Tom Thwaites Monument, then decide whether to take the kettle trail down, or continue on the MST.
this would give me about 8 miles or so on the MST...then i figured i would cut down the kettle trail, catch the tussey trail, head down the reichley trail to MST and be around my camp destination.
yah.
um.
ok.
the kettle trail? NOT SO MUCH like the ironstone(sOFhell) trail...
What ended up happening was Kettle Path (which started out well maintained!)--->bypassed Tussey since it looked like the MST (rocks of hell)--->ended up losing trail/bustingout GPS/bushwacking through thicks to the road-->road East/couldn't locate Reichley Trail/took what I THOUGHT was Shingle Path--->WASN'T--->ended up wayyyyyyyyyyy on the corner of Thickhead in a hunting camp backyard--->busted out GPS AGAIN--->took road to John Werth Path--->Shingle Path (NICELY marked this time! But the other direction? um...not so much?)--->back to MST.
(interesting note...none of the side trails are blazed. once you get past the initial sign, you are in the hands of "the path" whether it be overgrown, well maintained, or um. invisible.)
OMG. shingle path??? WTF. that was a steeeeeeeeeeeeeeep climb.
when i looked at the map, i was like...oh. 200 feet or so. no biggie if its steep.
(same thing i was thinking about ironstone(sOFhell)...but then i remembered...
THE MAP IS IN METRIC!
yah.
um. lets continue on, shall we?
anyhow...passed out in camp again.
after a vodka and cocoa.
(btw, both sat and sun night, i didnt get to camp til...like 730ish. YEEEEEEEE)
(for the record, this only knocked off 4 miles of the entire trek...i wasnt concerned about the mileage tho...it was the TERRAIN...and i forgot how DIFFICULT this type of terrain was on my knee/feet...and how my 2 - 2.5+mph speed would NEVER be, while falling on rocks.)
Monday:
yes, i decided to actually KEEP my ass on the trail this day...the guidebook did not indicate too many evil rock scrambling cliff hanging occurances. so i thought i was good.
ok. i had a climb outta camp. (remember...metric!)...not bad.
then a descent of sorts..
then i was in the Penn R. Dam State Park.
quite cute!
i spent a little while reading the markers, seeing the sights, enjoying water i didnt have to filter...then i headed off for a climb out of there...
it was rocky, but not too bad. nice, wooded...scenic... although there were all these signs...like they were warning me or something! (haha)
but really, the climb out wasnt bad at all...and very pretty!
i ran into a very friendly woman on the way up...she was hiking down. she was older...and i was pretty amazed that she was hiking down without treking poles and almost dancing on the rocks! way to go!
she and i chatted a bit...
and then further up, i saw a man...who i presumed was her husband..
i got closer...and...
it was TOM! lol...
(no CBB...not THIS tom!)
hehe...inside joke from a few years ago...before i discovered the infamous Tom Thwaites! had to do with myspace. ha...
but anyhow...mr. thwaites was out for a hike! lol...how funnie is that to run into him along my way!
let me just side track for a moment...TOM THWAITES ROCKS! he is so freakin cool! i can only hope that i am hiking my way through life like him when i am his age! he is such an inspiration!
(although, im not sure i will share the same infatuation with rocks)....
so we chatted for a while...but it was pretty muggy and the bugs were out in SWARMS. in fact, that is why he and mrs. thwaites were heading back after only being out an hour...
i promised to send him the pics :) and i shall do so...
we parted ways...
and off i went.
did some climbs. did some falls. did some descents...
then the MOTHER OF ALL FREAKIN DESCENTS CAME ABOUT.
OH. HOLY. HELL.
I AM SO HAPPY that i did the trail south to north...because dudes...if i encountered this descent as a climb...i would have QUIT. RIGHT. THERE.
hitched a ride home.
woulda said screw it.
it was THAT. BAD.
and it wasnt the elevation change. hell. i dont think it was more than 550 feet?
but it was:
i wanted to die.
and if i had to climb UP THAT. i would have.
but.
at the bottom?
a REWARD......LOOK AT THAT stream! so beautiful! i ALMOST jumped right in! but then i felt the water. it was a little um. nipply.
so i opted to soak my bandanas and enjoy it for a bit....
after that, the trail was FAB.
an old railroad grade...then beautiful woods! quite. peaceful. i could LOOK AROUND instead of at the ground...
passed some awesome foot bridges...
and finally made it to camp...BEFORE 630!
so i enjoyed the night.....
started a fire.
lounged around..
did a little yoga.
read a book.
you know...the REWARD :)
Tuesday:
the day of departure.
*sniff*
honestly tho...my knee and feet were so jacked up (i am blaming not only the rocks, but my boots. i have used them on a handful of hikes, having just bought them a few months ago...and i need different insoles. BADLY.) that i was looking forward to getting on my merry way...
tho..of course. the minute i left. i wanted right back in the woods.
go figure.
anyhow...
i woke up early, and was eating breakfast when i felt the rain.
*sigh*
so i packed up FAST. and started to BOOK it out of there.
lemme tell you...
overgrown nature HURTS LIKE HELL when it is:
but i still made 4 miles in an hour an a half.
DAYUM.
run, pea...RUN!
i was off trail by 0950.
W00T!
got home around 1530...put away my shiznit...inspected all 5000 BUG BITES...(yes, i even used 100% deet)
YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND did a lil prep for the rest of the week.
another trek on the MST...(mostly) DONE.
overall?
a lot of scrambling. whining. pain. bitching. pain. rocks. rain. pain.
BUT...i keep returning.
i have been told, by a few ppl that the SC section is by far the most difficult with the terrain.
i hope they are right!
cos next year...i am staying FAR AWAY from state college.
haha.
and. um. wearing different boots *grin*
and..not planning as many miles per day.
and...oh yah...staying ON THE MID STATE TRAIL.
no side trails.
nope. none of those.
and um. maybe i will just dump a bunch of rocks in my backyard and "train" on them.
not the little cute kind...
you know...the kind you find after a boulder explodes.
pea, out.
7 times, lost the trail.
4 times, fell.
3 times, section hiked mstOhell for Memorial Day.
1 hiking stick BROKE.
Hiking the Mid State Trail...Priceless?
FOV!
Midstate Trail State College Trek at EveryTrail
Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
im still learning how to work EveryTrail. so, uh. bear (get it?) with me....
anyhoooo...the annual MST trek overview! woo woo!
so, i blame this entire MST infatuation on CBB. really. it is totally his fault. he dragged my butt from maryland to everett three years ago...and now i have this god awful desire to eventually section hike the whole rocky ass trail.
im usually not angry at a trail. i mean, backpacking has become one of my passions...COMPLETELY. love. IT.
but. the mid state trail?
dude.
its a series of. ROCKS. (WHAT on earth was Tom Thwaites - the creator of the MST - thinking???? im soooooo sending him a ROCK for xmas. in an orange paper wrapped box. ha...ok. maybe not. postage on rocks is prolly quite high.)
see? rocks. rocks. and more rocks. yes...that little orange thing there? is a BLAZE. not on a tree. not on a stick. ON A ROCK. yup. thats what a good HALF of the state college section of the midstate looks like. you arent really hiking...you are scrambling.
its like...well,
like this HUGE meteor EXPLODED over state college, pa, and um. Tom decided to make a trail on top of it all.
its a ridge top trail. i understand. but damn dude...its downright CRAZY. *grin*
this year, i did 42 miles...MIND YOU, some of them were on side trails and roads. because, there came a point...where i could. NOT. deal. with the rocks anymore.
oh boy.
so...anyhow...my recap! including pics! (of course!) (yo, click that link of you wanna see all of em...)
Friday Night:
drove to the trailhead and in my typical MO style, arrived in the dark. decided to head down to poe paddy state park and crash there for the night, to take advantage of the pit toilets and running water in the morning.
YOU KNOW whats odd? when you see an oncoming "vehicle"...with its headlights shining and someone (thing) running in front of it.
yah, that would be an amish buggy.
kinda funnie in the dark.
word.
Saturday:
Tom Thwaites, AWESOME mid state legend (aka, creator!), was kind enough to shuttle me again this year...
a little about the trail and mr. thwaites:
A monument (erected 2003) marks MST's 1969 birthplace near Little Flat Fire Tower. Volunteers of Penn State Outing Club, and many others led by MST's Founder, Tom Thwaites, headed out of town up Tussey Mountain to clear trail over the rocky ridgetop as MST grew in both directions through the "Seven Mountains." (yes, i stole that from the website...but the pic to the right is mine from last year)
so he met me at the MS pike hunting camp (rich! i found out that they are all privately owned...i have more info too...since were saw so many near CKT)...and whisked me away down to colerain road, where i was starting the trail...
THANK YOU TOM! (love that guy!)
(side note, he informed me that 35 state parks in PA are to close this year...this is NOT. cool.)
back to trail recap...
OF COURSE it was raining.
so i started off in the rain. *sigh*
but...off i went.
and no sooner than a few short hiking steps, did i remember why i hated this trail (it REALLY is a love/hate relationship)...
WHO TOOK THE TIME TO DO THIS AFTER SCRAMBLING AROUND???? *sigh*
unfortunately, the section between colerain and the first road the trail crossed, was badly overgrown...it was difficult to find the blazes at times, but considering it was ridge, and pretty slender at that, there was really only one way to go.
a lot of down trees, and overgrowth...i fell at least twice...and BROKE ONE OF MY HIKING STICKS! can you believe that? the mid state ATE my stick!
thank god for warranties!
what made it worth it?
the challenge.
the solitude.
and the VIEWS.
anyhooooooooooooo...
after 10 miles of scrambling, i just couldnt hack it any more...i had 3.5 miles to go til the campsite i plotted out...
but, i had to give in and take a side trail down. the trail, was called ironstone(sOFhell!!!!) but at least all the rocks were in the shape of steps. that descended....FOREVER.
so i made it to a road...
<---saw this. (was this guy run over by a car...or DID A ROCK FALL ON HIM??)
continued to another road.
then a closed forestry road...
then back to the trail.
i wasnt on ridge top anymore...THANK GOD.
but the "grassy tree" trail portions arent all that much better.
see, there are still rocks.
all over the place.
and you are constantly looking down, to watch your footing.
you are continuously tripping. clunking. cursing....
but you know...I KEEP RETURNING! im sick, i tell ya. (stupid CBB!!!!! I. BLAME. HIM.)
(but really, honestly, it is a GORGEOUS environment....the views are PLENTIFUL...and the parts that arent 100% hell...are breathtaking!)
anyhooo..
i collapsed at camp that night.
after a vodka and cocoa.
Sunday:
i looked at the map...and i read the trail guide (Tom is awesomely thorough!)....and i decided that i was gonna hike to the Tom Thwaites Monument, then decide whether to take the kettle trail down, or continue on the MST.
this would give me about 8 miles or so on the MST...then i figured i would cut down the kettle trail, catch the tussey trail, head down the reichley trail to MST and be around my camp destination.
yah.
um.
ok.
the kettle trail? NOT SO MUCH like the ironstone(sOFhell) trail...
What ended up happening was Kettle Path (which started out well maintained!)--->bypassed Tussey since it looked like the MST (rocks of hell)--->ended up losing trail/bustingout GPS/bushwacking through thicks to the road-->road East/couldn't locate Reichley Trail/took what I THOUGHT was Shingle Path--->WASN'T--->ended up wayyyyyyyyyyy on the corner of Thickhead in a hunting camp backyard--->busted out GPS AGAIN--->took road to John Werth Path--->Shingle Path (NICELY marked this time! But the other direction? um...not so much?)--->back to MST.
(interesting note...none of the side trails are blazed. once you get past the initial sign, you are in the hands of "the path" whether it be overgrown, well maintained, or um. invisible.)
OMG. shingle path??? WTF. that was a steeeeeeeeeeeeeeep climb.
when i looked at the map, i was like...oh. 200 feet or so. no biggie if its steep.
(same thing i was thinking about ironstone(sOFhell)...but then i remembered...
THE MAP IS IN METRIC!
yah.
um. lets continue on, shall we?
anyhow...passed out in camp again.
after a vodka and cocoa.
(btw, both sat and sun night, i didnt get to camp til...like 730ish. YEEEEEEEE)
(for the record, this only knocked off 4 miles of the entire trek...i wasnt concerned about the mileage tho...it was the TERRAIN...and i forgot how DIFFICULT this type of terrain was on my knee/feet...and how my 2 - 2.5+mph speed would NEVER be, while falling on rocks.)
Monday:
yes, i decided to actually KEEP my ass on the trail this day...the guidebook did not indicate too many evil rock scrambling cliff hanging occurances. so i thought i was good.
ok. i had a climb outta camp. (remember...metric!)...not bad.
then a descent of sorts..
then i was in the Penn R. Dam State Park.
quite cute!
i spent a little while reading the markers, seeing the sights, enjoying water i didnt have to filter...then i headed off for a climb out of there...
it was rocky, but not too bad. nice, wooded...scenic... although there were all these signs...like they were warning me or something! (haha)
but really, the climb out wasnt bad at all...and very pretty!
i ran into a very friendly woman on the way up...she was hiking down. she was older...and i was pretty amazed that she was hiking down without treking poles and almost dancing on the rocks! way to go!
she and i chatted a bit...
and then further up, i saw a man...who i presumed was her husband..
i got closer...and...
it was TOM! lol...
(no CBB...not THIS tom!)
hehe...inside joke from a few years ago...before i discovered the infamous Tom Thwaites! had to do with myspace. ha...
but anyhow...mr. thwaites was out for a hike! lol...how funnie is that to run into him along my way!
let me just side track for a moment...TOM THWAITES ROCKS! he is so freakin cool! i can only hope that i am hiking my way through life like him when i am his age! he is such an inspiration!
(although, im not sure i will share the same infatuation with rocks)....
so we chatted for a while...but it was pretty muggy and the bugs were out in SWARMS. in fact, that is why he and mrs. thwaites were heading back after only being out an hour...
i promised to send him the pics :) and i shall do so...
we parted ways...
and off i went.
did some climbs. did some falls. did some descents...
then the MOTHER OF ALL FREAKIN DESCENTS CAME ABOUT.
OH. HOLY. HELL.
I AM SO HAPPY that i did the trail south to north...because dudes...if i encountered this descent as a climb...i would have QUIT. RIGHT. THERE.
hitched a ride home.
woulda said screw it.
it was THAT. BAD.
and it wasnt the elevation change. hell. i dont think it was more than 550 feet?
but it was:
- the terrain
- the switchbacks (wow! they um. actually had some. sorta.)
- the steepness
- the ROCKS.
i wanted to die.
and if i had to climb UP THAT. i would have.
but.
at the bottom?
a REWARD......LOOK AT THAT stream! so beautiful! i ALMOST jumped right in! but then i felt the water. it was a little um. nipply.
so i opted to soak my bandanas and enjoy it for a bit....
after that, the trail was FAB.
an old railroad grade...then beautiful woods! quite. peaceful. i could LOOK AROUND instead of at the ground...
passed some awesome foot bridges...
and finally made it to camp...BEFORE 630!
so i enjoyed the night.....
started a fire.
lounged around..
did a little yoga.
read a book.
you know...the REWARD :)
Tuesday:
the day of departure.
*sniff*
honestly tho...my knee and feet were so jacked up (i am blaming not only the rocks, but my boots. i have used them on a handful of hikes, having just bought them a few months ago...and i need different insoles. BADLY.) that i was looking forward to getting on my merry way...
tho..of course. the minute i left. i wanted right back in the woods.
go figure.
anyhow...
i woke up early, and was eating breakfast when i felt the rain.
*sigh*
so i packed up FAST. and started to BOOK it out of there.
lemme tell you...
overgrown nature HURTS LIKE HELL when it is:
- cold.
- wet.
- slapping against ones bare, scratched up legs.
but i still made 4 miles in an hour an a half.
DAYUM.
run, pea...RUN!
i was off trail by 0950.
W00T!
got home around 1530...put away my shiznit...inspected all 5000 BUG BITES...(yes, i even used 100% deet)
YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND did a lil prep for the rest of the week.
another trek on the MST...(mostly) DONE.
overall?
a lot of scrambling. whining. pain. bitching. pain. rocks. rain. pain.
BUT...i keep returning.
i have been told, by a few ppl that the SC section is by far the most difficult with the terrain.
i hope they are right!
cos next year...i am staying FAR AWAY from state college.
haha.
and. um. wearing different boots *grin*
and..not planning as many miles per day.
and...oh yah...staying ON THE MID STATE TRAIL.
no side trails.
nope. none of those.
and um. maybe i will just dump a bunch of rocks in my backyard and "train" on them.
not the little cute kind...
you know...the kind you find after a boulder explodes.
pea, out.