Loyalsock Trail (PA) Jan 4-5

“Be cool if you could make it, startusloop. I bet you and I would have some interesting electronic music conversations around the campfire. Well, interesting to us, anyway.”

“jmitch -- campfires legal and safe up there?”

“blaze away!

yeah, they're allowed.”

“Hey jmitch, my brother and I made a batch of beef jerky out of flank steak. If there's any left, I'll bring it. If my brother eats it all (most likely scenario), I'll make another batch. We developed a secret recipe that makes all others inferior.”

“If I eat it...I'll become inferior???”

“Yes.”

“i made my last batch of deer jerky this weekend. but i won't have any for the trip because i'm giving it to my brother and a friend (high demand). i'm all out of ground deer meat.

artex, you still need guidance in your jerky making endeavors. makes all others inferior?? please. my jerky will always reign supreme.

the test, you see, is not if the recipe is secret, but does it taste good...”

“if others seek jerky nirvana, i may give a spiritual lesson at camp, if i feel you are worthy enough.”

“We shall see about the jerky, sir jmitch of the venison. The bountiful flavor of this last batch makes those who taste it think that there is a party in their mouth, and everyone is invited.”

“I'm going, but I'm not sure if I should bring snowshoes or not. By next weekend, I would think that a foot of snow would be packed down enough that they won't be needed.”

“richb, depends on traffic....how much traffic do you think that trail gets this time of year?”

“Not that much traffic, but I assume there will be some and you could just walk in the tracks of others. Besides that snow compresses over time and what was one foot should be much less in a week, especially if it warms up for a couple of days.”

“artex, i'm beginning to question if your jerky is even legal with hallucinations like that.

in winter, the loyalsock is rarely hiked, outside of popular dayhikes; trail shouldn't be too packed down.”

“Come on Fritz - get over to the Trip page and change that maybe to a confirm!

I'll have my snowshoes with me for the drive but I have a hunch we won't need them. Temps are going to be rising in the next 5 days.

If the trail is snowshoe worthy, my thought is that the snowshoe guys can lead the way and the boot guys can follow behind?”

“Hey, at least I am on the list. What's up with commitment-phobic Artex? :)”

“PA weather is getting warmer and wetter, so I wonder how much snow will be left in another week.

Here's the weather forecast for nearby Shrewsbury for you folks.”

“I just saw the forecast tonight on the 6 pm news and they are calling for heavy rain mid week and temps in the upper 40's, possible small stream flooding with all the snowmelt and rain. If that comes to pass I doubt snowshoes will be needed since much of the snowpack will have melted.”

“there are several stream crossings which may get a little tricky in high water. the toughest will be double run, but we can circumvent it by using PA 154.

luckily there are bridges across the loyalsock, which is the size of a small river.

so far weather looks partly sunny, highs in the 30s for the weekend.”

“I am perhaps still a little naive here...are some kind of "waders" mandatory here? Or do the tough guys just wade right through the cold water? :)”

“no need for waders, the one stream that might give us trouble can be avoided via a road bridge. if the forecast is right, the trail will be plenty wet, and the waterfalls will be awesome.”

“I'm bringing my homemade waders just in case. The creeks we have to cross aren't big and usually are no problem, but I feel better having them. I fractured my arm trying to cross a creek out there last spring.”

“We can always construct a raft.”

“We tried to construct a bridge, which is how Rich broke his arm.”

“Okay, no constructing of anything, too risky.”

“Wait until summer, then raft constructing would be a blast. Bring a TT t-shirt to use as the sail! We'll take lots of pics.”

“Oh, c'mon, Artex...you know what it means, if we let fear deter us from building the arkraft...yup, that's right...the terrorists win.”

“You know Fritz, you're right. I'm building that raft, dammit!! Even if I have to do it alone!”

“what time will folks be getting to the trailhead?

it is a long shot for me to be there this weekend, but i would like to know what time some folks will be getting there. go eagles mere!”

“was when i was a boyscout. the park ranger didn't even get mad that we were swimming near the campground. he did ask us to head back down stream to the roped swim area though.

anyway...... if i'm coming north on 220, should i turn left before i head up over sonestown mountain or stay on 220 until i get there near laporte? i can't remember which way is quickest.”

“9 am is the departure time. eagles mere is a cool little town, sort of snooty, though.”

“baume, at muncy valley, turn left onto PA 42, about 2 miles before eagles mere, turn left on a road to worlds end, there's a sign. or take 220 to laporte, turn left on PA 154 to the park.”

“baume, would love to have you come. You could probably crash on my couch the night before, if that helps. (I'd have to check with the boss.) I'll be leaving at 6am Saturday.

Where are you coming from?”

“anyone have a link to a trail map? how far from NYC is it?”

“Hey Baume, that left turn is just past the Texaco station on Rte 42. Last chance for provisions!”

“i live in richmond virginia now, grew up outside of towanda (leraysville area). i guess i could call that outside of tunkhannock for jmitch. if i can get monday off from work, i will be there. i have to work until 6 PM friday and supposed to be back at work 6 AM monday. if i can get monday off, i won't have to be back until wednesday night at 6 PM. this will give me sunday evening, monday and tuesday to visit with family and friends about 1/2 hr. further up the road.

don't know for sure how i will work the arrival time. it'll probably take me around 7 hrs. to get to world's end from here. that will put me in that area around 1 AM. fritz, as generous as your offer is, i wouldn't feel right showing up on your doorstep that late. i wouldn't even want you to have to ask your wife if a stranger could come over at midnight and stay the rest of the night. thank you for the offer though. i have a new marmot bag i need to try out anyway. i will probably drive up there and sleep in the back of the truck somewhere.


i have my wife's blessing, as usual. isn't she great. now all i need is for my christmas present to get here (and the time off from work). chugach pants. yeaaaaahhh bbbaaaaabbbbbyyy!”

“well, i could take a right and head for bloomsburg. is knobles grove open this time of year?”

“forksville also has a general store.

i don't know of an online map. type in "loyalsock trail" in your search engine for a few different sites.

maybe the loyalsock will be raging this weekend, it has class IV rapids. weather looks decent.”

“does eagles mere still have that ice slide?”

“leraysvile? i was up there last week at the leraysville cheese factory, very good cheese.

i don't believe knoebel's is open now. you can always camp at worlds end, they have warm showers too.”

“yep, the tobaggan slide is still there, getting more popular, the streets are often packed on weekends.”

“oh, the trail is roughly 4 hrs from NYC”

“thanks for the info - looking forward to joining the trip!”

“OK, sorry, but I just can't hold off this impulse anymore...


Did some guy have disloyal socks once or something? He was so happy when he got loyal socks he felt the need to name this trail (or river, or whatever) after them? Inquiring minds want to know...”

“loyalsock is from the indian word "lawi-saquick," meaning "middle stream" as the creek's watershed is in between two other streams.

the loyalsock is more of a river than a creek, it's over 60 miles long with great scenery, whitewater, and good fishing.

bitpusher has learned something new today.”

“lol.....yes I have....”

“That's a good question, bitpusher. Or perhaps a local gentleman with the last name of Loyal owned an ock that was the center of a fable of some sort. Perhaps Jmitch will tell us this tale around the campfire, I'm sure we'd all love to know the real story behind Loya's ock.”

“Dang! Jmitch posted before I did.. disregard the nonsense I just posted.”

“i should know one way or the other by tomorrow afternoon. come on "thing".”

“all persons driving and leaving their car at worlds end must register with the state park. this is very easy, we'll just stop by the park office before we begin and let them know which cars belong to whom and why they'll be there overnight.”

“baume, seriously, you could be at my house by 11:00, and it wouldn't be a problem. Let me know if you decide that sounds appealing. Not sure how far out of your way it would be. I'm 5 minutes off the PA Turnpike.”