Good News for PA. Hikers

“In our local newspaper today, I read that 2,000 acres of watershed land was purchased and will be added to Lackawanna State Forest. This is great news since the land was threatened with development and is an important source of drinking water for the entire lower Lackawanna Valley. It's nice land too with 2 mountain streams great fishing and hiking. In the next few years I'm sure the trail system for the forest will be expanded. I would like to do a trip or at least a dayhike to include this new land if anyone is interested. I've been hiking and fishing on it for many years since the owners allowed hiking on their land. This also opens the door for future purchases since the entire area is heavily forested, but presently in private ownership. The owners do allow hiking, however.”

“awesome, thanks for the news. is it north of the pinchot trail? i'd like to go there. hopefully that entire region will be protected someday.”

“even better news- 7,000 acres total will become public land!!



PRIME WATERSHED LANDS TO BE ACQUIRED IN NORTHEASTERN PA

HARRISBURG: Thousands of acres of prime watershed and forest land in northeastern Pennsylvania, known as the Theta Lands, are being protected with an agreement signed today by officials from Luzerne County and The Conservation Fund.

“This is a landmark day for land conservation in northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Michael DiBerardinis. “For decades, these lands were managed by a water company for watershed protection purposes. That ownership provided significant protection of the water supply in that region as well as habitat for many species. Public ownership of these lands will continue that needed protection, while allowing for timber management and public outdoor recreation.”

At today’s meeting in Wilkes-Barre, county commissioners approved $4 million for the acquisition of four tracts in Luzerne and Lackawana counties, totaling more than 7,000 acres, from the Theta Lands Corp. A $1 million grant from DCNR is expected early next year to complete the deal.

Luzerne County will acquire almost 5,000 acres of the Arbutus Peak Oak Barrens and two parcels near Nescopeck State Park from The Conservation Fund. The county and DCNR have had preliminary discussions about a joint management agreement for the Barrens property. The Conservation Fund will transfer the remaining acreage ‑ more than 2,000 acres in Lackawanna County known as the Watres property ‑ to DCNR for inclusion in its Lackawanna State Forest. The Conservation Fund expects to transfer the land in Spring 2004.

“This project represents a lot of work over a long period of time, and I am pleased we reached an agreement before the end of the year,” said Luzerne County Commissioner Thomas A. Makowski. “I believe the people of northeastern Pennsylvania will realize this was clearly one of the most important environmental endeavors in which the county has ever been a participant.”

The Barrens was identified as one of the priority sites for preservation in Luzerne County for its watershed attribute and critical habitation in the Lackawana Bi-County Open Space, Greenway and Outdoor Recreation Master Plan. The area was also listed on the Natural Areas Inventory as one of the richest barrens for butterflies and moths in the Northeast.

“Thanks to the leadership of Luzerne County, support of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and commitment of the Theta Lands Corp., we are protecting critical wildlife habitat and expanding important recreational lands,” said Larry Selzer, president of The Conservation Fund. “This public-private partnership demonstrates the extraordinary results that can be achieved when corporations and public agencies work together to find balanced conservation solutions.”

This acquisition represents the latest Conservation Fund and DCNR project protecting important watershed lands in Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, the Fund worked with the state to acquire and protect more than 9,000 acres of prime woodlands in Columbia and Northumberland counties from Pennsylvania Suburban Water Company.

For more information on the land acquisition, contact Nick Dilks of The Conservation Fund at (703) 908-5836.”

“That's awesome!!

richb- I'd be interested in hiking there as well. Let me know whenever you set up a trip.”

“rich b, where are the arbutus peak oak barrens? i'd like to go there. i think you should write a hiking guide about this region!”

“Thanks richb and jmitch. If you guys put together a hike in the new area, please post to let us know. Have a great New Year.
NJPacker”

“Jmitch, the land is located right next to the Painter Creek section of the Pinchot trail system. The Watres Land deal should include all of Painter Creek, Panther Creek and Panther Hill. Panther Hill has a nice vista on top and the creeks are superb catch and release fisheries for wild brook and brown trout. This is the most remote land of the watershed and it's a great Christmas present to see it will be preserved. For years it seemed like the State and local governments had no interest in preserving watershed lands, so maybe their thinking is starting to change. Next, it would be great to see them preserve Green Run and Green Hill watershed a few miles away. Many old growth trees next to the creek and another nice vista I visit frequently.

I don't know about the peak oak barrens and I never heard of it.

I'm thinking about possibly putting a hike together to include the new land maybe for the weekend of Jan. 9. I didn't see any trips on the trips page that weekend, so if the weather is good maybe it would be a good time to go.”

“Hope you have fun on the trip! Unfortunately I won't be able to make that weekend as I have a ski trip planned.”

“That is great news.I have never backpacked in that area of Pa but I have done all the 90+ miles of the NCT in Alleghney National Forest.

To me Pa has some of the best backpacking in the Midwest.

8)”

“word”

“I got up early this morning and did a 12 mile loop on this land. The creeks have dropped a little and I was able to cross all, but one stream without waders. Clear weather made for good views at the vista.”

“Sounds like a good time. Capture any pictures?”

“Any rocks, rich? Please, tell me there are no rocks. Please.

"Rockless". Say the trails rockless... K?”

“I didn't take any pictures yesterday Scorch, although I do have pictures of the area from previous hikes. I need to dig them out and put them on Webshots. I also need to get with it and upgrade to a digital camera someday.

Gojo, there isn't many rocks there. Much of the hiking is bushwhacking, old and new logging roads and old railroad grades. One grade is the remains of the old Wilkes Barre Eastern Railroad built in 1897 by J.P. Morgan and was a connection from Plains, PA to Jersey City. It took only 4 years to build, but went bankrupt right after the depression and ran its last run in 1937. They built one long bridge here that spanned the entire valley above Panther creek, but it has been gone for many years.”

“Awesome. If u get your pictures up there, let me know”

“OK, Scorch, I'll work on scanning some over the weekend.”

“I posted my pictures of the new land on Webshots. The first 7 pictures are on the new section and the rest were taken on another section of the watershed a few miles away. Click here to check them out.”

“Kick ass pictures Richb that looks like great hiking there!


8)”

“richb- Looks like an awesome hike. Looks like you got great weather too! I'll have to get up there sometime to check it out. Maybe sometime in the summer for a weekend.”

“Damit I want to backpack!!!!!



8|”

“Me too. Next weekend is out of the question for me though,.. I am going on a ski weekend.”

“Scorch, those are all older pictures from various hikes and fishing trips, but the landscape still looks the same today.”

“Next weekend is supposed to be really cold, but that's good hiking weather. At least you know it won't rain.”

“Cold is good!


8)”

“I prefer the cold!”

“I like hiking in the cold and this week will be the first arctic blast for the season. Nightime lows in the higher terrain could be below zero toward the end of the week.”

“Wow, I think the low for us this week is 8.”

“I saw 4 degrees for around here on Thursday night. It's always about 8 degrees colder in the mountains so it's possible it could be below zero for the first time this year. That's pretty cold for not having a snowpack on the ground. There's no snow at all left up here. The last 2 days were in the 50's with rain.”

“Yea, it was 62 yesterday in Jersey during the hike... felt soooo hot cause now I'm acclimated for winter!”

“So you are ready when the arctic blast gets here this week. It'll be cold on the ski slopes over the weekend.”

“Can't wait”

“Great pictures, Rich! Is Springbrook the creek that we hiked one time, the one where I wanted to find a campsite because it was so pretty? I remember that it wasn't too far from the Pinchot Trailhead and we didn't cross the creek, I think. Bear creek we crossed but is that land not part of the protected land?

The picture of the place called the Wall was really an awesome picture. I want to get a print of that if possible.”

“Nice pics. Looks like a beautiful area.

Did you spelunk the Boar Hole?”

“Lyndy, The creek we were at was Meadow Run on the Gamelands that flowed into Bear Creek. We never made it to Springbrook on that hike. We have to do a nice loop there. I'll see if I have a duplicate picture of The Wall. That whole section of stream is just great with other twists and turns to carve deep pools.

Buddur, I've never hiked through the Boar Hole, but I will think about that now that you mentioned it. I did hike through another tunnel in the area many years ago with a high school friend. It's almost a half mile long through the mountain and was made to run a water pipe down to the valley. It isn't high enough to walk upright so we kind of crept on top of the pipe with a flashlight. I don't think I'd do the stunt again though. Everytime I hike by there I think about that day. I do plan on doing a hike in the area. I'm thinking about starting at the Pinchot trailhead and heading into the new section of land from there. That's really the only place where there would be suitable overnight parking. For dayhikes there are other spots to park.”

“great pics, looks like a very nice area”

“Rich,

Great pics! It's nice to know that thanks to you, I've had the privilege of hiking along some of those hills and streams. Thanks for leading us on some great hikes there. And if I was a fly fisherman, I suspect I might find myself in some of those angler shots, eh?”

“Yes, definitely all dressed up in waders and vest with fly rod in hand.”

“I was surprised to find how hard it is to stand and walk in the middle of a rushing creek without losing your balance. It is a learned skilled I think. Rich makes it look too easy, then you get out there and then Whoa!!! Splash!!!”

“Walking up the middle of creeks against the resistance of the water is good exercise. It helps to have felt bottom waders though for grip against slippery stones and moss.”

“I went for a short snowshoe hike today on the new land. I saw the DCNR ranger cross country skiing there and he told me they plan to keep the new section of land for foot travel and cross country skiing only. No snowmobiles will be allowed. That was nice to hear considering the remote location of the property, it really would ruin a hiking experience to hear, see and smell snowmobiles. Some hiking trails are already there so they will just need to blaze them and print a new map.”

“All common observations regarding snowmobiling richb.

I just wrote a letter to BSP urging the authority to continue to allow snowmobiles on the perimeter road in the park.

A couple of weekends ago, I was in the park when we got 16" of snow dumped on us that we weren't expecting. A group of three, two wanted to be "stranded" but as trip leader I insisted we hike out. No matter, as we were prepared to break trail out. However, there was cheering when the first snowmobile went by on the trail we had to follow out.

We noticed the snowmobile had a sled with a lot of gear attached to it. We later discovered that another group who was further in than ours had all their gear towed in and out via sled. Also later on, we found out that a member of the group actually got a ride from a sled on the way in.

What make this so interesting to me, is that the person got a ride in via snowmobile is a very staunch opponent of snowmobiles in the park. Yet she believes the rangers are required to break the trails for winter hikers via snowmobile. Along with the ride she accepted, the ranger brought her skis, and the ranger hired a guide for them to haul their gear - all by snowmobile.

Not trying to turn this thread into a snowmobile controversy, just relating my observations.

o(=D”

“In Lackawanna State Forest, snowmobiles are permitted on every main road and side road in the forest. The backpacking trail is not suitable for skiing. I always hoped that they would set aside some area for skiing only because there are so many snowmobiles it's impossible to enjoy skiing there on a weekend. They need an area set aside just for skiing. I'm not opposed to people going snowmobiling, but when they get the run of an entire area it really crowds out skiers. Who wants to go skiing when you constantly breathe 2 stroke fumes or are forced off the road by 30 oncoming snowmobiles? That's what it is like on a weekend, so to have one area set aside for skiing was long overdue. Now everyone will be able to enjoy a winter weekend there. Snowmobiles will have 6,700 acres and skiers will have 2,000 so it should keep everyone happy.”

“Sounds like a plan that'll work well for both snowmobilers and skiers. BSP is the same - snowmobiles on the perimeter road only, not on the trails.

I just thought it was funny that this person is so vocal about her opposition to snowmobiles yet so readily accepted their assistance.”

“The Dept. of Conservation recently posted a sign at the entrance to the new land that was added to Lackawanna State Forest. It was a wooden sign cemented into the ground posted with detailed land use rules along with large lettering reading "ATV's Prohibited". It didn't take long for ATVer's to rip the sign out of the ground and dispose of it. I guess it's their way of saying "we'll do whatever we want to and you can't stop us". I'm not suprised and expected this to happen, but it's kind of sad.”

“You ought to make a sigh...

No Arseholes
I Mean ATVers

...and post that yourself.”

“That's a good idea, but I'm sure they will tear that down too. It would give them something to think about though. I'm thinking someday they will put more resources into the new land if they decide to extend the Pinchot trail and start to patrol it some more. Gates sound nice, but they don't work except for cars and trucks. ATVer's tear gates down too or just plow a trail around them.”

“RichB, even though the authorities are probably already aware of delinquents tearing down signs, did you contact the Lackawanna S.F. office? I just happen to have the phone number,

570-963-4561

I'm not yet familiar with this new area, but if you need any support, please let me know.”

“go figure. what idiots. you should report them. we should all complain and report them!”

“I'm up there quite a bit and I did see the ranger and talked to the about the land. He knows about the ATV problem, but at this point does the best he can. He told me they were riding on some parts of the main Pinchot trail, but they are hard to catch.”

“I hate ATV and Snow mobile riders in the back country.”