PA Trip Soon?

“The BFT overnight or in 24 hours is probably a good October peak colors trip, when the temps dip and the snakes are napping and spindle is waiting with cheesesteaks and Gatorade at every road crossing.”

“There. Now i know my plan.”

“zac's coming to PA?”

“says who?”

“Hey GM, we need to retry the Bob Marshall hike again some time


Yeah, I'm sure we'll be better prepared next time.”

“zac's coming to PA? WhoooHooo! Where're we hiking?

Hike hiking or hike-n-drink?”

“I don't think I want to try WRT as an overnight. That's fine tho. I'll find something to do. No biggie.

Or you could drop me at Bradley wales on a spotting run and I could do the half in a overnight.
last edited: 8/13/07 7:25:49 PM”

“Ok, ok. Yes I am coming to PA. I'm planning on hiking the BFT from Aug. 27 - 30 (taking it easy) and then I'm off to Pittsburgh to visit my old roommates from college.”

“:-<

I won't be here. You'll have to plan a return trip. Saaaay around the end of Sept.?

Welcome though! The BFT is the best.”

“Mid-week? WTF?”

“It was the only way I could fit it in my schedule. Almost 6 hours to a trailhead takes a little more planning than the 1 to 2 hours I'm used to.”

“That's understandable. Unfortunately I have some mid-week hiking this week so I won't be able to get out there to show you how it's done.”

“you'll like the BFT zac... the best place to start is the southern trailhead on Rt 44. The trailhead is 14 miles north of Haneyville on Rt 44, on the right if you're headed north (look for the small black forest trail sign on the left, the trail is right after you pass a tower on the left (it's either trout run road or naval run road, beware of the imposter trailhead that has fooled a many of TTers). If you pass the Black Forest Inn, you went too far. I like counter clockwise the best. There is a quick campsite less than a mile in from the trailhead at the headwaters of Trout Run. It's a great spot for a night arrival and has good water to start your hike. If you get an earlier start, there campsite near a small waterfall at the bottom of the first hill. I forget what run that is on, but it is quite lovely. Naval run is nice as well.

More nice spots on Little Slate Run and then up at the top of Fox Hollow... Fox Hollow is a nice lunch/break spot. Morris Run is probably the nicest campsite along the trail.

When you cross over Rt 44 and descend down into County Line Branch Glen (ultra pretty down there), see if you can sneak over to the Black Forest Inn for a meal... their food is awesome... wings are killer and you can eat black forest cake, which is quite appropriate and very yummy. There are lots of nice spots along County Line branch.... lots of beautiful birch trees down there as well as atleast 21 dicey stream crossings.

The crossing over Slate Run is the trickiest... it can sometimes be ankle deep and other times knee deep.. when we did the trail in March, it was raging and waist deep and we didn't dare cross.

Waterville Inn is a good place for a post hike meal.. the mountain burger is awesome.
last edited: 8/14/07 10:51:53 AM”

“also, don't let spindle give you directions...


;)”

“yeah, yeah

One little mishap and you're tagged for life.

We found a great stealth lawn camp site, didn't we?

;)”

“you'll probably have the trail to yourself... I love the view heading down into Slate Run, near Foster Hollow... It's atleast 180 degrees.

When you read the trail registers, you can probably look through and see numerous TT trips through the last 2-3 years.

I bet you'll see some timber rattlers.”

“hahaha yeah.. front and center”

“his and hers privy seats even.

You can't plan this stuff as well. ;)”

“Thanks for the tips ENS. I'll make sure I find someone reliable for directions. ;-)”

“Spindlette's directions were very reliable.... they were just wrong.”

“nuh uh. "If you pass the Black Forest Inn you've gone too far"....

Left out there was "if you're coming in from north of the Black Forest Inn"...Oh and "watch out for the "fake" trailhead"...

;)

shhhhhh! we're stealthing!
last edited: 8/14/07 12:08:34 PM”

“spindle would never go for that. I need lilmountaingirl for that kind of madness”
nogranola
6:31:50 PM
8/13/07

You rang?

BFT in 24 hours?

Yes?”

“I'd be up for that. Never had a 40 mile day.”

“Ok, BFT in 24 hours, on a fall weekend in October. Who wants to get in on this??

If we're nice to her, spindle will run the support mobile and catch up with us at the road crossings where we will be properly fed and watered.”

“If my schedule permits I would be willing to assist with support. October is not the most open month for me weekend speaking.”

“I want in on this and probably so will Pennsy and crazypace.''so you know... this is a near death sentence. I bet not many have ever attempted this. This maybe harder than even the Devils Path dayhike.
last edited: 8/14/07 3:42:10 PM”

“I'll pass”

“You can drive support with me if you want.

We'll bring our own cooler. ;)”

“Hard schmard. If you can keep a three mile per hour pace it will only take 14 hours. Start before daybreak and mosey.

It also looks like we've got two volunteers to run support wagons so that will make it a bit easier. All we'll have to carry is water and a first aid kit.”

“Mmm, I'd love to, Spindle, but certain circumstances could make it uncomfortable.
We'll see...”

“Right-o.

Still, you could run rabbit and see if nogranola catches you. That would be fun.

;>”

“Stop being such a tease :)”

“How much of a head start does he get and how much weight are we putting in his pack??”

“time to start training.”

“Starting this weekend :)”

“North or south this time?”

“Sheesh.... wait a minute... are we still doing the MST as advertised?

I am NOT gonna even try the WRT in a day hike.... If the MST is gonna turn into a butt thumping killer trek I will go elsewhere thany you very much... :)”

“Rev--

We're doing an easy stretch of MST Thursday and Friday. The killer butt thumping starts after that :)”

“That's all I wanted to hear....”

“40 mile days ???? What are you guys frigggen
nuts ??????


I'm in.”

“I say the start line for this should be Slate Run.. get a buttkicking hill done right away.

Plus, we can start at mile marker 1.
last edited: 8/14/07 5:28:20 PM”

“Where are we planning on ending up on Friday? Back at Blackwell or out by 287?”

“Ending up at Blackwell on Friday.”

“Rather than trying to out run the trainees for the buttkick fest...and rather than just going home after the one night... I am considering continuing south on the MST to Little Pine State Park. Anybody interested in joining me on that leg?”

“Y'all still interested in the 24 hour BFT hike?

Pansies.”

“Last I knew t was still in the works. I heard a tentative date but don't remember what it was....”

“Y'all still interested in the 24 hour BFT hike?

Pansies.”
lilmountaingirl
2:31:35 PM
8/21/07

Fools would be more like it. LOL

I've hiked the BFT - you can do it in 24 hours ifn ya want, have fun, knock yourself out.

:)

You must have a grudge against your feet!”

“I done posted it on the trips page.”

“*yawn*stretch*bump*

Whoops. Anything happening in PA these days?”

“maybe next weekend. Maybe OLP (I know, we were just there), maybe Tuscarora section. One of my buds from work is wanting to go out and I let him borrow my PA book to pick out a hike.”