Giving Thanks - Allegheny JohnnyCake/Tra cy Ridge

“I am leaning more towards friday myself, ENS. Let's keep that day as a tentative. What about you, Helinka? Which day was preferable to you?”

“Q and I are leaving MI on Thursday, after our early Thanksgiving dinners, prolly 4/5. We're under 4 hours from the OH/PA border. I think we'll be camping at Tracy Ridge that night... Hiking on Friday morning.”

“That's cool then, Tara. I hope to get a very early start as this is probably at least 6 or 7 hours for us...”

“We can work out the meeting details later.”

“i have a vacation day thursday, so i'm planning on leaving after work & driving in sleep-deprived haze until i either get to PA or the sun comes up, whichever comes first”

“Would it be easier for you to just go to Pa then, Helinka?”

“as long as i remember to drive in the right direction, its a straight run down around the lake for me. i woulda liked to carpool though; are you sure you can't swing by & pick me up after work?”

“Ok, I'll be at my father's in Southeast NY on Thursday. I was going to leave there at some point on Friday morning -- could be real early and a direct trip if necessary, or I could come back downstate and meet up for rides. Either way would work, depending on what time we would need to be there by...”

“so have the trails been laid out yet? I just called them and they are sending me some maps.mmmmmmmm maps
i was wondering what the milage was?

PS, can i get in on this ride too? or are you full?”

“mapes - we're not at max yet at this point, even if all of the maybes confirm, so yes there is room!

Once you get yer maps, take a few and really look at them. There should be a bunch of trails heading about west out of Tracy Ridge CP. Check the route thread on the trips page to get a little head start. A few people have posted some good ideas. One of the main things that impressed me about this area is that there is plenty of places to "put it" at along the whole "loop". The links on the trip site go to some pretty good maps, also.”

“PS - I can't vouch the elevation gain/loss, or degrees of incline. I saw a topo once and it looked like Tracy Ridge CP was up high on the ridge and that we would be hiking downward, I believe toward our camp area. Now, there are may options to camp, like somewhere along the trail or at one of the two CP. I think that the way we might take this thing on, is that we set a goal area to set up 1st camp and everyone can take whatever route they wish, as there is a bunch. Same for the next night. This way, there are options for almost every style of hiking (I hope! Lke I said, I've never been there).”

“I think I was more worried about having room in the car. I did print out the maps and pages and will look at them tonight.”

“trailhead is at the tracy ridge campground, elevation is about 2,400 feet. from there. it's down to the reservoir 800-1,000 feet.”

“is it the northern part?”

“It's been about 6 years since I was there but I do remember that the trailhead parking is/was less than a 1/4mi north of the Tracy Ridge Campground entrance.

Looking at the map brings back memories of fighting off the ravaging porcupines in the middle of the night and waking up to find all the metallic wrap chewed off the necks of each Beck's Dark beer bottles. They didn't even spare my mess kit and Nalgene bottle.

The Johnnycake Run Trail was my favorite part of the trail. You contour the steep slopes on the portion of the NCT parallelling the reservoir. Camping is usually found where NCT trends into the small bay at the bottom of the Johnnycake trail. There isn't much level ground but it's definitly campable.

Can't wait!!!
last edited: 10/19/04 5:42:50 PM”

“Hi i am mapleleaf and i am a map ho.

LOL

last night I went and looked at my map room and there she be. the map for ANF (not detailed mind you)
so I found the area you all want to go to.

I have a couple of questions.
I understand that some of you will meet up on thur. where were you planning on meeting the other people that will not be there till fri after/evening?
where do you plan on hiking sat?
what is the weather there that time of the year? snow?
if there is snow, should we or can we use a gear sled?


oh and can I backpack my kayak in LOL

thats it for now....”

“hey mapes, you could prolly get the yak to a boat launch via car, if you really wanted to...

check out this map ”

“thanks roam. i have that one.”

“can i get a lift?”

“Maple -

Your first two questions can be answered on the trip page:

1) Thursday night, if we get an early enough start, Q and I will be camping at Tracy Ridge CG. Otherwise, we'll get there pretty early on Friday morning. Whoever shows up on Friday afternoon or evening can meet us at Friday night's camp....Friday night, the plan is to camp around/near the Hopewell and/or Handsome Lake CGs, at the discretion of the individual hikers. If you have maps of the trail system, you'll find us.
2) The plan is to hike out (back to Tracy Ridge CG) on Saturday and drive over to Red Bridge CG for a night of car-camping. Tho, some may choose to continue hiking in the Tracy Ridge Trail System since the North Country Trail provides for plenty more miles to hike.

If I had to guess, I'd say there's prolly a decent chance of snow. It definitely gets cold enough. Check this page for average temps... http://www.weather.com/activities/other/other/weather/climo-monthly-graph.html?locid=USPA0369

Looks like a 1,400-1,600 ft elevation gain/loss from Tracy Ridge to the other CGs. So, if you wanna pull a sled up and down, go for it. Most likley, even if there's snow, I'll carry a pack. Unless the snow is more than a few inches deep. Then, I'll try and drag a sled.

Oh, and BTW, I'm no expert... :-)”

“thank you tara,

ok I understand what the plan is now.
tara when will you be there?”

“u r kidding, right?”

“umm I don't think so
did you already tell me?

you did right??

oh i don't remeber anything anymore.
I am getting old :(”

“1) Thursday night, if we get an early enough start, Q and I will be camping at Tracy Ridge CG. Otherwise, we'll get there pretty early on Friday morning. Whoever shows up on Friday afternoon or evening can meet us at Friday night's camp....Friday night, the plan is to camp around/near the Hopewell and/or Handsome Lake CGs, at the discretion of the individual hikers. If you have maps of the trail system, you'll find us.
tarabull
1:15:28 PM
10/20/04

maple needs her medicine. lol”

“"oh i don't remeber anything anymore"

Um, you don't need to remember anything; You just need to scroll up and re-read, lol

Thanks, Roam! :-)”

“that was priceless.

tara: I'll be there thursday, or maybe friday

maple: Great, now when will you be there?




Who's on first?”

“K. I'll see ya when you get there, Roam. Lookin' forward to meeting some new TTers.

And, spending time w/ old friends.”

“Q and I will be camping


well hell...I speek this no english thank you very much
:)

well I want to be there thursday night but we are car pulling so we ( tree and myself and ps)will be there fri afternoon/evening”

“it'll take a long time to get from Staten Island to Western PA if you pull your car - i suggest you drive it instead.”

“smarty pants...

our drive will be about 7 to 8 hours.”

“hmm, mines prolly on the order of around 15 or so. But I'll likely have a layover about half way.”

“no snow. pleeeeese.
i'm really really really not ready for winter.”

“well, a little would be ok, but no more than a couple of inches.”

“Thanks for all of the pick up on the info, peeps!

If there is snow and it was deep, we could put in anther area and hike the short way into the CP area.

I gotten get crackin` on that sled!”

“your going to make a sled? ok now I want one!!

instructions please :)”

“I gotta find that thread around here. There's a real goot one, too.

Maybe some research will be needed after class......”

“I wanna live where I can use a gear sled! Down here I'd need a gear pontoon!”

“oh yeah. go for it. if you find a easy one please please post it. i have always wanted one. be good to maybe carry wood if need.
and booze”

“another question


what about the hunting? is it allowed.”

“my guess is only in season.



sorry, i couldn't help myself. I feel much better now.

thanks”

“So far, so good. I still plan on attending. I'll probably shoot for Friday, but Thursday is not out of the realm of possibility.

Oooooh, I'm looking forward to this trip!
Thanks for the itinerary info Tara. Q, it's been too long.”

“i just called the nice park people and they're gonna send me some maps & more info.

FYI: TracyRidge campground is 10$/night pits, no showers(damn-my bath is gonna be cold).
MAPLE!---there isn't anything in season at that time of year but feel free to wear all your flourescent gear anyway.
and too bad for all you snow freaks...if there is any snow at that time of year, it doesn't usually stick around, yeaaaah!!
last edited: 10/21/04 2:19:35 PM”

“damn-my bath is gonna be cold).



do i see skinny dipping for us?”

“wanna join the polar bear club?”

“that is something I have never tried.
let me think about it....





ok YES!!”

“Thursday night, if we get an early enough start, Q and I will be camping at Tracy Ridge CG...
tarabull
12:15:28 PM
10/20/04

Or if you have your druthers, you can meet me at a campsite 15min off the interstate and just off the side of a road beside a babbling stream that is very near my local stomping ground. Somewhere around here.

There are almost a half-dozen car-camping sites that are pretty sweet. And at that time of the year I doubt if we'll have any competition trying to get a site. lol”

“What time will you be getting there, Buddur?”

“And, how far is it from Tracy Ridge?”

“mornin tarabull :)”

“Looks like I am going to have to pass on this one. Seems as though with as little a time I have spent with my family this semester I need to spend some time reintroducing myself over the holiday.

BTW if anyone is interested we are doing a winter hut trip in the White Mts of New Hampshire over New Years. See trips page for info.

Pete”