WooHoo The PA Grand Canyon in September!

“ENS, I thought Harrisburg was gonna work out. I can get there in time Friday but no late flights Sunday. I can't afford to miss Monday.”

“Ewker, did you try lehigh valley airport ?
Its below where I live about 20 min. I could take you there sunday if they have a flight.”

“Crazypace, when I enter Leigh Valley nothing comes up. It gives me a list of 8 airports 45 to 100 miles away”

“ewker, try Allentown or ABE (allentown, bethelhem and Easton)”

“Ewker,

What about flying into Chicago first thing Friday morning. I can pick you up, then we can split?”

“it's not leigh valley ewker, it's lehigh.”

“Ahhh... Pine Creek, right? I've seen some pretty amazing photos of that place just after the clearcutting that surrounded Williamsport's logging boom. It was decimated. Beautiful second growth forest all around there now.”

“baume, when I search for Lehigh or leigh it corrects it to the right spelling. It still list airports 35 to 80 miles away.

Last time I checked Scranton had flights that would work. Now who is coming through there

I can be in Scranton at 12:30 or 2:30PM on Friday the 16th, flights depart Sunday the 18th at 5:30 or 6:30pm

are those flight times doable by anyone coming thru the area”

“you should email jmitch or richb, they are both from the Scranton area and are potential attendees for this trip.”

“Richb said the other day he was in the area but couldn't commit to going yet. I can't afford to book a flight then not have a ride.”

“Hey ewker, try this
http://www.lvia.org/”

“Hey PhantomSoul,

I'm a definite maybe.
Sore after this weekend? I am :)”

“Here's an idea:

by sept, the section of the mid state i scouted may be blazed. it begins a blackwell, climbs to the rim of the canyon with awesome views from the east rim. descends along a cascading stream to stony fork, an exceptionally beautiful stream with deep swimming holes, waterfalls, rapids, awesome camping, flumes, chutes, and water slides, so beautiful. kaykers love it in high water. it's an additional 9 miles, but worth it!”

“Only if you can promise we get stuck in a thunderstorm.”

“I'm still thinking about this trip. Airline prices have gone up since the last time I checked”

“...anyone who was in the Adirondacks this weekend can back me up on that.”

“jmitch's idea sounds pretty cool.

jmitch, is that brand new section of the MST? When the Midstate is completed to the Finger Lakes Trail, that is going to be an awesome stretch of trail.”

“so is the MST going to be re-routed and not connect to the WRT in Blackwell? It sounds like you are saying the MST is going to follow the east rim of the canyon.”

“The connection from Blackwell to WRT will remain, as one of several MST spurs. The main line will head to the east rim and onward towards the FLT.”

“that will be very cool when completed. I think that will be the best section of the trail.”

“I really don't like to do this, but please note that I had to bump this trip up a weekend to swap it with some social engagements that I will have to attend the weekend of 17 Sep.

Sorry if you can't make the new dates; in that case perhaps we can meet up another time...”

“works for me”

“Thats my wedding aniversary. No man alive can get out of that one. so I'm out :-(”

“We're never going to hike together are we...?”

“Just drinking, eating and camping (which, when ya think about it, isnt too shabby).
Black forrest is the week before and then there's this weekend on the AFT.
I gotta get the west rim in before year end, mabey a winter trip with snowshoes ?”

“Can't do the AFT this weekend, nor can I do Black Forest on Labor Day. What is that -- strikes like 17 and 18 now? We're not exactly on a winning streak here...

The snowshoe on the west rim sounds interesting though...”

“Well next year I wanna conquer the NJ - A.T.
I'll be finished with PA this year, so NJ & NY will be next. So I'll be heading your way.
Snowshoe west rim = hell yeah!”

“there is always next weekend at the drunkin fest when we assault the mighty summit of Pennsylvania's pinnacle from Blue Rocks CG! Only to return and have yummy cajun food made by a native Louisianian. WooHoo!”

“Oh yeah, forgot. I'm there.”

“not to mention, lots of free beer from the other side.”

“On the AT, NJ and NY are grouped together, since both states are kinda short and the trail weaves in and out between the two between High Point, NJ, and Greenwood Lake, NY.

Cool Features include:
-Sunfish Pond
-High Point
-The Secret Shelter
-Pochuck Swamp Boardwalk with its massive suspension bridge over...well, nothing?
-The Stairway to Heaven
-The Lemon Squeezer
-The Lowest Point on the AT at Bear Mtn Bridge (124 ft above sealevel)
-The Graymoor Friary (more of a thru hiker thing).”

“I was on vacation this week with the wife and child. I will have to see if she will let me come out a week early to play.”

“Sorry, no can do for this. Got White Sox tickets for the series against the Angels this weekend.”

“Well, this trail certainly kicked our butts when we attempted a winter hike so I was looking forward to sweet REVENGE... sadly, that won't be happening this trip. I'm getting back the weekend before this trip after 2 weeks in Glacier, Yellowstone, and the Tetons (poor me, I know.. anyone have tissues?). So I wish you guys (and gals) the best of luck - it should be an awesome weekend! Take pictures, don't forget to write!

- icarus”

“If I don't go on the Grayson Highlands trip I'll join in here . . . provided you don't mind having a shy guy along.”

“Who left the door unlocked and let Bizzaro in?”

“Hey Icarus, Glad to hear from you. Fall should be a nice time for this trail. I am also looking forward to another snow trip.”

“Yes! a snow trip. Since I'm gonna miss this one, I hope we can put together another one during winter.”

“I have a great idea for one. It's a place My Mom told me about. It is called Letchworth Park in New York. Perhaps in late autumn.”

“A link: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=12”

“Letchworth is in western NY -- somewhat south of Rochester. Not sure how the backpacking is in the area, but I know there's some awesome waterfalls in the neighborhood.

Also, the Finger Lakes Trail/North Country Trail run thru that neighborhood. I've got some literature on that area from the Finger Lakes Trail Conference. I'll have to check it out. Lots of snow out that way in the winter; part of the Great American snow belt...”

“The FLT/NCT hits the southern end of Letchworth Park, the big waterfalls are near the southern end. A 20 mile spur off the FLT heads along the eastern rim of Letchworth, the main scenery is near its southern end. If you're planning a backpacking trip a close reading of the official and recent blue maps published by FLTC http://www.fingerlakestrail.org is advised.

To get almost back on topic, maybe you could be able to backpack from Letchworth, NY's Grand Canyon, down to Pine Creek Gorge, PA's Grand Canyon, in 10 years or so. Lotta work yet, check out the June 24 news clip on http://www.northcountrytrail.org for a story about it.”

“Thanks PS, Thanks KiOeh, I am still in the What if stage. thanks for the info.”

“ahhhh yeah, less than a month to go”

“Bastards!!! I wanna go. This is not fair.
:-(((((((((((((((((((((( (that was a long face)”

“Cool, I'm free that weekend - I think. I put myself down as a maybe. I'll confirm with the other half tonight.

Damn I need some trail time!”

“yeah but CP, you'll be dayhiking on the AT in Cumberland Valley.

Hey actually, I have an idea on how you could do this trip. I bet there is a B&B in Wellsboro and Welsboro is a really pretty town and has lots of nice shops. Nice place to spend an anniversery with the wife.

there is a state park that you can drive to and would get you to the halfway point of the trail. The best part of the hike will be Sunday. We will be camping near that state park. Perhaps you and Michele could drive in and meet us and then dayhike with us and then we could shuttle you.”

“Wow, that's pretty extreme, but hey, at least he's trying...”

“I'm with PS on this one. He needs to butter her up so he can continue to come out with us”