Black Forest Trail - Labor Day weekend t hru hike

“Uh.......micro brewery stuff like Mendicino Brewing Company.”

“Anything thats free ?”

““Anything thats free ?”
CrazyPace
3:13:08 PM
7/13/05
ignore this user

OK, if I go I'll bring down a case of Natural Ice. 8D”

“lol Blech!”

“I will give you good PA beer - Yengling & Rolling Rock (hee,hee-I said rock).”

“I could probably manage some Redtail Ale and 46er IPA.”

“huh? LZ is complaining about 5.5 hours driving??”

“Yeah Gemini, feature that!!!!”

“For Gem, we will have Pennsylvania Schnapps.
Hey Zac, was that Redtail Ale you had at devils path ?”

“PA schnaps? ummm...i thought that was a difficult hike...u sure you wanna hike it with a hangover? LMAO. I ain't carrying your ass!

whooohoooo...this is AGAIN gonna rock!!”

““huh? LZ is complaining about 5.5 hours driving??”
Gemini
3:39:01 PM
7/13/05
ignore this user

Hey 5.5 hours is a long time when most of the hikes you do are within 1.5 hours away.

Hey Zac, was that Redtail Ale you had at devils path ?”
CrazyPace
4:13:20 PM
7/13/05
ignore this user

No, I think I brought Bass Ale. Redtail is similar in flavor.”

“Somebody brought some really good beer I never heard of. Mabey it was mountaingoat ?
We must of had 8 different kinda beers there,
I ended up with some in my cooler that I didnt bring.

Yo Gem, a little shnapps in a flask for the campnight is good.
BTW - there is no such thing as PA Schnapps.(at least I dont think there is).”

“I bet you can find some PA Schnapps in Grampa's cabinet in Lebanon County, perhaps Annville or Meyerstown (or as the the locals say, "Annwille" or "Micetawnnn")

I'm sure it tickles the throat.
last edited: 7/13/05 9:55:23 PM”

“I'm putting together a plan for this trip. I would like to start with a night hike that Friday and hike about 4-5 miles and camp near Foster Hollow. We would be hiking the loop clockwise.”

“This sounds like a cool trip, just signed up as a maybe. hopefully I'll be able to make it but, it's to soon to tell.”

“Hello. I am new to this site and was already planning on doing the BFT in October over 4 full days. I haven't posted it because I wanted to ask if the more experienced folk see a fatal flaw with an October BFT trip. Any comments?”

“So, the flatlanders return? Glad to have you folks back! I have been off the forums a while, on trail up here in canyon country doing the maintenance thing and some dayhiking. ENS don't take it tough on your trip reports bud, you did provide a public service to this trail maintainer with the laurel conditions on the West Rim, which I took you seriously and have been pruning and clearing as best as I can.

If you can let me know how to catch up with you on Sunday afternoon I will try to tag along overnight from there. Saturday is party night for me at my place, plenty of food, brew ( yes Yeung Lager, the good beer ) and the best darn fireworks display that night. Ya'all should hear it quite well down in the canyon.

Its been hot up here this week. Had some strong thunderstorms blow through last week. And the rattlers are out in force, one out in front of the house just a few days ago, and quite prevalent on trail too.

Looking forward to having you all up Labor Day!

Gus
last edited: 7/19/05 6:01:25 PM”

“I've seen 5 rattlers this year. I've never seen a rattler in the wild before this year and now I see them almost every time I am out on the trail.

I'm working on a plan for that trip. I'll post it on the trip page very soon.”

“yeah, sorry for all the drama at the beginning of the thread.”

“patrick, I don't see any flaws with doing the BFT in October, depends on how many miles you plan on doing per day. Remember, in October, light is limited. The BFT is 45 miles long and very difficult in places.

I imagine that October would be a great time to do the BFT though. The fall colors would be beautiful on this trail and the temps would make for perfect hiking weather.”

“Heat is the main reason I am going in October. It will take an extra effort to get my butt up early in the AM (read coffee), but I can get about 11 hours of light in per day. I am figuring alternate schedules with a max/min mileage for each day, the minimal being 13 miles on the first two days. The fourth day can be super short, or just enough pad time to get out during daylight. My min/max for the 4 days will be 13/16, 13/15, 9/10 and 2.5/6.

A friend took me from 30.84 to 0 in May, and I've obsessed about going back ever since. My body and my pack have lost a few pounds since then too. Even if the plan falls to pieces, at least I'll have made it back. I think I'll post the trip in case there are others interested (Oct 7-10). They reported the peak foliage at Oct 9th last year, so there should be some good scenery.

About the snakes - I saw my first one on a ridge above Lock Haven last month. I had tried to get ready for it (expecting to see/hear one) but I still about jumped out of my skin. Good eatin' though!”

“anyone have Black Forest Trail fever? i sure do. I can't wait for Labor day to get here. I will get a plan going soon. I think I am going to skip out the Friday night hike and start early Saturday morning. Who is still interested in this trip?”

“Yo”

“Still going but I'm a little distracted with Banff fever right now. :P”

“Who all is going to Banff??”

“MsKatieBear, bearmagnet, myself and then Monty & Alpha Male (from the other side) and Monty's cousin. Basically, trouble. :D”

“Has anyone call ahead to warn the authorities in Baniff yet?


I’m hoping to make this trip, but I can’t make any grantees.”

“You making grantees ? Do they taste like chicken ?”

“mmmmmmm grantees gargle gargle gargle”

“lol. That's what you get when I've only had 4 hours of sleep.”

“Hey ENS - feel free to use my maps like you did on the last BFT trips page.
BFT Topo Maps
The elevation profile is on page 1.”

“thanks Pennsy”

“How far is it each day??

I Gemini really going??

Where's my coffee??”

“it'll be a march. Probably about 15 miles per day.”

“What about that wild thing, Gemini??”

“she said she still intends to go”

“Wow, we got Gem and LMG going. I dont think they ever met.”

“I'm a strong maybe for now. My family shin-dig is tentatively scheduled for the previous weekend, which frees me up. I'm dying to get on my favorite PA trail again.”

“I'm just dying to do this trail period. Less than a month away.

Pennsy, you know of a good friday night campspot? If we can hike in some miles friday night, if we can hike some miles Friday night, that'll get us some miles in the bank for the rest of the hike.”

“If you look at my map, I have a parking area labeled at mile 23.6 on rt 44. It's actually a large pullout on the road. Heading counterclockwise, there is (or was when I did this 2 years ago) a decent campsite about a mile from the road. I have a yellow tent marking it.

Also, there is camping near mile 27 along Callahan Run, although I don't recall what the site is like.

another option is to park further up rt 44 at mile 13.2 and hike clockwise to Chestnut Ridge at mile 10. We camped there on my first BFT trip and it was ok. There was a small stream near the site.

oh, here's a link to the full size BFT map.
last edited: 8/09/05 7:45:44 PM”

“both of those sites near 44 look like good options. We should start at 44 at that big pullout lot.

That map is really cool Pennsy.
last edited: 8/09/05 8:41:46 PM”

“so I guess it is about time I post a trip plan huh?

Who all is planning on attending this one?

Lumberzac? I hope you can make it dude, it would be great to hike with you down in my neighborhood.”

“Plan? We don't need no stinkin' plan!

Yeah Zac ~ get your ADK-hiking, High Peak-baggin' arse down here!”

“Hmmmmmm, I walked home from work today.”

“Go Mark Go!! If you can go Mark, there are short cut trails, so you can cut mileage on this trail.

If you go, I guess you'll bring the Henry Shire, I'll carry it for you...
last edited: 8/24/05 6:00:08 PM”

“oh where oh where has my BFT map gone, oh where oh where could it be?”

“It's over there. Next to that thing. See it?”

“Holey crap, it looks like I've got a sherpa!!

Does that mean you'll want to share the shire??”

“Next to what thing??”

“nah, I am going to take my hammock.”