MST Trip (PA)- Views, falls, and swimmin g holes

“Check out trip on the trips page- should be a great time. Lots of great scenery. Bring something to swim in- will need sandals to cross stony fork- no bridge. Great trail. Everyone welcome.”

“I will try and make this trip! Sounds like fun!”

“hope you can make it, how was the loyalsock?”

“it was good. Weather was a tad hot, but great. We camped in Kechum Run Gorge, near the trail register. We got to camp pretty early, so we had a lot of time to chill out in camp, which is what we wanted for this trip. Sunday we had an easy 4 mile hike to High Knob and got out before it got really hot. Only saw one snake during the hike, a little garter snake.”

“Just figured out, Rt 287 (at the "Blossburg Coal" historical marker between Wellsboro and Morris) to Blackwell on new MST is 23 km. From Blackwell to Rattlesnake Rock via WR Spur-MST/WRT adds another 10 km.”

“Ok, I am a chemist and all, and I'm glad to see the adoption of the metric system, especially on the MST, but I still need to see things in miles. So, PA287 to Blackwell, 14.3 miles. To Rattlesnake rock will add another 6.2 miles. So where are we going to camp, along Stony Fork?”

“yes, we'll be camping along stony fork. bring sandals- no bridge. i hope to camp next to a huge swimming hole and falls. very, very beautiful- like rock run on the OLP, but bigger.

not sure yet if we're going to blackwell or to Rattlesnake Rocks.”

“jmitch - If you take the blue blaze over Fork Hill, you will notice that KTA Trail Crew opened up the vista on top on the Babb Creek side. I'm also wondering what you'll think of the 287 end.”

“totally looking forward to this trip. I am going to try and bring my girlfriend. Any ideas on what the mileage will be each day?”

“i heard of that new vista, supposed to be excellent- several other nice vistas on fork hill too. i plan to take that route.

ENS- mileage should be low, no more than ten miles, and will likely be lower.
last edited: 7/18/06 6:08:29 AM”

“kioeh,

at the 287 end, is it best to park along 287 and hike the dirt road up to the plateau, or can you park along the dirt road at the top, where it meets the trail?”

“There's a wide spot down on 287, between where the dirt road comes out and where the paved road on the other side comes in, we just can't officially call it a "trailhead".

That dirt road's better for hiking than driving and there's not room in the hairpin turn to park. There looks like there's room behind a sign on what looks like a road, but our permitting landowner wants that clear so his relatives can park campers there on his private property if they want.”

“Can we flesh this trip out some more? If we are starting at PA287, what time are we looking to hit the trail? How much parking room is there (looks like we could have 4 or 5 cars possible looking at the trip page). I suppose we could park the majority of vehicles at Blackwell.”

“i think we'll shorten the trip from 287 to Blackwell, it'll make it more relaxing. we'll meet at blackwell and drive 1 or 2 cars to 287, park there and hike up to the trail along a narrow dirt road. the shuttle is easy.

we'll camp saturday night along one of the swimming holes. hopefully we'll get to camp early so we can relax, swim, etc.

sunday's terrain will be a tougher, but not bad. we'll ascend along mossy run, pass between boulders, and enjoy the views from the east rim and descend to blackwell.

we'll discuss times to meet later.”

“Coming that way you'll be in (brand new) State Forest within 100 m after the dirt road. The first left turn in State Forest is a little hard to see but you won't want to miss it. A sign near there says "NO FIRES!!!" because the ground is too combustible at that particular location. There is water a little bit further in, pH adjusted just up the hill. You won't want to go too far past a sign that says "watch your step" either in the dark or with too many trailgaritas.”

“Just heard Tom Thwaites planted a sign at the 287 end so maybe you'll even find it now :)”

“Anyone else going on this trip? NoGranola, I see you are a 'maybe'. Last time you tried to hike part of the Mid State Trail (with Spindle) it ended up raining all weekend. Perhaps this will be your chance to get on the MST without the rain.”

“I plan on going. I think there will be a good group of TTers on this trip.”

“I'm going to try to make it, not sure yet. I did the west rim with No-Granola,Spindle, and Neville over the July 4th weekend and we got soaked.”

“ahhh bring on the weekend!”

“meet saturday at 9:30 - 10:00 a.m., at blackwell?”

“Sounds good to me. As for gear, everyone bringing their own: water filter, stove, etc...? I guess we can bring it and then decide at Blackwell who carries what.

Are you parking at the canoe launch?”

“we'll meet at the canoe launch.

we can sort equipment then.”

“everyone is going to love stony fork- absolutely beautiful. hopefully mossy run is running with all its cascades, a few 10-15 foot falls.”

“where is the canoe launch?”

“parking area along pine creek, next to the bridge, in blackwell.”

“hope the weather holds.”

“Well, not hoping to jinx anything, and I know it's still quite a few days away, but here's the NWS forecast for Morris:

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 62.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high around 82.”

“I actually knew that I was having a brain dead moment.”

“where is Marko????”

“hey lost soul, when you heading up?”

“Pennsy better not be working this weekend.”

“Jmitch, looking at the map, are we camping along Stony Fork, close to where we have to make the crossing? Just curious, may try to drop off some beer close to there Saturday morning before we meet up at Blackwell. I'm thinking about heading up Friday night, find some place to pitch a tent, and making a long weekend of it.”

“The Crew referred to the blue blaze from the MST ford southerly to the Clay Mine Road ford as "Beer Can Spur." If you stash beer on Friday you'd better do it carefully and mark only a waypoint to get to it and someone might still beat you to it. :)

Did you guys let Gus aka "Whats For Lunch" know about this deal? Maybe if he's available he could help with logistics. I think he's only on "the other side" though.”

“i hope to camp maybe 1/4 mile north of the stream crossing.”

“Beer Can Spur, I like that name. Beer would be stashed Saturday, just prior to starting our hike, so it would only be sitting there for about 4 or 5 hours. I'd hope that no one would come along and help themselves in that short of a time frame. By the way, how cold is Stony Fork? Will it keep a lighter beer chilled adequately or should I go with a darker beer that tastes better just slightly below room temperature?”

“stony fork stays pretty cool, with many deep pools.”

“what's for lunch comes here every now and again when there in a trip in the Pine Creek area of PA.”

“Hey No Granola I'm going to head up around 4pm on Friday. My plan is to park at the southern terminus of the WRT hike north and find a place to camp. I can swing by and pick you up if you want. I probably won't be up your way until around 6 at the earliest.”

“lost soul, instead of going to the start of the WRT, go to the old Mid-State Trail where it linked to the WRT. there is a beautiful place to camp on Pine Creek right where the old MST makes a left turn to head up the mountain to the WRT. I think there is a blue-blaze trail that leads to the campsite. depending on what transpires over the next few days, I may head up Friday night and camp there too.”

“If I hike north on the WRT I believe it's about 1 mile to where the old MST joins up. Is this where your talking about?”

“who's going to make this trip? just curious as to the number of people who'll be there.

this will be one of the great trips of the summer- swimming holes, waterfalls, great views, hot weather....

everyone come along!!
last edited: 8/01/06 5:40:34 PM”

“lost soul,
no, there's a blue blazed trail to the right, off of the MST, that leads to awesome campsites along pine creek, bohen run falls is nearby.”

“shall we enjoy food and spirits after the trip at the venerable blackwell hotel??? pretty nice place.”

“Where is the trailhead for the MST and this camp site? And if need be can I find it in the dark?”

“At the canoe launch in Blackwell. cross the bridge from the parking lot, jump the guardrail on the right and head to the right (North) up the MST.”

“Its relativly easy to find with no snow on the ground.”

“Thanks Jackstraw I'll do the usual if I can't find it I'll just camp wherever I find a spot.”

“I was really hoping to be able to make this trip but alas, it looks like the weekend will see some new aluminum flashing going up at my place and some insulation around my window frames--much needed improvements.

Looks like I'm going to miss my chance to hook up with the elusives: jmitch, Jacstraw and PAHikes. It's also been a while since I've seen the rest of the PA Boneheads too . . . lost soul, keep an eye on those kids. It looks like you guys are going to have incredibly good weather.”

“I'll definitely be there. I was thinking about heading up Friday night as well, but not sure yet. It depends on how work goes. As for food and spirits afterwards at the Blackwell, you better believe it. You can't expect me to hike anywhere near Pine Creek and not stop in at either the Blackwell, Hotel Manor, or Waterville Hotel for a bite to eat and a cold beer.”