West Rim Trail PA fall trip

“I'm not sure this is the correct site to post this, but I'm going take the chance.

I'm planning to hike this trail some time during the week of 10/6 - 10/14 to relax and enjoy the fall colors. I'll probably do 3 days or 2 1/2 or whatever. 10/8 is Columbus Day so I don't think I'll go that weekend. I may go in the middle of the week. No exact dates yet the plans are still loose.

For trail information:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/Forestry/hiking/westrim.aspx
last edited: 7/24/07 6:31:24 AM”

“As long as it is on the trip page, don't start posting stuff on trail talk about backpacking!”

“I may be in. I have wanted to do that trail, but finding a partner and time have been a challenge.”

“I'm more likely to be able to make this if it's on a weekend . . . but I may also have other plans around this time so don't go switching things up on my account.”

“There seems to be some interest in this trip, so I'll set the dates for the weekend after Columbus Day. 10/12 – 10/14”

“I have a copy of the WRT Guide (by Dillon) that I am willing to part with.”

“This hike takes place in about 2 1/2 weeks so who’s in, who’s not, Jackstraw, Capn Bobo? Nogranola you’re signed up as maybe, but isn’t this the weekend of the BFT day hike? I haven’t thought much about this hike lately. Time to make some plans like which direction to do this hike and where to camp.
last edited: 9/24/07 7:02:56 AM”

“I have inquired about the BFT day hike and have not received an update on that trip either.”

“Say hello to Wile E Coyote for me.”

“Zac were the trail blazes empty ACME boxes?”

“hmmmmmmmmmm”

“I called for the permit yesterday.

Come on ENS you know you want to.”

“Do you have your overnights planned yet? Or you just gonna go till you stop?”

“Permits? What permits?

Conk--

No one signed up for the BFT hike and my back has been giving me some trouble so i think I'm going to cancel that one. Do you guys have a plan for this trip? Direction, campsites?”

“Soory gotta bail. Part time Job. Dang.”

“you're right conk, I do want to go. I told Senor Crazypace about it too and he's interested. I am going to email Pennsy and try and get him to hang up the climbing harness for a weekend and go backpacking.

I'll call da pope and see if he's going.”

“Mean while those of us "meet at the campsite cause we're gimpy" people go without info of where that might be. :?p~~~~ I guess I know where I stand. (You can't fool me boss... you're right here!" - Chico Marx)”

“Sorry Rev, I'll get some info up this weekend. Work has been crazy.
last edited: 10/04/07 3:04:16 PM”

“I am a good possibility, but I will probably get there Friday night and hike into the Pine Creek site on the old MST and then hike up to the WRT and meet you guys in camp or somewhere along the trail on Saturday.”

“ENS... alternately there are some nice camp site along the beginning of the WRT leaving from Rattlesnake rock. They start right around the trail register and are on both sides of the trail for maybe half a mile or so beyond. They don't need permits like the Pine Creek site is supposed to. The Rattlesnake Rock parking lot is bigger.”

“I'm 95% sure that I can make it but I have a few questions. What end are you starting from and where are the expected campsites?
Is there anyone from the York,Lancaster, Harrisburg area that I hitch a ride with?
Is there anything else I need to know about this trail/trip since I never hiked it?”

“It is an absolutely gorgeous trail. A little known gem. Unless you are gimpy, like me, you should have no trouble with it. Before I got gimpy I did it twice all the way through. Once solo and once with my son.”

“this trail full of mystic powers not to be dismissed lightly, including, but not limited to gypsies, dwarfs, unicorns (my wife's favorite), Beatles and 3 legged land locked halibuts.
last edited: 10/05/07 4:21:03 PM”

“Hey, they are in a bad drought up there. I would recommend calling ahead to see if there is even water at the Bradley Wales pump. It might be dry. We biked the rail trail thsi past weekend and didn't see any water in the tributaries coming off of the slope.”

“A few weeks ago a thru-hiker promised my 4 yo daughter she would see a unicorn atop Peters Mountain. She got mad when we didn't find it. Now that we know there are unicorns there I'll have to say that to her waterfall looking on the WRT. Not till next spring though as Pat. says.”

“Them unicorns is crafty critters. You gots to catch them unawares and that's really hard to do. The land locked halibuts is a whole different thing. You need to get the key for the land locks from the "little people" and they hide with the unicorns for the most part.”

“unicorns are mostly invisible.”

“the weather this weekend is not looking hiker friendly. Unless the forecast improves, I probably won't go.”

“nobody fully understands the landlocked halibuts. Only Centaurs can describe them and they have been chased away from those regions for a long time.

Hasn't anybody ever seen the never ending story??? gosh!”

“Sorry EarthNSky, I prefer the land before time. But that also is a never ending story.
I also might bail because of the weather. If it doesn't clear up, I probably head down south to the Shenandoah NP. I have a 3 day weekend so might as well take advantage of it.”

“hiking is an outdoor sport - what's all this concern about weather?

;)”

“mean while us gimps who might want to sleep in the rain at a campsite with a bunch of other weirdo's don't know which campsites to gimp their little (or big) butts to since we can't gimp the whole way, rain or not.”

“I called Tioga State Forest and they said it's very dry not much water if any in the streams along the west rim trail and considering Patsquachs report of no water in the Pine Creek feeder streams I think I'm going to change my plans. The prospect of dry camps and walking all day and not finding water doesn't appeal to me. I am still going to go backpacking this weekend Saturday/Sunday, but I'm going to go some place where water will be more reliable. I haven't decided exactly where yet maybe the Quehanna trail.”

“sounds like a plan... I'll just gimp around the house. My daughter has a new job now and her schedule is unknown but one thing is for sure, weekends are involved and transportation is required. soooo........”

“The springs on the QTECC are reliable, even in dry dry weather.”