Elk Creek to Penns Creek Paddle.

This is an excellent run in early spring with fresh snow melt or if PA experiences a couple days of rain. The run last roughly and hour and a half. Contact Tussey Mountain Outfitters www.tusseymountainoutfitters.com in Bellefonte, (814)355-5490, for updated conditions.

 
Seth Gordon and I (Bill Wolfe)started the trip in Smulton PA, parking by the second little bridge on Smulton Rd. An easier put in location is located on RT 445 N outside of Millhiem PA. There's a pull-off by a bridge that crosses Elk Creek and its easy to find since its also a popular fishing spot. There's nothing exciting above the bridge and during high water you have to take out and go around the bridge anyways. Take out parking is available at the Tunnel in Coburn. Take 445S and when you see a large iron bridge, cross the bridge and take the first left on Tunnel Rd. You'll see a tressle bridge crossing Penns Creek and the parking area is to the right of that. Again easy to see since a popular fishing destination.
Seth had a whitewater canoe and I had my white water kayak and since it was early November we both decided to wear paddling suits, good decision. The trip is fairly tight and littered with rocks barely visible and has a few chutes and can be a technical run. After a sharp left turn on the stream it gets a little more technical. Seth centered his canoe on a submerged rock and became a victim to the current.

Luckily we had a rescue rope and after freeing the canoe from the rock and dragging a water laden canoe to bank we were on our way again. When you see a a house on the right hand side with a deck around the back it gets fun. There's a 100 yard stretch we call the ladder, it drops suddenly and the water is forced between two stone walls and the current increases greatly. This is where I fell victim to the rocks. At the bottom of the ladder the current slows down greatly and the nose of my kayak caught a slow current while the tail of my kayak was still running full speed. The water here is shallow so I highly recommend a helmet. I have a fresh scratch across my bucket and could only imagine what my hairline would would look without it. Rolling was not an option with the shallow water and I tried to push off the bottom, but to no avail. So within 100 yards we had to wet exits. 
The rest of the run is the same with tight maneuvers and differing currents. When you come into Millhiem and see the state bridge crossing Elk Creek, BE AWARE THERE IS A WATERFALL. Not much of a drop but can be dangerous none the less. If you choose to run the falls stay to the right of the abutment. This gives a straight run down stream.  The rest of the stream runs through farmland and out of the way of any major roads and traffic. You'll go under two bridges after the falls and when you see a red barn and white house on the left side of the stream be ready for another tree. I made it through a small opening of branches, but Seth had to take out since he drafted more water. 
After the third bridge keep to the right around the small islands. They have some sharp bends and the creek narrows greatly with rose bunches hanging over the edges. A few scratches, but still looking good. After the fourth bridge and a a right bend in the creek was another tree. This one was on the verge of washing away, but was still a pain. Seth had no problem with the canoe, but my skirt was a different story and there's little room for banking. The creek is a relaxing trip after you pass the confluence of Penns Creek and Elk Creek. The creek widens and the current slows down quite a bit. The only place to worry about is when you start seeing the camps along the stream and a Willow tree hanging over the stream. Stay to the right and be prepared to take a hard left. Take out is just before the tressle bridge on the right bank by the large willow tree. There's a small eddy that will hold your vessel steady will you remove your gear. Don't park in the grassy areas or leave your vehicle along the road to long. The property owners are a pleasant bunch and we like to keep them that way. 
There's a small store on the outside of Coburn on the left we call The Shack that has snacks water and a good breakfast, or you can head back to Millhiem and at the red light you'll see Elk Creek Cafe that has a happy hour between 4-6 Wed-Fri and brunch on Sundays between 11:00 and 2:00.
Thanks for reading and Great Adventure to You.

Bear Run Trail

November 24th, 2013

Bear Run Trail

Woodward, PA

Adventure Type: Hiking

Looking for a quick day hike, I headed down Woodward Gap Road. My Jeep slowly climbed up the ice crusted dirt road and slid past the Rock Knob and Mid State trails. I decided to head down the other side of Woodward mountain and park at the start of Cherry Run Road. It was a blistering 26 degrees and the wind was whipping through the trees. I was happy to have the protection of the tall pines and hemlocks.

The trail ran through an old camp before heading into the woods. This section of the trail had not been well maintained, and the blue blazes on the trees were nearly impossible to distinguish from old patches of moss. Sections were extremely overgrown with mountain laurel, so I happy the freezing temperatures had sent the ticks into hibernation.

I followed the gentle incline to where the Bear Run trail intersects and then follows the Mid State trail. One great thing about heading in from the Bear Run trail rather than taking the Mid State from the road is that it cuts off the monstrously steep climb up the mountain.

From here onward, my path was clearly marked with blue and orange blazes. The trail consisted of a soft leaf bed interrupted by one short, rocky section. Earlier this year, we encountered a rattlesnake in these rocks, but with temperatures this low, there's no chance of running into any cold-blooded critters.

Where the trail seemed to meet the peak of the mountain, the wind picked up and made me turn back for shelter. It was a short out-and-back hike but a good get away in the afternoon. Highly recommended for a day hike. We made a nice camp near the very top of the incline, which would be ideal for a picnic location as well.

Hairy John and the 5 Bears

September 13th, 2013

Hairy John and the 5 Bears
Woodward, PA
Adventure Type: Hiking, Camping

I began the trek from Hairy John picnic area in the early afternoon. The hike started relatively flat and led through a pine thicket into more open, rocky terrain. I passed by an old logging road with an interesting teepee like structure.

Once at the base of the Winkelblech Mountain, it became apparent that the ascent was not for the weak-hearted. While the climb was relatively short, it was steep at times and extremely rocky. I did not touch the ground, instead bounding from rock to rock, until I nearly reached the summit.



Once atop Winkelblech, the terrain leveled out nicely and the trail was mostly a soft bed of deteriorating leaves. Here, the Hairy John trail met the Winkelblech trail and Mid State trail. I turned eastward and continued on the Mid State trail.

Very shortly after this intersection, a small camp ground was nestled in the fallen branches and rocks. I stopped for a quick lunch, roasting a veal sirloin over a fire and tossing a fresh bone to the dog.

Continuing onward, I reached another intersection and followed the Mid State trail down the other side of the mountain toward R. B. Winter State Park. The descent was much less rocky than the climb up. The cooler, north side of the mountain harbored small streams and moss bordered trail. In the valley, I reached Stony Run Road and the Cinder Pile Spring, where I refilled water jugs and continued down the road.

Not far from the spring, the trail again set foot up a mountain. The ascent was steep and gravelly. Once the trail leveled out, it was thickly lined with young mountain laurel. Approximately half way across the Buffalo Mountain ridge sat a very welcoming campground. Craving a longer hike, I left my pack, trekked down the other side of the mountain then back up just in time to set up camp for dinner. 

As I settled into the camp and familiarized myself with the surroundings, it became clear that some sort of animal run came directly through the site. Figuring it was due to small animal traffic, I put the thought in the back of my mind and curled up with the dog for a hopefully peaceful night of rest.

Two hours after dozing off, the dog sounded her alarm and I awoke to the snorts and grunts of a bear trying to scare us off. I immediately put on my hiking boots and headlamp and went out to defend the dog with what little I had, my walking stick and a small knife. I hollered and threatened the bear to back down, and to my luck, he immediately scurried up a nearby tree. The dog, mistaking my hollering as scolding, hunkered behind me in fear. I gave her a pat on the head and after trying to relax for several minutes finally untied my boots and went back into my sleeping bag.

As soon as I dozed off, the dog went off again and I heard more gruff snorts from a nearby thicket. I jumped out of the tent, hollered and made a racket until finally I could no longer hear its grunts. I wondered if I had set up camp in a bears territory and would have to fight him off all night, but the silence grew deeper and I again dozed off.

The rest of the night was a continuation of earlier events. Like clockwork, every two hours, a bear interrupted my sleep and threatened to attack the dog. Finally the sun began to rise and I was starting to feel safe enough to sleep again when the dog suddenly ran full speed into the brush, ready to attack whatever was there. Unfortunately, it was a porcupine. The dog was so worked up from the evening that she killed the poor creature and ended up wounding herself severely with the quills. So severely in fact, that she could not walk more than a few yards from the camp, which was, by now, surrounded by five young bears sleeping in the trees.

I tried carrying her and putting her in my pack, but she was too heavy and too big for my 1970s steel frame.  My phone had died from the nearly freezing temperatures of the night  before, so I had to leave her. I waited for the bears to scurry away and re-pitched the tent. I left her inside and ran back to my Jeep to grab help and a larger pack to carry her down.


All in all, if you decide to hike up the Hairy John and Mid State trail for a small, backpacking adventure, keep going once you hit Buffalo Mountain unless you want to experience a night with the bears.

World's End State Park

August 18^th, 2013

World’s End State Park

Forksville, PA
Adventure Type: Hiking

We started the loop by taking a quick, steep climb up the World’s End Trail to the Loyalsock Trail. We followed this relatively flat, wide trail bed through Pioneer Road to the Double Run Nature Trail, which follows the rocky bank of the West Branch Double Run. This trail is really worth checking out. Endless moss covered rocks line the run that flows over the smooth slate stones giving way to a few small falls and swimming holes.

Following the run, we climbed up the Link and Canyon Vista trail to view the vast, rolling hills of the Loyalsock Canyon.

Directly adjacent to the vista point, is the rock garden, which is a mecca of massive boulders whose smooth, vertical faces create impressive crevasses in the forest landscape. Note: Bouldering is not endorsed by state park officials.

Camping within World’s End is not permitted outside of designated campgrounds, so we stopped right outside the state park boundary on the Loyalsock Trail. We used our Light My Fire Swedish FiresSteel to kindle our dinner fire. This handy tool can ignite a spark in any weather and never runs out of fuel. It is great as a go to fire starter or a backup in case your matches get wet or your lighter runs out.

In the morning, we followed the Link and Canyon Vista across the ridge coming to another patch of steep boulders and crossing the path of a young buck. The trail down to the Loyalsock Creek was steep and gravelly, so make sure to pack your best hiking boots. We finished up the loop by following trail sections of forest floor, sand and rocky bank along the Loyalsock Creek then back through the Double Run Nature Trail.  In total, it was a 12 mile loop with a variety of climbs, flats, streams and rocks. Definitely worth the trip. Stay posted for when we bring the kayaks to the creek in the spring.