Pathfinders At Work - Trailwork 11-14

Good Evening Fellow NCTr's:

Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, and John Fremont had nothing on the Wampum Chapter as explorers.  We spent almost three hours this afternoon at Gamelands 285 and the adjacent Kirkwood Farm exploring the routing possibilities for a new trail section eastward from Indian Rock Hill, across Painter Run, up, up, up a big hill into some very nice old pines, and through the woods along a hilltop out to Hodgson Road.  An excellent outing on a cool (and somewhat rainy) Sunday in November.  The end result of building this new section will be another mile of roadwalk eliminated - all of Sterling Road and about half of Hodgson Road not being the trail route anymore.

My thanks to Bill Majernik, Richard Lutz, Lee and Eleanor Fairbanks, and Doug Turner for making the trip out today to help look at the possibilities and share their input on how this section should be routed - good trail company!  We came up with the general route, now the devil in is the details, including how to bridge a thirty-foot creek crossing, and how to route switchbacks or climbing turns up a 140 foot, very steep hill.  Piece of cake in the end, I'm sure.

** I informally dubbed this trek today the "Tour De Treestands" as we encountered quite a few along the way.  Photos from today start here

I put a light blue line on this map to show our general route of travel today.  If you can look at it in 3-D in Google Earth you can really get an idea of the steep hillsides involved - hence our decision to run along the top of the hill.  Views of the valley to Darlington (and the industry along Cannelton Road) on the left, farm fields and the Gamelands on the right.


View Indian Rock Extension 8/2010 in a larger map

Hope to see you at the Chapter meeting at Hitoe's Monday evening.  Thanks for all you do for the trail!

Dave

Trailwork Tuesday 11-16, And . . . , And . . .

Good Morning Fellow NCTr's:

The trailwork plan for this Tuesday morning, the 16th, in the Wampum area is to install a couple of hiker-journal boxes along the trail, one at the bridge at the Route 18 trailhead, and one at Possum Hollow Road. Both of these are going to require a post so we'll be digging a couple of holes to plant them in. As time permits, we'll then take a walk westwards through Gamelands 148 towards the Edwards farm to survey the condition of the trail there. I haven't been through there since early June so I'm sure that the multifloral rose is thinking it has free reign to do as it pleases. Don't be frightened - we have lots of loppers and I'll bring them all.

We'll take off from the front of Jata's Restaurant in Wampum at 9:00 AM and travel to the bridge over Rt. 18 first, wrapping up at the Gamelands at around 11:00. Come earlier to Jata's for breakfast if you'd like.

A couple of reminders - trailwork/exploration at Gamelands 285 and the Kirkwood Farm at 2:00 this afternoon. We'll be meeting at the Sterling Road trailhead. There is a definite 50% chance of the probability of the possibility that we won't get rained on. We'll make the call at the trailhead this afternoon.

And, the Wampum Chapter monthly meeting is scheduled for 6:00 PM tomorrow (Monday, the 15) at Hitoes Restaurant in West Pittsburgh.

Lastly, I say with shame, that I stand corrected. Last Sunday afternoon I dogged Doug Turner mercilessly because I saw a picture of him at the Clarion Chapter/KTA work weekend walking along, empty-handed, smiling and carefree, as a woman struggled to carry a massive log down the trail. Well, photographic evidence has emerged over the past week indicating that my initial impression of the situation was conceived hastily and was wrongheaded, so I do apologize. Here is what I found -   this and this .

Hey! Wait just a minute. Now that I think about it, these could have been "Photoshopped" to SHOW that he was working. Further investigation is obviously warranted. (There are a ton of good photos in this album. That was quite a project they accomplished up in the northwoods last weekend.)

Thanks for all that you do for the trail! Hope to meet up with you over the next three days.

Dave Brewer

Take A Hike With George Washington

Take a Hike With George Washington

This Thanksgiving vacation take a hike and meet the father of our country. Visit the Old Stone House and join one of the guided hikes to learn about Washington's historic travels through Butler County in 1753. Re-enactors will play the role of Washington and his guide, Christopher Gist.

Where: The Old Stone House, 5 miles south of Slippery Rock, at the junction of Highway 173 and Route 8.

When: Saturday November 27th. Doors open 9:30 a.m. Hikes take place on the hour.

Cost: Admission is $5 per person, $12 per family.

Reservations: Reserve a hiking time by calling Jennifer Melnick at Slippery Rock University, 724-738-4964.

More info? Call Rod Gasch 724-290-2129




TAKE A HIKE WITH
WASHINGTON ON NOV. 27
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — How about a walk in the woods with the father of our country? You can do just that on Saturday morning, Nov. 27 -- enjoy fresh air and great scenery while commemorating George Washington’s travels through Butler Country in 1753.
The hike, sponsored by Historic Harmony’s Harmony Museum, Slippery Rock University’s Old Stone House and Washington’s Trail 1753, starts and ends at the Old Stone House, a restored 18th century stage coach inn five miles south of Slippery Rock and 12 miles north of Butler at the junction of Pa. Routes 8, 528 and 173. Plenty of parking is available.
Back in November 1753, Washington was a 21-year-old volunteer newly commissioned a major by Virginia Lt. Gov. Robert Dinwiddie. He traveled through Pennsylvania Indian country carrying Dinwiddie’s ultimatum demanding withdrawal of the French then building forts on land claimed by England and the Virginia Colony. The French response: the British should stay out of from New France. That ultimatum delivered by Washington, and the military intelligence he obtained during his mission, were instrumental in starting the French and Indian War in southwest Pennsylvania the following spring and summer of 1754.
Besides the 45 minute hike, this year’s commemoration includes refreshments, touring the historic Old Stone House, and a chance to discuss the mission with the young Washington and his frontiersman guide Christopher Gist -- re-enactors Brian Cunning of Washington, Pa. and Rich Baker of Claysville, Pa. The Old Stone House opens at 9:30 a.m., with guided hikes planned for 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. Leading each hike will be a Slippery Rock University history student who will read from the journals of Washington and Gist and explain the significance of Washington’s sometimes hazardous journey.
To reserve a hiking slot, call Jennifer Melnick at Slippery Rock University, 724-738-4964. Admission is $5 per person, $12 per family. Each hiking group will be limited in size, so event organizers recommend strongly that participants reserve their start times. The hike will cover about a mile of rocky terrain that is close by the original Venango Path followed in part by Washington. Hikers are advised to wear appropriate footwear as well as clothing suitable for the day’s weather conditions.

####
11/2/2010
CONTACTS:
John Ruch, Harmony Museum, 724-452-7341
Hike Volunteer Rod Gasch, 724-290-2129

Trail Work Sunday 11-14-10

Good Afternoon Fellow NCTr's:

Last Sunday, as we finished up our project at the state line, I asked (as I usually do when we knock out another item on the "to do" list) "Ok, what do you want to do next?" Eleanor Fairbanks suggested we go exploring for a trail route at the Kirkwood Farm, beside Gamelands 285 along the North Fork of Little Beaver Creek. A stellar suggestion! We are planning to start building our new section of trail there in April so we need to begin the process of determining the best route through there now. The leaves are down and we can see the terrain and have some decent views through the woods.

The plan is to meet this Sunday, the 14th, at 2:00 PM at the Sterling Road trailhead at the Gamelands and spend a couple of hours exploring. No heavy lifting, just some hiking, bushwacking, and exchanging ideas on good routes. No experience necessary - all input and opinions are appreciated, so hope you can join us.

Dave Brewer

I Thought I Saw A Ghost

Good Afternoon Fellow NCTr's:

It was such a gorgeous morning on the North Country Trail, the bright sun burning through the morning mist around Sankey Hill and the old haunted house site, that as Jake Erhardt, Lee Fairbanks, Doug Turner, Bob Cody, and I worked on the little reroute up the old driveway and across the yard, the supernatural was the last thing on my mind. Yet, suddenly, a dark-clad, silent figure was in our midst. Kind of startled me at first. Then I noticed the curly hair and the expensive GPS unit he was holding in his hands. Quite as surprised as if it HAD been a ghost, I welcomed Richard Lutz to the Tuesday morning work session. HA! Another cool happening on the NCT - Richard, the guy who had got this whole thing going in the Wampum area back out working with us. Just like old times.

Appreciated everyone's contribution this morning. Good company on a pleasant morning in the woods, and the reroute worked out well. This time of the year is perfect for a hike out at the Cemex section - the leaves are petty much gone and the views of the hillsides and PA countryside in general are very nice.

In other news, I learned of a group hike taking place at Gamelands285/Watt's Mill in December - you can check it out here http://www.meetup.com/pittsburghhikers/calendar/15372396/ Twenty people (as of right now) heading out to hike the NCT. Good stuff.

And, Venture Outdoors has a new newsletter out, which can be seen here https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:29238.6849491427/rid:750332608178ed085ad85b2d01227715

Next trailwork plans are tentatively set for next Sunday afternoon (the 14th) and Tuesday morning (the 16th). Details to follow later this week.

Thanks for all you do for the trail!

Dave Brewer

NCT Weekend Wrap Up

Good Evening Fellow NCTr's:

For those of you keeping score, you can mark another item on the Wampum Chapter's "to do" list for this trailwork season as DONE as Tom Scardina, Doug Turner, and Lee and Eleanor Fairbanks headed out with me today and finished up the 200 yard relo of the trail near the state line at GL285. It is grubbed, pruned, and blazed - ready to hike - and a darn nice little piece of trail (if I say so myself). Appreciate that crew coming out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to get that done. Some pics from today's session are here (starting on the second line) http://picasaweb.google.com/105725471641034380528/WampumChapter2010TrailWork#

Besides the way we worked together to get that knocked out, the other enjoyable part of the day was the number of hikers we encountered. As we got going on our project a man and his dog, followed a short time later by a couple of young girls hiked on past, back down to the trailhead to their vehicle. Then, a bit later on, as we were working along the hilltop, we thought we heard voices on the trail down below us. Eventually a family of five, including three young boys, walked on up the trail and we had a chance to talk with them. They were looking for the "Indian Rock" as described in the Beaver County Times article so we directed them six miles eastward. Later on, after we finished up our trailwork session and I headed down to the shelter to check on its status, I encountered another family, this time of four, hiking back down to Watt's Mill to their vehicle. They had walked about a mile up the trail to the two large rocks the trail goes past and had also visited the shelter area. Beaver County Times article again. Pretty good traffic day for the North Country Trail!

Speaking of LARGE ROCKS - I had the opportunity to go to Cook's Forest on Saturday to work with the NCTA/KTA trail crew. I was proud to see Wampum well-represented, with Doug Turner and Tim and Ceci Ramsey also making the trip. They had a great turnout for their service weekend and it was nice to meet up with and have the opportunity to work with some people I was already acquainted with, and also to meet some trailwork newcomers - one a kayaker from Canonsburg, another a backpacker who had travelled from Philadelphia, and some BOC members from my old stomping grounds of Saxonburg and Sarver -amongst many others.

In fact, they had enough crew on hand on Saturday to tackle three seperate projects, one involving putting in well over a hundred yards of log and gravel turnpike in a very wet area north of the park, another crew working on fixing some trail on the eastern end of the fire tower hill, and the third crew (which I was with) worked on upgrading the North Country Trail on the hillside below the fire tower and above the Clarion River. We repaired sidehill, pruned back overgrowth, took out rocks and root trippers, and (here is where the BIG ROCK tie in comes into play) built a couple of stone staircases under the direction of Paul Henry and Tim Ramsey. Those guys are rockwork pros (or maniacs, I can't decide which yet) and they planned (and dug) out some great staircases. The hikers that were walking on through on Saturday expressed their appreciation for all of the hard work.

I took some photos of the crew and work done on Saturday and they can be found here http://picasaweb.google.com/105725471641034380528/KTATrailwork11610# and Tammy Veloski also sent me a link to the pictures that she took, which are here http://butleroutdoorclubphotojournal.shutterfly.com/1347 I must be getting the "photographers eye" 'cause I took some of the same ones she did, just not as well.

Thanks for all you do for the trail - hope to see you Tuesday morning in Wampum or out at the haunted house.

Dave Brewer

Finally - Sunday Trail Work 11-7-10

Good Evening Fellow NCTr's:

The weather forecast is looking good for Sunday afternoon - let's head to Gamelands 285 to do a couple of hours of work on our reroute near the state line. It is a nice little diversion from the Game Commission double track that will move the trail over along the top of a hill with a nice view (especially at this time of the year) down into a deep stream valley.

The plan: Since sundown will be at around 5:00 PM we'll meet at 2:00 Sunday afternoon (the 7th) at the state line trailhead on Route 251 (Blackhawk Road) and plan to be out for two hours or so. I'll bring the tools, bring along some water to drink. If you can't make it at 2:00 come when you can - we'll be about half a mile up the trail. No experience necessary - OTJ training can be provided by our team of amateur trail builders.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108657039929755040265.0004498a6086c175b4998&t=h&z=13

Hope to see you on the trail Sunday afternoon!

Dave Brewer