trailnotfound

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MidAtlanticHiking
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Great trail network regions in the Mid Atlantic (US)? in c/[email protected]
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

Looks like the overwhelming consensus (of me) agrees that PA had the best trail network in the region.

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Great trail network regions in the Mid Atlantic (US)? (imgur.com)
 

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/53136416

I've done the vast majority of my hiking in north-central PA, and even after moving away I keep going back because of the incredible trail network. It's always possible to put together an worthwhile loop of any distance you want, from 2-200 miles (attached screenshot of my day hikes in the area as evidence).

I'd like to break my pattern and explore more areas, particularly Virginia. Any specific forest/area in VA (or the rest of the Mid Atlantic) with a comparably dense and extensive trail network?

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Great trail network regions? (imgur.com)
 

I've done the vast majority of my hiking in north-central PA, and even after moving away I keep going back because of the incredible trail network. It's always possible to put together an worthwhile loop of any distance you want, from 2-200 miles (attached screenshot of my day hikes in the area as evidence).

I'd like to break my pattern and explore more areas, particularly Virginia. Any specific forest/area in VA (or the rest of the Mid Atlantic) with a comparably dense and extensive trail network?

We're RIGHT HERE :( in c/[email protected]
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

This is exactly the kind of barrier to entry that keeps people out. You need to pick an instance to sign up, but may not even understand their differences or limitations until you sign up. It's mind blowing to see people act like this doesn't severely limit adoption.

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There be bears here! Michaux State Forest, PA (imgur.com)
 

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52781561

Big tracks on a hike through Michaux (size 12 shoe for scale). Been running into way more bear tracks than usual this winter, but no bear sightings yet.

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There be bears here! Michaux State Forest, PA (imgur.com)
 

Big tracks on a hike through Michaux State Forest (size 12 shoe for scale). Tracks were a few days old, so no actual bear spotting.

Half Dome - the tallest direct climb from Pine Creek (PA) in c/[email protected]
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Hopefully someday, but pics of the crowds on the cables pushes it down my priority list.

Hiking boots for occasional use for european guy? in c/[email protected]
[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

I specifically came to mention the hydrolysis issue. Most plastics/rubbers will have similar issues, and will break down faster if not used/flexed. Overall I agree with the other person that said you don't need good hiking boots. The traction you'd gain isn't huge, and you can easily do better adding Yaktrax/MicroSpikes/a cheap knockoff to regular waterproof boots. Hiking boots would be overkill for little benefit.

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"Half Dome" and the Black Forest Trail - Pine Creek (PA) (imgur.com)
 

Hey all, I just created a new community for hiking and other outdoor activity in the Mid Atlantic region of the US ([email protected]). Maybe a bit ambitious given the size of the hiking community here at present. Cross-posting for visibility.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/52430135

In a quest for the steepest, toughest climb in the area, a friend convinced me to hike the Half Dome trail in Pine Creek gorge on a brutally cold December morning. I think we succeeded; Half Dome is a dead end climb of around 1300' in 0.5 miles.

We started from the end of Naval Run Rd, just south of the town of Slate Run. It was around 6°F when we started, enough to make my eyes water as soon as we got out of the car. The ~4" of snow was untracked almost all day. We headed south on the Pine Trail, which was decent if wet until Callahan Run. After this it because surprisingly sketchy, as it was often reduced to a narrow, sloping ribbon of icy trail, skirting a sheer rock wall to the right and a steep, long drop to the river on the left. I'd like to revisit this without snow, since it was a unique and beautiful section of trail. The climb up Half Dome started abruptly once we hit Pine Run, veering off sharply to the right as Pine Trail continued upstream. The climb is brutally steep and relentless. We're both reasonably fit, but climbing this 50% grade in 4" of untracked snow kick our asses. There were a few nice winter views along the way though, and a decent vista at the top. From here we took advantage of the winter and deer trails to bushwhack the ridge top over to Big Trail Rd and down Callahan Trail. Maybe we can blame the snow, but despite finding the sign and trailhead for Callahan Trail we essentially bushwhacked our way down the valley to the Black Forest Trail. We followed this back up to Hemlock Mountain for some nice vistas before dropping back down to Naval Run to end the day.

Half Dome - the tallest direct climb from Pine Creek (PA) in c/[email protected]
[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

At the risk of missing the sarcasm, this is a very different Half Dome. It's just one of the many hills surrounding Pine Creek in north central Pennsylvania. I'm guessing it's called Half Dome because the side facing the river is cut pretty sheerly (but not vertically), and you climb up the edge of that cut.

For the Half Dome in Yosemite I'm guessing you're right, that no camping is permitted.

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Gunpowder Falls SP, MD - great stuff in suburban spaces (imgur.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
0 comments fedilink
 

Got my butt kicked by a couple inches of new snow the other day on some local trails

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Post-Christmas overnighter on the Black Forest Trail (PA) (imgur.com)
 

2 day backpacking trip in the snow, working off the cookies.

Posting as a test while I figure out how to use this site. The 500kb image limit is absurd.

Half Dome - the tallest direct climb from Pine Creek (PA) in c/[email protected]