North Fork Mountain vs. Mid State Trail Section 2
Jan 2, 2019 11:57:09 GMT -5
Post by ki0eh on Jan 2, 2019 11:57:09 GMT -5
The PA Mid State Trail guidebook, for Section 2 (south of Everett to Rainsburg Gap/PA 326), has long stated that the views from that section of Tussey Mountain are comparable to North Fork Mountain in WV. Despite these venues not being very far apart, it seems not many have been to both to compare.
Purple Lizard's new WV map that appeared in my Christmas stocking, and a free day with more proximity than usual, finally tempted me to visit the north end of North Fork Mountain, near Petersburg WV. On 12/30/18, there was no snow at all. I was not bold enough by myself to climb up on Chimney Top, but took in the other areas on or slightly off trail from the north end parking spot to Landis Trail, using that and Smoke Hole Road to make a circuit.
NFM is, as one would expect in WV, slightly higher above the immediate valley floor compared to a PA ridgeline. But MST Section 2 is a bit higher than the nearby ridges, so you can see further from the knife edges, especially through the accordant gaps used by Indian trails through superhighways.
Clearly, more photographers visit NFM - there was evidence of editing the near field vegetation by hand clippers and hand saw. I haven't seen that level of Instagram preparation up on MST Section 2.
MST Section 2 is very much rougher treadway. The public land generally occupies only one side of the ridgeline. If one imagines NFM trail as being right on the rock exposure, rather than right next to it, that might help the comparison.
MST Section 2's north end is also constantly bathed in road noise from I-70/76, Pennsylvania Turnpike, that wraps around the local end of the ridgeline. MST literally passes right behind a billboard next to the highway, heading up from Ashcom Rd in a relatively recent relocation (see www.hike-mst.org/images/pdfs/News/2014-07-18aliquippagap.pdf ).
The MST from Ashcom Rd north into Everett proper (south end of guidebook Section 3), is partly on a grassy railroad bed, and partly on path clinging to Turnpike embankment above Raystown Branch Juniata River passing through curious cultural relics associated with an old iron furnace. There are some weird views of the gap area afforded by a white cinder pile moonscape. Sometimes, road noise from US 30 on the other river bank surpasses the Turnpike noise, for variety. Until a pending Turnpike widening, there remain some ruins from a residential neighborhood on former Cornell Road, demolished (by a peculiar turn of events, for which the former residents were well compensated) to save the cost of a new Turnpike bridge.
MST Section 2 is also not as well excavated treadway, or as well used, as NFM. The campsites evident on NFM, would be illegal in the PA State Game Lands along MST Section 2. Neither route has consistent water.
So, while the views themselves might be made comparable by some enterprising pruning, it might be charitably said that MST Section 2 surpasses NFM only by offering a greater treadway challenge.
Purple Lizard's new WV map that appeared in my Christmas stocking, and a free day with more proximity than usual, finally tempted me to visit the north end of North Fork Mountain, near Petersburg WV. On 12/30/18, there was no snow at all. I was not bold enough by myself to climb up on Chimney Top, but took in the other areas on or slightly off trail from the north end parking spot to Landis Trail, using that and Smoke Hole Road to make a circuit.
NFM is, as one would expect in WV, slightly higher above the immediate valley floor compared to a PA ridgeline. But MST Section 2 is a bit higher than the nearby ridges, so you can see further from the knife edges, especially through the accordant gaps used by Indian trails through superhighways.
Clearly, more photographers visit NFM - there was evidence of editing the near field vegetation by hand clippers and hand saw. I haven't seen that level of Instagram preparation up on MST Section 2.
MST Section 2 is very much rougher treadway. The public land generally occupies only one side of the ridgeline. If one imagines NFM trail as being right on the rock exposure, rather than right next to it, that might help the comparison.
MST Section 2's north end is also constantly bathed in road noise from I-70/76, Pennsylvania Turnpike, that wraps around the local end of the ridgeline. MST literally passes right behind a billboard next to the highway, heading up from Ashcom Rd in a relatively recent relocation (see www.hike-mst.org/images/pdfs/News/2014-07-18aliquippagap.pdf ).
The MST from Ashcom Rd north into Everett proper (south end of guidebook Section 3), is partly on a grassy railroad bed, and partly on path clinging to Turnpike embankment above Raystown Branch Juniata River passing through curious cultural relics associated with an old iron furnace. There are some weird views of the gap area afforded by a white cinder pile moonscape. Sometimes, road noise from US 30 on the other river bank surpasses the Turnpike noise, for variety. Until a pending Turnpike widening, there remain some ruins from a residential neighborhood on former Cornell Road, demolished (by a peculiar turn of events, for which the former residents were well compensated) to save the cost of a new Turnpike bridge.
MST Section 2 is also not as well excavated treadway, or as well used, as NFM. The campsites evident on NFM, would be illegal in the PA State Game Lands along MST Section 2. Neither route has consistent water.
So, while the views themselves might be made comparable by some enterprising pruning, it might be charitably said that MST Section 2 surpasses NFM only by offering a greater treadway challenge.