TR: A Different Hogback Mountain
Sept 20, 2014 21:20:32 GMT -5
Post by AegisIII on Sept 20, 2014 21:20:32 GMT -5
Photos
Back in May while looking up National Trails Day and Pennsylvania Hiking Week hikes, I saw one in Buchanan State Forest for the Hogback Mountain and Charcoal Trails. I'm familiar with BSF, but those names rang no bells. After looking at my maps and contacting the ranger leading the hike, I remembered that Hogback Mountain is the small peak to the side of the Big Mountain overlook, and these were both new trails; the hike would be a shuttle, about four miles long. We started at the Big Mountain overlook. There I met up with ranger Shawn Lynn, who was leading the hike, and ranger Dave, who came along in case they needed a second vehicle to shuttle everyone from the end of the hike back to the overlook. That would not be necessary, as I was the only other person to show up.
We started at the overlook, and walked back along the road a short distance to the new trailhead with sign, by some of the radio towers. The trail is yellow blazed, open areas at top have stakes for the blazes. After a brief foray through the small blueberry fields by the tower, where the trail is roughly cut in, we entered the woods, and soon reached the Tuscarora Trail. We headed south on it for 50-100 feet (this short stretch is now co-blazed blue and yellow), before leaving on the continuation of the Hogback Mountain Trail, dropping off Big Mountain. While the trail is new, it's actually a combination of social hunting trails, old woods roads, and game paths, pieced together by roughly cut new stretches. Forest is mixed, mostly of medium age it would appear. Often somewhat rocky. Even more often steep. It would be more difficult going uphill. The trail is mostly easy to follow, though you do need to pay attention to the blazes. We all organically took turns taking the lead, and talked mostly about hiking, trails, forestry, and the local residents and landowners (not negatively). Turns out I had met ranger Shawn a couple of times in the past, on some of my other hikes in the Forest.
At the saddle-point between Tuscarora and Hogback Mountains, we reached the junction with the Charcoal Trail, also yellow blazed. We continued east on the Hogback Mountain Trail, now climbing on mostly new trail to its summit. Two vistas have been cut out, mainly looking south/southeast into the Cumberland Valley and towards the Bear Pond Mountains. The trail ends at the summit. This is apparently a few hundred feet short of the talus slope that's visible from Big Mountain; I'm considering returning in colder weather to get there; I expect it to be an easy bushwhack from trail's end.
After a short break at the summit, we headed back down to the saddle point and turned onto the Charcoal Trail. The Charcoal Trail loops around Hogback Mountain on its north side, using woods roads, logging roads, and new cut trails to reach a small parking area off of PA-75. It passes around a half dozen charcoal flats from iron making days, thus giving it its name. The trail again can get steep, and often follows some small streams down the mountain. In fact, the first flat has been overtaken by one of these streams. Woods roads make up a lot more of this trail than the first one, thus making going easier. One of the stream hollows is fairly scenic, and had I not been hiking with two rangers I probably would have left the trail and headed down the steep slope to the stream for better photography.
After following good woods roads for a bit, the trail reaches the Forest boundary, and thus has to leave the woods road to roughly follow the boundary on a faintly defined trail, first uphill, then downhill. There is one window view along this section. Some parts were already getting overgrown and could use some trimming and also better treadway definition. The trail eventually starts following a logging road, dropping to the parking area.
As mentioned above, I may go back to reach the talus slope. Done altogether, it probably does work best as a shuttle hike, and out and back would have a big relentless climb. One could add some length on the front end by hiking to Big Mountain from any direction.
Back in May while looking up National Trails Day and Pennsylvania Hiking Week hikes, I saw one in Buchanan State Forest for the Hogback Mountain and Charcoal Trails. I'm familiar with BSF, but those names rang no bells. After looking at my maps and contacting the ranger leading the hike, I remembered that Hogback Mountain is the small peak to the side of the Big Mountain overlook, and these were both new trails; the hike would be a shuttle, about four miles long. We started at the Big Mountain overlook. There I met up with ranger Shawn Lynn, who was leading the hike, and ranger Dave, who came along in case they needed a second vehicle to shuttle everyone from the end of the hike back to the overlook. That would not be necessary, as I was the only other person to show up.
We started at the overlook, and walked back along the road a short distance to the new trailhead with sign, by some of the radio towers. The trail is yellow blazed, open areas at top have stakes for the blazes. After a brief foray through the small blueberry fields by the tower, where the trail is roughly cut in, we entered the woods, and soon reached the Tuscarora Trail. We headed south on it for 50-100 feet (this short stretch is now co-blazed blue and yellow), before leaving on the continuation of the Hogback Mountain Trail, dropping off Big Mountain. While the trail is new, it's actually a combination of social hunting trails, old woods roads, and game paths, pieced together by roughly cut new stretches. Forest is mixed, mostly of medium age it would appear. Often somewhat rocky. Even more often steep. It would be more difficult going uphill. The trail is mostly easy to follow, though you do need to pay attention to the blazes. We all organically took turns taking the lead, and talked mostly about hiking, trails, forestry, and the local residents and landowners (not negatively). Turns out I had met ranger Shawn a couple of times in the past, on some of my other hikes in the Forest.
At the saddle-point between Tuscarora and Hogback Mountains, we reached the junction with the Charcoal Trail, also yellow blazed. We continued east on the Hogback Mountain Trail, now climbing on mostly new trail to its summit. Two vistas have been cut out, mainly looking south/southeast into the Cumberland Valley and towards the Bear Pond Mountains. The trail ends at the summit. This is apparently a few hundred feet short of the talus slope that's visible from Big Mountain; I'm considering returning in colder weather to get there; I expect it to be an easy bushwhack from trail's end.
After a short break at the summit, we headed back down to the saddle point and turned onto the Charcoal Trail. The Charcoal Trail loops around Hogback Mountain on its north side, using woods roads, logging roads, and new cut trails to reach a small parking area off of PA-75. It passes around a half dozen charcoal flats from iron making days, thus giving it its name. The trail again can get steep, and often follows some small streams down the mountain. In fact, the first flat has been overtaken by one of these streams. Woods roads make up a lot more of this trail than the first one, thus making going easier. One of the stream hollows is fairly scenic, and had I not been hiking with two rangers I probably would have left the trail and headed down the steep slope to the stream for better photography.
After following good woods roads for a bit, the trail reaches the Forest boundary, and thus has to leave the woods road to roughly follow the boundary on a faintly defined trail, first uphill, then downhill. There is one window view along this section. Some parts were already getting overgrown and could use some trimming and also better treadway definition. The trail eventually starts following a logging road, dropping to the parking area.
As mentioned above, I may go back to reach the talus slope. Done altogether, it probably does work best as a shuttle hike, and out and back would have a big relentless climb. One could add some length on the front end by hiking to Big Mountain from any direction.