This past weekend I started and completed my first full hike of the Loyalsock Trail. The lush green forests made for some wonderful views, including this one of Loyalsock Creek and PA route 77 from Smith’s Knob, a great stop to eat some lunch on my first day.
@halo_of_winter I’ll tell you, the first was not so bad for me. I have done a lot of hiking early in the season so I am in great shape. But the 90 degree temp on Saturday killed me on my way up Smiths Knob!
yeah, i hate hiking when it’s really hot. i usually hike grandma pace if it is and take alot of breaks. the nice thing about some of the hot days on my first LT thru was taking breaks in water holes coming down some of the sections following streams. and of course the haystacks is great after hiking most of the trail. some people don’t realize there’s a water hole behind a big rock right in the middle of it that you can cannonball into and still not hit the bottom. clear as rock run too!
and i still haven’t had a clear blue sky at smith’s knob yet. but i did see it early AM with mist through the mountains, so that was cool. and still haven’t seen the two lookouts before smith’s knob that look south at all. too foggy on both trips.
@halo_of_winter: I definitely took advantage of the various streams to cool off, though when I reached the haystacks it was quite late at night and I was ready to get out of the woods, so I didn’t stop. I am fortunate to have had a clear weekend this time around!
This past weekend I started and completed my first full hike of the Loyalsock Trail. The lush green forests made for some wonderful views, including this one of Loyalsock Creek and PA route 77 from Smith’s Knob, a great stop to eat some lunch on my first day.
sounds like you liked it! one of my favorite trails, and one of the best lookouts in PA!
that is actually PA route 87
Oops!
@halo_of_winter Oops! Yes, it was a great hike! Though I am quite sore three days later.
how about that first hill climb at the very beginning of the trail!
@halo_of_winter I’ll tell you, the first was not so bad for me. I have done a lot of hiking early in the season so I am in great shape. But the 90 degree temp on Saturday killed me on my way up Smiths Knob!
yeah, i hate hiking when it’s really hot. i usually hike grandma pace if it is and take alot of breaks. the nice thing about some of the hot days on my first LT thru was taking breaks in water holes coming down some of the sections following streams. and of course the haystacks is great after hiking most of the trail. some people don’t realize there’s a water hole behind a big rock right in the middle of it that you can cannonball into and still not hit the bottom. clear as rock run too!
and i still haven’t had a clear blue sky at smith’s knob yet. but i did see it early AM with mist through the mountains, so that was cool. and still haven’t seen the two lookouts before smith’s knob that look south at all. too foggy on both trips.
@halo_of_winter: I definitely took advantage of the various streams to cool off, though when I reached the haystacks it was quite late at night and I was ready to get out of the woods, so I didn’t stop. I am fortunate to have had a clear weekend this time around!