Thursday, September 4, 2008
Trail maintence update
The story on the trail day mentioned ion the previous post finally ran in the post gazette. You can find it here... http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08244/908024-140.stm
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Roaring Run, Apollo PA
What can i say. Roaring run is excellent. The trails are very rocky and technical with numerous ladder bridges. Everything is well marked with blue squares and easy to follow. Heres an example of the trail markers. Note the blue square on the tree.
You start out at the parking lot (you can get a map to the lot at www.roaringrun.org) and ride onto the rail trail. There are trails off to the left of it almost immediately, but these are generally not well marked. First timers should just stay on the rail trail for about a mile and a half until you come to the first bridge on the rail trail. Make a left into the grassy area immediately after the bridge and you will see two trail heads. Go to the one at the end of the field (its more to the left and there is a sign on the wrong one telling you to use the other entrance). The first part of the trail takes you on a climb of rocky switchbacks that is a rugged piece of trail. There is an area with a warning sign telling you of a cliff ahead about halfway up. Nice view from there. Once at the top you reach a bench on the mountain and the trail follows it to a nice log drop. The trail follows the bench to a series of rock gardens which have are fairly difficut to navigate.
Next up is a series of creek crossings and ladder bridges with some waterfalls running alongside the trail.
The waterfalls are and ladder bridges are in an area that was obviously damaged by mining, but they are still cool looking areas to ride and its nice to see an otherwise neglected piece of land being reclaimed and put to good use.
Soon after, there is a bailout point with a sign if your feeling whipped. I'd recommend continuing because you'd be missing the best part. It starts with the return of a more wild looking forest and large boulders.
The trail reaches a gorge with remnants of mine equipment in the area and snakes along the edge of a cliff until the creek crossing.
More rock gardens and large boulders await on cave bear trail. Its name seems fitting in that there have been several bear sightings in this area during the summer. Mostly a mom and cubs.
More of the boulders on cave bear...
After cave bear trail you are spit back out onto the rail trail, but fear not. Turn right on the trail and it will re-enter the woods and return to the rail trail througout the rest of the loop. Here's a little log skinny i saw along the way.
There is a lot left to see that i didn't get usable pictures from. I REALLY NEED A NEW CAMERA! A bunch of pictures i took in the middle of the trail were unusable. Hopefully I'll be able to take some more shots and post soon. In the meantime, go see it for youself.
You start out at the parking lot (you can get a map to the lot at www.roaringrun.org) and ride onto the rail trail. There are trails off to the left of it almost immediately, but these are generally not well marked. First timers should just stay on the rail trail for about a mile and a half until you come to the first bridge on the rail trail. Make a left into the grassy area immediately after the bridge and you will see two trail heads. Go to the one at the end of the field (its more to the left and there is a sign on the wrong one telling you to use the other entrance). The first part of the trail takes you on a climb of rocky switchbacks that is a rugged piece of trail. There is an area with a warning sign telling you of a cliff ahead about halfway up. Nice view from there. Once at the top you reach a bench on the mountain and the trail follows it to a nice log drop. The trail follows the bench to a series of rock gardens which have are fairly difficut to navigate.
Next up is a series of creek crossings and ladder bridges with some waterfalls running alongside the trail.
The waterfalls are and ladder bridges are in an area that was obviously damaged by mining, but they are still cool looking areas to ride and its nice to see an otherwise neglected piece of land being reclaimed and put to good use.
Soon after, there is a bailout point with a sign if your feeling whipped. I'd recommend continuing because you'd be missing the best part. It starts with the return of a more wild looking forest and large boulders.
The trail reaches a gorge with remnants of mine equipment in the area and snakes along the edge of a cliff until the creek crossing.
More rock gardens and large boulders await on cave bear trail. Its name seems fitting in that there have been several bear sightings in this area during the summer. Mostly a mom and cubs.
More of the boulders on cave bear...
After cave bear trail you are spit back out onto the rail trail, but fear not. Turn right on the trail and it will re-enter the woods and return to the rail trail througout the rest of the loop. Here's a little log skinny i saw along the way.
There is a lot left to see that i didn't get usable pictures from. I REALLY NEED A NEW CAMERA! A bunch of pictures i took in the middle of the trail were unusable. Hopefully I'll be able to take some more shots and post soon. In the meantime, go see it for youself.
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