Fall 2011 The somewhat regular publication of the Mid FALL 2011 State Association. www.hike-mst.org Brushwhacker attention to the existing to the west and Jefferson National Forest carry the The Great Eastern of the AT and saying “Don’t look now, but GET hiker further south to a junction Trail and the MST parts are already in place." This article with West Scenic Trails Asso- and a follow-up letter to the editor by ciation’s yellow blazed , By Pete Fleszar Peter Fleszar inspired MST and Finger which meets the near For several years now MSTA has Lakes Trail conference to take up Tom the New River at Pearisburg, VA. West partnered with other like-minded groups Thwaites’s idea from the late 1980’s and from Pearisburg the GET route is under in nine Eastern states to create Ameri- establish the MST-FLT connection as one development to Matewan, WV and Elk- ca’s newest long-distance footpath. Great of these linkages horn City, KY where GET turns onto Pine Eastern Trail (GET) provides a premier The work on GET, as it has been for Mountain Trail. Continuing into Tennesee, hiking experience on a series of existing MST, is being led by volunteers. The or- GET is on the white blazed Cumberland trails that are linked or linking to each ganizational scheme will involve existing Trail for most of its length, departing for other, stretching volunteer trail clubs, augmented where an urban trek through Chattanooga, and from to necessary by new volunteer groups. Vol- crossing into GA on Lookout Mountain the Finger Lakes unteers work closely with governmental within the Chickamauga and Chattanoo- region of . entities, but the emphasis will be on vol- ga . Trail workers This path will ul- unteer leadership. GET will be primarily are seeking connections to the Pinhoti timately be 2800 a hiking trail and its support comes from Trail in and Alabama, with turkey km long, crossing hiking trail clubs. MSTA provides one track blazes leading to Flagg Mountain, New York, Pennsyl- of the Board members (currently Peter the southernmost 300+ meter elevation vania, , Fleszar), and the 2011 Board meeting point in the Appalachian Mountain chain. , was hosted by MSTA with the amazingly One person we know of has already Virginia, , , Georgia, gracious assistance of Woolrich, Inc. in walked from the FL/AL border as far and Alabama. The north end is a junction Woolrich, PA. north as Woolrich on the GET. with at Moss Hill shel- Each of the trails retains its own blaz- The current MST color maps and ter near South Bradford, NY. Eventually, ing standards and its own relationships guides state that MST is “Part of Great GET will cross south Alabama to reach with landowners and public land manag- Eastern Trail in ,” and over the border and a junction with ers. At the NY border, the northbound the last two years the GET logo has be- Florida National Scenic Trail. GET hiker changes from the orange gun to appear at MST trailheads and Planner Benton MacKaye’s original blazes of MST to the orange blazes of key points along our route. In 2012, you vision for an Appalachian Trail in the Crystal Hills Trail, a new branch of Finger might begin to hear more about GET as 1920's showed a network of braided Lakes Trail passing through the hills of a result of an enhanced partnership with trails running the length of the Appa- Steuben County around the “Crystal City” Woolrich, Inc. and Backpacker magazine. lachian Mountains. In 2000 Lloyd Ma- of Corning. In southern PA and MD, GET Watch this space for more specifics as cAskill of PATC published an article in bifurcates into co-equal routes – the west they are developed. the Appalachian Trailway News calling route uses sections 1-8 of MST along Tussey Mountain to reach a new white blazed Great Eastern Trail connection in near Flintstone, MD, and the east route uses the yellow, blue, and partially non-blazed Greenwood Spur of MST to reach at Greenwood Furnace State Park, thence orange blazed SST to to follow blue-blazed (formerly orange) south across the Potomac River to northern Virginia. Variously blazed and non-blazed routes in and near George Washington 2 BRUSHWHACKER Fall 2011 - The somewhat regular publication of the Mid State Trail Association.

Please consider attending for the week- end or just for a day. No experience nec- In The Regions.... essary. Tools and instruction provided. Woolrich Region Keystone Trails Association. Everett Region by Deb Dunkle by Joe Healey State College The fall MSTA meeting was held in The MSTA, Bedford County Rails the new head- Region to Trails, and Juniata Clean Water quarters office meeting room in Water- by Kevin Busko Partnership were awarded a generous grant by REI. This is going towards ville and all regions were represented. The KTA sponsored trailcare week- various activities for a joint effort of the A big thanks to Jeff Prowant, District end on the Reeds Gap Spur of the MST three clubs in the Everett Region. The Forester, for allowing use of the confer- was held the weekend of October 7-9. rails-to-trails is a first for Bedford County ence room. The work crews focused on the Reeds and this initial grant will be used towards A lot is happening in the Woolrich Gap end of the trail. Blow downs were matching Broad Top Township funds Region besides the Marcellus Shale cleared from Reeds Gap SP to Bear Gap, and to produce a personal adventure of controversy. Specifically, Woolrich which is about half way to the Poe Paddy Hike, Bike and Canoe in the three areas. Corp. sponsored end of the trail. Blazing and brush clear- This is scheduled to be produced in May a meeting on ing made it about halfway to Bear Gap 2012 along with the Bloody Run Canoe November 4 from the Reeds Gap SP end. We antici- Classic. in their Bryton pate another trail care weekend in 2012 Please mark your calendars with Lodge which is to continue with this project. these dates for the KTA trail crew: June tucked away in Boy Scout Erik Hoover from troop 19, 2012 through June 26, 2012. The the mountains 375 in Stormstown has finished his Eagle Everett church ladies have agreed once above Woolrich. project on the MST. Erik organized the again to cook – for those of you who The purpose construction and installation of six new have been missing this delicious food, of the meeting was to discuss ways to trail signs at Deer Path, Roman Tower, please consider packing on the pounds promote the Great Eastern Trail nation- Laurel Run Trail, Fleetfoot Trail, and both to put out the energy on the MSTA wide by generating publicity along its North Meadows Trail junctions. Erik trail! Your taste buds will thank you for path in Pennsylvania. Bent Hollowell, also repainted several signs on the MST coming! Take some vacation days and Vice-president of Media Relations for between Jo Hays Vista and Big Flat. The put your tent up at Tenley Park. There will Woolrich Corp. hosted the meeting along Hoover family donated a dozen locust be showers for men at Everett HS and with Backpacker Magazine representa- signposts to the MST for use as future ladies at the church. Jake the JRT mascot tives, Alison Kennedy and Carolyn Fan- signage. likes any working volunteer; the last crew ning. Although Woolrich Corp. focuses We are close to having an assigned only asked that he doesn't show up with on the MST, in a broader context, they trail maintainer for each section of the any more skunks or porcupines! are also in full support of the GET as it MST in the State College Region. Thanks The Yellow Creek Bridge project is travels along portions of the MST, which to all the dedicated maintainers, past seeing some daylight at the end of this includes the area of Woolrich. The Back- and present. Without you there would bridge! Hopefully the DEP papers will get packer Magazine staff was there to help be no trail. I encourage each of you to signed off, DCNR finds amended budget nail down the details of the magazine's take your job as a section maintainer monies and the MSTA can bid out before promotion of the GET through their ongo- seriously and to put forth an extra effort the end of the year. We are looking for ing "Get Out More" program which will in 2012 to get out there and have your donations to help complete this project. be held in Woolrich on National Trails section in tiptop condition for the hiking Suggested donation of $300.00 but any Day on June 2, 2012. The MSTA will be season. There is no better reward than size is quite welcomed and appreciated. the host club for this event and further receiving an e-mail or phone call from a Any volunteers interested in details will be forthcoming. Those at- hiker thanking the MSTA for providing an maintaining a Everett region section, tending the meeting in addition to Brent, excellent hiking or backpacking experi- please email Debra so that she can get Ali and Carolyn were Tom Johnson from ence. your name and numbers. DHDUNKLE@ the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, KTA will be holding a weekend trail- EMBARQMAIL.COM. There are many Pete Fleszar and Joe Healey from the care the weekend of March 30 to April 1, openings and lots of work for this MSTA, Joe Clark and Carl Lorence from 2012 in the State College area. We will budding area, lots of trail work and the Standing Stone Trail Club and Curt be staying, once again, at Rimmey Lodge items to work on so that your assistance Ashenfelter and Thyra Sperry from the at the Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp. is direly needed. Experience with BRUSHWHACKER Fall 2011 - The somewhat regular publication of the Mid State Trail Association. 3

power equipment or just bring lots of more details. enthusiasm and hard work effort! Mark your calendars early for the KTA Spring Meeting in Wellsboro, with BRUSHWHACKER Fall 2011, Published by Tioga Region hikes on MST and other trails throughout Mid State Trail Association, PO Box 885, by Peter Fleszar Huntingdon, PA 16652. Free to all mem- Tioga County, on April 27-29, 2012; and bers and friends of the MSTA. POSTMAS- The The Dyke Creek relocation is Tioga Region KTA Trail Care, based at TER: Send address changes to Mid State now open, thanks to 2 years of KTA trail group campsite on Trail Association, PO Box 885, Huntingdon, workers, and a special trip by Louise July 13-15, 2012. PA 16652. Copyright 2011 by Mid State Trail Association. All rights reserved. Sis to help finish the blazing in August. MST now follows the north part of the Sand Run Falls hiking/ski trail loop to an State of the actual parking area on Arnot Road, and Treasury continues north across Fisher Road and by Kirk Bucynski Dyke Creek to Tokarz Road at a State For- CONTACT THE MID STATE TRAIL ASSOCIATION est boundary where blazes end for now. For additional information about the Mid Account balances as of 11/17/11 State Trail Association, the Mid State Trail, A new map (thanks to Sheila Kasperek), are as follows: Money Market Checking or any articles written in this newsletter, and new guide to this section are posted Account $38,949.11 and YCB Savings please send all inquires (via postal or to http://www.hike-mst.org/guide.html electronic mail) to: Account $101.41. Recently, we received - as a result of this relocation, 6 km was $2,200 in donations toward the Yellow added to the thru-hiker's MST. We con- Mid State Trail Association Creek Bridge Project. This money was PO Box 885 tinue our work to locate as much off road placed in our checking account since we Huntingdon, PA 16652 trail as possible so we can finally finish will using these funds to pay upcoming [email protected] blazing the entire MST. expenses. PRESIDENT Four times this year, new gas pipe- Ed Lawrence lines were built on private land cross- [email protected] ing MST that we didn't know about in KTA Trail Care on VICE-PResident advance. We have seen that the pipeline Tom Kelliher crews do move fairly quickly and are the MST [email protected] skilled at restoring the area, leaving sta- by Ed Lawrence bilized vegetation and a new viewpoint Secretary behind! We know from journals that a Scott Adams Mid State Trail friends and support- [email protected] couple of thru-hikers this year have had ers will have four opportunities to vol- the presence of mind to go around the unteer with the Keystone Trails Associa- treasurer construction zones. However, the gas tion's Trail Care Program to help maintain Kirk Bucynski [email protected] companies have not so far been contact- and upgrade the MST in 2012. KTA's ing MSTA beforehand. If we know ahead schedule will include the following work Regional Managers of time, we can take steps to alert hikers dates: Deb Dunkle - Everett Region and detour them temporarily to a nearby March 30 - April 1 lead by Kevin [email protected] road, surely making all concerned more Thomas Thwaites - State College Region Busko on the State College Region stay- Kevin Busko - State College Region comfortable. If you are aware of upcom- ing in Rimmey Cabin at Seven Mountains [email protected] ing gas company activity on your land on Scout Camp. Joe Healey - Woolrich Region or near the trail, or you are hiking and June 19 - 24 week long crew lead by [email protected] encounter a situation related to gas or Deb Dunkle on the Everett Region camp- Peter Fleszar - Tioga Region other construction, please do not hesi- ing in Everett's Tenley Park, with meals [email protected] tate to contact [email protected] or 717 provided. 576-3112 (cell). July 13 - 15 lead by Pete Fleszar Membership If you know of a Scout or other youth on the Tioga region camping in the Hills Membership in the Mid State Trail Associa- looking for a service project this year, we Creek State Park organized tenting site. tion runs from January 1st to December 31st. Individual membership dues are $12 have a need for a 300 meter boardwalk August 10 -12 lead by Joe Healey on and Family membership dues are $15. to be installed along MST on private land the Woolrich Region camping in the Little Lifetime membership dues are $250. Trail near Route 6. We have the lumber all Pine Creek State Park group camping overseers are also needed for sections ready for the right youth to demonstrate area. of the trail. Please contact one of the their leadership skills through logistics regional managers if you have interest becoming a trail overseer. rather than fund raising. Contact tioga@

hike-mst.org or (717) 576-3112 (cell) for © 2011 Mid State Trail Association. All rights reserved. Mid State Trail Association PO Box 885 Place Huntington, PA 16652 Postage Here.

Membership in the MSTA

makes a great holiday gift. www.hike-mst.org

hikers to explore. Hike on Pickle, Hike on! on! Hike Pickle, on Hike explore. to hikers

to push the required $44,700 'match', 'match', $44,700 required the push to

will wend through Pennsylvania for future future for Pennsylvania through wend will

MSTA voted to pledge $13,000 in order order in $13,000 pledge to voted MSTA

helping to ensure that the MST treadway treadway MST the that ensure to helping

the project. At its October meeting the the meeting October its At project. the

thank Mr. Herring for his generosity, for for generosity, his for Herring Mr. thank

has continued to run on the cost of of cost the on run to continued has

southwestern sun. The MSTA wishes to to wishes MSTA The sun. southwestern

ous agencies has meant that the meter meter the that meant has agencies ous

as a trail maintainer under that glorious glorious that under maintainer trail a as

- vari the of requirements the all Fulfilling

continues to hike and volunteers time time volunteers and hike to continues

every turn of this multi-year journey. journey. multi-year this of turn every

ring now lives in New Mexico, where he he where Mexico, New in lives now ring

and overcome obstacles at virtually virtually at obstacles overcome and

- Her Mr. region. Everett the in trail the

Dunkle and Fleszar have encountered encountered have Fleszar and Dunkle

with a MST crew working on upgrades to to upgrades on working crew MST a with

housed only one Minotaur, the team of of team the Minotaur, one only housed

maintained, and even crossed paths paths crossed even and maintained,

Although the famous labyrinth of Minos Minos of labyrinth famous the Although

trail as being both challenging and well well and challenging both being as trail

cies of the grant and permitting process. process. permitting and grant the of cies

in the Spring of '06. He remembers the the remembers He '06. of Spring the in

project through the labyrinthine intrica labyrinthine the through project -

Kutztown, Pa., hiked the Mid State Trail Trail State Mid the hiked Pa., Kutztown,

countless meetings into guiding this this guiding into meetings countless

in his trust. Mr. Herring, originally from from originally Herring, Mr. trust. his in

cepted. cepted. has put untold time, heroic effort and and effort heroic time, untold put has

pressing his desire to include the MSTA MSTA the include to desire his pressing

this expenditure will be gratefully ac gratefully be will expenditure this - Dunkle, with the support of Pete Fleszar, Fleszar, Pete of support the with Dunkle,

- ex summer this Association Trail State

conclusion. Donations to help offset offset help to Donations conclusion. this time, tantalizingly within reach. Deb Deb reach. within tantalizingly time, this

trail name "Pickle", contacted the Mid Mid the contacted "Pickle", name trail

seeing this complicated project to its its to project complicated this seeing Yellow Creek in the Everett Region is, at at is, Region Everett the in Creek Yellow

Harold Herring, who hikes under the the under hikes who Herring, Harold

adequately for their tenacity and grit in in grit and tenacity their for adequately

to put a safe and accessible bridge over over bridge accessible and safe a put to

By Ed Lawrence Ed By not thank Deb Dunkle and Pete Fleszar Fleszar Pete and Dunkle Deb thank not The ongoing (and ongoing) project project ongoing) (and ongoing The

Harold Herring Harold

building of the bridge. The MSTA can can MSTA The bridge. the of building

by Ed Lawrence Ed by

hurdle that stands in the way of actually actually of way the in stands that hurdle

End Of The Tunnel Tunnel The Of End Mr. to ou" Y "Thank

pectation that this will remove the final final the remove will this that pectation

- ex and hope the with threshold the over A Bridge At The The At Bridge A Heartfelt Big A

needed to release the grant funding, funding, grant the release to needed

BRUSHWHACKER Fall 2011 - The somewhat regular publication of the Mid State Trail Association. Trail State Mid the of publication regular somewhat The - 2011 Fall BRUSHWHACKER 4