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Spring 2010 The somewhat regular publication of the Mid SPRING 2010 State Trail Association. www.hike-mst.org Brushwhacker installation along with contingent wa- The MSTA Voices tershed and habitat degradation, water Important Its Concern About withdrawal and 'frac' disposal issues, Information for and concerns regarding water table con- Gas Drilling in Our tamination and air and noise pollution all Mid State Trail need to be closely examined. State Forests "In the past year the Mid State Trail Maintainers by Ed Lawrence has received recognition for the quality By Ed Lawrence The following was sent in late Janu- of experience that it offers to hikers from Each year the Mid State Trail Asso- ary to our state senators and appeared regional, statewide and national publi- ciation enrolls in DCNR's Conservation in over a dozen newspapers across the cations. We fear that the dramatic and Volunteer Program on behalf of all our state as a "letter to the editor", making unprecedented increase in the numbers trail maintainers. This very important the MSTA one of and locations of areas leased for gas program, which was authorized by the the first organiza- extraction on public lands poses a real Conservation and Natural Resources tions to publicly and serious threat to just that "quality of Act of 1995, states that volunteers in voice concern over experience" available to, and most valued the program are to be treated as DCNR the impact of gas by, hikers and other traditional forest employees for the purposes of workers' drilling on our users across the spectrum of outdoor compensation and general liability. If state forest sys- recreation. you are injured while doing trail work for tem. DCNR has "We suggest that rather than leasing the Mid State Trail Association this law said that with the more public lands for development, the provides you with certain specific medi- amount of state enactment of a reasonable severance cal benefits. forest land currently under lease, they tax on gas extraction, which would bring In order to comply with the law volun- expect to see over 1000 new wells devel- Pennsylvania in line with every other teers must sign and complete two sepa- oped. state that hosts a viable gas industry, rate forms on a yearly basis. If you are "Our all volunteer organization, The would be a more appropriate and sus- a trail overseer, your Regional Manager Mid State Trail Association, is dedicated tainable way for the state to achieve will be contacting you with additional to building, maintaining, protecting and a just compensation from this natural information about these forms. It is very promoting Pennsylvania's longest and resource. This sensible approach would important that you take the time to fill wildest hiking trail. The majority of the protect our state forest ecosystem from out these forms and return them to the Mid State Trail's 334 miles of treadway further compromise as well as help to Mid State Trail Association. is located on public lands and traverses minimize the negative impacts on tradi- some of the state's most scenic and tional outdoors recreation and the many remote areas. We are, therefore, un- people in the commonwealth who enjoy derstandably alarmed at the scope and it." pace of the current gas lease programs that have been mandated within our state forest system. "We strongly believe that, at a mini- mum, there needs to be a careful and thorough assessment of the full range of short term impacts and long term conse- quences to the forest ecology itself, and on traditional recreational opportunities, of the leases already in place before more state forest acreage is offered for gas exploration. The implications of for- est fragmentation resulting from pad site clearing, road construction and pipeline 2 BRUSHWHACKER Spring 2010 - The somewhat regular publication of the Mid State Trail Association. A History of the Mid State Trail - The Central Allegheny Trail by Scott Adams that a bridge would be built near Tea The initial plan was to utilize the Back in the early 60’s, the 50 mile Spring at the western end of Sugar Val- state forest roads for most of the trail hike craze was spreading across the na- ley that would cross over Interstate 80. through Rothrock. These roads would tion, even affecting the students of Penn This bridge is used today by the MST as it be linked by short sections of trail along State. Several hikes were organized, but crosses over route I80. with three new sections of trail that as there were no real trail systems near Another hurdle encountered was would have to be cleared. State College, these hikes were mostly the connection of the Central Allegheny In the summer of 1969, after what done on state forest roads. It was dur- Trail with the Loyalsock Trail. In order to seemed an eternity of exploring for pos- ing this time that Dr. Boon Sumantri reach the Loyalsock Trail, the trail would sible routes, it was time to start putting conceived the idea of a long trail running have to cross the Susquehanna River. the Central Allegheny Trail on the ground. through the Seven Mountains. This could be accomplished by using the In anticipation of state approval, the Out- In 1966, Dr. Sumantri proposed a route PA 405 bridge, and then following ing Club began to stockpile tools during ridge-top hiking trail, the Central Allegh- the Muncy Trail up towards the Loyalsock the spring and summer. eny Trail. He founded the Central Alleghe- Trail. However, older maps showed the The proposed trail route was ap- ny Trail Hikers and had many meetings at Muncy Trail crossing private land. This proved during the summer of 1969. After his house to discuss his proposal. It was land was owned by PA Department of consulting with the district forester, the during 1966 that Dr. Thomas Thwaites Corrections and was the location of the only changes made to the plan was to attended one of these meetings and be- state prison for women. This put an end use orange paint instead of white paint came a member of the Central Allegheny to any ideas of having the Central Allegh- to blaze the trail, as white paint was be- Trail Hikers. eny Trail meet up with the Loyalsock Trail. ing used to mark the forest boundaries. The proposed trail, roughly sketched In August of 1967, Dr. Thwaites went The orange blazes were to be diamond out on 15 minute topo maps hanging on to England on sabbatical leave. When shape, similar to metal tag trail markers Dr. Sumantri’s living room wall, started at he returned a year later he was disap- used by the Outing Club some fifteen the Colerain Picnic Area along Route PA pointed to discover that no further prog- years earlier. The day for the first real 45. The other proposed trailhead was to ress had been made with the trail. Dr. trail clear, and the birth of the Mid State be at a roadside rest on route US 15, just Sumantri had developed a severe case Trail was rapidly approaching. south of Williamsport. The plan, at least of rheumatism that kept him from hiking. at the northern trailhead, was to connect Other members of the CATHs had de- the Central Allegheny Trail to the Loyal- veloped other interests. Dr. Thwaites re- Trail Maintenance sock Trail. turned to discover that not an inch (nor a Events on the MST In 1967, Sumantri began exploring a millimeter) of the trail had been cleared route for the trail by consulting with vari- or marked, and only a fraction of the trail by Ed Lawrence ous state forest officials. The first hurdle route had been determined. The Keystone Trails Association will encountered along the proposed trail During the brief life of the Central Al- be sponsoring two more trail cares and route was Interstate 80. It was learned legheny Trail Hikers, the Cabin and Trail Division of the Penn State Outing Club one trail crew on the Mid State Trail this became involved. It was the Penn State year. The July trail care, 9-11, will be in Outing Club that continued exploring a the Tioga region camping at Ives Run route for the trail, and again Dr. Thwaites overflow at Hammond Lake, contact became involved with this latest group to Pete Fleszar [email protected] and the develop the Central Allegheny Trail. August trail care, 13-15, will be in the The Penn State Outing Club soon Woolrich region camping at Ravensburg realized that the original route proposed State Park, contact Joe Healey jnlhea- by Dr. Sumantri was too much to tackle, [email protected]. A week long trail crew will so they focused on the route through the be held in the Everett region from June Rothrock State Forest. It was close to 22-27 camping at Tenley Park with all State College but presented formidable meals provided. Deb Dunkle (dhdunkle@ problems as most of the original trails in embarqmail.com) will be leading the the area were perpendicular to the pro- crew but you must pre-register with Ed posed Central Allegheny Trail. Lawrence ([email protected]). BRUSHWHACKER Spring 2010 - The somewhat regular publication of the Mid State Trail Association. 3 out onto State College while taking the Hiking the MST stuff out of our shoes. Near Jo Hays The next time we go there, we will BRUSHWHACKER Spring 2010, Published make a sign for Campbell Trail and put it by Mid State Trail Association, PO Box at the end of the trail so that people can 885, Huntingdon, PA 16652.

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