Fall/Winter 2017 The STC 50th Anniversary By Wanda Shirk A five-mile hike on a perfect October afternoon preceded The Susquehannock Trail Club (STC) is now an official the evening program. Eight hikers-- Wayne Baumann, quinquagenarian! Five decades ago, the Constitution of Bob Bernhardy, Pat Childs, Mike Knowlton, Janet Long, the club was approved unanimously by 19 charter mem- Ginny Musser, Valorie Patillo, and Wanda Shirk—left the bers on October 18, 1967. Fifty years later to the day, on lodge at 2 PM hiking up the Billy Brown Trail, across the Wednesday, October 18, 2017, current club members Ridge Trail segment of the STS. The hikers returned to gathered at the same location to commemorate the club’s the lodge by 4:30 PM via the Wil and Betty Ahn Trail. founding, and to celebrate five decades of maintaining the Back at the lodge, four other members were busily en- Susquehannock Trail System (STS) and its associated link gaged. Helen Bernhardy created a photo board, Penny trails and crossover trails. Weinhold decorated the tables and dining area, Curt Fifty-eight members attended the celebration at the Sus- Weinhold set up a 14-minute slide show which ran contin- quehannock Lodge, including 53 who packed the dining uously on a 28-inch computer screen throughout the even- room to enjoy excellent prime rib, salmon, or stuffed pork ing, and Lois Morey displayed the club’s array of maps, chops, and four more members who prepared and served guidebooks, patches, shirts, and jackets, along with some the meal—and washed the dishes! Valorie Patillo, Chuck historical materials. Dillon and his wife, Susan, and lodge owners Ed and Carol After the meal, a cake decorated with hikers and a hiking Szymanik then joined fellow members for the program. trail was cut and served with homemade ice cream from the Brown Cow Dairy just east of Ulysses. This newsletter is written with 100% recycled words 1 Newsletter printed by the Welfare Hollow Publishing Group, New Florence, PA 15944 Club president Wanda Shirk opened the program with a coworkers one day. She was driving a Federal Excess short history of hiking trails and the founding of the STC. truck with a broken fuel gauge. Long-time member and guidebook writer Chuck Dillon Bob "Butch" Davey, the club's second president, shared then presented a citation from the office of State Senator some of his memories, recalling how as a young forester, Joseph Scarnati, congratulating the club and honoring the he was assigned to the Susquehannock State Forest Dis- five decades of volunteer work to maintain the 85 mile trict. He and his bride rented an apartment from Bill Fish, Susquehannock Trail System. Next, two unique "Chain the father of the trail idea. Butch was initially pressed— Saw Awards" were given to Joe Allis and Bill Boyd to rec- virtually coerced—into giving his free time and weekends ognize their incredible contributions over the years to var- to locating old CCC trails and figuring out how they could ious trail projects. be connected for the STS. The project soon engrossed Barb Allis, Roxanne McMillan, and Tom Fitzgerald were him, and he embraced it with an eagerness that led to a recognized for their hundreds of volunteer hours as news- life-long passion for trails. Butch later became one of the letter editors for the club over the years. first board members of the Keystone Trails Association. Wil Ahn Highlight of the program John Eastlake was recognized for his work on the STS and was a "Show-and-Tell" by the creation of the North Link and South Link trails, that Wil Ahn, a charter mem- connect the STS to the Black Forest Trail. This was ac- ber in 1967 and president complished in conjunction with the late "Legend-in-His- of the club for 30. Wil Own-Time" Bob Webber, who took his last hike in 2015. shared many interesting Bob's Slate Run area cabin was dismantled this past year anecdotes, including the and is to be re-assembled in 2018 at the Pennsylvania fact that Earl Shafer, the Lumber Museum. We remembered Bob with respect, first Appalachian Trail fondness, and deep appreciation. thru-hiker, spoke at a club Photo by Curt Weinhold Long-time club members Bob Bernhardy and club Secre- event in the 70s and tary Lois Morey — who with her parents was among the stayed at the very lodge where we were eating. Earl hiked trail's first three circuit hikers—also shared some memo- the AT both northbound and southbound— "NoBo," and ries before the program closed. Many members stayed "SoBo," as hikers say. The lodge should have a sign: "Earl afterward to visit and chat, and everyone signed a card for Shafer slept here!" Wil, who currently serves as club ar- Betty Ahn, who at age 100, has had to spend the past chivist, passed around photos and told stories of memora- month at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital. ble club events. Chain Saw Award Two other past club presidents added to the historical re- (Recipients Bill Boyd (L), Joe Allis, Wanda Shirk (Presenter) membrances. Tom Fitzgerald, first president of the trail club from 1967-68, and then chairman of the trail planning committee, explained the original plan was to route the trail system through most of the state parks in the county, and the obstacles that interfered. Lyman Run State Park, for example, had only one trail leading into the park, and Cherry Springs had no trails at all—only roads. But Cher- ry Springs Fire Tower could be included. Tom also sum- marized the "Loeda bypass," which took the trail away Photo by Curt Weinhold from Prouty Place Park. The original trail route passed The club's final two meetings for 2017 will be on Novem- through the private Loeda Lodge property. The club was ber 11 at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, and on De- unaware that the owners enjoyed sunbathing in the sum- cember 16 at Lois Morey's house in West Pike for the an- mer until they requested that the trail be re-routed around nual Christmas party. Both meetings will begin with a their property. The bypass eventually became known as dish-to-share meal at 5 PM and club business from 6 to 7 the "Empty Tank Trail," after a state forest timber sale PM. Meeting locations are always listed on the club's web- which used the trail buffer zone as a boundary. The for- site. The website also has a YouTube link to Curt Wein- ester in charge of the sale had to be rescued by her hold's STC slide show from the anniversary dinner. This newsletter is written with 100% recycled words 2 Newsletter printed by the Welfare Hollow Publishing Group, New Florence, PA 15944 STC Highlights & Accomplishments: bridge the creek. (Establishing a new footbridge over By Wanda Shirk Kettle Creek is a long-range goal for the STS. We just Crooks Trail – Dynamite House need, perhaps, a few tens of thousands of dollars.) Half a dozen major former "wet-crossings" have been bridged by firmly-placed and top-leveled logs, most with cable handrails, in the past few years. A few more of these are contemplated for some Hammersley crossings. Club expeditions over the years have included numerous trips to the Adirondacks, as well as two special trips to Isle Royale, Michigan and Mt. Assiniboine, Alberta, Canada. Club regular annual events have included summer campo- rees (often, but not exclusively, at Ole Bull State Park), Wild Game/Harvest Dinners in the autumn, and Winter Frolic weekends in February. Twenty-first century achievements of the club include: Photo by Larry Holtzapple Seven presidents have served the club over 50 years: • A club website, built by Becky Fitzgerald. • A Facebook page managed by Bob Bernhardy and • Tom Fitzgerald – 2 years, 1967-68 Curt Weinhold. • Bob "Butch" Davey – 1969 • A Swisher mower and a collection of smaller tools, • Wil Ahn – 30 years, 1970-81, and 1992-2009 including chain saws, brush cutters, loppers, shovels, • Curt Weinhold – 6 years, 1982-87 rakes, pulaskis, paintbrushes, latex paint, and other • Boyd Sponaugle – 4 years, 1988-91 equipment for maintaining and blazing the trail. • Wanda Shirk – 7 years, 2010-2017 • An 8-foot Integrity tool trailer, painted by Joe Allis. Thirty-seven paid members were charter members in 1967, Tool Trailer with 19 attending the October 18, 1967 meeting at which the club constitution was approved. Seven of the 37 original members are still members today: Wil and Betty Ahn, Tom and Jayne (Knight) Fitzgerald, Bob "Butch" and Kay Davey, and Bob Knowles. In addition to the 85 mile Susquehannock Trail, the club established two "link trails." The North Link Trail and the South Link Trail, both of which connect the STS with the Black Forest Trail. In more recent years, two west-east (or east-west) "crossover trails" were also established, the West Branch Crossover Trail and the East Fork Crossover Trail, enabling hikers to walk additional shorter loops for Photo by Tom Fitzgerald backpacking weekends. The Trail Shelter project – two Adirondack shelters have been constructed along the trail in the past two years, at The largest existing bridges are the three wooden bridges miles 31 and 42.5. Both were built by volunteer labor. over Lyman Run, Cross Fork Creek, and Young Woman's Each shelter cost the club approximately $800. In addi- Creek, at approximately miles 7, 21, and 37 respectively. A tion, the 1930s-era CCC Dynamite House at mile 10.7, has smaller wooden bridge facilitates the final crossing of been cleaned up with a new door and porch built by Joe Greenlick Run at mile 39.7.