IC-05 Hiking Trip

What are we doing?

I want to show everyone one of my favourite hiking (and skiing) spots around: the Linn Run division of Forbes State Forest. We'll park at the "overflow" parking next to the cross-country ski warming hut [directions], hike along the Spruce Run, Laurel Highlands, and Beam Rocks trails on the South-West side of Laurel Ridge, until we get to the view at said rocks; then back on the Black Bear and Towhee trails on the North-East side. The entire loop is about 7 miles, with noticeable but not outrageous elevation gain when we flip from one side of the ridge to the other.

The trail features most of the local vegetation types: laurel and rhododendron jungles; deciduous forest (oaks, chestnuts, striped maple, etc); hemlocks. For grape vines, we'd need to be at lower altitude. Chipmunks are endemic, though in a large group mostly what we'll notice of them are chirps and rustling leaves. Usually I also hear a woodpecker or two, and various other birds.

What should we bring?

At least one litre of water. If you're a heavy drinker, bring two. The number one problem people have while hiking is to drink too little water.
Lunch and snacks. A sandwich; apples or oranges (not squishy fruit like peaches and bananas); carrots; granola; whatever.
Good footware. These trails are in good shape, but are rocky in places, so you'll want something that has good friction and ankle support. Generally, synthetic or wool socks are better than cotton (less chance of blisters) -- I wear a thin inner synthetic sock and a thick outer wool sock in my boots.
Rain gear (raincoat or umbrella), just in case. Laurel Ridge gets a lot more precipitation than Pittsburgh -- bring rain gear even if it's sunny at home.
Compass and headlamp if you have them.
If you have one, a first-aid kit in case someone gets blistered or scratched. If you don't, then don't go get one just for this.
If you have one, a car. If you don't, then don't go get one just for this.

I'll provide maps, a trail description, and directions to the trailhead.

How do we meet?

Meet at 10:30am on Saturday, Sept 3, at the UC turnaround. The turnaround is off Forbes, on the right as you head away from Oakland towards Squirrel Hill, about halfway between Morewood and the parking structure. On this Google map it is near the center of the image, across Forbes from Devon Rd, between the track field on the right and the unnamed green on the left. The building there is the University Center; the paved blob is the UC turnaround.

Drive if you can; if we have excess cars, we can leave them in the Morewood parking lot which is free on weekends.

Driving directions to the turnaround

From Oakland:
Take Forbes towards Squirrel Hill. Turn right into the first driveway, about .1 miles after Morewood Ave.

From Squirrel Hill:
Take Forbes towards Oakland. Turn left into the first driveway, about .1 miles after Beeler St.

What if it rains?

If the weather's really rotten and forecast to stay that way, I'll mail out a cancellation on Saturday morning. If it's merely drizzling, or rotten but forecast to get nice, we'll still go.

The current forecast calls for dry sunny weather after the passage of Katrina, so it should be wonderful.

Timing

We leave at 10:30am. Expect to be back in Pittsburgh around 6pm, give or take an hour.

Reimbursements

Drivers: get receipts for the turnpike (it'll be $2.25 each way), and mark your mileage (about 120 miles total). Hand those receipts to Jennifer Landefeld for reimbursement.

Last modified: Tue Aug 30 16:17:25 EDT 2005 Benoît Hudson