This is one of the highest, most rugged, and most scenic parts of the West Va. Highlands. Lots of spectacular views. Prior backpacking experience is required because the Plains are no place for beginners - even for leisurely trips like this one. We will cover only about 16 miles total, because there is so much to see and do that we will need lots of time to explore.

We will start at the upper trailhead of South Prong Trail, then take Hidden Passage Trail to Seneca Meadows where hopefully we can camp at the Rim campsite right on the Eastern Continental Divide. This is one of the most spectacular campsites on the MNF. The tenting area offers a 3000 vertical ft. view of the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac. Seneca Rocks, the Fore Knobs and some remote high mountain pastures are also far below us. Further east can be seen most of North Fork Mountain, and numerous ridges beyond to the Shenandoah Mountains on the far horizon. A view into the deep, steep-walled, wild canyon of the headwaters of Roaring Creek is near where we fetch water. Coyotes may serenade us in the late evening.

Day 2 will take us up Roaring Plains Trail to the Spruce Campsite on the rim of the deep, wild and steep-walled Long Run. It, too, is on the Eastern Continental Divide. Mt. Porte Crayon and Haystack Knob can be seen along the rim of Long Run, and the venturesome may attempt an ascent of Mt. Porte Crayon (West Va’s 7th highest mountain). The “roaring winds” are often experienced in the Spruce Campsite in late evening. Not far from the campsite is an overlook that looks down on Dolly Sods Wilderness, Cabin Mountain, Canaan Valley, and Allegheny Front.

Day 3 will take us down Boar’s Nest Trail and across South Fork of Red Creek (water levels permitting). Weather (even summer weather) on this high part of the Eastern Continental Divide can be severe. We need to be cautious.

If you want to learn more about this area, read pages 161 to 173 of Edition 8 of Monongahela National Forest Hiking Guide put out by the West Va. Highlands Conservancy as a paperback or as a CD.

Details:
A detailed trip sheet plus road directions plus topo maps will be provided.
Depart: 7AM Saturday from Monroeville
Return: about 6 or 7 PM Monday (depending on whether we stop for supper)
Carpool: A $25 carpool fee is suggested for the 150 mile round trip.
Limit: 10

To sign up, contact Bruce Sundquist at 724-327-8737 or bsundquist1 at windstream dot net.

Visit a place TBA with Sue/ Dan Sebolt: 412-563-6987. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

Meet at 10AM for an easy hike at Duff Park in Murrysville. After the hike, join us for a picnic. Bring a dish to share. Drinks, plates, cups, ice, napkins, silverware will be
provided. Come and catch up with old friends and make new ones.
Call Dianne Ciccarelli: 724-834-5787 or Bill Kozorra: 412-531-6236

Visit Braille Trail and Latadomi Nature Reserve in North Park with Mickey Dillman, 412-247-0220. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

Cycle the Ghost Town Trail from Dilltown to Blacklick and return. (About 24 miles round trip). We will see an old iron furnace on that section of trail. Ghost Town Trail is being extended in both directions. $7.00 carpool + $2/ bike carried, 50 miles. Meet at Gateway Middle School at 9 AM. Call Donna Allen, 412-372-2993.

Local meet by Orienteering club at Camp Twin Echo near Ligonier. Find flags in the woods using topographic map and compass.
The Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club will have al meet on Sunday Sep 19 at Boy Scout camp Twin Echo, near Ligonier.
Registration is anytime between 11 AM and 2 PM. Start anytime soon after. Come early if planning to do more than one course.
Available courses:
White (beginner)
Yellow (advanced beginner)
Line (intermediate, Advanced)
no pre-registration required.
Instruction for novices available on site by volunteers.
Cost is $5/map. If family or group is doing course with a single map, cost is still just $5 for the entire group.

Orienteering is a form of land navigation, in which participants locate checkpoint flags positioned in the woods, by using a specially-designed topographic map and compass (GPS are not allowed). Participants use land features seen on the ground to navigate, such as spurs, reentrants, cliffs, slopes, streams, ponds, clearings, and man-made features such as trails, buildings, ruins, telephone poles. The checkpoint flags are equipped with a card puncher, and the participants punches a control card on the designated box for that checkpoint to prove at the finish that the participant has indeed found the checkpoint. This sport can be done leisurely, as in hiking, or competitively, as in cross-country running. It is all-weather, all-skill levels, and all-ages.

Contact: Alexis Rzewski, email: arzewski@hotmail.com, phone: 412 348 3167

Visit Keystone Lake with Judy/ Jim Stark: 412-363-0462 Bag lunch if weather is nice. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

We will be hiking an 8-mile loop in the Mountain Streams area of Laurel Ridge. We will start on the eastern corner of the loop along Tunnel Road and ease our way down the hogback to Indian Creek. This is abandoned trail so you may expect to climb over fallen trees and through high grass. This is a new route discovered on our hike here last year. We’ll return by way of rough trail along the edge of a clear cut area looking for the opportunity to bushwack using map and compass back up to a high trail running parallel to our current route. This may involve a damp, if not wet, crossing of Little Run. We will have next to the babbling Indian Creek before we will make the long slow climb out of the valley and back to our cars - an outstanding cardiovascular workout. Summer’s over, this is fall so temps should be pleasant and the trails should be dry, unless there is a lot of rain before the hike. Call Jim Ritchie at 412.576.0849 for more information, reservations, or directions to the meeting spot. More information is available at the Pittsburgh Hiking Meetup Group at Meetup.com.

Visit Yough River Trail starting at Buena Vista. Lunch at the pavilion with Judy Kosslow: 724-327-8707 and Genie Walko: 412-414-6036. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

The Western Pennsylvania Orienteering Club will have a meet on Sunday Oct 3 in Boyce Park, Plum, PA.
Registration is anytime between 11 AM and 2 PM. Start anytime soon after. Come early if planning to do more than one course.
Available courses:
White (beginner)
Yellow (advanced beginner)
Scramble (intermediate, Advanced)
no pre-registration required.
Instruction for novices available on site by volunteers.
Cost is $5/map. If family or group is doing course with a single map, cost is still just $5 for the entire group

Orienteering is a form of land navigation, in which participants locate checkpoint flags positioned in the woods, by using a specially-designed topographic map and compass (GPS are not allowed). Participants use land features seen on the ground to navigate, such as spurs, reentrants, cliffs, slopes, streams, ponds, clearings, and man-made features such as trails, buildings, ruins, telephone poles. The checkpoint flags are equipped with a card puncher, and the participants punches a control card on the designated box for that checkpoint to prove at the finish that the participant has indeed found the checkpoint. This sport can be done leisurely, as in hiking, or competitively, as in cross-country running. It is all-weather, all-skill levels, and all-ages.
Contact: Alexis Rzewski, email: arzewski@hotmail.com, phone: 412 348 3167

Visit the Mine Water Treatment Facility in Upper Saint Clair and Tour Wingfield Pines. Allegheny Land Trust guiding, Sue and Dan Sebolt, 412-563-6987. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service.

The Quebec Run defacto wild area of Forbes State Forest near the top of Chestnut Ridge is one of the most popular areas for hiking and backpacking in southwestern Pa. Its many clean, clear mountain streams, mature forests and excellent trail system are some of the attractions. In early-to-mid-October the area offers a special bonus for visitors - the fall colors. Fall colors tend to come about two weeks earlier on the ridge tops than in Pittsburgh. On this trip we will cover a loop 9.3 miles long that runs mostly along the streamside trails of the area. (They tend to be the most popular.) The trails offer fairly easy, walking, with only two significant hills. We may stop at the remains of an ancient grist mill and its aqueduct. If the group is a bit slow, or encounters problems, we can take a few shortcuts. Those who like backpacking will be able to check out all the best streamside campsites. A $10 carpool fee is recommended for the 65 mile trip each way from Monroeville. Meet at Gateway Middle School in Monroeville at 9 AM or at the west portal parking lot on Skyline Drive at 10:30 PM. (Quebec Run has five portals on its rim.) Limit: 25. Those interested could stop at Valley Dairy (a Connellsville restaurant) for a snack or supper. Road directions from Monroeville to the trailhead will be emailed to sign-ups. Topographic trail maps will be handed out at the trailhead. This will be a joint Allegheny Group Sierra Club - Pittsburgh Hiking Meetup Group trip. Contact Bruce Sundquist at bsundquist1@windstream.net or 724-327-8737.

Visit Heth’s Run Restoration Project at Highland Park - Tour will be guided by David Henne architect and Frank Cartieri-bag lunch at Genevieve Mann’s house, 412-661-5947. This Ramble is not connected with the Sierra Club. Sierra Club takes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of this trip. It is published here as a public service

Come on the third of three DCNR trail maintenance trips of the summer-fall season. On this trip we will be working on the trails of the Laurel Mountain area off US 30. Usually about 20 outdoor groups join these trips. We usually quit around 3 PM. After that we will have a fall picnic (catered). DCNR has been experiencing severe budget cuts in recent years. So keeping its trail system in good order is a difficult task without the help of trail users in these difficult times. Contact Dave Mottorn 724-327-7582 (dpmottorn@windstream.net). We usually meet at the Duff Park parking lot in Murrysville to form carpools.

Meet at 10AM for an easy hike at Duff Park in 
Murrysville.  After the hike, join us for a picnic.  Bring a dish to 
share.  Drinks, plates, cups, ice, napkins, silverware will be 
provided.  Come and catch up with old friends and make new ones.   
Call Dianne Ciccarelli:  724-834-5787 or Bill Kozorra:  412-531-6236