2014-10-12 42 -78

Location

Just North of Allegany State Park

Participants

Pedalpusher (talk)
Simon the dog
Myka the dog

Plans

The hash is just outside ASP and there looks to be a set of High Voltage Wires going right near the location. The plan is to head down in the afternoon with the dogs and park near where the wires cross the entrance road to the Park. Looks to be only about a 1.5 mile walk under the wires to the hash but the terrain will be steep...At one point, it looks like the ground goes up 400 feet over 2000 feet.

Expedition

We got underway around 14:30 and arrived at a good parking spot about an hour later. Already, I could see it would be a difficult expedition as the start to get under the wires was a steep, overgrown hill and the hash was just a mile and a half away. We managed to climb up to find thick brush and a lot of thorns. We found an overgrown path that made things slightly easier until we hit the massive thorn bushes overgrowing the path. At this point I considered turning around because I didn't want to push through only to be stuck in the middle of the same stuff. I knew it would open up later so we carefully moved through and the path, fortunately, did open up completely after that.

We got to the top of the first hill and we could see the valley we had to cross and it was going to be very steep. Getting about halfway down, the path really opened up and we didn't have to worry about the vegetation after that. Heading up the steepest section, we met a guy on an off-road vehicle with an older kid. We greeted each other and continued on our way, but he did give me a what-on-earth-are-you-doing-out-here look as he went by but he didn't ask. Getting to the top took some work and I had to stop a few times and rest but we were within a quarter mile of the hash. We went down the hill a bit and then cut into the woods to the hash. Getting to the area, I had to really dance to zero in on the hash but I got my pictures.

The way back was easier because it was more downhill than up and I also got to see two deer but they ran away before I could get a picture. The overgrown section at the end by the car was navigated and we were on our way home after two hours. I have to say this was the hardest expedition by far that I've been on.

Photos

Those are all thorny bushes, well taller than us in the first section of the trail.
It opened up, but we now have to go down there just to go up the other side.
Made it to the top, looking back where we came from.
We made it to the hash.
GPS1
GPS2
Tired dogs at the hash.