Allegheny Front
Amish Farmscape And White Deer RidgeThe ski touring here in Pennsylvania is turning out to be some of the finest in recent memory. With another great weekend of skiing behind us we'll keep our collective eyes and fingers crossed and hope that the upcoming Groundhog Day storm translates into even more snow for our higher elevation mountains and plateaus. Right now they're forecasting an icy mix for all but the extreme northern tier counties. Another good cold snap with temperatures below zero would certainly put a hurting on those pesky wooly adelgids that are eating away at our eastern hemlocks.
Here's some photo spam from my touring around Black Moshannon and Tiadaghton State Forests this past weekend. It snowed lightly for most of the day on Friday as I kicked around Black Moshannon, and heavily all day long on Saturday on the George B. Will Ski Trail up along the Coudy Pike. It snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed. Despite the relatively warm temperatures in the upper 20's the snow was fast and the trail conditions were excellent. There was over a foot of snow up on the Allegheny Plateau after Saturday's dump and it was great to see folks out there having fun and enjoying themselves. It would be an affront to the Alleghenies not to take advantage of it's peace and power. Besides, it doesn't even cost a nickel to participate. Pine Creek is pretty much frozen over solid from Blackwell to Jersey Shore. Just watch out for those seemingly endless convoys of frickin' fracking trucks rumbling through the sleepy hamlets of Ramsey, Tomb, Waterville, Haneyville, Hyner Mountain and Black Forest up on PA 44.
You gotta love this global warming thing; More chicks running around in bikinis in the summer, and plenty of big time winter recreation dumped on your doorstep when you need it the most.
I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking. Get out there and kick it hard all you dudes and dudette's!
Nippenose Valley
Allegheny Front - Around Unionville 
Black Moshannon
Moss-Hanne Trail
Moshannon State Forest
Winter Woods
Allegheny Plateau
Pine Plantation
Black Moshannon Creek
Trak Backcountry Bushwackers
Flatlander
Snow Day
PA 44 - The Coudy Pike
In A Snowing Day
Tiadaghton State Forest
George B. Will Trail
Black Forest
Deep and Silent
Cammal & Black Forest Narrow Gauge Railroad Grade
Spring House
Refuge Trail
Winter Wonderland
Slate Run Village
PA 414 - Black Walnut Bottom
Pine Creek
Parting Shot: Nippenose FarmscapeI think I can almost here those tiny little baetis nymphs starting to rustle in their shucks, and it will soon be maple sugaring time.
8 comments:
You're having way too much fun these days! I really need to do this skiing thing - No flippin lift tickets to purchase!
Oh yeah, no snakes, no bears and no ticks. Pretty nice incentives to get out there.
Ha! If I had my way I'd much rather be skiing those powder-perfect bowls and couloirs of the Wasatch Range. This year, I'd even settle for the Bridger's.
Infinite glisse.
Have a super fantastic trip, keep your tips up and don't forget the trip report when you get back home.
Not to rub it in, but I leave in 10 days. The eastern front of the Wasatch awaits. This year we're staying at the mouth of Little Cottonwood canyon - a short 10 minute drive to Snowbird, and 11 minutes to my fav, Alta. Probably make it to Big Cottonwood too. We'll ski Brighton too, and maybe Solitude. There's talk of x-country one day too, as Solitude has a pretty substantial x-country area. I'm worried about the snow though, they only got about 325 inches for the season so far....
Yeah Baby - Bring it!
Dude,
It's time to start getting serious.
I'm gonna get ready for my next trip by finding the nearest ice rink and walk across it 20 times in my ski boots while carrying 2 pairs of skis, my boot bag, ski pools and pretend I'm looking for my car. Dropping things sporadically as I go.
Then I'll drive 5 hours, slowly, in a ragging snowstorm behind an 18 wheeler.
On second thought, maybe I'll just stay at home and fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray hit me in the face where it can freeze and then melt into my clothes.
Oops, wait a second, I already did that last weekend.
Take lots of cool pix, dude. I loved your shots from last year.
The overnight ice storm put the shits to the great snow we have here. Cut my shins walking to the barn when I busted through the crust. Deer are bedded near the house waiting for the Fair Maiden to fill the feeder. We didn't need this ice. Winter sports are over for the Chief as he will be undergoing foot surgery soon. Should be in fishing shape in time for those little olives.
I'm with the Chief. Absolute air temps of -30F and 53 inches of snow (25 is normal) here in ND have me in a deep funk. I'm glad to see that some folks enjoy the snow. I hope Punxy Phil was right.
Chief,
I was bedded near your house last Friday as well, waiting for the Fair Maiden to toss out some leftover Paella. Not a creature stirred however. Figured everyone must have been up at the annual Woolrich Winter Sale. Hope your foot is as right as rain in time for the Baetis Summit.
Matt,
Always nice to hear from our resident Pro Staffer from Frostbite Falls. There's no way I would be going anywhere at -30 degrees unless it involved a serum run to Nome, AK. Not even if Durwood Kirby was appearing at the Kerwood Derby. Stay safe up there.
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