Sunday, November 5th 2000

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Sunday, November 5th 2000
Mid State Trail
Hairy John's Picnic Area and Winkleblech Mountain

About 30 miles East of State College on PA Route 45, Hairy John's picnic area serves as a convenient start point for a jaunt along the Mid State Trail, which runs along the side.

I took a fairly short hike up Winkleblech mountain, and although it was only 1.7Km, the hike up the hill was pretty rugged and took some time. I did find it to be a refreshing change from the tame mountains I've been climbing lately.

Most of the hike I took was a gradual rise from the parking lot (the MST is to the right--east--as you enter the lot) and it's not until the bas of the mountain that you get to see much of a view.

True, hiking in November doesn't give you much to look at from the valley, but it was a nice walk through the woods.

Climbing the hill was a bit challenging, but very rewarding, and the vista near the top is one of the better ones I've seen, overlooking a gap on an opposite ridge (Paddy Mountain, I think).

The top of the hill has a neato rock pile and knife edge, but it is relatively flat, and there are several campsites that have seen some use.

I didn't want to go too far, since the sun was setting, but I didn't realize that I had ridge hiked in a matter of minutes to the trail's end on the ridge, where it descends towards the Nittany ridge.

It's a nice hike with a good workout, and very conveniently located.

Pictures and GPS maps and data coming!