| Topic: Laurel Highlands, western Pennsylvania (11/17/12), Random thoughts and some photos | < Next Oldest | Next Newest > |
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| Post Number: 1
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GaliWalker 
Group: Members
Posts: 609
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Nov. 18 2012, 5:04 pm |
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Nov 17, 2012: Random thoughts on the Laurel Highlands Trail
It’s got to that time of the year when my motivation for driving long distances away from home (Pittsburgh) to hike is low. I can feel winter’s footsteps becoming louder and know that my time to hunker down to wait for spring is almost here. So, on gorgeous fall days like today I just want to get in some exercise and absorb some vitamin D. In other words, training hike time.
A week ago, in a similar frame of mind, I had hiked the first 8mi of the Laurel Highlands Trail as I was to do today. I had left the camera at home then and ended up ruing that decision, when I saw lovely morning light caressing the sleepy hills. This time, I planned to spend the first hour of so getting in on the morning action, before stashing the camera and just hiking. That first hour and a half, centered at Ohiopyle Falls, was a happy one.
After putting the heavy camera gear away, and feeling decidedly frisky in the chilly 25F temperature, I took off from Ohiopyle. The leaves were off the trees and their shadows were crisp in the bright conditions. The trail, paralleling the Youghiogheny River, was mostly flat for the first 1.5mi before a moderately steep 700ft climb. It was all extremely familiar territory though, so my mind was free to jump from one random thought to another.
In the midst of my introspection I was jarred awake by a hunter, fetchingly clad head to toe in blaze orange. Since I only had a blaze orange cap on, I felt a bit underdressed and slinked past, mumbling a greeting. Once past I again became lost in thought. In case you’re wondering, no, these weren’t very deep, insightful thoughts. They were just plain, run of the mill, unremarkable thoughts.
And then, head nodding to the dulcet sounds of gunfire, an honest to goodness insightful thought struck me. I love photography and particularly love viewing wildlife photography. Unfortunately, this is an extremely difficult art and something which I’d love to get into, but haven’t as of now, due to a lack of good equipment and will. So, this was the thought: why not give cameras and telephoto lenses to hunters and tell them to use those rather than rifles?
Rolling up and down the hills - 400ft here, 700ft there - I never even noticed the effort, since by now I was having fun with my idea. The hunters would still be “shooting”, just differently. They could use even blinds! A steady hand would be needed – blurry photos won’t count. They’d have to track the ‘wounded’ animal if the shot was blurry and ‘finish’ it off. They’d be no danger of accidently hurting other hunters…just shoot and ask questions later! Blaze orange wouldn’t be needed; they could dress in the latest, most fashionable hiker attire. The possibilities were limitless! Best of all, I wouldn’t feel that prickling sensation between my shoulder blades which I’d been feeling for the past few miles.
I turned around at the 8mi mark, after a final 1200ft gain climb. The way back was uneventful, though by this time my mind had moved on to less interesting thoughts.
Stats: 16mi, 4100ft gain, 6.5hrs
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 2
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ki0eh
Group: Members
Posts: 2439
Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 18 2012, 7:35 pm |
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I for one am glad that some people hunt black bears in PA, because they generally feel not quite as high on the food chain as me the rest of the year. Hearing that bear season opened on Saturday this year just in time, kinda ruined my motivation for heading up north this weekend so I didn't bother.
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| Post Number: 3
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partly cloudy
Group: Members
Posts: 255
Joined: Jun. 2006
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Posted on: Nov. 19 2012, 10:01 am |
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Great pics, as usual GaliWalker the LHHT is a fantastic trail with great views.
kiOeh; I, personally, am against an extended season for black bears. sure it helps out the local economy, but, the threat of a black bear attack is very low. I have chased them in the woods and gotten very close to them. They really are timid animals for their size. ( not counting momma and her cubs ) A normal 3 day season is OK for keeping the population under control. Next thing, we'll have a bear population relative to the deer head. Too small for the area.
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just another trail grunt in the forest
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