Backwoods Skiing and More

... tons of good 'Cross Country' and 'Backwoods' Skiing up in the 'Laurel Highlands' with miles of developed trail systems - the best being the old 'Laurel Mountain' ski area, the 'Kentuck Area' and 'Bear Run Nature Reserve' up at 'Ohiopyle State Park', the "groomed trails" at Laurel Ridge State Park, Quebec Run "ain't bad", anywhere in the 'PA State Gamelands' - anywhere there's enough snow... gotta' define the difference, however - 'Cross Country' ya' just need some 'Nordic Ski' gear and minimal skills for cruising usually easy flat to rolling terrain, while 'Backwoods' you're gettin' into more difficult terrain with the need for more technical gear and skill - sort of like the difference between going for a casual bike ride along the 'Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail' and riding some difficult MTB single track... can't even compare it to the groomed slopes at the resorts - visiting a local "resort" for the first time after several years of skiing some "pretty crappy" backwoods conditions - found it pretty easy - especially with "fat downhill skis" and "lock down" bindings - but, prefer the woods and the 'three pin equipment'...

... this guy was good...

... Rob Goodman cruising out the 'Kentuck Trail' up at 'Ohiopyle State Park'...

... the town of 'Ohiopyle' and the 'Yough River' nestled in the 'Laurel Highlands'...

... 'Hemlock Forest' up at 'Bear Run Nature Reserve'...

... 'Bear Run' - some pretty difficult trails there - also, situated at lower elevation - not always the best snow conditions - but lots of fun "when in"...

... 'Kentuck' area at 'Ohiopyle' again - this place used to be pretty popular - remember that they used to have a race there every February back in the 80's - used to get quite a few entrants - personally, used to try and do at least six miles each visit ...

... "groomed trails" up at 'Laurel Ridge State Park'...

... for years ya' only had standard 'Nordic-type' skis available - very skinny, straight "side-cut" with no edges - we were always trying to "soup 'em up" - adding these bungy cord 'Voile Plates' back in the day increased performance somewhat...

... always figured that the best functional ski (for around here) had to be a lot shorter and wider - metal edges wouldn't hurt either - someone else was thinkin' likewise - eventually started building 'em with lots to choose from - settled on these 'Karhu Velas' (1) - 190cm (as opposed to 210cm), 70/60/65 - added some three-pin cable bindings and heavy boots - big difference - unfortunately, took a tumble the second season skiing 'em and broke an ankle - planned to upgrade to the release bindings when healed... settin' around home - foot in a cast watchin' a TV program on military 'special forces/mountain warfare' - so here comes a "SpecOps" team flyin' down some mountain slope - they "hockey stop" on a dime - withdraw rifles - and assume prone firing position faster than you can read this - pretty impressive - and they're equipped with the shortest skis ever seen - searched on-line forever, found nothing - must be top secret - but found these 'Karhu Backcountry Skiboards' - purchased the 'Metas' (3) - 120cm - 135/110/120 - ratchet bindings so ya' can wear regular mountain boots - fell in love with 'em and found 'em perfect for the SWPA woods - picked up another pair and mounted three-pin cable bindings, as well as a pair of the 'Karvers' (5) - 131cm - 120/100/115 - we're mostly skiing tight, single-track trails between trees around here (or no trail between trees with these things) - usually no time for "sweeping turns" - and these things were able to do just that (with some practice) - unfortunately - Karhu (after years of performance) folded a while back - so - once they're gone, they're gone... those are 'Black Diamond' adjustable ski poles (2 & 4) - 'MSA Snow Shoes' (6) - that's another story...

... always "scoffed" when encountering 'snowshoers' over the years - just happened to always be in snow shallow enough to walk in - so a few years back we're up at the 'Secret Cliffs' (stay tuned) and "post-hole-ing" into and out of the place in waist-deep(+) snow and with heavy packs of climbing and photo gear - was murder - planned to return the following weekend, so purchased some snowshoes (the  MSA's) for the "venture" - a photo says a thousand words - that's Laura (Li'l Buddy) Hahn above from that trip - learned a lesson and will no longer scoff (and fell in love with 'em - lots of fun and a great workout ta' boot - now need more deep snow)...

one last thing... while pullin' the above 'Voile Plates' from the cobwebs, found this - the original 'Snurfer' - precursor to the modern 'Snowboard' - here's the upper deck...

... and the 'finned' bottom - looks well used - used to have a very good sledding hill near home as well as taking it to the 'Toboggan Hill' up at 'Sugarloaf Knob' a lot - had a first version 'Burton Snowboard' as well, but never got into it - they weren't allowed at the "resorts" back then and everyone (including the "media") was saying that it would never "catch on"...

... Ha! - this is good...

... (Edit 02/06/15 - for some reason this video clip disappeared - this post gets tons of views - so we fixed it - always looking out for you - "the people")...

... 'Secret Cliffs' from a few years back - that's Tim on the left - the guy on the snowboard's name I forget (Mike?) - apologize - meet too many people doin' this stuff... (Edit 12/29 - Mike Royer is the guy on the snowboard)...

... ditto...

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... Brilliant!!...

Victoria Flats (Ice Climbing Part 3)

... not for everyone (especially if you're solely a "vertical ice climber"), but not bad - definitely a "wilderness experience" -  several easy (Grade 2) ice gullies that ascend directly off the 'Yough River Trail'... pretty long (easily >200ft) low to moderate angle flows with several short vertical ledges... great for beginners - you can practice with ice screws, V- Thread anchors and "what-not" to your hearts content while on-lead and in relative comfort... exactly a three-mile hike, snowshoe or ski-in (or bike) depending on snow conditions...

... annotated this park map with location - also added a few others that would interest climbers and/or backwoods skiers...

... here's an old shot looking up the main gully - 'Sliding Board' - these are pretty decent conditions, but have seen it a lot "fatter"- the water source is a drainage that can be pretty active - went (bike) riding past there one spring day during a rainstorm - was damn-near a raging torrent rushing down that thing...

... same route... ugly conditions - 'buddy Matt' (around '91) lower down...

... and about mid-way...

... nearing the top - is a "bit exciting" unroped climb if you're up to it - a long way up - not thinking about popping off that thing from up high and the long, bounding slide down - actually took the only-ever "unexpected" leader fall from about this spot - tool popped - luckily had just placed an ice screw about foot-level...

... another time... was about 10ft above above the first ledge when the partner belaying starts yelling "Go Back! - Go Back!" - look down - here comes 'Mountain Dog Ben' working his way behind us - he  was getting some traction in the deep snow cover to the side of the gully and is following us! - now we're both yellin' - and it's makin' him nervous - he gets all the way to just below the belay ledge, and now he thinks he's getting hollered at and decides to retreat - he takes one step right to turn around - on to the ice - and he rockets off like 'Clark Griswold' - for maybe 80ft all the way to the bottom, and not a smooth ride - was a bad fall for a dog (or anything) and he's just layin' there - we finally make it back down - he's OK but a bit shook - here's an accident photo - just a little blood from a bruised lip - not a proud moment on our part - was pretty stupid - tied him off to a 50ft webbing from then on when there... eventually stoped taking him ice climbing all together -  the way he'd position close to ya' while preoccupied, and the potential for accidentally stepping on a paw with a razor-sharp crampon was bound to happen next...

... definitely used to be a lot more winter activity than ya' see now days - 'till the quad runners and snowmobiles got out of control - would really track up the snow making it impossible for skiing - that short vertical post just at the bend in this photo is the old 'three-mile marker' between Ohiopyle and Confluence - before they extended the trail to the north and south of said towns...

... packed and iced snowmobile tracks... Oh-Well... Ha! - a young 'buddy Matt' totin' some old 'Nordic Skis' and bamboo poles - "state of the art" rig back then - and "high tech" outer-ware ta' boot - must have worked - never complained of being cold...

... speaking of which...

It's a Zoo Out There

... 'Ig the cat' been (futily) chasin' a squirrel around the neighborhood the past few weeks - pretty funny - the squirrel run's 'em around in circles a few times before dashing to the top of the nearest tree - the squirrel waits until the cat climbs the tree as high as he can (and he gets up there pretty high) before leaping to the next tree and scampering back to the ground - or, from one tree in particular he can leap to the neighbors roof - the cat is too heavy to climb out the final small limb the squirrel leaps from, so he'll set there for hours, high in the tree, waiting for the squirrel (who has long since escaped via the front porch roof) to return - almost looks as if the squirrel is having fun - gotta' give the cat credit as well, he's a pretty good and fast climber - also saw him climb about 3/4 way up and down a utility pole in pursuit...

... so yesterday morning I hear a 'bluejay' goin' crazy - look out the back door as I figure the cats involved - HA! - there's the cat chasin' the squirrel in circles with a bluejay chasin' the cat! - tried to get some photos but by the time I grabbed a camera and lens the squirrel was on the roof with the cat in wait on the porch and the bluejay settin' on a tree limb watchin' the cat and squawkin' like crazy...

... this is the best I could do...

... the squirrel on the roof lookin' for the cat...

... the cat on the porch lookin' for the squirrel and avoiding the bluejay...

... the bluejay in the tree waiting to attack the cat...

... the arrow points to the cat's high point in this tree - up there pretty good - as high as the eve of the roof, and that's a three-story house! - that's him on the porch - watching the tree and crouching in wait...

... the bluejay would occasionally leap to the ground trying to draw the cat from the porch...

... he eventually gave up and left...

... the cat eventually went to this tree he hangs out in and fell asleep (that's him, circled)...

... and the squirrel went back to doin' his thing...

... and now a word from our sponsor...

... (not really)... been a pretty horrendous summer/fall for fleas and ticks around here, with the pooch contracting a pretty good "flea infestation" the past few weeks - been scratching and chewing like crazy  - been driving him nuts - tried everything to get rid of 'em - even had him 'flea-dipped' at the groomer - no luck - and the past few days I notice 'em emerging from two rugs - now their even beginning to hop on me!...

... picked up this stuff called 'Zodiac' from the pet shop yesterday - took it home, not really expecting much, and "sprayed down" the dog according to directions and stuck him outside - WOW! - within' five minutes he's got fleas surfacing left and right - dropping dead or "abandoning ship" - but DOA non-the-less - he really had a bunch of 'em - the stuff worked so good that I went back and picked up a can of the carpet spray as well - now dog and house are "flea free"!...

... here's the stuff - highly recommended - give it five fleas out of five...

... AHHH... Relief!!

Irishtown (Ice Climbing Part 2)

... has become pretty popular the past half-dozen years or so, but will post a few comments regardless...

... visited the area many times in the 70's - four wheeling (was especially fun with "chicks" back there late at night) and "partying" (the "main mine" at the lower ice wall was the scene of many "keg parties" back in the day), exploring the 'underground mines' (there's several more if you follow the "access trail" to the north), hunting (used to be many turkey and grouse - still is) - so, as soon as the "ice bug bit", knew at least one good place to go...

... pretty crappy map - this is the best we could adjust the resolution after downloading from 'Google' - 'Bing' had a better map, but was photographed with too much tree-cover which hid all the ground detail... short hike in (through some nice growth of 'Mountain Laurel' and 'Rhododendron') just north of 'Twin Oaks Drive', south of the town of 'Dunbar, PA' - access (currently) no issue, is 'PA Gamelands'...

... definitely vertical - this is the prominent route - 'Mouth of Madness' (probably 4+) - only 'top-roped' for years - Tim Anderson finally climbed it on gear probably 2002 - that's him and around that time... the mine opening is just to the left of the photo - the warmer air exiting the mine keeps the ground above the mine constantly dripping - hence the place is (usually) always reliable...

... a second good route over to the right - 'The Prow' - probably 3+ on toprope - first time ascent on gear totally under-estimated the bulge of rock above and was no way a "mixed-climber" - slightly longer and harder than expected - got hung up and could move neither up nor down with forearms and calves flaming and looking at about a twenty foot fall on to an ice screw with razor sharp tools in hand and on foot and with a ledge below - finally managed the top - stomach so "knotted" that had to set there for damn-near fifteen minutes nearly "dry-heaving" the whole time... just checked Tim's 'Irishtown Ice Guide' (http://climbpa.blogspot.com/p/irishtown-ice.html) - he's callin' the rock moves 'M-4' (around 5.8) - and that's considering 'expert' ability (which we'd say solid on M-6/5.10)... 

... here's Tom Koppler climbing in excellent conditions...

..."ditto" - and a bit higher up...

... "we like snow!"...

... anyway - there's an 'Upper' Quarry' wall with some fun, albeit short (but stiff) stuff (hey! - that's almost harmonic!!) - good for learning and practice... Tim and Laura Hahn have also added several very cool bolted mixed routes along the north 'Lower Wall' the past few seasons - all in the aforementioned 'Ice Guide'...

... might as well mention...

...the old mine(s) are pretty cool as well...

... if ya' take the right shaft just inside the mine opening at the 'Lower Wall', it will lead to some 'breakdown' which you can scramble up to emerge at this opening in the woods, as this young guy (Colby Fiesta) is demonstrating...

Rod & Gun Club (Ice Climbing Part 1)

... part 2, actually (see Layton Falls)...

... November 2nd and the people could be out ice climbing within a few weeks - have climbed in these hills as early as Thanksgiving day a time or two over the years - then again, have paddled wearing shorts (more often) as well - it is what it is - watched the local "expert" winter weather forecast last night on TV - other than February, wasn't real promising if ya' like cold and snow - we shall see...

... anyway - figured we'd post some ice climbing to "stoke things up"...

... the 'Rod & Gun Club' and 'Irishtown' were the "big" areas in these parts for years, until Tim Anderson first sunk (sank? - or maybe sinked!) an ice tool into the big local quarries - so - pulled out a few photos from the 'Gun Club' to start...

... Tim (climbing) with Montana climber Matt McCune, around 2001 - if it's cold enough to form ice, these two routes - 'NRA' and 'Cave Shot' - will be in...

... same guys - Tim this time on 'Cave Shot' - 'NRA' right - both around Grade 4 to 4+ depending upon conditions...

... Matt McCune...

... and "alternate perspective"...

... here's an early ascent - nearing "top-out" - probably '84 or '86 - the guy climbing said that he had just purchased a new 'Forrest Mjollnir Alpine Hammer' - first use this day - snapped the (brand new) pick just prior while getting in a "top-rope" warm-up - switched to a 'Lowe Hummingbird Hammer' to start this route - snapped the 'tubular pick' probably three sticks off the ground - bad omens? - finished the route with fixed head 'Forrest Sabre Serac' tools (hammer/axe) which didn't stick in brittle ice for "sh*t" - not knocking either of these legendary tool makers - just the way it was back then - still get a "cringe"  even today when we see climbers forcibly "rocking and levering" stuck picks - and no way you'd do the mixed stuff now'days with the old tools... people and things just keep improving - Good!!... by the way - 'Forrest' replaced the pick with free backup - no questions asked (RIP, Bill)...

... here's Tim (climbing) and Tom Koppler during the big '03 - '04 season - solid ice wall to wall - check out the website Cinema page - lots of video...

... here's a few shots from last winter - don't recall who the climbers are - were visiting with Tim - lousy winter - but some decent mixed conditions "none-the-less"...

... with a difficult-looking small roof 'ta boot...

... cool!!...

... and second ascent (on lead) of 'Internet Connection' as well this day...

... was out a few years back at dusk, checking out conditions - snapped this photo - always liked the "glare" of the flash illuminating the snowflakes...

... anyway - lots of available stuff regarding SWPA ice climbing - Tim's is the best - http://climbpa.blogspot.com/ - also check out our website - lots of video to view when it comes to ice - also - check out 'Griz Guide's (updated) Ice Climbing Pennsylvania' guidebook  

(http://grizguides.com/iceguide.php) - order online or stop in at 'Exkursion' (http://www.exkursion.com/) in Monroeville, PA and buy a copy from 'Fred'...