Options are extensive but the highlights are:
Friday:
Park @ mile marker 19
Camp @ mile marker 18.5 or 24.5
Sat:
Hike to Pond Skim (approx mile marker 27.5)
Camp @ mile marker 24.5 or 32 (3 or 4.5 drunken miles)
Sun:
Hike to car @ 7springs parking lot or mile marker 32 or mile marker 39ish.
UPDATE: The foot bridge over the turnpike has been removed and hikers must take an 8.3 mile detour (map)
Being that I have no idea what I'm getting myself into, I will leave it for yinz to decide...
ReplyDeleteSounds like we've nailed it down. I will book shelters at mile 24.5 (C GRINDLE RIDGE) and 32.5 (D RT. 31). Only one more thing to make reservation: we need to give them vehicle descriptions and where they will be parked. I assume we will be taking my truck and rietscha's truck. So, rietscha, where do you want to park your truck and what is it's license # and it is "tan" correct?
ReplyDeleteBTW: 2 of the 5 shelters at grindle ridge are already booked.
as of 10min ago 3 of the 5 shelters at griNDLE ridge have been booked. I booked one for 4 people for Friday night. Looks like it will be a busy night at the campground. I also booked the Rt. 31 shelter as well. $4/person per night. All together a whopping $32.
ReplyDeleteI told them we would park my tundra at the Rt. 31 parking area nd chris' tacoma at the rt. 653 parking area. I didn't give them chris' plate number but it didn't seem to be required.
Just want to keep this post alive... I printed out my receipts for the shelters and noticed the rule that I was afraid of finding "Alcoholic Beverages are Prohibited". I thought since both shelters were located in Forbes state forest and not a state park that booze was ok. Well, you know what that means.... Beer in nalgene bottles....
ReplyDeleteBTW, what time and what place do we plan to meet on friday? Just wondering how early (if at all) I would need to leave work. The parking lot on RT. 31 appears to be approx. 5 miles from the 711/381 turn off. The RT. 653 parking lot is approx. 20 miles from the Rt. 31 parking lot. Then we've got about 5.5 miles (2+ hours @ an easy pace) of hiking. I would be nice to find the shelter and the wood pile before it is completely dark (sunset is 7:43). Don't know what everyones schedule looks like but that has us meeting in donegal no later than 4:00ish (earlier if we want to hit tall cedars for some pre-hike suds/grub)to make a car drop and still get to the trailhead by 5:00.
Let me know what you think...
Obviously, I can be there whenever. I like the tall cedars idea if yinz can pull it off, but I'd rather err on the side of caution regarding getting to camp with daylight.
ReplyDeletePack your rubbers.....
ReplyDeleteFRI: 70% chance of snow 35 HI/29 LO
SAT: 50% chance of rain/snow 36 HI/30 LO
SUN: 30% chance of rain 43 HI/36 LO
Do we know where/when we're meeting on Fri. yet?
Okay Kids, here's my plan. I'm planning on leaving work before noon. That gets me home in time to load up and I would like to leave Beaver by 1:30, maybe sooner if possible. We will have to drop a car/truck off in Springdale, and carpool from there.
ReplyDeleteEnter the dilemna....2 trucks,6 guys. We will have to drop off some hikers at the route 653 parking lot, then drive to the route 31 lot and drop off my truck, and then drive back to the 653 lot. This could give us an advanced camp setup/ firewood gathering party.
Short of taking another vehicle, anybody have any suggestions that don't include GB sitting on my lap (or anywhere else)
Just a few notes:
ReplyDelete1) I will be leaving directly from work (monroeville) not Springdale.
2) If we have 6 confirmed you'd better book the last remaining shelter at the grindle campground because I think there is a 5 person limit per shelter.
3) If we are parking more cars than just the tacoma (@ rt. 653) and the tundra (@ rt. 31) you'll need to inform the park cops when you make the additional reservation.
4) GB can sit on my lap.
5) I can't get the mental image of 6guys2trucks.com out of my head...
Why the fuck am I the lap bitch when we have a man that's 4'8" traveling with us? This is horseshit...
ReplyDeletewho is 4'8"?
ReplyDeleteUhhh. Gene? I may be off an inch or two. I'm just sayin, if anyone's playing lap dog, I'm voting for the Lilliputian...
ReplyDeleteSo, we may have 6 people... We are limited to one shelter per backpacking party. That means, somebody has to sleep on the ground if there is not enough room in the shelter. The party as currently planned is john,gb,chris,steve,jason,and rich. If John is leaving from Monroeville, we can meet him in Monroeville and carpool from there?
ReplyDeleteOr we can park another vehicle at the Route 653 area?
Does the person who may be sleeping on the ground know to bring a tent?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like the weather forecast just wait a day.....
ReplyDeleteFRI: 70% chance of snow 33 HI/27 LO
SAT: 50% chance of snow shower 39 HI/28 LO
SUN: 0% precip., partly cloudy 43 HI/35 LO
The rain is gone, hope it stays that way....
If you don't like the weather forecast, just wait 6 hours
ReplyDeleteFRI 40% chance of snow 40 HI/27 low
SAT 30% Chance of snow 35 HI/29 low
SUN 0% Chance precip 47 HI/41 low
FRI: 50% chance of AM snow showers 39 HI/29 LO
ReplyDeleteSAT: 40% chance of snow shower 37 HI/27 LO
SUN: 0% precip., mostly cloudy 42 HI/32 LO
FYI.... I did not pack my hammock. I had to make the call of pack for hammock or pack for shelter sleeping. I chose shelter. If its too cosy then complain to management.
"Group" related items I did pack: perkolator (yep its the perk-o-lator), 5 lbs of coffee, fry pan, spatula, 1 can of spam, 1 jug of pancakes, lantern, 1 flask of 252, cooler and jug of water to leave in tundra for night #2.
Guess I got spoiled from car camping for the past couple of years and filled my pack w/ "neccessities" that I would have never taken backpacking before. Plus that cold weather gear takes up a lot of room, I need a bigger backpack. Let me know if there is anything you can think of and I'll grab it when I do a Foo pick up this evening. Whew..... I need a beer.
Son of a B#@&*!!!!!! The rain is back....
ReplyDeleteFRI: 70% chance of AM snow showers 39 HI/29 LO
SAT: 70% chance of rain/snow 35 HI/28 LO
SUN: 30% few showers 43 HI/35 LO
See yinz at the Tall Cedars.....