Quick tips for winter hydration

□ don't use a bladder system (platypus/ camelbak) - the water in the tube/mouthpiece will freeze, and if the water in the bladder freezes, it may puncture the bladder.

□ use a water bottle (wide mouth works well)

□ flip your water bottle upside down when storing it.  The surface of the water will freeze, but since it'll be in the bottom of your bottle, you will still be able to drink out of it.

□ the newer double walled water bottles are great (though super heavy) in cold weather. (Hydro, yeti)

□ don't forget to drink! Staying hydrated is key to staying warm.

□ if you use a water filter, keep your filter warm/don't let it freeze with water in it. It will be useless until you can thaw it out.

The Norwegians have a saying, "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear." - Part 1: jackets

Cold weather calls for top notch cold weather gear. The Norwegians have a saying, "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes." If you spend enough time outside in inclement weather, the truth of this starts to sink in. If you spend a lot of time outside in the winter, you will, no doubt, come to the conclusion that I reached. Namely, just invest in some good gear! Yes, each piece in likely going to set you back at least $150 - $200 (sometimes more). But when you are warm, dry, comfortable, well rested, happy and ready for more fun, you will know that it was money well spent.

I love my The North Face Triclimate.  I got it a couple years ago on an end of the season clearance sale.

The North Face make two types of 3-in-1 jackets. One has a fleece liner and one had a synthetic puffy liner. They also feature "zip-in" compatibility.  Which means that if you buy one with one type of liner, you can get the other type and swap it out. More layering possibilities, yeah!

Mine is the kind with the synthetic puffy liner, pit zips, powder skirt and storm flap. This thing is a beast and keeps me super warm. Most of the time I just wear the dryvent shell with the pit zips open. When I add a sweatshirt or fleece, I'm  usually good down to the 30's. If it's windy, or really cold I'll add the puffy and hood. This is a jacket made for layering and made for adjusting to whatever you're doing outside.

This jacket, along with a couple base layers and mid layers, was a crucial part of keeping me warm on a -20°F day at Valley Forge.

What's your favorite jacket for winter fun?

How not to break a tooth while winter hiking

First of all, the disclaimer. I have not been paid by any company to endorse their snacks. Nor has any company provided me with free snacks to review. (Although, if they would like to, I'm open to considering it!) These are my opinions, based on my experiences actually hiking and backpacking in cold and extremely cold weather.

If you don't know already, you need to eat more when you're outside in cold weather, because your body needs the extra calories to keep you warm. If ever there was a time to throw the restrictive diet out the window, this is it!

Cold weather snacking provides its own challenges because, it's cold. Specifically things to consider, can you open the packaging without taking your gloves off? Will you break a tooth if it freezes? Will it freeze well?

Most packaged snacks come with tear away packaging (like a granola bar, or pretzels). Alternatively, you can repackage them at home into zip lock bags. Depending on how beefy your gloves or mitts are, one might appeal to you more than the other. I personally find that I can tear packages open with my teeth, so that works for me.

The other big consideration is what happens when your snack freezes? For something like a thin chocolate bar, or m&m's, that might not be a big deal. I love chewy style granola bars, but let me tell you, when they freeze, watch out! They will freeze nearly as hard as a rock. You do not want to try to chomp down on that.  On the other hand, persistently cold temperatures create some snacking possibilities that you might not otherwise consider. Cheese, for example, typically does not freeze hard. And crackers, even when frozen, are quite good, and not likely to give you dental issues. Also, cake like snacks that might typically squish into mush become a more attractive possibility.

The main work around for the problem of frozen snacks, is to decide what you will want to eat next and store it inside your coat until your next snack break. That will give it time to warm up, and not chill you too much in the process.

So my favorites?

Chocolate and candy, obviously. Especially Reese's peanut butter cups, even frozen they aren't terribly solid, and the protein in the the peanut butter is good for muscle recovery. (Right?)

I also like larabar. They are made with real food, and fruit is usually the primary ingredient. Now, they will freeze solid if it's cold enough. If it's slightly warmer, you get a hard toffee like consistency that might pull a filling out, so I definitely warm these up before eating them. But every flavor is so delicious, and fruit sugars definitely are easier on my stomach if I'm doing a high output activity.

Honey Stinger gels are my top choice if I'm doing a long run in cold weather. They don't freeze solid, they have a ton of carbs for quick energy, they're made from (mostly) honey, and, they have one that's caffeinated. What's not to love?

So hopefully, despite the artic temperatures sweeping the nation, you will find a way to get outside soon, and enjoy some great snacks while you're out there.

Difficult trails

"Difficult trails often lead to beautiful destinations. "

Tussey ridge and John Wert path - nice trails, and cairn hiking all in one

About a 7.5 mile loop of classic central PA hiking.

Start from the parking area at Bear Meadows Natural Area. Hike north, either along the road, or take the Jean Aron Path towards North Meadows Road.

Across from the North Meadows Road parking area (alternate parking here), look for the the red blazed Tussey Mountain Trail. This is a multiuse trail, so keep an eye out for mountain bikers. It is a fairly gentle and smooth climb to the top of Treaster Kettle.  You will follow the ridge top for a couple miles, passing the intersection with the Kettle Trail. As you are hiking along the ridge top, you will get a couple glimpses of State College through Galbraith Gap to your left. Scenic Bechtol Gap to your right (east) leads to Colyer Lake.  

This is a fairly unusual ridge in that it is extremely narrow, bordering on knife-like  (at least by local standards).  You will also hike through a recovering forest fire area. This ridge suffered a wildfire in 2006, and even 11 years later (at the time of this writing) you can still find charred logs and dead trees. Evidence of how very permanent man's impact on wild areas can be.

At the time that I hiked this, the sign for Shingle Path was missing, but the post was there, and it's an obvious trail down to the right. This is a hiking only trail, as it is extremely steep with moments of hanging on to rocks and roots along the decent. As you reach the bottom of the mountain, the trail seems to dead end in a clearing, although some casting about in a more or less straight line down should bring you to the last few blazes and Treaster-Kettle Road. If you turn right here, you can road walk back to your car. Alternatively, you can continue across the road on Shingle Path, and up the next ridge (Little Mountain), although we will only be going to the bench, and not all the way to the next ridge top. Shingle Path is clearly a hiking path here as well, as the trail has been pretty effectively blocked with ditches and piles of rubble. Carefully work your way through this obstacle course, and you will shortly be back on a nice trail. Eventually you will reach a gas pipeline. Our trail continues across, but you can cut the corner by turning right and staying on the pipeline and catching the John Wert Path in a bit.

Shingle Path from this point becomes very unique, as there are no longer blazes, but the trail is marked by cairns (rock piles) as you continue up the hill. Feel free to add a rock to each cairn in thanks as you pass by.  Eventually you will reach the top of Little Mountain (really a bench below Thickhead Mountain) and descend briefly to Sinking  Creek. The trail appears to dead end into a cabin's parking area, turn right here and pick up the John Wert Path. You are once again on a multiuse path, so watch out for motor vehicles prior to passing the gate, and for mountain bikes at any point from here back to your car.

Follow the wide, well marked trail about two miles, very gradually uphill and back to Bear Meadows Road. When you reach the road, turn right and you will see your vehicle.

Like many of my ridge walks, this is lovely in the fall and spring when the leaves are down and you can get better views. The last couple miles take you along the Sinking Creek and are very picturesque. Shingle Path is a classic central PA trail in that it descends straight down a mountain, and straight up the next one. In addition, the opportunity to cairn hike, is pretty unique in the area and something to try out, if you've never had an opportunity to do so.

Grass Mountain

Fall is such a lovely time to go for a hike, and if you're looking for a nice reward, without too much effort Grass Mountain fits the bill.

This is a shuttle hike, which made it ideal since I had a partner with a car hiking with me. We parked her car at Alan Seeger Natural Area and then drove my car to Penn Roosevelt State Park.

Park in the day use area of Penn Roosevelt and head uphill past the 4-H camp on Thickhead Mountain Road, a gravel road. After a bit you will pass a gate and continue on Thickhead Mountain Road, which is a forest road/jeep trail at this point. Have fun going up and over the "moguls", as she called them. They're actually runoff control for when it rains excessively, to keep the road from washing out.

The road makes a wide u-turn and at the point of the "U", look for Long Mountain Trail on your left heading uphill. (Red blazed)

This trail heads up the steep eastern end of Grass Mountain. It is a bit of a climb so take your time. The reward is that when you attain the top, you will cross a wide, grassy, gas pipeline. On the far side of the pipeline follow a short side trail 100 yards to a campfire circle and gorgeous view of Slate Ridge to the south.

After you've enjoyed the view, return to the red blazed trail and continue west along the spine of Grass Mountain. You will gently descend along a grassy jeep trail that is used to access the pipeline for inspection and maintenance. Be careful as you reach the lower end of the trail, it is part of a Penn State research area and many of the trees are blazed in a variety of colors. These are to code them for the researchers, and not additional trails to follow.  

This trail forms the southern boundary of Thickhead Wild Area. According to the DCNR website, "...these 4,886 acres provide an extensive, undeveloped area of mixed-oak forest. Thickhead Mountain Wild Area surrounds the Detweiler Run and Bear Meadows Natural Areas."

Staying on the trail, you will come to the gated junction with Stone Creek Road. Turn right and walk along the road to return to your car.

4.6 miles

689 ft. total elevation gain
2 hours 40 minutes 

Trying new things - Rock climbing at the YMCA

As we all know cross training is good for us. I love hiking, especially in the mountains of central PA, (rocks and all:).  With a big trip on the schedule for next summer, I've really tried to step up my training as we head into the winter months.   Nine weeks of weight lifting and cardio at the local YMCA are already in the bag for me.

Yesterday, the kids had a random day off from school, and I was looking for something to do to get my workout in, and get the kids to do something other than stare at screens. As I scrolled through the schedule at the YMCA, I saw a listing for Open Climb.

Well, I figured I could drop them off to climb and go do my workout. It all went as planned, I even got my poor, tired husband to come with us.

As I  dropped them off in the climbing gym I noticed that there were a number of women wearing the red and blue shirts emblazoned with "climbing instructor". They were all fit, confident and friendly. They wore their climbing harnesses with extra rope, carabiners and a sassy bag of chalk, and clearly were comfortable hanging around.

In the way that thoughts slowly percolate, and physical activity brings enlightenment, it occurred to me, why shouldn't I try climbing too? I mean, at my age, with two kids (one a teenager), I have a choice. I can either be the mom that sits on the bleachers holding the coats and water bottles, or I can be the mom out there, climbing the wall, trying new things, conquering fear. And with that, pumped from the workout, I made my decision about which mom I most want to be.

When I returned to the climbing gym, the rest of my family was at various stages of scrambling up the pitches available.

I stood at the back, not sure who to ask for help, or what to say, until my husband came back down, flushed with excitement and smiling. With courage I'd never had before, I told him I wanted to try it too.  An instructor happened by and within minutes I was strapped into a harness that didn't seem nearly complete and led over to the beginners area. He walked me through the basics and stepped back to allow my first attempt at a wall.

Now keep in mind, I can't do a pull up, and I've never been know for my balance. Yet, up I went. The instructor calling advice from the floor below. Miraculously, I made it all the way to the top. About halfway up I briefly thought about my fear of heights and my greater fear of falling, but I pushed through those fears, even to the controlled fall back down as I was belayed  (?) down. 

After a brief break, I tried another route, this time a corner.  It was more challenging, but I conquered that one as well. The instructor complimented me on using a more advanced technique. I don't remember what she called it, but basically I pushed off one spot to get to the next spot.

So now I'm hooked. I want to try more routes and learn more skills. Maybe even take a class, we’ll see.  And who knows, maybe I'll eventually add mountaineering to my repertoire.

In any case, I will definitely be back

Eagle Trail Loop

This one is a little tricky, as it involves hiking through private property. However, if you are a Boy Scout, you're in luck! If not, contact the Juniata Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America to request permission to hike on their property. (Seven Mountains Scout Camp)

After getting permission to hike on BSA property, park in the parking area and proceed towards Eagle Lodge. The Eagle Trail will be on your right shortly after you pass the fire circle and Firelight Pavilion.

Since we were camping at Seven Mountains Scout Camp, we started from Rhodes campsite and hiked across the dam and up the short hill through Staff City. At the access road to Eagle Lodge we turned right and went about halfway to the fire circle. Look for the sign for Eagle Trail on your left (south). The trail is blazed yellow (and changes to blue as you approach the top of the mountain). After a brief meander the trail heads pretty much straight up the side of the mountain. You will pass between two deer exclusion areas connected by a forest road when you are about halfway up.

Continue across the grassy road and up the mountain. From here Eagle Trail takes on more of the character of the Mid-state Trail which you are about the meet. Not only is it all rocks, it's straight up. Take all the breaks you need, this is a tough trail.

At the crest of the mountain you will "T" into the Mid-state Trail. There's a trail sign at the intersection.

While there aren't any official vistas along this section of the trail, if you hike in late fall or early spring, when the leaves are off the trees, you can still get some pretty decent views.

Turn east  (hikers left) and continue to rock hop along the Mid-state Trail for about 10 minutes. You will then reach "the drop off". The trail appears to drop off into  Stillhouse Hollow.  It is indeed a steep and rocky descent.  Watch carefully for switchbacks.

After about a half an hour you will reach Stillhouse Hollow Road. Leave the trail here and turn north (hikers left) to follow Stillhouse Hollow Road. Watch for red and blue blazes on your left. These are the Nature trail. There are two sets of these blazes, the first set will take you past the chapel and back to the dam. The second set will take you back to the Nature Lodge and Rhoades campsite. If the numbered trail markers are ascending, you are headed back to the dam. If they are descending, then you are headed to the Nature Lodge.

The entire loop took us about 90 minutes, and is probably about 3 miles, although I forgot my GPS, so I'll have to do it again to get more accurate trail data.

Yost Run Trail Loop - Chuck Keiper Trail

This trail is not for the faint of heart. It is extremely technical.

This trail was relocated from the valley floor with multiple stream crossings to "side hill construction" in 2014. While your boots may stay drier, there are still a couple stream crossings to navigate mostly just rock hops during low water.

Side hill construction. .. so imagine a path about 6 inches wide, 30 to 50 feet above Yost Run.  The drop is fairly sheer in most places. As this is Pennsylvania the path is composed of rocks at varying orientations to horizontal and with varying levels of stability.  Now add 2 to 12 inches of loose leaf litter, so you can't tell when you're foot will hit solid (or not) ground.

"Don't look down" was my mantra for about 4 miles. As I inched my way along I was moving so slowly that my GPS recorded no movement.

This is a wild and beautiful trail in Sproul State forest. Definitely remote, most of the trail is also part of the Chuck Keiper Trail.

I noticed 2 established campsites. They are very remote, with good access to water. However, there is only room for one or two tents in the immediate area.

As you can see from the picture there was still snow on the ground when I did this hike. This led to an interesting phenomenon. Starting at about 3.5 miles, I saw "tracks" across the trail, like something slid down the hill. Shortly afterwards I started seeing balls of snow about as big as my head on the trail. The tracks ended in these balls of snow. Apparently, the snow was rolling off the rock ledges above me and gathering more snow at it rolled downhill, (think of how you make a snowman). I had never seen that in nature before. 

Others have written about the trail being overgrown in places. While that wasn't an issue for me this early on the season, I could definitely see some areas where the trail will be overgrown once the underbrush leafs out. The trail was fairly well blazed, I only lost the trail once and that was because I was following my feet instead of the blazes

To summarize, this is a very difficult trail, do not attempt unless you are in good physical condition. It will challenge your knees, ankles and core stability. Plan at least 5 hours to do the 7.5 mile loop. Wear boots with excellent ankle support and water resistance. There is no cell service and no bail out trails, if you get in trouble, you will have to get yourself out.

This lovely waterfall is the highlight of the trail and is located about 1.3 miles from the parking area. 

Musser Gap Trail

Today was a nice day to explore Musser Gap. I've never been here before and I can say that the trail offers the entire spectrum of Pennsylvania trail types. There is everything from jeep trail to typical central PA ankle twisting rock.

Similarly to Mt. Nittany, there are a number is springs and runs that cross, parellel and join the trail, so wear waterproof boots for this one. There is one sizeable stream that crosses the trail and requires finding a spot to cross. 

This trail is popular with mountain bikers, and dogs run off leash,  so keep an eye out. The trail is wide and easy to follow up until the power line cut, from there to the intersection with the Mid -State Trail, I enjoyed classic PA ridge hiking.

The Musser Gap Trail joins the Mid State at Hubler Gap Vista, a nice rolling view to the south (away from State College and into Rothrock ). You can see towards SC on the way back down, if the leaves are off the trees.

There are a couple other new trails to explore the next time I head  out that way, the Frog Hollow Trail and the Mountain Mist Trail look interesting.

Little Buffalo State Park

First Day Hike

Beautiful park, we only made about 1.5 miles on the Buffalo Ridge Trail and Fisherman's Trail. Tired kids will do that to a hike. Nice day with flurries off and on. It feels like winter is finally settling in.

The Fisherman's Trail is really easy and great to do with little kids. There are a series of "gnome homes" to find and check out along the way.

Definitely want to come back in the summer and explore more.