Lucia and Anstr hiked the entire 70 mile Laurel Highlands Trail in PA in 4 1/2 days over July 4th weekend. We stayed in four shelters along the trail. Our weather was good overall as it was not hot. We did have rain on the first two days.
About to start in Ohiopyle. The packs were heavy at this point.
The beginning of the trail
There are two steep hills in the first five miles.
We started in Ohiopyle and are going to Johnstown
Typical rock on the trail
MP 1. There are 69 more (though I don't think there is a MP 61).
View of the Youghiogheny River
fungi
The trail. Note it's wet at this point.
Lucia on the trail.
Our first shelter. We had shelter number 5 three of the four nights. We shared this one with mice.
More fungus
This is the overlook at about MP 22. Nothing to see today.
Our shelter at Grindal Ridge (MP 24.3). We were supposed to have number 5 here but this is number 1. It's a long story.
At Seven Springs Ski resort.
Lake at Seven Springs.
Rave long range view.
On the trail near MP 30
Lucia walks into the green tunnel
Boundary marker on old route 31 which the run uses as an aid station.
Should be familiar to any crews at the LTH run.
Crossing the PA Turnpike
Bridge over the PA Turnpike. The bridge is now closed.
Laurels. They were mostly past prime but we still saw several.
Shelter 3 at the Turnpike Shelter.
Looking toward the water pump and toilets.
Ferns. There were many ferns.
Yes, the real world does intrude.
This movie shows a panorama of the woods. There is green everywhere.
More fungi
Lucia at MP 47.
More laurels
There are many rocks that form narrow passages like this.
Shelter 5 at the Route 271 shelter area. The water pump was disabled here, to our surprise. There was, however, a small stream going right by the shelter. We boiled that water. This was our last shelter.
That is actually shelter 4.
More laurels
Laurels past their primes
Butterflies along the one dirt road section (~1 mile)
Lucia, the nature photographer
More butter flies.
Lucia at MP 67
On the last stretch. There are a few more, rare, views.
Rhododendron. Over the last three miles of the trail, there were many of these just coming out.
Anstr at MP 69 - the best one because it's just one, short mile from the end.
There was no place high to set the camera, but we record our accomplishment. We walked 70+ miles in 4.5 days. Not too bad for old, gray-haired folks. Happy trails!