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Archive for the ‘Hikes’ Category

Rock Furnace Trail and Roaring Run

Posted in Hikes, Wildflowers on April 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »

White Trillium

In 2020 during the complete shutdown of America, Laurie and I hiked the Rock Furnace Trail located in southern Armstrong County. We were discussing in 2019 of a possible cruise for our Twenty-five wedding anniversary. Eventually, we decided to not chance the trip due to the possibility of my stepfather, Bob Miller passing away due to cancer. That decision was sure the right decision for in March, when the trip was being planned, the ocean cruise ships were stopped on the ocean. they were not allowed to port. We would have been on one of those ships!

So, to compensate for the decision to not take a cruise we did some hiking and sightseeing. The above trail was one of those choices. We enjoyed dour time together on that hike. We, both enjoy the beauty of wildflowers, and the trail does not disappoint.

Recently we walked the trail again. the stream, Roaring Run parallels the trail. This stream has been recently classified as a stream of naturally occurring Brown Trout. The trout are reproducing!

Purple Trillium

Some areas along the trail produce literally thousands upon thousands of White Trillium plants.

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Our Annual Late Winter Hike

Posted in Hikes on March 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Frank Maus

A better title might be Our Annual Spring Hike since we have had no winter this season and many spring-like days. Regardless, traditionally, this is our winter hike.

My old work friend, Frank “Muskie” Maus and I were planning a hike. He suggested a trail at Crooked Creek, not remembering if he had ever been on the trail. The trail is known as the Longpoint Trail. I am not sure exactly how long this trail is, but it runs alongside of Crooked Creek Lake in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. At the point where the trail turns and begins to circle back is a well-known Bald Eagle nest across the water. I showed Frank the nest and we were fortunate to watch a mature Bald Eagle fly along and land in a tree beside the nest.

The dam was backed upon a little due to recent rainy weather.

The hike yielded many nice natural landscapes. The hike produced some other wildlife to see, too. We saw a Great Blue Heron, Common Mergansers, Canada Geese and I saw a flock of Buffleheads.

We stopped to set on a log and catch up on things when I noticed something white…it was a golf ball! How the ball got in these woods will be forever an unknown.

Afterwards we went to a couple other areas to look things over. One site had a report of another eagle nest. We didn’t believe the words and upon checking we realized no eagle nests were present.

Early leaf buds

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A Walk Along the Mahoning

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on March 4, 2023| 2 Comments »

Recently, another spring-like day was being forecasted. A hike was definitely needed, and I elected to do so along Mahoning Creek.

Although the day was to reach into the sixty degrees even seventy degrees the early morning was frosty.

Teasel backlit by the early morning sun.

A most interesting view occurred early when I was able to observe a flock of turkeys fly across the waterways. I had to wonder why they flew across for the very same food supply was on both sides. They are turkeys and turkeys do what turkeys do.

The walk was somewhere between eight of nine miles in total and my old knees and lower back were aching by the time I returned back to the jeep. I had hoped to see a Bald Eagle and I may have seen two immature ones far upstream flying from the trees. I heard a lone gobbler gobbling across the Mahoning but high up the slope.

First Coltsfoot blossom of the year.

Skunk Cabbage

Over the past two weeks I have noticed the Killdeer, Common Grackles and Red-wing Blackbirds are filtering back from their annual migration.

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The Winds Were Howling!

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildlife on February 15, 2023| 2 Comments »

The morning temperature was 56 degrees with a high reaching the upper sixties, maybe even seventy. Sure, feels like spring though the date is February 15. Laurie’s surgery is a month old, and she is getting around fairly well, although she is still required to wear a boot. She uses a knee walker and crutches. Anyway, I felt comfortable to leave her alone for an appreciative time. She agreed.

My hike would last for a little over four hours and was totally enjoyable being out in this weather. However, the winds were rough as it howled through the trees. One could refer to these winds as, the “blowing the hat off the head” winds.

One of the first interests were the two Turkey Vultures enjoying floating in those high winds. Normally, for this area the buzzards don’t migrate here until around mid-March. I watched for a few moments before proceeding.

The walk discovered many signs of the wildlife in the area. I found a tree with a hollow near the base. I gazed into the hole and saw piles of Porcupine scat. The prickly feller was, no doubt, somewhere up that hollow. probably would not be a good idea to reach was up in that hollow.

Porky scat in a hollow tree.

Porcupine gnawings

I found bear sign a few times. The bruin used the tree as a marking zone. The outside was gnawed and/or dug into with their claws. Such sign lasts a long time.

Bear sign, one of several I found.

Although I didn’t hear any gobbling, I did see turkey scat and scratchings here and there. Later I saw a gobbler far off moving left to right. His journey found him behind some briars. I moved quickly utilizing the briars and the wind to my advantage. I went around a contour and spotted the bird feeding within shotgun range. I readied the camera and waiting for a photo opportunity. There would be two gobblers…a longbeard and a Jake. I managed about eight or ten pics before they disappeared after they spotted my presence.

I circled around on my return trip towards the Jeep, I happened to look down and spotted a buck shed. The antler was a two-point. I looked around but failed to find another. Not many years ago I found two shed within a few feet of each other.

Deer shed

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Foggy Morning Along the Allegheny River

Posted in Hikes, Historical on October 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The morning produced a deep fog, and I knew once the sun began to burn its way through the fog some great photo opportunities could occur. Off I went to walk along the Allegheny River.

The autumn tree colors are intensifying, and I wanted to be there. My walk would be approximately five miles.

Birch leaves with the river being obscured by fog, but it is there!

One historic finding was the remnants of the old Monticello Furnace. The furnace was built by Robert E. Brown in 1859 to extract local iron. The iron was burned in the furnace. the resulting pig iron was sent to Kittanning and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The furnace was closed in 1875.

All that is left of the Monticello Furnace.

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McConnell’s Mill

Posted in Hikes, Historical, My Family on October 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Covered bridge at McConnell’s Mill

October 10 was looking like a great day to get out and about. The leaves were turning into their autumn colors and the skies were blue and the temperatures perfect for hiking. Laurie and I asked her mother, Anne to go and she happily agreed for the day trip. Anne is eighty-four years old but does very well with hiking. The place to visit was, McConnell’s Mill State Park.

We stopped at Moraine Park for a brief time hoping to observe a Bald eagle or Osprey.

Looking from the old mill onto the falls of Slippery Rock

The McConnell’s Mill site was originally owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (1946) and handed over to the Commonwealth pf Pennsylvania in 1957. The lands are located in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania in the western part of the state. The park features the beautiful rock laden Slippery Rock Creek. Steep slopes are visible on both sides of the gorge. Huge rocks are viewed all about the parks land.

A couple of man-made features are located along and over the creek. The actual mill was built in 1852 and after being destroyed by fire was rebuilt in 1868. The mill was closed in 1928.

One additional feature is the one lane covered bridge. Few of these structures exist and this one is a beauty. The bright red colors contrast nicely among the foliage or snow in winter.

We visited another area of the park for I knew the trail would not be very difficult and that was the Hell’s Hollow site A watercourse flows down the hollow. It is called Hell Run. A couple of features of this trail are the Hell’s Run Falls and an old remnant of a limekiln. The kiln is barricaded off so one cannot get into the center anymore.

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Nature Odd and Ends

Posted in Butterflies and Insects, Hikes, Misc. Nature, Wildflowers, Wildlife on August 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I believe this may be a species known as the Grasshopper Sparrow.

It doesn’t take long to see the natural world moving quickly towards the autumn season. As a wildflower enthusiast I have learned to tell seasons by the blooms of various species of wildflowers. The end of the season will be upon us before one knows it. Currently the Ironweed with the brilliant purples is in bloom as the Goldenrods are presently emerging into their bright yellow hues. The various Asters will be blooming soon.

Ironeed

Bull Thistle

I was about three feet before possibly stepping too close to this Bald-faced Hornet nest. It, probably, would not have gone well for me!

Not one hundred percent sure of this specie of Dragonfly, but it is a beaut!

I noticed this Black Snake emerging from my landscaping this afternoon. I ran for the camera. In the couple of minutes, it took to retrieve the camera the snake had ventured out onto the yard. I fell to my belly to snap photos. Most were blurred too much for the snake was moving as I tried to keep up.

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This Week’s Adventures

Posted in Fishing, Hikes, Wildflowers on July 31, 2022| 2 Comments »

Wild Bergamot

This past week held some adventures in hiking and fishing for me. One morning Laurie came with me. We would see nine deer including four bucks, two turkeys and a Bald Eagle. We entered a field’s edge and noticed two fawns bedded down.

One morning I fished the Allegheny River catching several Walleyes and several catfish. I saw an Osprey searching for fish to catch.

One of the walleye catches.

This catfish was close to twenty inches. Nice fight!

Another morning I walked alongside to the Allegheny River and a local rail to trails. I walked about five miles. I watched a Mink along a rocky edge. That is an uncommon sight to see in the wild. I, also, saw a Great Blue heron and a family of Common Mergansers.

Yellow Goat’s Beard in seed. Seed pod is approximately three inches across.

Thursday morning, I had time for a brief walk prior to stopping at my mother’s home. Very early I heard and later spooked a gobbler from a tree. On my way home I would see three longbeards.

With temperatures I the fifties I headed to a state game lands for a nice walk. I saw a number of deer. One doe offered some photos with the sun at a good angle. I would see other deer, as well. I saw several hen turkeys and a few poults. I walked upon a flock of gobblers. Although they were very close, I could not find an opening for a camera shot.

Indian Pipe

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Beautiful Fog

Posted in Hikes, Misc. Nature on June 25, 2022| 2 Comments »

Very early in my hike the fog was obvious. The thickest fog was east of my position in the direction of the Allegheny River. I began this trek following an old gas well road within the confines of a state game lands. I did not travel very fall when the road was very obscure and covered with chest high grasses and timothy plants. I went about a hundred yards and decided to reverse course and hike another area. The heavy dew on this vegetation felt like a cold glass of water being thrown upon my legs with each step…uncomfortable feeling at best. I found some turkey feathers while walking out and wondered what may have occurred at the site.

Turkey feathers

The change in a more north-easterly direction eventually placed me along the ridgeline of a very steep “river hill”. The thick fog was being permeated with the morning sunlight. My positioning was perfect, so beautiful was this site, I sat down to enjoy the view. I took a number of photographs from this ridge. This was one of those, “I hope this never ends” moments.

The time in position allowed for a “spiritual session.” My emotions were that intense and I was sure thankful to be a witness. Ther are many times in today’s world when such feelings are needed.

However, the fog began to dissipate, and I, reluctantly, elected to move on. I hiked around the area until the heat began to be felt. Along with the heat the insect life increased.

Throughout the morning I would see around eight deer and many squirrels.

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Another Cool Morning

Posted in Hikes, Wildlife on June 20, 2022| Leave a Comment »

One fall-like morning was June 18, so I made the best of the situation. The area I went to walk around soon became discouraging due to the ATV and dirt bike damage. I continued walking seeing a couple of deer and a raccoon. I spotted the critter moving away from me as I made a semi-circle throughout the woodlands. Surprisingly, my unplanned movement allowed this ‘coon and myself to stop and eyeball each other for a second or two. managed one shot.

However, before the ‘coon encounter I spotted two Turkey Vultures atop of utility poles on a right-of-way. They were holding their wings out to allow any moisture or dew to dry before beginning a day in the wind drifts.

Turkey Vulture drying the wings.

I could see a red-orange color through the underbrush and new immediately I was seeing a deer in its summer coat. The stalk began. The deer, a small buck, was feeding. I managed several pics before the buck nerves changed his feelings about my presence.

Eventually I came upon a township road and moved towards the parked Jeep. I was going to go along Cowanshannock Creek to see what mischief I could find.

I was surprised to not see any cars parked being it was a Saturday. I walked mostly along this creek past the locally famous Buttermilk Falls and continued. I was frustrated to see the garbage and massive erosion issues from the same ATV and dirt bike users from up and over the hills. the trails are everywhere!

I saw and, later heard, a Great Blue Heron.

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