Loyalsock Trail

[MKern]

I know, I know this isn't directly related to fly fishing, but I am hiking the Loyalsock Trail this weekend (Don't know why I volunteered to do that).

Anyone fishing any of the tribs that cross the trail and see a group of backpackers, feel free to run up and say hi.

 

[Padraic]

Why not carry a small stream rod and a box of flies? There are a number of nice brookie streams that cross the trail.

 

[MKern]

Pad, now that I'm back I can justify why.

60 miles in 3 days (it takes most people 6-8 days) I had to sacrifice all the weight I could, not to mention the lack of time to fish.
We started hiking at around 8 each morning and finshed around 7-8 each night. The first day there was very few streams and the second day we would only cross streams and follow them for a few hundred feet and during those stretches, I didn't spot and darting fish. However the third day we passed a couple nice streams where I spotted a handfull of 8" brookies. However, by then I was too tired to get off the trail and hike up a stream to fish and then retrace my steps to get back on the trail.



My advice to anyone who plans on hiking the entire loyalsock trail (besides not doing it) is to take your time and plan for a week. Pack only 2 sets of clothes, coordinate with others in your party, to avoid duplicates, and mountain house dinners are the best!

 

[troutbert]

60 miles of rugged rocky terrain in 3 days, carrying packs. Sounds like cruel and unusual punishment to me.

 

[tabasco_joe]

Hopefull you marked the streams that hold fish and can get back with a rod.

20 miles a day is about the standard goal for distance packers.

 

[Padraic]

Wow, I thought maybe you were doing a PORTION of the trail over the weekend. The Loyalsock trail runs over some pretty rugged ground. Good job to do that in 3 days.

I've heard that people can do 20miles a day, but a friend who did the AT said that 15 is more reasonable. He'd do 20, but only on stretches that were relatively easier. I don't think the Loyalsock trail would count as a flat stretch.

 

[MKern]

I forgot to mention that we decided to leave the sleeping mats behind because their wasn't a place to hook them to and we left in such a rush, so we spent the night practically sleeping on the ground. You could feel the ground pull the heat away from your body. Probably not the best decision to make -- to leave the mats at home, that is.

I would sacrifice a lot of things for a sleeping mat the next time.

As a side note, rocks do not make very good pillows.

During a few stretches we managed 3 miles an hour (roads and long flat stretches), but that was cooking it. We averaged 2 per hour during most of the trail.
High Knob and World's End sucked.
Most of the trail is deer paths that are 6 inches wide.

On the plus side I only got one blister, and 4 others that went had bloody feet by the end of every day.

 

[henrydavid]

Wow, again, I had the same impression at the beginning of this post. There are so many shorter portions of the LT to take and there is great fishing up there, much respect to you for doing the entire 60 miles, sounds like you wish you had time to fish some.

 

[Acristickid]

Matt- good for you guys. Does'nt sound like you guys got any ticks. I used to be able to do that stuff. Not anymore. I still camp alot but more out of the trunk of the car. I would have a hard time giving up my 50 pound cot now.

 

[mikephl]

Glad to hear someone hiked the whole LT! It's a beautiful area and you have my admiration. I've done the northern half of the LT, in several trips. I usually have a flypole, and a few streams along the way have been fun. But backpacking is usually about doing distance, and much of the LT is away from streams, as I remember.

Meml Day weekend I spent backpacking on Old Loggers Path, which was surprisingly crowded (even more surprising, we met 2 groups like us from SE PA). Someone recently posted about fishing while hiking along the OLP. I fished headwaters of Long Run and got nothing -- met a guy who said the streams have dried up in summer heat in recent years and that the fish up above waterfalls don't replenish quickly. When I go back, I'll plan to stay along Pleasant Run or Rock Run and fish the tributaries.

Mike

 

[henrydavid]

mikephl, the OLP is one of the nicest hiking areas I've seen, do you know if they still allow camping near Rock Run, I heard rumors that there's no camping allowed there anymore.

 

[mikephl]

There were at least 3-4 campsites in use along the trail at the junction of Rock Run and Yellow Dog (? where the trail turns uphill away from Rock, near the road). Maybe there's no camping along the road but nothing was marked along the trail there?

I thought the OLP was not-so-well known, so I was surprised by how many people were out. The parking lot at Masten must have had 50 cars on Sat morning. The section of trail from Rock Run up to Sharps View was awesome. Wished I could have fished more.

 

[troutbert]

A friend and I fished Pleasant Stream on Memorial Day and we met at the bridge at Masten. There were vehicles all over the place, and some had out of state plates. We met a DCNR Ranger and talked to him awhile. Real nice guy.

He said the Old Loggers Path was written about in glowing terms in Backpacker magazine, and people came from as far as Michigan to hike it.

He said that camping is no longer allowed along Rock Run because they had a rough crowd of drinkers and druggies and people who played loud music and tore things up. He's right, I've run into those people camping along Rock Run, near the waterfalls near Miners Run. This wasn't the backpacker crowd, just ruffians.

BTW, we had poor fishing on Pleasant Stream. I've had decent fishing there in the past, but not this time.

 

[MKern]

The group of use who hiked the LT are planning to hike the OLP in the near future, but this time spanning the trip over three days, although we could probably make it in 2.

It sucks about camping at rock run -- one of the nices places in PA. But, like said before, too much negative attention in that area. The sites are still able to stayed at, but with a permit (so they have somebody responsible for the mess).

OLP has poor fishing along the streams that cross it, most likely because of all the traffic it sees. However, the streams that are relativley close to it are wonderful, especially around pleasant stream.

Troutbert you are right about how poor pleasant stream is. I think it is because they stick a lot of stockies in the nicest holes and there is a ton of fishing pressure, and poaching. A lot of amish/meminite camps up that way too, and they catch a lot of fish out of there.