Sunday – 22 September
Destination: Ohiopyle Shelter Area (MM 6.3)
Start Location: RT. 653 Shelter Area (MM 18.5)
Today’s Miles: 12.2
Trip Miles: 63.8
Sorry for the late update. No cell service tonight. First night with no service.
Another DCNR ranger came by last night to check our reservation. He spoke with a group camping outside the designated area. The rangers are well armed, pistol, Taser, Mace and a knife. Not sure what they are expecting. Bob spoke with him a bit. The shelter camping areas are only for backpackers. You can only stay one night.
Bob and I were up before sunrise in a misty morning. We found our way to a nearby, empty shelter and enjoyed our coffee and breakfast there before getting an early start just after seven. Lots of miles to the next camping area.
Today had a pair of nice views and a cemetery with tombstones dated in the early 1800s. We crossed three nice running streams and stopped at one to filter water. All our other water has been from hand pump wells at the campsites. Cranberry Glade Lake was nice sized but had tree stumps throughout. And today’s highlight – Mile Marker 9 – single digits. We are getting near the end.
No hikers today until Bob and I arrived at the shelters and only one trail runner. Two hikers at our last campsite were coming here today but we did not see them. The last mile was a brutal downhill.
Bob and I are hoping for an early start in the morning. We planned to hang out at a shelter and if no one showed up, sleep in there instead of tenting. That would save us a few minutes in the morning. Of course the only hiker, Brian, to show up had reserved the shelter we were lounging in. He told us that when he last checked, three of the five shelters were reserved. Bob and I headed over to the tent site we had scouted earlier.
Bob and I went to filter water and wash up. We had dinner with Brian. He is from Indiana and hiking north. Today was his first day. We traded notes on what each of us could expect coming up.
Tomorrow we start with a step downhill then a big climb and down another big climb and finally down into Ohiopyle all in six miles. With no cell service here we have not gotten a weather forecast update. Last forecast we have is for rain starting in the morning. Our plan to start hiking at sunrise is to hopefully beat the rain.
