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Vista Ventures
Приєднався 6 гру 2018
Welcome to Vista Ventures! I started backpacking in 2014. For my first trip, we stumbled out into the woods in mid-January with way too much gear and far less knowledge. Since then, I have devoted a lot of time towards learning the do's and don'ts that can make backpacking much more enjoyable. I want to share my experiences and trips with you in hopes of inspiring people to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer. Get outdoors. Have fun. Embrace the uphill.
Piper Loop Fall 2024
The Piper Loop is a 26 mile loop through the Quehanna Wilds. This loop is formed using the East Cross Connector, the Quehanna Trail, and several smaller side trails. This makes an excellent weekend loop and would be a great loop for novice and experienced hikers alike. Plentiful water, beautiful scenery, and abundant campsites are the highlights of this loop. The Quehanna Wilds are also home to Pennsylvania's wild elk herds.
For this trip I used the below trails.
Started at Hoover Farm Viewing Area
Riddle Road
Red Run Trail
Meeker Trail (camped just before QTECC)
Quehanna Trail East Cross Connector
Quehanna Trail
Number 14 Trail
Number 15 Trail
Big Spring Draft Trail
Big Spring Draft Connector
Trail Map:
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateForests/FindAForest/Elk/Pages/Maps.aspx
Parking Lot:
Lat: 41.228858
Lon: -78.191379
Campsites:
Lat: 41.230875
Lon: -78.236330
Lat: 41.195951
Lon: -78.238139
Lat: 41.165632
Lon: -78.213942
Lat: 41.190540
Lon: -78.157253
Lat: 41.190481
Lon: -78.139525
Lat: 41.221146
Lon: -78.116472
Lat: 41.232961
Lon: -78.150601
For this trip I used the below trails.
Started at Hoover Farm Viewing Area
Riddle Road
Red Run Trail
Meeker Trail (camped just before QTECC)
Quehanna Trail East Cross Connector
Quehanna Trail
Number 14 Trail
Number 15 Trail
Big Spring Draft Trail
Big Spring Draft Connector
Trail Map:
www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateForests/FindAForest/Elk/Pages/Maps.aspx
Parking Lot:
Lat: 41.228858
Lon: -78.191379
Campsites:
Lat: 41.230875
Lon: -78.236330
Lat: 41.195951
Lon: -78.238139
Lat: 41.165632
Lon: -78.213942
Lat: 41.190540
Lon: -78.157253
Lat: 41.190481
Lon: -78.139525
Lat: 41.221146
Lon: -78.116472
Lat: 41.232961
Lon: -78.150601
Переглядів: 408
Відео
Mid State Trail: Section 2 Route 326 to Everett
Переглядів 4052 місяці тому
Section 2 offered some beautiful vistas but also very punishing terrain. The trail primarily follows the top of the ridge line which is very rocky and severely overgrown is some sections. Fortunately we started with plenty of water as there wasn't any water sources from 326 to Everett. For a thru-hiker, Everett offers a gas station, Dollar General, and grocery store for resupply options. I'd on...
Mid State Trail: Section 1 Maryland to 326
Переглядів 6242 місяці тому
On this trip, I setout to complete sections 1 and 2 of the Mid State Trail. The MST is known as PA's wildest footpath. It stretches 327 miles and traverses the entire state from Maryland to New York. This trail features a lot of ridge walking which can offer some incredible views but water sources, green briars, and minimal legal camping options can make this trail a challenge depending on the ...
Susquehannock Trail System 85 Mile Thru-Hike: Day 4
Переглядів 1973 місяці тому
On day 4, Dan and I start the day long before dawn to knock out the final 21 miles of the STS. We were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and the best weather of the entire trip with a cool morning in the upper forties and sunshine and low humidity in the afternoon. We passed three more shelters which we used as brief rest stops. Passing through Patterson State Park offered bathrooms, picnic pav...
Susquehannock Trail System 85 Mile Thru-Hike: Day 3
Переглядів 3493 місяці тому
On day 3, Dan and I started out getting our feet soaked straight out of the gate from the wet dew from overnight. Fortunately, we were rewarded with some great town food at Cross Fork. The General Store opened at 9am and had great subs, chips, ice cream, etc. The rest of the day alternated between sunshine and rain but the humidity was much lower than day 2. We were blessed by an awesome campsi...
Susquehannock Trail System 85 Mile Thru-Hike: Day 2
Переглядів 4013 місяці тому
On day 2, Dan and I push another 20 mile day through some tougher terrain than we had on day 1. The weather for day 2 was very humid and all the vegetation was wet from periods of rain throughout the day so most of the day was spent with wet feet. Ole Bull State Park was the highlight of the day and was definitely a nice pit stop for a snack. We ended up staying the night at the Scoval Branch S...
Susquehannock Trail System 85 Mile Thru-Hike: Day 1
Переглядів 5083 місяці тому
On this hike, I team up with Dan from @backpackingadventures4813 to tackle the Susquehannock Trail System which is an 85 mile loop located in north-central Pennsylvania. This trail has been on my radar for years and I was glad to finally get this hike completed. The northern gateway is located just off of Route 6 seven miles east of Coudersport where you can register your vehicle with the fores...
Loyalsock Trail Thru-Hike: Day 3
Переглядів 2409 місяців тому
On the final day of our LT thru-hike, Dan and I push out some big miles. We started hiking around 6am and finished up at 7:30pm. The last day on the LT featured some stunning points of interest including Worlds End State Park, Sones Pond, Haystacks, and multiple waterfalls and vistas. I highly recommend the LT for someone looking for a beautiful and challenging multi-day hiking trip. To cap the...
Loyalsock Trail Thru-Hike: Day 2
Переглядів 32210 місяців тому
On day 2, Dan @backpackingadventures4813 and I got an early start to knock out a bigger mileage day on the LT. The eight mile private ground section featured some nice meadows and many building ruins along a several mile road walk section. There were a few climbs but nothing as significant as day one. There were multiple waterfalls on day two with Angel Falls being the most spectacular. Angel F...
Loyalsock Trail Thru-Hike: Day 1
Переглядів 50311 місяців тому
On this trip, I team up with Dan from Backpacking Adventures to take on a thru-hike of the Loyalsock Trail which has been on my bucket list for years. We tried timing it for peak fall foliage conditions but unfortunately that didn't pan out for us. However, this trail definitely lived up to the hype for stunning vistas, scenery, and waterfalls throughout the entire trip. The Loyalsock Trail str...
Black Forest Trail Round 3
Переглядів 547Рік тому
On this trip, I setout on my third thru-hike of the Black Forest Trail with two buddies. However, things don't go as planned and it turns into a two-day marathon choose your own adventure trip. We share some good laughs, steep climbs, and a few blisters. I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride!
Golden Eagle Trail Day Hike
Переглядів 485Рік тому
The Golden Eagle Trail is an approximately 9 mile loop trail located in Tiadaghton State Forest. The trail head is on the west side of Route 414 at the Clark Farm Recreational Parking Area. The Golden Eagle is widely regarded as the best day hike in Pennsylvania. In the fall, it offers breath-taking scenery of the surrounding valleys. I recommend hiking the loop clockwise which saves the most f...
Loyalsock-Link Loop
Переглядів 1 тис.Рік тому
The Loyalsock-Link Loop is a 25-mile loop made up of a section of the Loyalsock Trail and the Link Trial. I started at the eastern trailhead of the Loyalsock Trail along US 220 and hiked the loop clockwise. This loop offers plentiful camping, water sources, and beautiful vistas. Some notable sites are Dutchman Falls, Haystacks, Sones Pond, Canyon Vista, and High Rock Vista. The views along Loya...
Piper Loop: 26 Mile Loop Through the Quehanna Wilds
Переглядів 1,1 тис.Рік тому
The Piper Loop is a 26 mile loop through the Quehanna Wilds. This loop is formed using the East Cross Connector, the Quehanna Trail, and several smaller side trails. This makes an excellent weekend loop and would be a great loop for novice and experienced hikers alike. Plentiful water, beautiful scenery, and abundant campsites are the highlights of this loop. The Quehanna Wilds are also home to...
STS-West Branch Trail Weekend Loop
Переглядів 7862 роки тому
This approximately 25 mile loop hike was made up using the northern section of the Susquehannock Trail System (STS) and the West Branch Trail (WBT). The STS is blazed orange while the WBT was blazed yellow. This was a very nice weekend trip with beautiful scenery and plentiful water and campsites. Both the STS and WBT were well maintained and easy to follow. The STS also has mile marks and seve...
Tiadaghton Trail and Mid State Trail Loop
Переглядів 1,5 тис.2 роки тому
Tiadaghton Trail and Mid State Trail Loop
Black Forest Trail: 20 Mile Weekend Loop
Переглядів 1,2 тис.3 роки тому
Black Forest Trail: 20 Mile Weekend Loop
West Rim Trail: 30 Miles Along the Pine Creek Gorge
Переглядів 2,5 тис.3 роки тому
West Rim Trail: 30 Miles Along the Pine Creek Gorge
STS-Black Forest Trail 25 Mile Weekend Loop
Переглядів 1,4 тис.3 роки тому
STS-Black Forest Trail 25 Mile Weekend Loop
Quehanna Trail: 71 Mile Solo Thru-Hike
Переглядів 3,6 тис.3 роки тому
Quehanna Trail: 71 Mile Solo Thru-Hike
Cheap DIY Backpack Water Bottle Holder
Переглядів 28 тис.4 роки тому
Cheap DIY Backpack Water Bottle Holder
Wykoff Loop: 32 Miles Through the Quehanna Wilds
Переглядів 3,4 тис.4 роки тому
Wykoff Loop: 32 Miles Through the Quehanna Wilds
Spring Backpacking on the Allegheny Front Trail
Переглядів 1,7 тис.4 роки тому
Spring Backpacking on the Allegheny Front Trail
Granite Gear 16L Air Zippsack Review
Переглядів 2,8 тис.4 роки тому
Granite Gear 16L Air Zippsack Review
Where ?
@Rustynail-e2x maps.app.goo.gl/gao25mJF9LbZ7fHX7 Just south of Benezette, PA along the Quehanna Highway
Looks like another great trip in the books. The early leaf change reminds me of 2 years ago when it started around the same time. I'll have to add this one to the list of hikes as I still haven't hiked anything in the Quehanna area.
@@DragonRoams the Quehanna Wilds are a beautiful area. Especially in the fall. I definitely recommend 👌
Nice video. Thanks! How was the Peak Refuel Breakfast Skillet?
@@governor9934 Thanks! It was actually really good. Just took a lot of water compared to the normal meals. Very filling.
Looks like an awesome place...nice vistas!
@rebel3891 this is one of my favorite fall weekend loops. No elk this time
looks good
Really fun trip. I’m still surprised the early change of the leaves. Videography was spot on. Great video!
@backpackingadventures4813 thanks for coming along on another trip! I had a great time.
A really great hike. I like to park at the Red Creek parking area. Hike north to the upper Red Creek trail up to Dobbins and then back the way you started. It's a beautiful tour of the ecosystems. Great video, keep it up.
@jzoop1 thanks! I'm looking at doing this fall again. You recommend parking at the Red Creek trailhead? I never parked there before.
Great job. Does anything compare to Black Forest Trail…?
@@scotthanford9619 thanks! I guess I'd need more info on what we're comparing to the Black Forest Trail.
Neat idea! Saves £s/€s/$s. I have copied your method, but used an adjustable mini bungee cord in place of the shock cord loop. Works great. Am now going to add a length of plastic tubing, so I can sip without even having to tilt or grab the bottle.
Awesome 🤙🏿🇦🇺
You sure are showing the pretty parts. We hiked portions of this a couple of weeks ago and the briars were keeping us to about 1 mph.
@jessi74 yeah it is definitely a very rough section. The briars are no joke. My hiking pants will never be the same lol
Thankyou.
Could of saved yourself a couple of cable ties if you know a barrel knot
you're a real one man. I started hiking and backpacking about a year ago and your vids helped me a bunch. Keep it up dude!
@colbyhall1989 glad I was able to help you out on your backpacking journey. Keep it up. Happy hiking!
Those big piles of dirt before town after the hiking the railroad bed. That is the dirt from the Turnpike extn over the mountain they made in the 60s to bypass what we know as " the Abandon turnpike "
My favorite part of the Trial. Help off with section clearing couple times a year..
Tussey Ridge has some awesome views coming to in Everett. great time to do the trail too.. Fall colors are nice.
Backpacking many years ago with my father, He would always dig a 2.5' section of small rubber tubing out of his pack. It weighed practically nothing. He called it his "Inspirator" he would use it to blow air into a stubborn fire. He never failed!! Your hollow tube brought back a forgotten memory!
@alanhykes8777 that's definitely a great idea as well. Glad I helped bring back that memory with your father. Happy hiking!
I’ve been enjoying watching your hikes. Your channel has given me ideas… especially loops. Hike on! The mid state is a tough one. Straight up…. Straight down 😩
@blackberry2615 thanks! I'm glad you were able to get some loop hike ideas. Happy hiking!
Mid state trail is a great basically unknown trail. It’s a challenging trail in sections that I’ve hiked have done sections 8,9,10,11,12,13 hoping to finish it all by next year . Good luck hiking man maybe I’ll see you out there sometime,
@pennscreekcanyon1772 yeah the sections near me see very little use. I agree it does seem to be a forgotten trail. Happy hiking!
These first couple section are the most overgrown and hard to get too do maintiance. you have to hike miles in with your tools. it helps when game comm. opens gates for you. Tussey ridge is rockey are hard to little flat firetown in Rothrock.. then you start the roller coaster over the mountains to New York
@eastcoastexplorer6886 yeah it's definitely a hard trail to keep maintained with all the ridges and limited access
Beautiful fall colors! I don’t remember if you mentioned it but is the trail measured in kilometers instead of miles? I’ve never been on the Mid State Trail but now I think I’ll give it a try. The trekking pole Bellows was genius… Lol i’m definitely doing that…lol Thanks for taking us along. 👍
@fivehorizons5295 yes it is measured in kilometers. I prefer freedom units myself. Thanks a lot and happy hiking!
Awesome fall hike! Another one to check out....
@@rebel3891 it was a beautiful weekend trip. Happy hiking!
Fingers crossed this turns into a MST section hike series?? Guys named Jared are actually pretty cool.
@HiddenHollowOutoors yeah Jarrods are pretty cool. Especially when they show up with campsite chicken haha. I'd like to knockout some more sections but the southern end is definitely challenging logistically
I love your videos, C. I hope you are having a blessed Sunday.
Wow love not seen your kids lately glad you are back
There is a campsite that I remember at the junction of the STS and DHT right after you got water. No need to backtrack. I hung my hammock in a couple of those shelters. Looked it around the cross support beams and it was about perfect. The only thing, I was all set up and a guy came by who had hiked 30 miles and was planning on staying at Scovil. He felt bad and kept moving on to the next campsite as it was starting to rain.
@rickbeidleman1928 Yeah that campsite looked decent for tents at that intersection. It all panned out for us. Stinks for that poor guy who kept going. Happy hiking!
Live in MA but originally from PA and get down as much as possible to hike the PA Wilds. Did West Rim Trail and Old Loggers Path. Planned on DHT but getting a bit old for that hiking. Completed BFT, STS, Quehanna over the years. Heading out next week to do Thunder Swamp. Love hiking down there to get away from the crowds in the Whites. VT is under water again, muddy to begin with and floods like last year.
Impressed with your MacGyver fix of your trekking pole!!! That was quite a challenging loop but with some outstanding vistas! Thanks for sharing!
@patticarey9016 thanks! I had to really put on the thinking cap for that one haha Was very pleased with the result. Held up great 👍
That was a great day as far as the weather. You had some really great shots in this one. I had a blast on this trip! 👍
@backpackingadventures4813 it was a great trip despite some sketchy weather up front. Thanks for being such a knowledge trail guide 😄
@@vistaventures1343 at least you didn’t put the knowledgeable in quotes. lol. That would have been more accurate though.
BFT is my favorite trail in all of PA. Looks like you hiked counter clockwise. Climbing Hemlock Mtn. about killed this 60 yr. old lady! But it is stunningly beautiful! Nice video!
@patticarey9016 yeah the BFT is probably my favorite trail. It was my first multi-night trip. Yeah Hemlock mountain is no joke but the views are spectacular!
That was some crazy weather you guys had! Your videography is very good!
@patticarey9016 thanks! Yeah the humidity was the biggest killer combined with wet feet. Overall it was still much better than what was forecast. Happy hiking!
Just finished watching Dan's videos for this trip and now I'm enjoying your perspective! You guys make a great team for a long trip like this.
@darcyshikingdiaries thanks! Yeah longer hikes like this are definitely better with company. Dan is a good time on trail. Happy hiking!
Do you mind telling me what type of pants you're wearing? I like a little looser fit pant but can't seem to find any anymore. Enjoy the videos too!
My biggest disappointment in this hike is that you and Dan did not arm wrestle.
Next trip out haha 😄
Really enjoying your hike ❤
Thanks a lot! It was a great trip.
Was a really great day aside from the couple rain showers. That camp site was really nice. One of the best I’ve been in in a long time. Great video! 👍
Yeah that was definitely one of the best campsites I've had. Great ending to the day!
Lmao … Dan trying to get attention all ways waving yes we see him and know he’s there 🤣
His video bombs gave me a good chuckle while editing the videos haha
Lmao I video bomb Utubers too but I mostly get edited out 🙄 lol
❤ it!
lol. That log bridge was tricky. I’m surprised one of us didn’t end up swimming. I could have put on my rain pants. There was sooo much stinging nettle all through the trail. I’m just lazy. Really well done video. Your videography was amazing👍
Yeah it was definitely a wonder one of us didn't take a bath. Your approach to lean back was definitely the way to do it. The humidity and stinging nettle was in full force. Thanks Dan!
There is water at that shelter 😉 if you go behind fire ring down the little bank and keep going you will find it unfortunately one has to bushwhack to get to it …. Every time I’ve been there there has been water …
Dan went down and looked as he'd gotten water there before but he didn't find any. Oh well. An extra 0.8 wasn't too bad to get that Beaver water haha.
Lmao maybe Dan didn’t look or go far enough… nothing like beaver water though 🤣🤣
Yeah that Beaver water really puts some extra pep in your step haha 😄
You are in my neck of the woods. Grew up in that area. Miss all the hiking my sister, cousin and I use to do there. ❤ really enjoying your journey. Familiar places ❤
It's a beautiful area in north central PA. So much hiking opportunity. Thanks for the positive feedback. Happy hiking!
❤ your videos, thanks thanks my guy
First! 🙂 Great to see you back on the trail, Caleb. I hiked the STS 40 years ago!
It was good to be back on trail. It was a great trip with Dan. Happy hiking!
Great to see you hammerin’ down the trail again, Caleb!
It was great to be out again!
Cool! Walked up on a coyote! Is there a tracing of the loop you did in AllTrails? Or can you list out each trail you were on? I didn't catch it all in the video. Nice videography!
Thanks! I'm not sure if there is a tracing anywhere or not. I think I just used the Quehanna East Cross Connector, the Quehanna, and Big Spring Draft Trail. If you get a copy of the Quehanna East map it shouldn't be too hard to make up this loop. It was a nice weekend get away. Happy hiking!
Glad to see you are still hitting the trails. If you ever decide to hit up trails in Allegheny national forest LMK its not to far from me and I know lots of good places to backpack
Good to see you back on the trails! I'd love to hike that part of Pa at some point; I tend to stick to my home-base in SE Pa but have been venturing further afield the last couple of years....Michaux State Forest and the Stony Valley. That cookie looked amazing!
Yeah the protein cookie with peanut butter was a clutch dessert for sure. I highly recommend you make it up to the endless mountains! Lots of beautiful country up there.
Really good video! It was a fun day but hot and buggy. I’m just glad the site turned out to be a good one.
Yeah me too. That was a great spot. Much better than we had on night two haha.
Very good videography! You two guys make it look so easy. 😁 I did the Link Loyalsock Loop trail with my Cattledog about 2-3 weeks ago and the Loyalsock Trail between Sone's Pond and World's End was just one mud bog and mud pit after another. Guess it was because of the wet spring we had. What month was this hike done? Thanks for sharing your trip! 👍🏻
Thanks a lot Patti! This hike was in mid-October. Yeah the Sones Pond section can definitely get mucky. This was a great hike. Dan showed me a bunch of different shot setups and they turned out great. Thanks a lot for watching!
Which maps did you use to plan this hike?
Hello Stacey. I just used the Black Forest and Tiadaghton State Forest maps from the DCNR website. Happy hiking!
As always great video. I've never seen you guys fish. If you did where would you recommend a place to be able to catch and cook and set up away from everything. Is there a good place in pa for that?
I can't say I'm much of a fisherman. I'm sure there are many places in PA. I'd just pick some bigger streams. The Loyalsock and Rock Run come to mind. Happy hiking!
Nice! I do this with a Nalgene bottle. I use paracord instead of zip ties, and I've secured it with the shock cord that's built in for trekking poles on my Osprey pack. I like your idea of adding shock cord to the backpack strap.