PD Sports

June 28, 2009

There’s a new trail, thank you Joe

OUTDOORS WITH JAKE

By Don Jacobs
Times Leader Staff Writer

Joe Healey of the Keystone Trail Association (KTA) invited me to witness first hand the incredible effort his club was making on behalf of hikers everywhere. His work force includes eight retired citizens who volunteer on a trail work crew.

Joe spearheads the Trail Crew volunteers who travel throughout the state building and maintaining hiking trails on public land. They routinely contribute between 3,000 and 4,000 hours of trial labor each year. The KTA’s mission is simple and to the point: To provide, preserve, protect and promote recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania.

For the past few years Healey has been head of the Keystone Trail Care Crew. Believe me, he definitely runs a well oiled machine when it involves organizing his volunteers. In fact, he was awarded the Keystone Legacy Award by the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundations at their annual award banquet on May 5. The Keystone Legacy Award is the Foundation’s top honor which recognizes an outstanding contribution to the protection and enhancement of Pennsylvania’s park and forest system.

One of the three projects planned for this was the building of a 1 � mile section of the Watres Trail on the Lackawanna State Forest. The trail was made possible when the state recently bought a new piece of land. This was the final year of construction for the trail and it is now open and ready for hikers. The Watres Trail is a loop off of the Pinchot Trail system in Lackawanna State Forest.

The Pinchot Trail System was built by the Sierra Club. The trail itself is located through Lackawanna State Forest in the southernmost corner of Lackawanna County. The Keystone Trail Association says that this loop trail is excellent for a beginner’s backpacking trip or for day hikes. There are a few steep grades and numerous creeks and swamps on terrain typical of the Pocono Plateau. A side trail leads to Pine Hill Lookout, with a beautiful 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape. The areas of Painter Creek and Choke Creek are particularly beautiful, and there is also good cross-country skiing on the trail. Overnight camping is permitted throughout the trail as long as campers follow all of the rules and guidelines. A no-fee camping permit is required and can be obtained from the state forest office.

To reach the Pinchot Trail, take Exit 178 off I-81, and follow PA 315 through Dupont (away from the airport). After 1.1 miles, turn left at the traffic light onto Suscon Road and continue for 12.2 miles. The trailhead is on the left side of the highway, about 1 mile east of the county line. I have walked many sections of this trail during different times of the year. I personally enjoy a fall hike due to the picturesque fall foliage. Trail maps are usually found at the trail head. You can also get more information about hiking trails over the internet at: www.dcnr.state.pa.us and click on the Bureau of Forestry. For information and maps of the Pinchot Trail System, contact them by phone at (570) 963-4561.

Now back to the work at hand. Blazing a trail is no easy task. The work crew must first carry all of the necessary equipment into the work area. The day we visited Joe and his crew, they were walking a mile and a half before even lifting a rake. Volunteers were then assigned a job and off they went, you guessed it, another half mile hike to the starting point. Several of the workers were armed with brush cutters, others with picks and still other with fire rakes. I must say I was tired just watching them. They worked like a well practiced football team. One player cut, one raked, digging was done if needed and another followed up with the yellow paint to mark the trees.

The worm-like trail grew slowly but surely as the retired volunteers worked up a sweat in the warm humidity of the day. They are in fact trained by the KTA and all of them have been on one of the projects in the past. I was quite impressed they their work ethics and stamina. Trail work was performed all day Wednesday through Saturday, and a half-day on Sunday. Joe hung the Watres Trail signs on the way out on Sunday afternoon when the work was done and the trail was complete. The Foresters will now check the trail, take GPS readings and put it on the map. So for all intent purposes, there’s a new trail in the area. Thank You Joe!

For more information on the Keystone Trail Association you can check them out on the web at www.kta-hike.org

Hunting License Reminder

Hunting and Furtaker licenses for the 2009-2010 seasons are now on sale. You can stop by one of the 600 licensing agents in the state or you can purchase your license over the internet by using the new “Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS). Simply go to the “The Outdoor Shop” on the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website ( www.pgc.state.pa.us). They are also available at all Game Commission region offices and the Harrisburg headquarters.

All Fees have remained the same for the 2009-2010 license. However, there is a 70 cents transaction fee attached to the purchase of each license and permit, which is paid directly to Automated License Systems, the Nashville-based company that runs PALS. It is important to purchase your license as soon as possible if you plan on applying for an antlerless deer license. The first round of applications will be accepted three weeks earlier than in previous years. Residents can apply beginning July 13, and nonresidents can apply beginning July 27.

There are many changes to be aware of this year, in fact the entire process has changed dramatically since last year. Besides the early start, under the new process, any Pennsylvania County Treasurer can now issue an antlerless deer license for any Wildlife Management Unit, so long as the WMU’s allocation isn’t sold out. Hunters will no longer deal with WMU stickers and P.O. Boxes. The yellow envelopes are history, and pink envelopes will be used instead. Hunters must list their first, second and third WMU preferences for doe licenses on their applications. Treasurers will fill the highest WMU preference listed by the hunter. This will eliminate re-application for a doe license if your first WMU preference – or second – is sold out.

Outdoor Life

On Pennsylvania Outdoor Life tonight at 6:30 on WNEP-TV. We will have more on the Keystone Trail Association as well as a national Wildlife Refuge here in our area, have a Great Day!

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