At the parking lot, I talked with a guy finishing up his morning mountain bike ride. He wished me luck as he had hiked in the area plenty, but never backpacked. Apparently, gravel and mountain bike rides are popular in the area, as three cyclists also rode past my camp later that afternoon.

Testing New Ideas

With my previous issues camping in this area, I decided to try a different approach. I still chose a spot based on both the levelness of the ground and its proximity to water. However, it was at an earlier point in the loop where the inbound and outbound trails were very close together.

In addition, my framed backpack has the rigging to attach a day pack to it. I filled my backpack with the usual gear and my day pack with a 3L water bladder. This not only gave me more water but also a way to hike a portion of this trip with a much lighter pack.

The Hike to Camp

I started my hike around 1:30 PM ,and it started off quite easily, with the majority of the trail being a gravel road. However, the bugs were immediately an issue, and I wore a head net until I was settled at camp that evening. The path was well-maintained except for some areas where it blended with a stream bed. Luckily, it had not rained recently, so while there were still muddy areas, there was not much standing water on the trail.

Setting Up Camp

As mentioned earlier, I camped in an area between where the inbound and outbound sections of the loop were close together. The area was mostly uneven, with some rock formations nearby. But I found an area with appropriately spaced trees and level ground between. The only issue I eventually encountered was soft ground, which my camp chair often sank into.

Continuing the Hike

After my hammock was fully set up, I detached my day pack and transferred my water and essential gear. Then, around 3:45 PM, I set out for the longer loop of the hike. This took me down to the area I visited the previous week, just from a different direction. The views were a bit muted with the dense trees, but the valley and growing stream were beautiful.

Lunch by the Allegheny River

I arrived at the spot where the stream emptied into the Allegheny River around 4:30 PM and set up to eat a late lunch there. Luckily, a gentle breeze kept the bugs away, and I was able to enjoy my food. I also took the time to soak my feet in the stream and rest a while. This was mostly because I knew the terrain ahead of me, and there was a steep elevation gain in my future.

Bridge Closure & Steep Trail

The path that followed the stream was eventually closed due to a bridge outage, but I didn’t have any other options at this point in my hike. There were three bridges that crossed Dennison Run, and the last one was completely down after a tree fell on it. Much of it was cleared away, but the stream was easy to cross. Yet again, I was happy to have fast-drying trail shoes with wool socks.

Climbing out of the Dennison Run valley was quite rough. The trail was so steep at points that I was on the balls of my feet while pulling myself up with my trekking poles. I was very glad to have at least eaten my lunch beforehand, making my day pack a little lighter. But, eventually, the steepness tapered off, and I was making my way back to camp.

Camp and Sleep

I was back at camp around 5:45, with plenty of daylight left. However, with my later lunch, I decided to just have a few snacks instead of making ramen noodles. It was around this time that I saw the mountain bikers I mentioned earlier.

I did not bring any books or entertainment with me, so I spent the evening sitting in my camp chair, relaxing both my mind and body. This also meant that I went to bed early. I got into my hammock around 8 PM, but I had a difficult time falling asleep. Despite having plenty of time to cool down, the heat and humidity still had me sweating. I have a warm weather sleeping bag that I use as an overquilt. However, I spent the entire night on top of it.

Around 9:30 PM, the temperature had dropped, and I was able to doze off. But, not before a deer snorted about 20 yards to the south of me and woke me up. After that, I managed to sleep pretty well and woke up with the sunrise, around 6 AM.

Packing Up and Hiking Out

I woke up and set about my morning tasks of getting changed, eating my oatmeal, and breaking down camp. Unfortunately, I discovered that my gear hammock was on the ground due to a carabiner failure. This was not catastraouphic, as no animals got into my gear. However, it was a lesson in mixing cheaper “car key carabiners” with ones that are meant to support loads. My last mishap occurred when I went to put in my contacts. When I opened my contact case, I saw that one was missing. I checked to make sure I didn’t put two in one slot, but alas, it was lost. Looks like it’s glasses for my hike out.

I managed to get back on the trail just before 8 AM, which was great for the temperature. However, the bugs were back out, and my head net became a necessity. The trail I was on was soon the boundary between PA State Game Lands and the Clear Creek State Forest.

Nonexistent Turn

I ran into a problem when my watch alerted me that I was off course. According to AllTrails, I missed a turn. The only problem was that I never saw one. I backtracked and wandered around to no avail. I saw a break in the woods where the small trees and shrubs looked easier to navigate, so I headed in the direction I thought I should go. The funny thing is that I soon saw signs that someone had been this way. Based on the markings, the three cyclists I saw last night had the same idea. Luckily, I soon found the actual trail. Although this part of the loop had a lot more mud.

I made it back to my car around 9 AM and got packed up to head back. However, I would shortly realize I needed to come back. I had left a piece of gear back at the campsite! But that’s a story for another trip report.

What went well

• Hiking with two backpacks may seem silly, but the ability to carry extra water and hike with a lighter day pack after setting up camp is something I will absolutely do again.
• Purposeful planning for where I would eat my lunch made for a very enjoyable meal. Look for scenic areas along your hike and plan to spend some time there.
• Also, extra time planning for where I wanted to camp paid off, and I was happy with my location, even if it was closer to trails than I would’ve liked.

Even Better If

• Watch out for body parts that lie against your hammock and are not protected by the underquilt. Mosquitoes will find you!
• Gear quality matters, and cheap carabiners should not be mixed with sturdier ones, as it’s very easy to mix them up and encounter failures out on the trail.
• I don’t think I will ever hike in short sleeves again. I walked through many spider webs, and the feeling of them on my arms was annoying and distracting.
• I need to pay more attention to my bedtime rituals so I don’t lose a contact lens again.
• The hot weather made falling asleep very difficult. I don’t know if sleeping without a tarp would’ve helped, but I lay awake sweating for far too long.