Pic by Karen Klos
HIKING SHORTS A-100 Breaks Records
Left: Scott Russel. Right: Andrew Boncella (Birthday Boy, celebrating his 50th birthday at the end of the day at the Event on Sunday 9th).
www.northcountrytrail.org
— Karen Klos
Tina Toole
PENNSYLVANIA - The Allegheny National Forest Chapter of the North Country Trail held the fourth annual Allegheny 100 Challenge June 7th - 9th. In June, 2012, Backpacker Magazine published the article, “Earn Your Stripes,” profiling the Allegheny 100 Backpacking Challenge. After the article, on-line registration for the event increased remarkably. The limit of 100 pre-registered hikers was met just 6 weeks after registration opened. Word of the event continued to travel and there were 19 walk-ins for this year’s challenge, including a gentleman from Poland who hitchhiked in from Pittsburgh. A 75 mile challenge was added for this year. Also new this year, an Allegheny 100 rocker arm patch with 25, 50, 75 and 100 miles was offered to participants. The patches were a huge success. The Allegheny 100 Challenge is the ultimate hiking challenge, a decisive endurance challenge met through unsupported backpacking. The challenge is not a race against others, but rather a test of an individual’s stamina, determination and resilience. There were no first aid stations and no watering stations along the route. The Challenge is to backpack 100 miles in 50 hours. If a hiker cannot commit to the 100 mile challenge, they can still participate in a 25 mile, 50 mile or 75 mile challenge offered that weekend along the same trail. This is for any hiker, of any skill level, who wants to test him or herself against the trail. The adventure takes place on a 100 mile stretch of the North Country National Scenic Trail that meanders through the rolling hills and stream valleys of the Allegheny National Forest. Between registered hikers and walk-ins, 103 people began their adventure into the forest. On the final day, 13 exhausted hikers completed 100 miles in 50 hours. Among the finishers were two women; Kim Hrycik came in two hours behind her brother, while Ohio Orcharenko came in at the last minute, 8 PM.
Allegheny National Forest Chapter: Heather Emahizer and Josh Schrader splitting the cherry log.
Allegheny National Forest Chapter’s National Trails Day: Split a Cherry Log to Build a Bridge for a Bog
PENNSYLVANIA - National Trails Day was celebrated across the United States on Saturday June 1 with trail events and maintenance projects. Members of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) spent the day building a bog bridge over a twenty foot wide wet area near Chappel Bay. The bog bridge consisted of two thirty foot half cherry logs, placed on footers. See the rest of our ANF crew on page 15. — Tina Toole
July-September 2013
The North Star 13