PA Conestoga Trail: Pequea Trolley Line

I love the 2.5 mile out-and-back section of the Conestoga Trail along the old Pequea Trolley Line in  winter. As Pequea Creek tumbles down through the gorge on its way to the Susquehanna River, the level rail grade makes for safe passage through an otherwise steep and dangerous pinch point.  The trolley line once carried thousands of passengers a year from the city to the river from the Martic Station to enjoy summer recreation, fishing, and picnicking.  This must have been a thrilling ride to squeeze through the gorge on the narrow gauge rails.

Pequea Trolley rail trail is a section of the longer Conestoga Trail. 

Amos checks out a side creek.

We have been gifted with lots of snow this year, three feet so far (!), and it really has been wonderful after several winters of little or no snow. A long-lasting snowpack ensures plenty of water for recharging for springs and creeks. I wonder how much of the years-long winter water deficit can be made up in this one snowy season, however?  In any case, it's beautiful to see.  I counted six different animal tracks including skunk, weasel, possum, mouse, white-tailed deer, and otter (on a boulder in the creek).   

A bounding stride of a small weasel.

"The Hole" 

Through the gorge

The rail section is just a short segment of the 60 mile Conestoga Trail that runs the length of Lancaster County. There are plenty of places to do day sections as well as hike it as a long distance trail with good camping sites along the way.  There's even a grueling 24-hour trail run competition. The trail is known for its kick-butt steep and unforgiving rocky hills. Even though this section of relatively flat path is easy to do in any season, I did wear my micro-spikes as the trail comes very close to the high cut bank and the icy creek twenty feet below is no place to wind up. 

Cascade of ice. 

There's a warm up on the way and spring is right around the corner, so I'm trying to keep this winter lodged in my memory because who knows when we will have another like it.  The few people I met on the trail were all there because they too love winter and this section of trail. "It's almost too much to take in," said one hiker. "It's magic," said another.  Soon the snow will be gone and the trail will be full of hikers who have been itching to get back to the path. 

2.5 mile out-and-back 

Hiking is a huge tradition here in Lancaster and York Counties and hiking clubs from both counties will begin spring maintenance days soon. I've signed up for three trail work days and am looking forward to it!  Both the York and Lancaster Clubs were formed in the 1920s during the height of "nature study" at schools and colleges locally.  Here's a historic gem from the 1930s of the Lancaster Hiking Club. Check out all the high tech gear - but I don't see any micro-spikes. 

Notes:

The Lancaster Hiking Club (founded in 1927) https://www.lancasterhikingclub.com/

The York Hiking Club (founded 1932) https://www.yorkhikingclub.com/aboutyhc.html

No Control Hike: PA Game Lands, Holtwood

Me and my big, goofy coonhound, Amos, have been stuck at home for over two weeks now. Not feeling 100% and a landscape full of ice and snow has made it hard to get out to my favorite hiking places but today I couldn't take it any more. We had to get out. The Game Lands unit near me offers a nice 2.5 mile loop and I thought, surely by now, the parking lot was clear and the trails were squashed down by other hikers. But just in case, I strapped on my Kahtoohla Exospikes. I don't want to break another leg. 

The adventure begins.

We arrived to an ice-covered parking lot. Good thing I had my Exospikes, I thought.  Amos jumped out and saw some small thing running in the distance and before I could shut the door we were off. I realized at that very moment I would have been better off on skis. Hanging on for dear life at the end of his 20' lead, Amos pulled me across a field of sorghum and into the pine woods. Then down into the grasslands. Then up to the powerline right-of-way. Trying to regulate our speed I dug in only to find out that Exospikes collect cornstalks, sorghum leaves, small branches, and pine cones. By the time Amos tired out I had a half-bushel of vegetative matter impaled on my boots.

Pine plantation - home of many deer

While I pulled debris off my spikes, Amos caught wind of a deer. More like a whole herd of them bedded down in the pine plantation. Off we went. They caught sight of us and fled. The whites of their eyes and tails were visible for a mile out. I grabbed at several of the evenly spaced trees as we flew by. Amos was now in full coonhound bay. Every living thing in the woods evacuated. His voice carried across the valley and was answered by every hunting dog within five miles. 

Deer exit strategy trail.

We came out on the far side of the pine plantation and Amos decided it was time for a rest. I was huffing and puffing, almost kneeling beside him trying to say something when he started to roll in the snow, a joyful and playful frolic. How cute, I thought. Until I realized he was rolling in horse poop. Amos has a thing about horse poop. For some reason he didn't consume the flavorful muffins this time, but just rolled around like a fool. I ran the other way, hauling his 90 pound self down a slight slope upside down.  My Exospikes were up for the job, however, biting into each deep snow step. Sliding along on his back he loved the ride, jumping to his feet and flipping over again for another few feet of snow-plowing slide. When we were clear of the horse trail I scrubbed him with more snow. I don't think we had gone a mile yet.

Turkey crossing.

Without any warning two tom turkeys marched across the trail ahead and gave us a side-eye glance. Amos is not fond of big birds. A run-in with a guardian goose at a neighbor's farm when he was a puppy has made him fearful of large feathered dinosaurs. He cowered behind me. He shivered. The big birds strutted away, chuckling. Amos was wary of continuing so he circled back the way we came and led me directly back to the parking lot, looking over his shoulder the whole time. There was my vehicle with the door wide open, just as I had left it. 

Home with Towel.

Home we went and though he had lots to say to the many Amish buggies rolling along on the side of the road, he was tired. At home he snuggled with his tattered towel (I put two drops of lavender oil on it in case of horse poop) and he fell straight away asleep. This was Amos' day to burn off some energy and me to discover how little control I have over my life.  

Notes:

Kahtoola Exopikes - Great for picking up corn stalks and pine cones! They work in snow and ice, too.

https://gearjunkie.com/kahtoola-exospikes-hybrid-traction-road-trail