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Trip Log
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Chuck Keiper Trail |
Friday, November 13, 2009
The three of us met at canteenboy's (CB) palatial estate and hit the road by around 7:00. The drive out was uneventful. The stars were abundant and it was a beautiful evening. We arrived at the trailhead at Fish Dam Run Overlook around 10:45 and hit the trail by headlamp. We had a couple minor problems as we hiked in. The hike along the cross connector to the intersection of the east and west loops is a little longer than I remembered. That coupled with doing it at night resulted in a fairly late arrival to camp. It was around 12:45 when we got in. We each set up tents and a tarp and hit the hay for a short night.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
We set alarms and got up between 6-6:30. It had misted some over night and this would continue through the morning. Nothing to cause any issues. We quickly breakfasted and packed daypacks. I was first out at 6:55 followed by Rob and then CB. Shortly out of camp, I saw a bobcat. Throughout the day, I saw many birds including blue jays, ravens, juncoes, chickadees. Sprinkle in a few deer and many many grouse. We hike the loop counterclockwise. I would rethink this as this loop gets progressively more difficult. It was an easy, fast hike through around mile 15. I got through the first 15 miles by around 11:30. I hiked in trail runners and actually ran a few miles of the trail. As you enter the Yost Run drainage, the sidecuts begin. The hiking got really tough for about a 10 mile stretch and I slowed significantly. After getting through Yost Run, I made my longest stop of the day (10 minutes) and soaked my feet in the creek. After taking them down a couple sizes, I marched on, eating and drinking as I hiked. I had a better bobcat sighting along Jews Run Road. I also spotted some turkeys. I stumbled back into camp about 5:20 just as the headlamp became necessary. I bathed, got a fire going, drank cocoa and tea and ate dinner. Still no sign of CB and Rob. At about 7:30, a headlamp came in. It was CB. He began his dinner and bathed. About 8:30, in came Rob. We all had good hikes but had some SORE feet. It is around 33 miles around the loop. I was in bed about 8:30. The other guys were in bed by 9:00.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
So we were understandably a bit slower moving this morning. We got up between 6:15 and 7:00 and ate and packed up camp. We left camp (a great site by the way) about 8:00. We finally got to see the site in the day light. We hiked with full packs the 3 miles or so out to the car and again loaded our daypacks. We hike this loop counterclockwise as well. This is the steeper way to go. We thought it may be easier to climb the dead leaf slicked slopes rather than descend them. Those climbs are STEEP. I feel that this loop, though shorter, is more difficult. Add to that already sore feet. I personally do not believe the east loop scenery is as nice either. Didn't see as much wildlife as well. Today was sunny and warmer than yesterday. I sweated lots. Since we had to hike the cross connector twice today, we actually hiked around 24 miles. So this was actually a 60 mile weekend. I once again made it out to the car about 5:20 and changed and bathed in the creek near the trailhead. Rob was dropped off in a van about 5:35. His hip was bothering him so he left the trail for a road a little more than halfway through the day. He still probably got in a 20 mile day. Ian arrived by headlamp about 5:45. He had a good day.
So my feet are still a little swollen and I have bruises outside of my heels. Because my feet hurt so bad Sunday, I wore hiking boots for that day. I'm not sure that helped or not. I was definitely more protected from rocks and blow down. There is a lot of blow down out in that area from the snowstorm of the middle of October. I continue to be a fan of the west loop of the CKT. I look forward to backpacking it soon and enjoying the drainages a bit more. We also saw a lot of bear sign. Rob's ride was actually a van full of bear hunters out scouting for signs.
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