Training Hikes
Rachel Carson Trail Challenge Saturday June 19, 2010
On these four training hikes, we will prepare for the Challenge by tracing the route just as you will encounter it on June 19. Everyone is welcome; you do not need to be entered into the Challenge to participate.
- You don't need to notify the hike leader that you plan to attend. Simply show up on time.
- Please bring at least a quart of water (more if the temperature will be warm) and some energy snacks (e.g. Powerbar).
- We will meet at the hike end point and carpool to the start point, leaving a sufficient number of cars behind to carry people back to the start when the hike is over.
- The minimum unaccompanied age is 8.
- All hikes meet at 8 AM. Plan for each hike to take 6 hours (up to 4 hours for the hike plus up to 2 hours for sign-in, announcements, car shuttling, and so forth).
- The hikes are free. A suggested donation of $3 per person may be given to the hike leader on the day of the hike.
| Saturday, May 29 | Leader: Phil Hirsch 412-373-2053 | Approx. 7.3 miles | Elevation change: 2383 ft. |
|---|---|---|---|
| This hike begins at Harrison Hills Park, skirting the bluffs over the Allegheny River, covering some easy and pleasant terrain. Then we hit Burtner Hill, one of the more infamous hills on the Trail. The last 1.25 miles to Bull Creek Road consists of quick-paced road walking. Meet at the parking area at the intersection of Bull Creek Road and Ridge Road at 8 AM. Directions: Take Route 28 to Exit #14 (Tarentum). Turn north on Bull Creek Road for a very short distance, turn right on Ridge Road, then immediately turn into the parking area on the right. Map | |||
| Sunday, May 30 | Leader: Phil Hirsch 412-373-2053 | Approx. 8.9 miles | Elevation change: 4431 ft. |
| This hike starts on Bull Creek Road near Tarentum and hits Bakerstown Hill, Bailey's Hill, Creighton Hill, and Murray Hill in short order. We will hike along the bluffs over the Allegheny River across from New Kensington and finish in Springdale. Meet at the Springdale Veterans Association Hall parking lot in Springdale at 8 AM. Directions: Take Route 28 to Exit #11 (Harmarville). After exiting onto Route 910 head towards Harmarville, turn left at the second traffic light onto Freeport Road and travel about 4 miles through 9 more traffic lights. The Springdale Veterans Association Hall entrance will be on your left just past the last light. Park on the far side of the lot. Map | |||
| Saturday, June 5 | Leader: Phil Hirsch 412-373-2053 | Approx. 9.1 miles | Elevation change: 4051 ft. |
| This hike begins in Springdale and follows paved roads, traverses Log Cabin Hill, LeFever Hill, down Rich Hill, and then up to Emmerling Park and back down. Plenty of hills on this one. Meet in the Eichenlaub Landscaping company parking lot on Saxonburg Boulevard at 8 AM. Directions: Follow Route 910 along the Yellow Belt to the Saxonburg Blvd. intersection and turn north for 0.2 miles. Map | |||
| Sunday, June 6 | Leader: Phil Hirsch 412-373-2053 | Approx. 9.4 miles | Elevation change: 3082 ft. |
| This hike begins in Dorseyville and starts with some road hiking for about a mile, passes Hidden Pond, into the Hampton Nature Reserve, Crouse Run Valley, and finally enters North Park, ending at the Beaver Shelter. Meet at the Beaver Shelter in North Park at 8 AM. Directions: Take I279 north to the McKnight Road exit and travel 6.4 miles north. Take the North Park/Ingomar Rd. exit east and turn left at the third traffic light onto Babcock Blvd. There is a long parking lot on the left at the next intersection with Pearce Mill Road, and the Beaver Shelter is at the far end of the lot. Map | |||