The Wildest Trail's Wild Weather and Wild Plants

A view from Tussey Ridge

 Wow. What a trek it has been since my last blog posting. Firstly, one of my biggest challenges has been the ever fluctuating weather. I have faced high winds and hail and freezing temperatures, spent several nights grateful for the comfort of my tent in a rainstorm, and lathered on sunscreen while dripping sweat. This is Pennsylvania in April and May, and I was prepared for Mother Nature's mood swings when began this hike, but the reality is always driven home once on the trail. However, through all of these conditions the beauty of the Mid State Trail has persisted and continued to impress me.

Firstly, descending towards Loysburg on a grassy path rife with non-native, albeit delicious, plants such as chickweed, wild and garlic mustard, and naturalized sweet mint, I was most surprised to emerge in a rich cove filled with precious native plants such as wake robin trillium, black cohosh, solomon’s seal, and spring beauty. All of which have a long history of medicinal or edible usage.

Wake robin trillium (Trillium erectum)

Wake robin trillium is a spring ephemeral, which means that when our trees more fully leaf out, we will see this flower no more. There are numerous species of trilliums in these hills for certain, but we can identify this one by its maroon nodding flower. The leaves of trillium are technically edible, however I do not advocate eating. Firstly, this is a native plant not always so readily seen. Secondly, there are so many other plants we could eat! This trillium has been historically used medicinally – it also goes by the name birthroot – but given its preciousness, it is not one that I have experience in harvesting nor utilizing. At first I spotted just a few of these wake robin trillium at a bend in the trail, but as my eyes adjusted, I saw they filled the cove where the land dipped sharply.

Spring beauty (Claytonia virginiana)

Spring beauty is a beauty indeed! This dainty flower, also a spring ephemeral, lined the edge of the trail as I descended toward the road. There are two species of spring beauty one many encounter – this one here with narrow leaves (Claytonia virginiana), or the Carolina spring beauty (C. caroliniana) with more spoon-shaped leaves. The corms (underground parts) of spring beauty are edible as are the flowers themselves, however like trillium, I suggest we find other wild foods to enjoy that are not native and precious. Nibble one here and there to get to know this plant better, but please do not make a meal of them.

Maple Run

As I said, my stay in Loysburg was a fine one. Then I ascended the steep mountainside only to dip down into Maple Run, where I was wooed with more special native plants. The trail here is a dream to walk, rolling and picturesque in woods through which Maple Run trickles. I reveled in the majestic eastern hemlock along the waterside, but felt great sorrow to see that these, too, were affected by the wooly adelgid. The adelgid is an aphid, originally from Asia, that infects our eastern hemlock trees and gradually kills them. Most of the hemlock I have seen along the Mid State Trail thus far – but there are pristine untouched patches – have been stricken by this pest.

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) - undersides of needles show "egg sacs," a waxy residue the aphid secretes. The aphids both inject a toxin into the tree and suck sap, which causes healthy needles to fall off and make it more difficult for the tree to put on new needles. 

I spied my first bellwort flower of the trip, nodding its flowering face towards the creek and delighted in the many yellow violets I spied throughout the forest, some mixed in with blue violets. Rattlesnake plantain as well as rattlesnake weed periodically graced my path as well, but thankfully no rattlesnakes!

Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia)

Downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens) - a member of the orchid family

Rattlesnake weed (Hieracium venosum) - the root of which was historically used in treating rattlesnake bites. It is astringent in quality, so likely it played a role in reducing inflammation and possibly drawing venom.

The town of Williamsburg was a good break on a long day with a stop at Dollar General and Sizzler Pizza, and I tell you, that personal pie lasted me all the way until the top of Tussey Ridge the next day. Walking the rail trail for 17 kilometers was a treat and my goodness, what a gem of a path these locals folks have. Native plants graced the bank of the Juniata River: wild ginger, waterleaf, bee balm, bloodroot, and wild anise to name just a few, and what a gift that lean-to was on a rainy night in which I was still drying out my gear from the previous rainy night.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) - pinch the stem and you'll see why it's called blood root

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) -look beneath the leaf litter for this unusual flower

                                                                    

The morning that I parted ways with the rail trail, headed into picturesque Rothrock State Forest, and prepared to climb Tussey yet again, the weather forecasted high winds gusting at 50 miles per hour. Oh dear. But the weather appeared fairly calm in the valley and the sun shone bright and as any hiker knows, it takes a lot to deter mileage plans once they are set. I followed roadways into Rothrock, then trail through dark, damp, green moss filled forests, walked into the tiny hamlet of Baree, crossing its very active tracks, and then headed up the side of Tussey. As I climbed the temperatures grew cooler and the winds picked up. By the time I was admiring a hillside of early saxifrage amidst gnarly black birch and towering oaks, the wind was whipping and I started putting on the layers.

Saxifraga virginiana

By the time I was atop Tussey at Spruce Knob – which by the way, strangely has no spruces, but a number of white pine and black birch – it was spitting rain. Later that afternoon as I struggled to eat my leftover pizza, it started to hail and the temps turned so cold that I hiked in long pants, rain jacket, and warm winter gloves. The wind at times threatened to send me sailing over the top of large rock piles that grace the top of this ridge and tree limbs bent in its force like rubber bands. I took refuge at a campsite near to Brewer Path and was grateful to be in a shallow saddle, although as that wind relentlessly raged, I watched the treetops above in the hopes I hadn’t set up camp next to one with weak roots or brittle limbs.

A rock pile on Tussey

The night was a frigid one and the morning even more so, but the next day the sun returned, gradually warming my bones and the views were plentiful. My goodness, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found a bench erected atop one of these massive rock piles. Despite the still chill winds, I took a seat atop that handmade throne and reveled in a sweeping view of the valley and wondered at just how far I had come across this ridge.

A bench with a view

 I have since carried onto the State College area and beyond, but I will save that for the next blogpost. My most exciting news as of late is the return of my Amos. With sections two through seven out of the way and temperatures gradually warming, I decided it was time to welcome him back to the trail. I may have acquired my trail legs in the last week, hitting my stride with some eighteen mile days, but I will be slowing again with my companion to consider. Here's to exploring more of this trail with Amos by my side.

Amos hiking the rhodo tunnels