First hike in 2016: Canoe Creek State Park

Canoe Lake is invisible under a layer of snow at Canoe Creek State Park.

Pennsylvania state parks host a series of "first day hikes" every year where groups of people walk trails at their local parks on New Year's Day. These hikes give people a different way of celebrating the New Year other than working off a hangover. They also help prevent the impending cabin fever that starts to set in after the winter holidays.

If you visit the Facebook pages of several state parks, you will find photos of people enjoying themselves on these first day hikes, mostly because no snow had fallen yet, and the temperatures in Pennsylvania were in the 30s. What you won't find in those photos is me, because I didn't go on a first day hike. I had the option because Canoe Creek State Park hosted one, but I had work that day.

Instead, I decided to take my first hike of 2016 on the weekend of my birthday (Jan. 23). That happened to be the same weekend of "Blizzard 2016," which blanketed much of central Pennsylvania in more than a foot of snow. Not far from Canoe Creek, in nearby Hollidaysburg, we registered about 16 inches of snow, and that's being generous.

Despite the forecast, some friends of mine suggested doing a "manly" hike during the snowstorm. We originally planned it for Saturday, but by the early afternoon that day, the storm buried most of our cars up to their doors. If I had forgotten where I parked my car the night before, I would have been screwed, because it wasn't even visible the next day.

Thank God I put my windshield wipers up.

Much better?

On Sunday, the snow stopped falling, and the sky, for the first time in weeks, was predominately blue with only a few clouds. My friend Ryan messaged me and said he was still interested in doing our hike. The weather looked a little more promising, other than the temperature, which was forecast to be in the mid-20s that day with a wind chill value of about 0. Regardless, I never hiked in deep snow before, so I thought it would be a neat idea.

Ryan picked me up, and we drove down to Canoe Creek. When we got there, we were the only car in the park. The snow in most of the parking lots looked untouched other than a road that was plowed about halfway down to the one lot. However, it stopped abruptly, leaving only enough room to park cars single file. We were unsure if we could park there, but we lacked other options. We parked and made our way into the park.

We found out that someone else was just as crazy as we were. Leading from our parking space was a set of footprints in the snow that went into the woods. I'm unsure where these footprints originated since, as I stated earlier, we did not see another vehicle at the time.

Walking inside these footprints made it easier to traverse through the snow. They eventually led to the edge of Canoe Lake, where they then went across it. This sounds more frightening than it actually is. About a week before the storm, the ice at Canoe Lake measured about 4 inches, according to local ice fishermen. That's usually enough to comfortably walk across ice without the threat of falling through it. By this point, the ice was probably twice as thick, and there also was nearly two feet of snow covering it. Ryan and I found out later when we crossed the lake ourselves that our feet barely touched the ice because the snow was so thick.

These are the footprints Ryan and I left when we crossed Canoe Lake.

The two of us ventured around the park for about an hour or so. We hiked over to the Blair Limestone Co. kilns first, where we crossed Mary Ann's Creek. Despite the snow and ice, the creek still flowed in some spots, which made for a peaceful sight on an already tranquil day.

Mary Ann's Creek at Canoe Creek State Park

After vising the kilns, Ryan and I then hiked to the Marsh Trail boardwalk, which runs along Canoe Lake. The snow hadn't been touched since the storm, so we had the honor of making the first footprints on the boardwalk as if it were the moon landing. Toward the end of the boardwalk was the Marsh Trail Observation Blind, which is a small hut with several glass-less windows that let you look out at Canoe Lake. The blind doesn't look like much during the summer, but when it's covered with snow, it's an image you would imagine seeing on a Christmas card from your relative in Montana who never talks to you otherwise.

Fresh snow covered the Marsh Trail Observation Blind and boardwalk.

The Marsh Trail Observation Blind up close

Our footprints on the Marsh Trail boardwalk give you an idea of how deep the snow was at Canoe Creek State Park.

When we walked inside the observation blind, we looked through the windows and got great views of Canoe Lake covered in snow. You could also see the nearby mountains incredibly well. I've been in this blind several times but never really appreciated it until this storm.

This window in the Marsh Trail Observation Blind looked like a painting.

When we were ready to return to the car, Ryan and I decided to cross the lake to get there. Just like the boardwalk, the snow on the lake was untouched in most places other than the lone set of footprints from nearby ice fishermen. During the summer, the lake is filled with boats, but now it looked like a desert in a tundra.

Pictured: Canoe Lake ... somewhere.

Once we made it back to shore, we walked to the beach/swimming area, which was also completely covered with snow to the extent that you could hardly recognize it. Just a few weeks before the storm, a group of people ran into the frigid water as part of a polar plunge for charity. There was so much ice then that it had to be chopped apart with axes so the swimmers could get into the water. Some of the participants even got cuts from the ice, according to my friend, Sean, who covered the event for the "Altoona Mirror." On this day, that water had refrozen over, and the snow covered any trace that people had swam there just three weeks earlier.

Who wants to go for a swim?

After hiking around the park for almost an hour, Ryan and I returned to the car. We thought we were crazy to go hiking in deep snow, but we found out other people had the same idea. Our car, which had been the only one in the lot when we arrived, was now in front of a line of about a dozen vehicles. As we drove out of the park, another four or five cars were just arriving.

Apparently cabin fever is rampant this year, or people in central Pennsylvania haven't had a good snow day in a while. I'd like to assume it's the latter, considering the last time I've seen this much snow was during the nor'easters in the early '90s. Whatever the reason, people embraced the best snow we've had in nearly 20 years. No matter the time of year, I'm just glad to see people outside enjoying themselves.

On a final note: Pennsylvania state parks are open year-round, and they're free. Screw your gym membership: Do your leg day on a trail, and work your muscles by doing pull-ups on a tree branch, just like God intended.

Outlook for 2016

It doesn't really feel like it's 2016 considering it's been warm enough the past few weeks to wear spring jackets and not get frost bite.

In fact, in the beginning of December, my girlfriend (Cassidy), my brother (Cody), his girlfriend (Melisa) and I visited Jim Thorpe Borough for the day and were able to eat lunch at Molly Maguires Pub & Steakhouse outside at a picnic table. Before we went back to Mountain Top, we snapped photos in front of a Christmas tree outside the train station. As you can see, I pulled off wearing a T-shirt that day it was so warm.

WE ARE ... experiencing climate change?

Regardless of temperature, the new year is here, and with each passing day, I'm going to be thinking of ways I can get outside and explore new places.

One added bonus for me this year is a kayak I got for Christmas, courtesy of Mama and Papa Yerms. It will give me the option of going nautical with my efforts. I'll be like Columbus, except everything's already discovered and easily searchable on Google Maps.

I bet Columbus didn't have mesh seats on any of his ships.

Even though I visited some neat places in 2015 such as the Delaware Water Gap and Warriors Path State Park, I feel as though my year lacked excitement compared to 2014. That year, I saw several different species of birds at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, walked around underground in Lincoln Caverns in Huntingdon County and put my toes in the sand at Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie. I also had two massive bike trails on my bucket list since 2014 but never set a tire on either.

I spent much of 2015 visiting sites I'm already familiar with such as Canoe Creek State Park and the Lower Trail -- both within minutes of my apartment -- and I didn't even get out to those places as much as I wished.

I have much larger expectations for 2016, however.

A few months ago, I bought a 2010 Toyota Corolla, which is in great shape and has awesome fuel economy (about 25 miles per gallon). My old 2001 Chevy Blazer guzzled gas and prohibited me from driving longer distances without throwing half my paycheck into the gas tank.

I also got a bike rack for my car. I used to stow my bike in the back of my car, which worked, but it was a pain to get in and out, making many bike trips more cumbersome than enjoyable. I can now transport my bike efficiently while saving on gas. All these new tools will make my travel and work so much easier now.

The great thing about Pennsylvania is that it has several hidden treasures, and like a pirate, I'm always eager to search for them (plus, it somewhat justifies my rum consumption).

I have many places to start, and despite it being only January, I already have cabin fever. Until I can get back outside, I have some plans made up. Here are a few places that I'd like to visit in 2016:

Sherman Memorial Lighthouse

 

This is probably going to be the most obscure destination on my list. Also, I did not build a lighthouse to commemorate my girlfriend, Cassidy Sherman, despite its name (though that could be a good gift for Christmas next year).

The Sherman Memorial Lighthouse is a tower built on the banks of the Allegheny River in Tionesta, Forest County.

I know what you're thinking: Why would you need a lighthouse on a river in the landlocked portion of Pennsylvania? The answer: You don't, but why not have one?

That apparently was good-enough reasoning for Jack Sherman, who designed and built the lighthouse to honor his family's legacy, according to the website thelighthousehunters.com.

Some fun facts about the lighthouse: Sherman broke ground for the tower in April 2003. It was struck by lightning almost four months later during its construction. The lighthouse was commemorated in September 2006. Finally, and thankfully, the lighthouse is not haunted, all according to the website.

Although it seems out-of-place in the middle of Pennsylvania, the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse is actually a gorgeous structure, based off pictures of it on the Internet. The drive is about two-and-a-half hours from Hollidaysburg, but Allegheny National Forest and Oil City aren't far from the site, so some detours might make the trip worth it.

Cook Forest State Park

 

Cassidy spent one semester at Clarion University, which was around the time she and I started dating. Despite the few times we met on the weekends in Clarion, Cassidy and I never went to Cook Forest State Park, which isn't far from the town.

Many people on campus said it was a great spot to go camping and hiking. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website agrees. Cook Forest is about 8,500 acres big and contains about 29 miles of hiking trails, according to DCNR. The Clarion River also runs through it, and, according to the website, it's calm and great for beginning kayakers (us).

There are also a few hundred campsites and cabins, as well, making it easy to spend a few nights in Cook Forest. Two of my coworkers at the Mirror have camped there before and always recommend making the trip. Cassidy and I have yet to go camping together, but we have a tent -- or, if need be, credit cards to rent a cabin.

Elk County (Elk Country Visitor Center)

 

Don't be deceived by the name: Elk County is one of the only places left in Pennsylvania where you can find live elk. ... Okay, I guess there's really nothing misleading about that.

Regardless, I've never seen an elk other than in a video game or inside a Cabela's store, where it's stuffed. Elk are majestic creatures; just imagine a white-tailed deer on steroids.

Jokes aside, elk are very rare in Pennsylvania outside of a zoo. In addition, Elk County is only one of two counties in the state named after an animal; Beaver is the other one, but you can find those water rodents anywhere.

Convincing Cassidy to visit oversized deer might be a challenge, so I'm listing this as a "maybe" on my to-visit list.

Kinzua Bridge State Park / Kinzua Bridge skywalk

 

I love that Pennsylvania is direct when it comes to naming places and objects. However, a "skywalk" isn't exactly something that seems realistic unless you're listening to a Led Zeppelin song.

Kinzua Bridge State Park is located in McKean County and features the Kinzua Bridge skywalk. The "skywalk" came into existence only a few years ago. Before that, it was the Kinzua Viaduct, which once stood as "the longest and tallest railroad structure at 2,053 feet long and 301 feet high," according to DCNR.

So what made the viaduct a skywalk? Technically, the sky did ... via tornado in 2003. The storm destroyed part of the structure, but it was reinvented into a walkway where visitors can walk about 600 feet out into the gorge, according to DCNR.

There's not much else to the park other than the skywalk. Kinzua Bridge State Park has only 1 mile of hiking, and one of the only other activities visitors can do is hunt, which is limited throughout the year by state game laws.

I think the skywalk by itself is enough to justify a trip, though. I can't even begin to imagine the photo opportunities it would provide.

Cherry Springs State Park

 

This has been a location Cassidy and I have discussed visiting for a while now.

If you never heard the name until now, you might wonder what makes this state park so special. The answer is it's dark -- really dark. So dark, in fact, that it allows for some of the best stargazing on the eastern seaboard of the United States, according to many lists, including this one from USA Today.

The area has almost no light pollution since it's in the state's low-populated northern tier, allowing people to see millions of stars, planets, the Milky Way galaxy and beyond.

Out of all the locations on this list, Cherry Springs State Park is probably the trickiest one for Cassidy and I to visit because there are so many factors that affect the quality of stargazing.

First, the weather has to cooperate, which in Pennsylvania, never happens.

Second, you have to go when the moon isn't high in the sky, which means you're restricted to about the one week when it's in the new moon phase.

Third, the drive from Hollidaysburg is about 2 hours and 40 minutes. That's a long haul for a trip where a few clouds could potentially ruin everything.

Regardless, Cassidy and I love to stargaze, especially after the two of us and my parents decided to look at the stars during a clear night in Ocracoke in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was the first time any of us had seen the Milky Way, and ever since, I've been hooked on getting another opportunity to witness it.

This and more ...

 

This list is not concrete. I may or may not visit most of the locations on it. It does provide me with goals for the new year, though, and that's better than having nothing planned for the future at all.

The great part is everything I mentioned is located in Pennsylvania, which is the point of my blog. People always talk about traveling to other states or other countries to see new places. That's fine. I don't want to confine myself to only one state all my life. The nice thing, however, is I can venture around Pennsylvania all my life and probably never see all the cool places and oddities hiding in its cities, forests and waters.

But as always, I will pursue what I can, and I will let you know what I find. Happy New Year! Here's hoping mine is an adventurous one.