Adventure: Thousand Steps

A lot of the great trails in Pennsylvania that we use for recreation today actually started as industrial right-aways generations ago. Tram ways, skid roads, and rail beds that were used to access our resources now remain as our hiking trails, offroad lanes, and bike paths today. The useful transfer is usually based on the easy grading that makes the hikes easy, flat, and enjoyable. But not Thousand Steps on the slopes of Jacks Narrows in Central Pa. No, this industrial access turned hiking trail was used a century ago to give an easy route to laborers to access a mountaintop mining operation., leaving over 1,000 crudely placed stones to serve as a staircase up the mountain ridge. At the top, narrow gauge railroads, pictured at right, took the mined ore back down. Though the mine is gone, the steps remain and offer any adventurer a chance to test their elevation gain abilities and also gain the reward of some fantastic views of the Juniata River gorge.

As just a young Crash, my early adventuring to-do list quickly contained Thousand Steps; its physical challenge was pretty legendary and tempting. Of course, that Crash was a thoroughly trained track and cross-country runner that could brush off a hike like that. So when I finally decided to try it, I knew it was gonna be a struggle. A 90 degree summer day wasn't about to help, either.

Would I make it? Click read more to find out after the Jump!

The start of the hike was tame enough. Your typical trailhead signs pointed you from your car (Jeep) into the woods. I crossed through a little stream valley that still had some remnants of buildings, presumably leftover from the mining operation, before the real ascent began.

And then it began. I stretched out for a good 15 minutes, got my backpack nicely adjusted, glugged down some good ol' liemon-lime gatorade and started my run! Ready, set, Tally-ho!

So I made it a pretty good ways running before I couldn't go any further. Within a few steps of walking up I was at Step 600, so at least I made it over halfway, eh? Mind you, these steps were friggin' rough and the spacing was more awkward than talking to a relative you don't remember at a holiday gathering. Walking to the top from there was kind of nice as it allowed me to enjoy the scenery and the views the rest of the way up.

Ah, it felt great to hit the top. The trail leveled out so it felt like I was just gliding along now. I continued down the old work grade with stone walls on the left and more views of the Juniata River running through Jacks Narrows on the right. When the trail reached its terminus I was at a slope that used to house a funicular incline car (like a mini version of the Inclines in Pittsburgh) that hauled slag and ore down the mountain. While its comepletely gone now, the open area leaves a nice view of distant town.

 

When I ran cross country, I was trained to know that downhills can be just as strenuous us uphills. It wasn't quite as bad walking down the 1,000+ steps but dammmmmmn it still sucked!

What a hike!! Quite a challenge but a very rewarding one that I gotta recommend to anyone capable of doing it. Might I advise you to just walk and not run though! Bleh.

Tally-ho!
-Crash