Adventure: Overholt Distillery

It's my own personal Whiskey Rebellion, appropriately right here in Southwestern Pa.

I know what you're thinking. If Captain Crash went to a distillery it must have been to get drunk. Wrong! Its time for a little urban ex.... well not really 'urban' since it's in the middle of nowhere... so we'll just call it abandonment exploration.... or guerrilla tourism... whatever, just read on for a sweet adventure!

If you're coming down the Bottom Yough by canoe or kayak or the Great Allegheny Passage by bike or on foot, you may have seen the large old structures rising, very much out of character, above the tree tops on the northern banks of the Youghiogheny River. And if you don't just pass on by like most do, you'd get to see the historic site of the A. Overholt & Co. Distillery.

It was here that the rather famous Old Overholt Whiskey was made. The extensive facility built in the 1850's covered several acres in the small town of Broad Ford, not far from Connellsville. Despite the age of the facility, it operated for multiple generations and even more surprisingly most of the structures still remain. Obviously the disrepair is overwhelming-- roofs fallen off, holes in floors, smashed out windows, entire stairwells collapsed-- but that just makes exploring all the more fun. You can even still see the remains of a swinging cable bridge that crossed the Yough for workers to have quick access from the village of Adelaide.

Sparky, Gunz, and myself made a wintry trip to the old Overholt Distillery, accessing the facility on snow covered trails via Sparky's Jeep. The multiple buildings left us with several hours of exploration, climbing onto the roof tops and ducking down into tunnels below.

After the jump, a crap load of sweet pictures from Team Crash's trip into the Overholt Distillery. Grab a drink and click "Read More" 

Adventure: Tytoona Cave

Most valleys in Pennsylvania have names. Many bear the namesakes of early settlers; others just seem arbitrary altogether. But the Sinking Valley in the Central Mountains of the state might be the most appropriately named of them all. This rural stretch between Altoona and Tyrone quietly sits just like any other, but below the forests, meadows and streams is an intricate network of underground passages. So much so that one just might think the valley will soon sink into the earth. Sinkholes, springs, and even arches abound, but best of all, the valley presents an adventurer with a collection of caves for some spelunking.

Of all of these subterranean wonders, Tytoona Cave is the crown jewel of the Sinking Valley. The name is combination of the two closest towns, Altoona and Tyrone, and once actually offered tours of its flooded passages. Today it remains open to experienced cavers in a nature preserve, with some of the 'trail' from its commercialized days still remaining in the interior to keep feet dry.

When Lavaricky and Scooby finally coaxed me into coming to camp at their beloved hometown park at Prince Gallitzin, I knew that a caving trip into the Sinking Valley was a must do. And it was too tough to convince those two girls to follow me into the depths of Tytoona Cave.

After the Jump, pics from our trip into the cave plus a stop at the Arch Spring. Click Read More!!

Adventure: Prayer Rock

Reposted from the Archives...

Crash's Introduction:

"Ohhh-oh! We're halfway there, ohh-OH! Livin' on a prayer. Ok, I couldn't resist the obvious Jovi reference. This one is short and sweet though so there will be little opportunity for lyrical quotation. I was on my way to Carlisle after camping near State College for the night to meet up with Spess. Actually, I was on my way to Thousand Steps while on my way to Carlisle using a map of overlooks in Central Pa as a guide when I relaized I would just a few miles from Prayer Rock. I had never heard of it before, but it appeared to be right along a road that passed over the mighty Jacks Mountain in the Appalacians. So why not one more stop on the chain? I traversed away from the beautiful farmland to head right up the mountain to see the view from a narrow ridge. We'll make it, I swear."

Please 'Read More' to see the pictures and commentary after the Jump.

2011

Let you good folks down. Busy finals lead into busy holidays which lead into lots and lots of Pittsburgh hockey. Let's all just blame Kirby just cuz. Gonna get this year for the blog back on track. Expect some adventures added ASAP. For realzies this time.

Also, go Pens.