Choose My Adventure, Day 1: Never a Boaring Moment

Woo hoo! Our first day here in the Allegheny Mountains was marked by high altitudes, high thrills, and truly high-on-the-hog living.

As part of this Choose Your Own Adventure sweepstakes theme, your votes had me tracking wild boar during our day hike. (Don’t forget to make your pick on Day 2′s activities, later on.)
Read on for lots of pics and tales of adventure!

Intros with our travel companion Stephen Regenold (Gear Junkie) were warm but brief as we all hurried to catch our wicked early flight out of Twin Cities Int’l.

Our destination: State College, Pennsylvania; home to Penn State, a gorgeous panorama of Appalachian beauty, and a thriving population of wild boars — right?

“Hmmm… I’d never known that.” said Christie, our Convention Visitors’ Bureau contact. Over a lunch at the hopping Allen Street Grill, she did, however, give some great suggestions of trails to hike. Among them was nearby Tussey Mountain.

The hunt was afoot!

With guides Jean-Luc and Tom from Appalachian Outdoors, we took a winding back road to the trail head, passing ancient-looking cabins, gnarled oaks and somber pines. As people were strapping day packs on, I pulled Jean-Luc aside.

“So, have you ever run across any wild boars out here” I inquired. He looked up into the sky, where all people in awkward situations look when trying to find polite answers.
“Wow, no, I haven’t, but…” he trailed off. Undeterred, I would keep my senses sharp. Watch for ‘sign.’

The trail was lovely, with mossy boulders and looming cliffs. Especially cool was the mountain laurel that grew everywhere, its broad, waxy leaves looking and smelling very rainforesty.

We cut off the trail for a steep climb up to the ridge. Halfway up, I saw them. Yes, there they were: biggest flippin’ acorns I’d ever seen. And wild boars eat acorns, don’t they? Yes, they do — I’m pretty sure of that. We were getting close. I climbed on.

Views along the knife-edge of Tussey Mountain were gorgeous; the sun-dappled landscape a tapestry of mountains, farmlands and more mountains beyond. Group pics. Stephen shot some video for the Gear Junkie blog. Awesome.

The ridge extends for miles and we covered as much of it as the waning daylight would allow. Primitive campsites with enviably large fire pits occasionally dot the trail. Lots of lean-to shelters. Very Blair Witchy.

Just after circling back towards the trail head, Jean-Luc stopped suddenly and picked up a lumpy object from the trail. I sprint up to see; is it wild boar scat? No, he shows me, it’s one of those spore-filled fungi puffball objects. Hmmm, do boars eat those?

Later, the trail reveals some tracks. Large ones. With distinctive canine toe-pads. Nothing cloven here. We snap a few pics. Dang it, I will have my boar!

An icy stream bed tags along on our hike back, as if to beckon us to explore further. We climb into the Jeep and I find myself wishing I could explore the place for a long week.

No wild boar were found — on the trail. Was I upset? Disappointed? Not for long. Stephen, Pam and I headed to our hotel for a long-awaited meal. The hotel restaurant offered a wealth of options, but picking mine was a no-brainer. I went for the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Slaw. “Boar: It’s What’s for Dinner.”

Join us Friday for our fly-fishing adventure. But first, don’t forget to choose my adventure! Do I go for a frigid swim? or Challenge the Gear Junkie to a trout-catching contest? Vote now in the comments section!