Centre Region Senior Center - Senior Hiking Schedule

April - June 2008

We meet Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. at the Westerly Parkway Shopping Center (behind Omega Bank) and carpool to the hiking area. We suggest you cover up: long sleeves , pants and sturdy shoes. Bring drinking water and a snack if desired. We generally return between noon and 1:00 pm; some hikes are farther away so our return may vary. See schedule below for lunch plans.

Transportation: driving is voluntary, riders will pay the driver $1, $2, $3 or $4 depending on the distance. ($1 equates roughly to about ½ hour’s driving distance).

For more information, call the Centre Region Senior Center at 231-3076.

April 1 ($1) Gamelands from Circleville Road.
April 8 ($1) Colyer Lake.
April 15 ($2) Whipple Dam State Park
April 22 ($1) Daffodil Hike/Spring Creek near Bellefonte.
April 29 ($1) Musser Gap-New Conservation/Recreation Area to Rothrock State Forest near State College.
May 6 ($4) Lower Trail with Lunch at Main Street Café in Alexandria
May 13 ($3) Black Moshannon State Park. Choose a trail later.
May 20 ($2) Martins Gap where we usually see Lady’s Slippers.
May 27 ($4) Canoe Creek State Park; Yellow Lady’s Slippers in bloom. Bring a bag lunch to eat near the lake.
June 3 ($1) Downhill hike Little Shingleton Road from Laurel Run Road. This is a shuttle hike.
June 10 ($2) Big Flat, high in Rothrock State Forest, mountain laurel in bloom
June 17 ($3) Rail trail hike near Coburn to village of Ingleby. Optional: after hike we might drive up to Penn’s View. Bring bag lunch to enjoy at the view.
June 24 ($4) Winkelblech Mountain. Downhill hike near Hairy John’s Picnic Area. Bring a bag lunch

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE CENTRE REGION SENIOR CENTER AT 231-3076

SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR HIKING GROUP - Please read and remember.

Many pages have been written about safety in the woods, and tips for leaders. Our short, easy, Senior Hikes don’t need all of those rules. But letting any group get too lax about safety could lead to trouble someday. With that in mind, here are some brief rules for keeping our outings ENJOYABLE.

•CARRY. Every hiker should carry his/ her own drinking water, clothing items, and snacks or lunch if called for. The leader will have a First Aid kit with band-aids, aspirin, benadryl, etc. in case of minor injuries, or problems. Other useful items are bandanas, whistles, and maps. If you have a cell phone, CARRY IT, and keep it turned on while we are hiking. Share the # with other cell’s in the group.

•TELL the leader or someone if you are making a privacy stop, or leaving the group early. If we don’t know you are gone, we could lose you, or spend time looking for you needlessly.

•TELL. The leader should brief the group about the hike, the planned route, & distance, or difficulty, so each hiker knows what to expect.

•WAIT. At the trailhead, the group should not begin hiking until everyone is READY, with boots, and water, and walking sticks if needed, or bug repellant. Spending a few more seconds at the beginning can often make the whole hike more comfortable. Those of us who are perpetually last should also make an effort to prepare ahead and be ready as soon as possible, so we don’t keep the group waiting too long.

•WAIT. The leader should wait at any trail junction or turn. Make sure that everyone in the group is still following the right path. A group of 10 or more should have an appointed “sweep” to lead from the rear. A group of 20 or more should have an additional “middle sweep” hiking somewhere between the forefront and the tailend.

•STOP. A non-stop hike is a march. Stops are what hiking is all about. Look at the flower. See the view. Spot the frog. Enjoy the butterfly. Rest your feet. Drink some water. THAT’s a RULE!

•WAIT. Especially in a remote area, when the hike is finished, the leader or one other car will wait to make sure that the last car has started its engine, and is ready to leave. Even a new car, or one of the passengers, could have some trouble.

•LEAD. EVERYONE IS A LEADER. You are each responsible for the person behind you. This goes for the car caravan as well as for the hike. We take care of each other. Enjoy!

For more information, call the Senior Center 231-3076.