After several members had to cancel at the last minute, the trip was attended only by me and my roommate, Ethan. We did a one-night backpacking trip at Morrison Campground in Allegheny National Forest. We followed the Rimrock Trail Loop counterclockwise (which, according to some hikers we met going clockwise, was the best direction). We traveled 6.5 miles on the first day and 3.8 on the second day, both over pretty easy and reasonably flat terrain. The fall colors were magnificent, as we had hoped, and our distance from cities combined with a clear sky led to some phenomenal stargazing over the reservoir. The night was cold but stayed above freezing, which was lucky for us as we huddled for warmth wearing all our layers in our sleeping bags. (Note to self: bring hand warmers next time.) After arriving back at the trailhead on Sunday, we took a short drive to the Rimrock Overlook for a spectacular view of the forest in its autumn glory.
Hope to hike with you all in the future.
-Max Sprigg-Dudley