Erin and I hiked up the blue trail, which is considered "backwards", I guess. It was nice to see that there are now blue blazes clearly marking the path, even along the road you start out on. We hiked up, over to the Mike Lynch Vista, and then down. It was startling to see how the poplar trees have taken over the section of the mountain near the Nittany Mall overlook.
It was startling to see how the poplar trees have taken over the section of the mountain near the Nittany Mall overlook, and the gypsy moths have certainly done a lot of damage to the mountain. I guess they have that in check now, but the undergrowth has really changed the look and feel of the hikes.
This was my first hike in a long, long time, and it took forever to get up that hill. We're heading to Shenandoah National Park in a few weeks, and I'll have to stick to some of the more moderate trails there, I suppose. If I struggle with Mount Nittany, Whiteoak Canyon Falls would take forever!
