During the weekend of May 15th, Oracle Charter School's Hiking Club went on its first annual spring camping trip to Allegheny State Park.After a year of fund raising, we were able to rent two cabins on the Anderson Trail.
Arriving Friday night, the priorities were to enjoy the pizzas we had picked up, start a nice (if smokey…) fire, and for the hikers to engage in a full-fledged water war.
Gathering wood that first evening the campers found several small salamanders. That night, after a few s’mores, the entire group went on a terrifying ride up to the abandoned Stone Tower, got lost on an old logging road, and then, on foot, came nearly face-to-face with the “Abandoned Hiker,” a well-known ghost of the Park. If you have never heard Alysson and Beth scream…keep it that way!
On Saturday, we awoke early to clear skies, and since storms were on the horizon, we quickly rallied for a nearly 7 mile hike through the hills of Allegheny. While large wildlife was not encountered, we caught numerous frogs and salamanders and the birdcalls were wonderful. We finished off the evening with some football, another water fight, and then a full fledged hot-dog roast over a raging fire. All in all, it was a fantastic experience, and I am already looking forward to next year's camping trip!-John Elliott, adviser to the Hiking Club, teaches AP Environmental Science and Earth Science at Oracle Charter School.
