Icebreak Trail, Tioga State Forest, PA, October 2013

One reason I love the Pine Creek Gorge area is that the hiking is less rocky. Not easier, and not rock-free, but less like climbing and more like walking. So was the Icebreak Trail, a short mile in the Tioga State Forest to the rim of the gorge.

Aside from crossing downed trees, which included straddling them a couple of times, and watching for the dreaded "root snakes" most of the hike was uneventful. The path to the overlook was through a sea of dead and dying ferns, and sea after sea of them. As for the vista at the end of the trail, it was worth the walk despite the overcast, drizzly weather. The Icebreak Vista is also on the West Rim Trail, and its little more than a mile from Bradley Wales Vista. Had I not hurt my back in my fall on the Tanbark Trail in the Catskills a couple of days before, I'd have hiked a 4 some mile loop on the Icebreak, West Rim, and the forest road that connected the two. Perhaps when I'm next in the gorge and the weather is better I'll do just that.