Adventure is out there on trails both near and far
Story and Photos by Vincent Corso
Ever since I got back from a hiking trip out West, I have been sharing this story with everyone who cares to listen. Now it is your turn, dear readers, to hear what happened. Here is the preview: I almost got run over by a moose!
Yes, indeed, while hiking in Wyoming, high up on a mountain pass in the Grand Tetons, I was nearly trampled by a very large — kind of redundant, I know — moose. As I walked ahead with my bear spray on my hip (the previous day, I had run into a grizzly bear cub on a nearby trail, so I was still a little jumpy, but that is another story), I was talking to my hiking (and life) partner, Becky, behind me. Suddenly, in the trees just a few feet ahead of me, it seemed as though the earth was lifting up and moving onto the trail.
I quickly stepped back and said a few choice words not fit for this publication. I was fully prepared to break out my bear spray if needed. Then, as the large beast moved across the trail, I felt its footstep pound the earth and realized — thankfully — that I was dealing with a moose and not a grizzly bear. But I was not out of the woods yet, literally and figuratively, as moose can be aggressive, and, well, they are massive, weighing 800 to 1,600 pounds.
This moose towered above me, with legs taller than I was. It was indeed a sight to see as it popped out of the woods right in front of me. Luckily, as I continued to back away and swear, it just kept on moving past me, down to a mountain stream about 25 yards away. There it found some tasty — I assume — plants to munch on.
I took my hand off my bear spray and grabbed my camera. My heart was still pounding, but now I had a smile on my face instead of the look of fear. For 10 minutes, we watched (from a safe distance) as it grazed without a care in the world. It was amazing and something that I will never forget (nor will Becky; she thought I was a goner).
It was the highlight of my trip, which was full of national parks (Badlands, Grand Tetons, Theodore Roosevelt, and Yellowstone), wildlife (bears, bison, elk, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, pika, and more), and too many adventurous hikes to share here. The only thing that was missing was our pup Peggy.
Dogs are not allowed on trails in the western national parks, so she got to spend her vacation getting spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
But this is why I love getting out into the woods for a hike, bike, or trail run. These kinds of adventures often make for fun times and interesting stories. My trip out West was full of those things.
Of course, you don’t have to go that far to have an adventurous story. The day after we got back home to Centre County, I took Peggy out on one of our favorite trails in Rothrock State Forest.
As we embarked out into the woods from the Shingletown Gap trailhead, I quickly realized how much I had missed my hometown trails while I was away.
As we walked along the trail, rhododendrons were in bloom all around us, and the stream near the trail was flowing beautifully over its rocky bed. Peggy marched along with me, happy to be back in her element as we worked our way up the trail.
Then we turned off onto a trail that rises up to Bald Knob Ridge, and my heart rate quickly shot up. As we made our way higher, I noticed something large and black in the distance not far off the trail. I quickly held Peggy tight and stopped in my tracks, and a black bear scampered off down the ridge.
Once I was sure that the bear had cleared the area, we continued on our journey. But after I got my wits about me, I had myself a little chuckle.
After all, I had just traveled all the way across the country to experience nature and have adventure (and it was well worth it), but there is plenty of opportunity for adventure right here in Centre County and it is a lot easier to get to.
Eventually, we made our way to the top of the ridge and followed the rocky trail across it. A cool breeze was blowing, and through the trees it was fun to see Happy Valley down below.
Before long, we ran down a trail off the ridge and then back through Shingletown Gap. Peggy was happy to take a dip in the stream before we got back to the car.
Back home, I told Becky my story about the bear, and we both laughed, knowing that whether it’s a moose or a black bear, an alpine mountain pass or an Appalachian ridge, there is adventure everywhere. And adventures make the best stories. T&G
Vincent Corso loves exploring the outdoors in Central Pennsylvania and beyond.
