A raven called, as if to greet the group of 16 eager hikers gathered at the trailhead parking lot across from the Greenwood Furnace State Park office. It had rained earlier in the morning, but clearing skies promised a beautiful day. After brief introductions, hike leader John Collins outlined the morning’s trek, and we were on our way.
I enjoy morning hikes and just being outdoors. So, it should be no surprise that I jumped at the chance to join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (usually just called OLLI) at Penn State on one of their weekly hikes.
Since I had recently returned from a week of taking day hikes with my sister in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, I figured that this hike would be fairly low key for me. After all, most OLLI members are retired (and must be at least age 50), so I did not expect much rigor.
That misconception was altered when Collins emailed me the hike summary a week before the walk. He referred to the hike as “strenuous”—five miles with 900 feet of elevation gain.
The fern-lined trail snaked its way up Stone Mountain. Walking was easy at first, with the pleasing sound of cascading water filling the air at one point. It then became steep and rocky as we climbed toward the summit. Friendly chatter echoed up the slope as hikers tasted birch bark, reminisced about other hikes and marveled at the variety of fungi growing along the trail. A bright purple mushroom, violet sticky cort, caught everyone’s attention.
The steep portion ended when we intersected Standing Stone Trail. One hour and 35 minutes into the hike, we arrived at Stone Valley Vista. The talus slope below had few trees and rewarded hikers with a stunning view of the valley.
Hiker Norma Holowach marveled at the view. “I am not from around here and I think that central Pennsylvania is one of the most beautiful places in the country,” she says. “These OLLI hikes are a great way to get an introduction to new places to go.”
We continued along the top of Stone Mountain, following Standing Stone Trail. For a short section, the trail turned rocky, but then it took us on an old roadbed, which led us back down the mountain to Route 305 and an old stone church in the valley below. We were back to the trailhead before noon.
Hike leader Collins had taken classes with OLLI, but only joined the hiking group a little over a year ago.
“I find it a great way to get outdoors and learn about different local trails,” he comments.
Lynn Shields is a regular hiker, but it was her first OLLI hike. She liked what she discovered with OLLI.
“This is just an extremely friendly group. Everyone likes to be out in the woods,” Shields shares. “The leader set a great pace and the company was wonderful. Everyone has had different experiences and hiked different places—we were sharing and learning from each other. I can’t wait to go on another OLLI hike.”
Alice Clark, chair of the OLLI Hiking Special Interest Group, filled me in on their program.
“There is a hike planned for every Friday morning all year long. We go rain or shine, but if there is ice or lightning, the outing is cancelled,” Clark explains. “Hikes range from three to eight miles, with only a few at the high end. Regular participants volunteer to be hike leaders.”
Most hikes are local—Black Moshannon and Bald Eagle state parks, Colyer Lake, as well as in Rothrock and Moshannon state forests—and occasionally a trip is held farther away. Clark is currently planning an overnight trip to Ricketts Glen State Park.
Planned October and November hikes include Black Moshannon Creek and Benner Run, Trough Creek State Park, Canoe Creek State Park, Mount Nittany and the Moss Hanne Trail at Black Moshannon State Park.
“I have about 110 names on hike-announcement emails. About one third are regular participants, one third attend occasionally and one third rarely or never. Average hike attendance is 10,” Clark adds. “OLLI hikes are free, but each person needs to be a member of OLLI to attend.”
It costs $65 to join OLLI. If you do, express interest in hiking to get on Clark’s email list. Contact Hiking Chair Clark at [email protected] for more information. OLLI is much more than hiking—check out their website, olli.psu.edu.
Peggy Johnson, a regular hike participant, summed up the group’s attraction. “These OLLI hikes are a great way to meet new people and get exercise. I love the camaraderie.” T&G
Retired biology teacher Mark Nale writes about hunting, fishing and other natural pursuits. He is the former president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association. His monthly award-winning column, “Nature’s Ways,” appears in the Centre County Gazette. Vincent Corso will return to Town&Gown’s “Centre of Adventure” in November.
