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Black Moshannon Star Mill Trail
Black Moshannon Star Mill Trail I never thought I'd become a cross-country skier. And, by some definitions, I'm still not much of one. The basics seem simple enough - ski along in much the same fashion as walking, except the skis glide and poles offer additional propulsion and support. Several years ago, my friends insisted I try it. The benefits of being outdoors and getting exercise were touted as primary motivations. They told me I would be a natural. They took me skiing across open fields and through rolling, forested hills. Very scenic terrain, no doubt about it. The people who were introducing me to this "sport" were experts - which meant they were always 100 yards ahead of me and never out of breath. They appeared perfectly balanced and perfectly comfortable. I hated it. I was perfectly unbalanced and fairly miserable. The skinny skis felt unstable and I couldn't feel my toes. No wonder, I argued - the cross-country ski boot looked more like a bowling shoe to me. Frozen vegetation occasionally snagged a ski and sent me tumbling. The route held no skiing appeal to me. I said I'd rather walk. My friends thought it odd that I didn't, at least, enjoy the exercise. Exercise for the sake of exercise has never appealed to me. Backpacking, bicycling or boating doesn't seem like exercise to me. I call that adventure and exploration. Going to the gym at 6 a.m. is exercise. I want no part of it. My early introductions to cross-country skiing were too much like exercise. Then it occurred to me that skiing with aerobic superhumans in sub-zero temperatures on difficult trails might not be stereotypical of the sport. I decided to find some trails that appealed to my sense of exploration and see if I couldn't find the fun in cross-country skiing. My recipe for a perfect cross-country ski adventure is this: short, flat and fun. Keep it short, about an hour outside is plenty for novices. Keep it flat - I still don't enjoy going up or down much of anything on cross country skis. Make it fun by exploring areas that are beautiful and unique, and avoid traversing endless cornfields in the name of exercise. The Star Mill Trail in Black Moshannon State Park satisfies my criteria. The trail begins in the Boat Launch No. 4 parking lot on the Julian Pike. The trail is blazed with yellow and well marked; no need for maps or compasses here. On the day I skied it, the wind blew across the lake and hit parking lot No. 4 with full force. The cold wind had me questioning my plans, but I suited up and skied onto the trail. Immediately, the forest offered protection from the bitter wind. Looking across the lake, snow was drifting and blowing on the ice, but the wind could no longer reach me with its icy fingers. Wind howled overhead and it sounded fantastic. The uppermost branches of the pines swayed back and forth and sent sheets of snow swirling down but, by the time they reached me, they carried no threat. The Star Mill Trail follows the lake shore and passes close to several private cabins. Skiing onto the frozen lake, I found snowdrifts that were knee deep and the wind quickly found me. It penetrated every loose seam and flap with an icy chill. I retreated to the protection of the trail and the forest. The contrast of the green pines and brown bark against the white snow was beautiful. An occasional rhododendron provided shelter and the signs of deer were apparent. Snow revealed the travels of rodents, their tracks connecting logs and rock burrows along a secretive rodent superhighway. Cruiser, my Siberian husky, delights in chasing down every last scent, but could find no free lunch that day. In one place, the thick ice gave way to crystal-clear water where a spring feeds into the lake. The transition from frozen lake to open water exposed the mysterious realm of ice. On this day the sunshine illuminated the lake bottom, a layer of rich colors comprised of leaves, some of which will not give up their fall colors. A light mist rose and danced in the sunshine - not snow, not ice, not water; yet all of those things at once. It seemed out of place, but perfectly natural. The aesthetics of the ice and its subtle hues entranced me for several minutes. The solitude was wonderful. The trail ends unceremoniously at the Julian Pike. It took me 30 minutes to cover about a mile and a half of trail and I loved every minute. I returned the same way. The rhythm was new, the view of the lake different, and I enjoyed the ski back just as much. My round-trip adventure lasted about an hour. I probably could have cut my time in half if I hadn't stopped to enjoy the sights, or if I pushed my aerobic threshold further, but that doesn't sound like much fun. That sounds like exercise. And I want no part of that. DIRECTIONS Black Moshannon State Park is located at the intersection of state Route 504 and the Julian Pike. Boat Launch No. 4 parking lot is one mile south of that intersection on the Julian Pike. The Star Mill Trail is posted and marked in yellow. Plan on an hour of skiing.
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