Weekly Hike - Middle Wissahickon

WEEKLY HIKE - Middle Wissahickon
(6.5Miles | 750 Feet of Elevation)

Join us for our weekly, weekday evening/night hike!

Into the WILD Wissahickon this week! I've been all over the country and no city has a park quite like the Wissahickon. It's the crown jewel of Philadelphia's outdoor space. Our weekly hike takes us to my personal favorite stretch of the Wissahickon and my favorite hike in the city limits! We will do a bit of bushwhacking and rock scrambling on this and we will traverse some cool trails and if the water level is low enough, we'll try and get down to a cool path along the creek that's only usable during drier periods. We'll see several cool historical monuments and markers and get a nice workout in with around 750 feet of elevation along the way!

WE KEEP A 3 to 4 MILE PER HOUR PACE. PEOPLE CONSIDER ME A FAST, BUT NOT INSANE HIKER - ESPECIALLY ON FLAT GROUND. If you're unfamiliar with your average walking speed, go to a gym and use a treadmill or time yourself outside. 3mph would be our average on medium, slight elevated ground, 4mph is our average on flat, city streets/sidewalk.

PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS NOT A "CITY" HIKE. IT INVOLVES SOME LIGHT OBSTACLE TRAVERSING, A LITTLE BIT OF BUSHWHACKING, AND TRAILS THAT MAY BE WET/SLIPPERY IF IT IS OR HAS BEEN RAINING. THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME LIGHT ROCK SCRAMBLING AND FOR NEWBIES, I'll HELP POINT OUT THE BEST WAY TO ATTACK THE SCRAMBLES!

BASIC INFO

• DAY & DATE: Wednesday May 22nd
• START TIME: 6:30PM (AND WE START ON TIME!)
• STARTING LOCATION: Blue Bell Field Parking Lot
• ADDRESS: 800 W Walnut Ln · Philadelphia, PA
• PARKING - Free parking available. DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES or anything visible in your car. I'll also caution you, the parking lot closes at 9pm, so we need to be out - do not linger after the hike as once they close the gate, your vehicle will be trapped till morning.
• LENGTH: 6-7 Miles (6.5 is target)
• ELEVATION: 750 Feet (750 is target)
• SPEED: 3.5 Mph average
• END TIME: Target is 9pm. Parking lot closes at 9 so we have to be out!

GEAR:

• Hiking boots/shoes (sneakers may be getting on this)
• Water
• Appropriate clothing - hats, rain jackets, etc. as needed
• A change of clothes for after (at your discretion)
• Headlamps not necessary for this. It's okay to bring one, but we try not to use them unless absolutely necessary. This will be a good example of a night hike where you can avoid using them on the way back once the sun sets and help condition your eyes and building up your night vision for other hikes/events we do at night.
• I also advise people bring hiking bags - either to help store stuff to keep you hands free and/or to help get you accustomed to using one
• Phone | Car/House Keys | Wallet (if you plan on going out with us after)
• Snacks (as you see fit)
• Beer or other drink for before the hike.

AFTERWARDS

• Afterwards we will head to a place in nearby Germantown or East Falls food & drinks. Everyone is welcome to join us!

CANCELLATIONS

• I do not cancel hikes for inclement weather. It must be pour down showers, enough snow/ice to make getting to/from a hike dangerous, etc. If I ever do need to cancel or postpone a hike I try to do so as early as possible.
• You may cancel at anytime up to and including the start time of the hike. Cancellations without contacting me after the start of an event counts as a no-show. More than 3 no-shows gets you removed from the group. If something happens, I get it, reach out and just tell me after. I've been there - hungover, busy, etc. Just be polite, and brief, if you miss and forget to cancel.