Bike Pittsburgh

Mission to Hays

Mission to Hays:

Find the lower trail at the bottom and ride on in. Failing that, find the entrance halfway up Glass Run Road and then work back downhill somehow before heading back up and out in Arlington or St. Clair. End up on the Southside, probably.

For argument's sake, let's say we meet Saturday, 8:00 am, Greenfield and Second Ave. Have some big tires, or know how to navigate your skinny tires through gravel and rubble and rebar. Either will work. I'll have patches and spares and pump.

Actually I'm totally flexible about times. Sunday is ok too. The weather is going to turn sucky by Saturday anyway. Send me mail if you want

RE: Mission to Hays

I'd be all over this if the Punk Bike Enduro was not Sunday.

Maybe some other time?

RE: Mission to Hays

What, Eric, you need 24 hours of Tibetan breathing exercises before the punk enduro? Otherwise you can't drink enough?

Come on people, there's some cool stuff out there in abandoned Pittsburgh that we haven't seen. And you gotta start preparing yourself for the bad weather or you won't be ready for January.

(Hays is pretty big, we'll go back, even if you skip out on this one)

RE: Mission to Hays

Hey I'm getting out for TWO non-commutting rides this week already, I really can't justify a third to myself, family time is important too.

And I work Saturday anyway.

As for the bad weather? Bring it, last winter was weak...

RE: Mission to Hays

As for the bad weather? Bring it, last winter was weak...

Word.

Though today, I'm a bit worried about getting blown off the 62nd Street Bridge on the ride home....

RE: Mission to Hays

Alright, so nobody took me up on this offer. 'S'ok, I'll suggest other trips.


Took some work to get in and up via my inital route (I might have taken a look at a topo map beforehand) I did quite a bit of hike-a-bike but eventually got some great views, and a nice spot whereat to drink hot chocolate. If Hazelwood had great architecture this would be some primo property.



Met a hunter from Baldwin, who asked if I'd seen any deer. Nope, just a turkey running away throught the woods. If I'd known the area was open to hunting I, uhh, might have worn different colored clothes. At least I wasn't wearing brown. I only heard one shot, however, and it didn't sound like they were shooting at me. Shotguns only, so no worries, right?

A couple more pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/nfranzen/Hays

RE: Mission to Hays

So I'm the only one posting here, but I was trying to search around to find more info about the area. The Pittsburgh Neighborhood Maps show that the area is definitely in the city, not part of Baldwin as my hunter friend said.

Eventually I stumbled across the Save Hays Woods organization. Obviously some cool people, I'll be getting in touch with them.

Along the way I searched the invaluable
Allegheny Real Estate web site. Anyone know how to find exact hunting restrictions and regulations online?

RE: Mission to Hays

You might want to contact the City or County Councilman for that area. You could be searching forever for that info.

Great pics by the way! I love the one with the hollowed out abandoned car. Eerie..

RE: Mission to Hays

this place is fun to ride when it is cold and the ground is frozen. I called the cops once cause there was a still warm SUV ditched in the woods there. the 911 operator just kept asking "which cross street" and im like "uhhh i was in the woods, there were no streets... but I bet somebody might be looking for their car..."

My dad used to find stolen cars back there 40 years ago.. haha

RE: Mission to Hays

reposting from another board.

The Pittsburgh Development Group II has applied for a permit to log, strip mine, and level the top of Hays Woods using Mountain Top Removal methods. The 635 -acre forest will be destroyed, and it will impact you. Residents of Breckenridge Highlands, Hays and Baldwin will be directly affected. All of the City of Pittsburgh should be concerned.

Impacts may include:
Blasting damage to homes
Increased risk of flooding and landslides
Heavy truck traffic
Health concerns from dust and air pollution
Declines in property value
Destruction of forsest's resident wildlife


Community Meeting
Sat. Dec. 9th
1-3pm @ Holy Angels Church Hall
408 Baldwin Road, Pittsburgh PA 15207

Advanced registration requested
412-258-6681 or
sage@pennfuture.org

http://savehayswoods.org/