Dawn along the Warrior's Path

Dawn along the Warrior's Path, originally uploaded by Faded Kodachrome.

This photo was taken standing on the ancient Sheshequin Path which ran through the narrow Lycoming Creek valley in north-central Pennsylvania. The Sheshequin was a branch of the ancient Warriors Path used by the Seneca and Iroquois as a short cut from Tioga to the Great Island. Early accounts mention that they used the Sheshequin Path to traverse "the dismal wilderness" of the Lycoming Creek valley bottom. Dense forest, swamp, windfall, and storms made the Iroquois believe a demon had its power in this area.

We pitched our tent near the warrior's path, although its precise location is no longer discernable (map). I took this photo the next morning around 8 am - it was a typical cold, clear September morning and the sun was just starting to illuminate the western hillslopes and burn off the fog that hugged the valley bottom. I can see why the Iroquois felt the way they did about this valley.