Today would tell us whether the fieldwork I'd been putting in would be a success or not;  an actual start to finish attempt would be made on the old Skyline 8-Miler from the late '90's early 2000's of K.S.  (aka the Wednesday Night Run).

Wuzzam was game, and the short story is we successfully completed the loop without going off track.  The only difficult part was immediately from South Road to climb 880...  a short section was difficult to see after the brook crossing, and then just before the real climb starts deer and/or turkey had disturbed the ground cover so severely that we could not see any sign of the old trail.  We reconnected within twenty or thirty feet both instances.

Wuzzam has been concerned about his climbing, especially as he has Wapack End-To-End on the near horizon.  We counted 5-climbs in this loop:

1) Initial climb from the start to top of Skyline Lookout

2) Minnechoag Mountain

3) 880

4) Pine Mountain

5) Backside of Skyline from South Road

We've got some briers to cut out just prior to South Road, but other than that the course is in good shape.  It is much more open than what we remembered from 18 - 20 or so years ago, logging and development have taken a bit of a toll.  It will be interesting to see what it looks like once the leaves come out.

At a "new" clearing, with a mass of white birch in background

Wuzzam at the marker tree

Top of Hill 880'

Climbing to the top of Pine Mountain