OK I was up in that area for several days last week into the beginning of this week( so much for my quick 1 or 2 day trip), Fall color began last thursday morning with their first killing frost, with fall color spreading down to the southern end of the Susquehanna valley by monday . Be careful driving to the park and the trailheads many roads are closed with detours in place( even in major population areas of north east Pa) even roads that were not flooded are heaved by hydraulic pressure from underneath expect driving to be slow. On the bright side there is a great leaf canopy and color should be wonderful. I'm not sure about your rope idea a more practical solution would be a trekking pole or the Gitzo monopod trekking pole combo. I would like to get up there for some pictures and I have begun a photo project of the Locust Ridge wind farm (stitched panoramas and just open) in Schuykill county off of routes 924 and 339 that I need to finish.
