Smile
09-09-2006, 18:32
This is for everybody who hiked/are hiking the trail in 2006.
What guide did you use?
And did you find or note any significant errors along the way that might be useful to those who come behind you?
Do you have any good suggestions or experiences for places to camp, eat, etc. that may not be in the book(s)?
These below are not necessarily errors, (I have to look for my list I kept that I can not locate right now, but will add the waterless places that are marked as having water when I find it! ) Here are few misc. notes I made for the first few miles, heading NoBo.
7.6 Camel up at Hawk Mtn. Shelter, there is no water for about 7 miles.
14.9 Good Mtn. Shelter, nice shelter, if you are in the loft and it rains, it will blow in on you. tentsites right by shelter.
19.9 Suches had a good busy parking lot, IMO not an easy hitch the way the road goes over the mountain, unless you catch a day hiker leaving and going your way. Worth stopping at the Two Wheels Only "resort" for the food at the restaurant - huge servings, excellent cooking and hospitality. Payphone under cover with stool on back porch, and another in the parking lot across the street at the mini-market/gas station.
28.1 New Privy at Blood Mtn. shelter, but at the top very poorly marked on which way to head down the mountain, and keep an eye out on the steep rocks heading down for a hard LEFT turn that is not marked/or poorly marked, depending who you talk to. Hikers miss this regularly, and it's a steep climb back up the rocks.
30.5 Neels Gap had lots of resupply stuff, busy with cars, but a very noisy 'hostel' and you best be up and out of there or they're coming to rouse you! If you are a light sleeper, the door between the living room area and sleeping area has a sqeak/creak that will surely keep you awake!
36.7 There was a new privy at the Whitley Gap Shelter, but it was far off the trail.
41.1 Low Gap shelter was .25 miles of fthe trail, but had good camping.
21.29 camped on the side of the trail at what I believe was Cold Springs Gap, due to missing the campsite after Low Gap shelter, saw only one possible small campsite, but never found the water ( perhaps someone who knows where it is can elaborate.) A nice easy hike though through there.
48.3 1/2 mile or so before Blue Mtn Shelter (windy & mousy reputation) there was a good campsite. Plan on leaving time if you are getting in later near dark, lots of PA-esque pointy/mossy rocks for the last mile, a prime ankle twisting spot if you're not careful.
66.6 Hiawassee - Ingles is the best place for resupply, lots of dried hiker type foods. and don't miss the Thai/Sushi place about 2 miles or so from the outside of town that now occupies the old Burger King - worth the trip! Lots of vegetarian/vegan dishes as well.
75.4 The climb from Bly Gap to Muskrat Creek Shelter was a doozy, and usually comes at the end of the day for most leaving from Plumorchard Gap Shelter.
82.2 Deep Gap, a great place to sit and grab a snack and catch up with friends. It was expen$ive to get a ride out of here into Franklin (if you need one). It's about 7 miles or so of hairpin curves on a basically single lane gravel road to get to blacktop.
1015.6 Ed Garvey Shelter, nice with a loft and good privy. Careful when you come down the path to the main trail, no sign to say which is NoBo or Sobo, can be confusing for some.
1019.7 Crampton Gap shelter, racoons and small, nice little creek by shelter.
1147.6 Dahlgren Campground, free showers, nice pads and area to tent but CLOSE to road, party spot, redeeming quality was the FOOD at the restaurant, yum!
1040.4 Ensign Cowall Shelter, can hear the road all night, and the loft is small and very creaky, a few tentsites, but few that had not been pooped upon.
1056.9 Antietem Shelter, creek sounds sweet, nice campsites back behind shelter along creek. Faucet nearby!
1070.3 Quarry Gap Shelters, two next to each other, small, but lots of camping around area.
1077.0 Birch Run Shelters, careful of glass all around, these were some of the nastiest shelters I saw along this stretch. Camping on bare ground, maybe head along and pass on this one. Good creek to soak your feet in though - careful again of the glass!
1087.7 Pine Grove Furnace State Park, can share spots, but beware of lots of yapping little dogs tied to motorhomes, and no showers.
1178.9 501 Shelter, close to road! Pizza would not deliver a pizza to us one evening, they said it was a whole 2-3 miles out of town for them to drive, we'd need to spend $20 or more, don't know if this happens often, or if the boss stepped out. Lots of reported vandalism nearby parking lot. Interesting shower and a tub of drinks was a nice touch.
1243.0 Lehigh Gap. Make the hitch into Lehighton for more food, Chinese ALCE, a great pizza place and Walmart/drug stores, etc. Tough walking in places along the road there due to traffic.
If any of this info is incorrect, or my mileage off, please correct me!:D
What guide did you use?
And did you find or note any significant errors along the way that might be useful to those who come behind you?
Do you have any good suggestions or experiences for places to camp, eat, etc. that may not be in the book(s)?
These below are not necessarily errors, (I have to look for my list I kept that I can not locate right now, but will add the waterless places that are marked as having water when I find it! ) Here are few misc. notes I made for the first few miles, heading NoBo.
7.6 Camel up at Hawk Mtn. Shelter, there is no water for about 7 miles.
14.9 Good Mtn. Shelter, nice shelter, if you are in the loft and it rains, it will blow in on you. tentsites right by shelter.
19.9 Suches had a good busy parking lot, IMO not an easy hitch the way the road goes over the mountain, unless you catch a day hiker leaving and going your way. Worth stopping at the Two Wheels Only "resort" for the food at the restaurant - huge servings, excellent cooking and hospitality. Payphone under cover with stool on back porch, and another in the parking lot across the street at the mini-market/gas station.
28.1 New Privy at Blood Mtn. shelter, but at the top very poorly marked on which way to head down the mountain, and keep an eye out on the steep rocks heading down for a hard LEFT turn that is not marked/or poorly marked, depending who you talk to. Hikers miss this regularly, and it's a steep climb back up the rocks.
30.5 Neels Gap had lots of resupply stuff, busy with cars, but a very noisy 'hostel' and you best be up and out of there or they're coming to rouse you! If you are a light sleeper, the door between the living room area and sleeping area has a sqeak/creak that will surely keep you awake!
36.7 There was a new privy at the Whitley Gap Shelter, but it was far off the trail.
41.1 Low Gap shelter was .25 miles of fthe trail, but had good camping.
21.29 camped on the side of the trail at what I believe was Cold Springs Gap, due to missing the campsite after Low Gap shelter, saw only one possible small campsite, but never found the water ( perhaps someone who knows where it is can elaborate.) A nice easy hike though through there.
48.3 1/2 mile or so before Blue Mtn Shelter (windy & mousy reputation) there was a good campsite. Plan on leaving time if you are getting in later near dark, lots of PA-esque pointy/mossy rocks for the last mile, a prime ankle twisting spot if you're not careful.
66.6 Hiawassee - Ingles is the best place for resupply, lots of dried hiker type foods. and don't miss the Thai/Sushi place about 2 miles or so from the outside of town that now occupies the old Burger King - worth the trip! Lots of vegetarian/vegan dishes as well.
75.4 The climb from Bly Gap to Muskrat Creek Shelter was a doozy, and usually comes at the end of the day for most leaving from Plumorchard Gap Shelter.
82.2 Deep Gap, a great place to sit and grab a snack and catch up with friends. It was expen$ive to get a ride out of here into Franklin (if you need one). It's about 7 miles or so of hairpin curves on a basically single lane gravel road to get to blacktop.
1015.6 Ed Garvey Shelter, nice with a loft and good privy. Careful when you come down the path to the main trail, no sign to say which is NoBo or Sobo, can be confusing for some.
1019.7 Crampton Gap shelter, racoons and small, nice little creek by shelter.
1147.6 Dahlgren Campground, free showers, nice pads and area to tent but CLOSE to road, party spot, redeeming quality was the FOOD at the restaurant, yum!
1040.4 Ensign Cowall Shelter, can hear the road all night, and the loft is small and very creaky, a few tentsites, but few that had not been pooped upon.
1056.9 Antietem Shelter, creek sounds sweet, nice campsites back behind shelter along creek. Faucet nearby!
1070.3 Quarry Gap Shelters, two next to each other, small, but lots of camping around area.
1077.0 Birch Run Shelters, careful of glass all around, these were some of the nastiest shelters I saw along this stretch. Camping on bare ground, maybe head along and pass on this one. Good creek to soak your feet in though - careful again of the glass!
1087.7 Pine Grove Furnace State Park, can share spots, but beware of lots of yapping little dogs tied to motorhomes, and no showers.
1178.9 501 Shelter, close to road! Pizza would not deliver a pizza to us one evening, they said it was a whole 2-3 miles out of town for them to drive, we'd need to spend $20 or more, don't know if this happens often, or if the boss stepped out. Lots of reported vandalism nearby parking lot. Interesting shower and a tub of drinks was a nice touch.
1243.0 Lehigh Gap. Make the hitch into Lehighton for more food, Chinese ALCE, a great pizza place and Walmart/drug stores, etc. Tough walking in places along the road there due to traffic.
If any of this info is incorrect, or my mileage off, please correct me!:D