View Full Version : On PA Sections: What's the difference?
Hello all,
We have some great recommendations for our trip in May. We realize that the conditions will be different than those we are used to in Arizona. But, how will they be different? Those of you who hike there often probably take a lot of things for granted: animals to watch for, weather to prepare for, etc.
When eastern hikers visit the west we find they are often unprepared for the very low humidity and, generally, the elevation (not only steep climbs, but starting at 3000-4000 ft. above sea level).
When hiking the AT in PA, what challenges should we be ready for? What might catch us by surprise?
Thank you for your advice.
colorado_rob
02-04-2014, 11:32
looking forward to advice here myself as I'm from the west and plan on starting in northern VA this April, hiking through PA.
For one thing...prepare for rocks. PA trails in general are super rocky. Get those ankles loosened up!
For one thing...prepare for rocks. PA trails in general are super rocky. Get those ankles loosened up!
Rocks---really? Well, that's one thing I wouldn't have expected, but certainly something we are used to dealing with. I hike with high top boots and treking poles, both of which help that condition---and I've only had one minor ankle fracture in a couple thousand miles of hiking 8-)
Now, are these scattered little rocks like you would use in landscaping or boulder sized? We have BIG rocks in Arizona. I'm only 5'4" and some of the "rocks" on the steeper trails around here require me to "climb" over/up or sit down on going down to navigate safely.
Thanks for the info.
Lyme Disease spread by deer ticks is of no concern in Arizona but is something anyone should think about when hiking in Pennsylvania in the warmer months.
4eyedbuzzard
02-04-2014, 12:13
Google rocksylvania and look at some pics. You'll get the idea of the rocks part. Humidity will be higher than you are used to. 90°F with 100% humidity is tough for the body to cool itself as there's so little evaporation of sweat.
GoldenBear
02-04-2014, 12:14
I've hiked a large fraction of the AT, I've hiked to Phantom Ranch, I've hiked up Mount Whitney, I've hiked in Arizona deserts when the temps were about 40C.
Each has its unique challenges, and it's good to see someone who realizes that preparation and equipment for one type of hike can be different for another type of hike.
One of the hiking problems that is, while not unique to the AT, stronger there than elsewhere, is the sheer boredom of it. Frankly, a lot of the AT -- particularly in Pennsylvania -- is not that visually interesting. You'll get some overlooks and scenic views
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=50500&catid=member&imageuser=13863
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=50499&catid=member&imageuser=13863
But, for over 95% of your journey, all you get is this:
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=50495&catid=member&imageuser=13863
Basically, it's just trees with white marking on them.
You won't find the diamondbacks you find in Arizona, but you WILL animals meet whose bites result in far more deaths in the U.S. than rattlesnakes -- specifically, mosquitoes.
Also take a peek at this pdf, showing where Lyme Disease is at its worst:
http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/ReportedCasesofLymeDisease_2011.pdf
DEET and permethrin are pretty much mandatory in Pennsylvania.
Don't expect solitude on the Trail. Indeed, you might well meet some real @ssholes.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/entry.php?8002-Do-you-need-rain-where-you-live-Part-1
Furthermore, at shelters you'll definitely find a lot of hikers who don't understand the simple concept of "pack it in, pack it out."
Also, you're never THAT far from civilization, so don't expect the dead quiet you can get in a Southwest desert. I've been awakened at 5am in an AT shelter by construction equipment just a couple miles away; and walked close to a rifle range that made we wish I was back in downtown Philadelphia, where you don't hear gunshots every two seconds.
> weather to prepare for
May in Pennsylvania CAN get cold, so don't forget the jacket and wool shirt.
> animals to watch for
I've often gone several days in a row when the only critter I have seen is a squirrel. Seeing interesting wildlife is surprisingly rare.
However, the AT is a relatively well-worn trail, and these "wild" animals are all too aware that careless hikers mean easy food. Problem critters can include mice, racoons, porcupines, and black bears. Protecting your food from animal thieves is absolutely essential.
Berserker
02-04-2014, 13:05
Rain...make sure to prepare for rain and to potentially be wet for days. Oh yeah, and ticks...make sure to check yourself over thoroughly at the end of each day at a minimum.
fiddlehead
02-04-2014, 13:35
You won't need your sunglasses or sunscreen.
You will need to double bag your sleeping bag and clothes bag to keep it dry.
Once things get wet, they are hard to dry out.
The rocks can be found in big boulder fields north of the Susquehanna river (Duncannon)
Mostly, PA mountains are long semi-flat ridge walking with a big downhill every 5-10 miles.
Springs with water can be lower on the mountain in dryer seasons but, you won't have a shortage in May.
Lots of deer in PA. Maybe some bear but, most likely you'd be lucky to see any.
Shelters used to be built in pairs in many parts of PA.
There are only a few of these left, but you may see some of them if you do the whole state.
Much of the trail in PA is on state game land and they don't want people camping on their land.
They mark their boundaries with white paint so, be careful, as the AT is also marked with white paint, but usually neater and spread out a bit more.
Spirit Walker
02-04-2014, 13:42
The trail in PA is generally not very difficult. You climb up to a ridge, then hike for 15 or so miles on the ridge, then drop down to a road crossing, climb up the other side, then cruise along the ridge for another day or so. Climbs are usually only 500-1000' or so, with some winding up and down over bumps on the ridge. There are a lot of different kinds of forest, which I enjoyed a lot, coming from the desert (raised in Tucson). You'll see shady hemlock and pine groves, rhododendron and mountain laurel (late May can be good for flowers), lots of oaks and maples. There is usually plenty of water -- especially early in the season. The rocks vary from small sharp rocks under foot to large rock scrambles. There are rattlesnakes on the trail, so watch out for sunny rockpiles. You may see deer, bears, porcupines and raccoons. PA has some nice shelters, but also nice camping in the woods.
Rocks north of Swatara Gap and especially north of port Clinton. That is what pa is known for.
poison ivy.
boredom was mentioned. Agree in general though that will depend on where, when and your mindset.
steep climbs again depending on where in PA. Everyone thinks PA is flat, it is but when it climbs it tends to be much steeper than western trails.
I don't think the rocks in Pennslyvania are as bad as most people say, but maybe I'm just use to them. If the weather is warm we do have alot of rattlesnakes and copperheads that like to sun themselves on the rocks. Lots of road crossings, especially in the Cumberland Valley. The only challenging climb would be north out of Palmerton. Give me a call at (717) 278-6717 if you need any help as you past through.
Rain Man
02-04-2014, 14:16
When hiking the AT in PA, what challenges should we be ready for? What might catch us by surprise?
Again, for those who believe a picture is worth a thousand words, links to my two section hikes through Pennsylvania. I don't think it'll catch you by surprise, but the rocks are terribly tedious many times. You can't just look up and stroll. A few hours/days of that, and it becomes work, not fun, and hard on your feet and legs. BUT... it's not solidly rocks. There are stroll times too!
Mason-Dixon Line to Swatara Gap, October 2012 (http://www.meetup.com/NashvilleBackpacker/photos/11518222/)
Swatara Gap to Delaware Water Gap, April 2013. (http://www.meetup.com/NashvilleBackpacker/photos/14427972/)
Rain:sunMan
.
Rocksylvania was hyped up so much leading into it I was actually underwhelmed at the amount/intensity of rocky trail I had to walk. Maybe it helps that I live there so I already had a small idea of what it would be like?
Things that will be different in PA vs. Arizona (I've spent a lot of time in AZ):
- Views: there are almost none in Pennsylvania. They don't call it the long green tunnel for nothing.
- Rain: you will probably get dumped on multiple times.
- Rocks: the trail surface is basically nonstop, small- to medium-sized rocks. They're too small and pointy to stop on easily, but there are too many of them to put your foot in between. PA is where blister-free feet go to die.
- Wildlife: animals like deer and bears are more common in the valleys than on ridgetops in the Appalachians. You probably won't see a lot of wildlife.
I thought that PA was the suckiest 200 miles of backpacking on the planet. There are pretty much no redeeming features. Unless your heart or your section-hiking schedule is set on this state, go do Shenandoah or somewhere in the South instead. You'll have better views, better trail, better wildlife, and more fun just about anywhere else.
The only state where I've seen a porcupine up close and my most vivid memory is my stay at the Doyle! (long live the Doyle!)
HikerMom58
02-05-2014, 10:36
We just hiked 84 miles in PA last May. We plan on knocking out the last 100 miles this year in May.
Let me tell ya, it was the BEST time of year to hike through PA. It was beautiful.
An abandoned stone well about 50 feet from our tent site at Yellow Springs. (Heading North, right before Rausch Shelter) Fortunately I found this in the morning and not in the middle of the night. It was probably 20 feet deep (but dry).
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1/943356_527940860601790_834611272_n.jpg
PA is beautiful in May
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/922959_527939780601898_1495579983_n.jpg
Mayapple was in bloom everywhere.
.https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/945365_527940000601876_1309271311_n.jpg
Bunnies..
https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/7315_527940157268527_122476117_n.jpg
Peter's Mountain shelter ... definitely on the nicer end of the the range of shelters found on the AT
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1/601167_527940743935135_1699040559_n.jpg
Tenting at it's BEST! We heard lots of deer around us that night.
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/942238_527940790601797_1756490494_n.jpg
My absolute favorite flower... Pink Lady Slipper!
Not any rock pics! We had some for sure. I'm sure they will be there for the last 100 miles of PA.
HikerMom58
02-05-2014, 10:42
The only state where I've seen a porcupine up close and my most vivid memory is my stay at the Doyle! (long live the Doyle!)
The Doyle
https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/936094_527938477268695_1237778686_n.jpg
Boiling Springs! I loved Boiling Springs!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/482633_527937877268755_561479827_n.jpg
colorado_rob
02-05-2014, 11:02
I'm looking more and more forward to PA, thanks for sharing all.
colorado_rob
02-05-2014, 11:06
One quick question: I plan on stopping somewhere in NJ.... southwest airlines (my favorite carrier, free baggage, no change fees, etc) flies from LaGuardia to Denver. Is there some public transportation I can get from somewhere in NJ (maybe slightly in to NY)? Hiring a shuttle is the obvious choice, but if there's some public transport to save a few $$$. Thanks in advance for any info.
You all are awesome! !! Thanks for all the info and pics We will probably hike Pulpit Rock-Pinnacle Loop as it meets our location and distance requirements We will do an out and back as we dont camp.
Some followup questions:
Lyme disease/ticks: I'll assume hats, long sleeves, will help protect us we'll check each other and packs before getting in the car. Are these ticks obvious on clothing or small and blend in? Other advice?
Snakes---We have our rattlers but in 10 years and a couple thousand miles I remember seeing 3 I'm sure more of them saw us first and took off The rule here is leave them alone and they leave us alone Are your sunning snakes the same? Do we need to be more alert?
Boredom---Any day hiking is a good day, right? That's why we always take an extra day on trips and find a trail in the area If its not great we don't go back. At any rate we get to see lots of Different places
Wet heat---How do you cool off when it is humid? Do the cold neck wraps work? out here they dry so fast we have to keep finding ways to keep them wet
Ok that's enough for now Thanks for all
4eyedbuzzard
02-05-2014, 13:00
We just hiked 84 miles in PA last May. We plan on knocking out the last 100 miles this year in May.
Let me tell ya, it was the BEST time of year to hike through PA. It was beautiful.
An abandoned stone well about 50 feet from our tent site at Yellow Springs. (Heading North, right before Rausch Shelter) Fortunately I found this in the morning and not in the middle of the night. It was probably 20 feet deep (but dry).
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1/943356_527940860601790_834611272_n.jpg
HM, did you report that well to authorities or trail club? If not, please take the time to do so. It should be filled in or at minimum be marked somehow to prevent an accident.
Berserker
02-05-2014, 13:54
Lyme disease/ticks: I'll assume hats, long sleeves, will help protect us we'll check each other and packs before getting in the car. Are these ticks obvious on clothing or small and blend in? Other advice?
If you're wearing long sleeve shirt/long pants you probably won't get any on your skin. Best thing to do is to check at the end of the day when you are done hiking. If you have someone with you that can help that's great. Check everywhere on your body...and I mean everywhere. The ticks range in size from something about the size of a pin head to something maybe the size of half of your pinky fingernail. If you get one on you make sure to google how to properly pull them off (i.e. with a pair of narrow tweezers making sure to grab them as close to the attachment point as possible, and then pulling in a slow but firm manner to get them to "let go"...you don't want to break that head and/or the mouth parts off).
HikerMom58
02-05-2014, 14:13
HM, did you report that well to authorities or trail club? If not, please take the time to do so. It should be filled in or at minimum be marked somehow to prevent an accident.
Absolutely 4eyedbuzzard....I'm on it! I thought my hubby already did that but when I asked him, he said fully intended to, but doesn't remember doing it. I'll do it right now! Thanks! :)
HikerMom58
02-05-2014, 14:49
You all are awesome! !! Thanks for all the info and pics We will probably hike Pulpit Rock-Pinnacle Loop as it meets our location and distance requirements We will do an out and back as we dont camp.
Some followup questions:
Lyme disease/ticks: I'll assume hats, long sleeves, will help protect us we'll check each other and packs before getting in the car. Are these ticks obvious on clothing or small and blend in? Other advice?
Snakes---We have our rattlers but in 10 years and a couple thousand miles I remember seeing 3 I'm sure more of them saw us first and took off The rule here is leave them alone and they leave us alone Are your sunning snakes the same? Do we need to be more alert?
Boredom---Any day hiking is a good day, right? That's why we always take an extra day on trips and find a trail in the area If its not great we don't go back. At any rate we get to see lots of Different places
Wet heat---How do you cool off when it is humid? Do the cold neck wraps work? out here they dry so fast we have to keep finding ways to keep them wet
Ok that's enough for now Thanks for all
Lyme disease/ticks- We never found a tick on us when hiked in that area. We did a tick check every evening. Other than that we didn't take any other precautions for ticks. The deer tick is really small, so you can't see them easily. Most of the time, you can't ignore their bite. They make my skin turn red immediately at the bite site. If you see one on you, you need to pull it off very carefully. I hate ticks! I've never had Lyme nor has my daughter. (she has hiked through high tick areas on the trail)
My mother-in-law got Lyme in her back yard. She's not an outdoorsey person at all. She never saw the tick or felt the bite, it left no trace on her but she got really sick, like the flu. When the doctor found out she loved to work outside in her yard, he tested her for Lyme. Positive! She took the medicine. No problems.
Snakes- We saw 1 rattlesnake sunning across the trail in PA, right before Rausch Gap Shelter. When it realized we were there, it moved right along off the trail. We stayed back, gave it space & talked sweet to it.. LOL! We always stay alert while hiking.
Boredom- Some areas are nicer than other but I'm never bored. The trail constantly changes & we just anticipate what's coming up around the corner. :)
Wet heat- I loved Tucson AZ when we visited!! No humidity! Woot! We do have humidity here on the East Coast. May shouldn't be that bad. We just get used to sweating a lot and drinking lots of water. If you want to try using a cold neck wrap, you can, but I never have. It would just get warm very quickly so not worth the trouble, IMHO. You should find streams to dip your bandana in to keep cool. If you don't you'll just sweat a lot. :)
Hope that helps! :>)
GoldenBear
02-05-2014, 14:53
You mention LaGuardia Airport (which is in New York City), New Jersey (which is a pretty large area), and hiking in Pennsylvania -- and if there are any mass transit options.
Problem is, I can't figure out:
1) where you want to start from.
2) where you want to end at.
3) how much time you want to spend in this commute.
In general, you can ride mass transit from anywhere in the mid-Atlantic region to anywhere in that region. The only question is cost in terms of time and money.
If you could give SPECIFIC answers to the three things I can't figure out, then I can give a fair amount of detail on doing what you want to do.
BTW, in a quick check of Southwest Airlines, I found that the cost and availability of flying from Denver to either LaGuardia or Newark is about the same. The latter is FAR more conducive to riding mass transit than the latter. Perhaps you meant to say Newark Airport all along?
fredmugs
02-05-2014, 15:37
What should you be prepared for? Boredom.
Most of PA is along a ridge and the view, when you have one, is of a farm and every farm looks exactly the same. The only good thing I can say about PA is it's where I saw my first rattler on the trail.
Re: Ticks
There are definitely ticks in PA in the vicinity of the trail that carry Lyme. I moved near the trail in PA in June 2013 and was out on the trail daily all summer. I was diagnosed with Lyme in August following very minor flu-like symptoms and the onset of Bells Palsy. I did not find an attached tick on me at any point and I never had the "classic" rash that many people have. So in addition to taking the precautions mentioned by folks above (tick checks, permethrin, etc.) I would recommend that if you have any of the symptoms described in Lyme disease literature during or within a couple weeks of your visit, that you get checked out by a doctor.
We just hiked 84 miles in PA last May. We plan on knocking out the last 100 miles this year in May.
Let me tell ya, it was the BEST time of year to hike through PA. It was beautiful.
An abandoned stone well about 50 feet from our tent site at Yellow Springs. (Heading North, right before Rausch Shelter) Fortunately I found this in the morning and not in the middle of the night. It was probably 20 feet deep (but dry).
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1/943356_527940860601790_834611272_n.jpg
PA is beautiful in May
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/922959_527939780601898_1495579983_n.jpg
Mayapple was in bloom everywhere.
.https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/945365_527940000601876_1309271311_n.jpg
That well's on my maintenance section. Our Trailmaster has been trying to figure out a way to cover it for safety and preservation. There are a number of interesting features along that part of the green tunnel that most thru's don't see - honestly it seems the foundations closest to the trail at Yellow Spring village were the ones more likely to be trashed.
Also a nice pic of the mayapple - most folks don't get close enough to the ground. :)
Some of the other trails of PA are more scenic (such as Tuscarora, Standing Stone, Mid State - all parts of Great Eastern Trail) but that does not mean they are less rocky. Shelters are few and far between on the "other" trails of PA although several have been built along the Tuscarora.
colorado_rob
02-05-2014, 16:16
You mention LaGuardia Airport (which is in New York City), New Jersey (which is a pretty large area), and hiking in Pennsylvania -- and if there are any mass transit options.
Problem is, I can't figure out:
1) where you want to start from.
2) where you want to end at.
3) how much time you want to spend in this commute.
In general, you can ride mass transit from anywhere in the mid-Atlantic region to anywhere in that region. The only question is cost in terms of time and money.
If you could give SPECIFIC answers to the three things I can't figure out, then I can give a fair amount of detail on doing what you want to do.
BTW, in a quick check of Southwest Airlines, I found that the cost and availability of flying from Denver to either LaGuardia or Newark is about the same. The latter is FAR more conducive to riding mass transit than the latter. Perhaps you meant to say Newark Airport all along? Thanks so much for the response! I only said LaGuardia because I found flights to Denver for $118, non stop, good schedule. As you say there is a one-way from Newark for a whopping 1 dollar more, $119. I don't care if it takes most of a day or so, and my stopping point is very flexible, that was the heart of my question; is there a place handy to the AT, somewhere well along into NJ, but not quite yet to NY, that I can drop off the trail and get to Newark airport fairly easily and for not too much $$$.
I thought about PM'ing you GB, so as to not clutter up this thread, but a Forum response might be helpful to others browsing this one.
HikerMom58
02-05-2014, 16:55
That well's on my maintenance section. Our Trailmaster has been trying to figure out a way to cover it for safety and preservation. There are a number of interesting features along that part of the green tunnel that most thru's don't see - honestly it seems the foundations closest to the trail at Yellow Spring village were the ones more likely to be trashed.
Also a nice pic of the mayapple - most folks don't get close enough to the ground. :)
Some of the other trails of PA are more scenic (such as Tuscarora, Standing Stone, Mid State - all parts of Great Eastern Trail) but that does not mean they are less rocky. Shelters are few and far between on the "other" trails of PA although several have been built along the Tuscarora.
Okay ki0eh... I'm so glad you saw this! Thanks for all the work you do on the trail. It's beautiful! When we were at Yellow Springs Village it wasn't trashed at all.
My hubby saw there was a small log placed over the opening of the mouth of the well. He replaced the log after he took the picture but he wasn't confident that the log would prevent anyone from stepping right into the well, especially at night. *ouch* I reported this to the ATC along with the picture.
We loved our time hiking in this section of the trail in PA... thanks again for all your work! :0)
Seatbelt
02-05-2014, 16:59
Some of the other trails of PA are more scenic (such as Tuscarora, Standing Stone, Mid State - all parts of Great Eastern Trail) but that does not mean they are less rocky. Shelters are few and far between on the "other" trails of PA although several have been built along the Tuscarora.
I can personally vouch for this. Sometimes finding a camping spot on the Mid-State can be a challenge--unless one is in a Hammock. Shelters almost non-existant, unless you count state park picnic shelters.
peakbagger
02-05-2014, 18:39
Despite the reputation, there is a nice stretch of southern PA where the walking is good and the rocks are not an issue but once you finish the Cumberland Valley hike, the rocks start getting far more noticeable. Many of the shelters are in shallow gaps along the ridge and the water supplies can be sparse. Get ready for spring #1, spring #2 and Spring #3 which are all the same creek bed but at lower elevations. There are string of shelters and campsites in PA south of Palmerton that are abused by the locals, if you can do it just keep walking. Contrary to many hikers opinions, the Doyle is as much a derelict death trap as it is funky place to stay, your call. When its hot out it a lot hotter inside. The campground just outside of town if it still exists is right up against the very active railroad tracks. the state is loaded with Deer ticks and they are close to impossible to see, do a thorough daily tick check and I strongly recommend soaking you pants and socks with pemetherin. The Cumberland valley walk is a real long day if its hot out. Plan on lots of water.
There is a college town right near Delaware water Gap, I expect you can get a bus from there
kidchill
02-05-2014, 19:25
Here's my 2 cents. I was born out west, grew up in FL, and moved to PA after grad-school. I never hiked at all until I moved to PA in 2010, and then I did an AT thru-hike SOBO in 2012. In terms of weather, the biggest difference you'll find is the humidity. Also, April/May can bring some showers and cloudy/muggy days. Definitely have rain-gear handy, and store your gear in waterproof bags (whether this is dry-sacs or a trash compactor bag is your call). I'm still on the fence about pack covers, but you may want to consider it. Temps should be fairly warm April/May, but, and this is only my opinion, the threat of hypothermia is worst when you're wet and it's 40-50degs out. I got rained on at least every other day on my thru-hike from NY to halfway through PA. The trail in that area essentially becomes a stream when the rain is pouring down! I would guess average elevation will be about 1200ft on the low side, and maybe 2500ft on the high side. PA hiking is climb up-hill (I say a hill, 'cause it's usually an 800-1200' climb, hike for a while, climb down the hill, rinse, and repeat. Compared to desert hiking, you'll see foliage and rocks. Everyone on the trail hated the rocks in PA. I learned to hike in PA on local trails, and going south I had already been exposed to the obstacle course of a trail in NH and ME...so, I didn't think PA was really all that bad. I really do think the northern most 60 miles or so is probably the worst, in terms of rocks. You'll see all different kinds of rocks, from the little heads poking out, to larger boulders that you must climb on. My main point is don't trust the sturdiness of the rocks! The rocks will tilt and move when you step on them and this can lead to sprains/falls. Also realize that when rocks are wet, they ARE slippery as all hell! I'm assuming you haven't had experience with this out west. The only other thing I would suggest is to keep an eye on your water! Going south, I think the first reliable water source was 16 miles coming out of Delaware Water Gap. The next day was even closer to 20 miles. Hiking in April/May, the water sources may be better considering snow melt and rain. Also, quite a few of the water sources were listed as "unreliable" and were 0.25-0.5miles off trail, down a "hill." In terms of shuttles, I would suggest AWOL's guide as there's always locals listed as shuttle options. It's also a great guide for everything trail related. So, I hope I've answered your questions, have fun with your hike!
Second Half
02-05-2014, 20:34
is there a place handy to the AT, somewhere well along into NJ, but not quite yet to NY, that I can drop off the trail and get to Newark airport fairly easily and for not too much $$$.
Once you're past DWG the next best place to drop off for transit to EWR is Port Jervis NY. Either walk or hitch the 6 miles from the High Point State Park office. Check the NJ Transit website for the train connections to the airport.
How many miles a day on these rocks a day do people average? I hate rocks......
That will depend on what condition you're in. There are folks that can do a 50 mile day and some would struggle with 10. I suspect that the heavier your pack, the tougher the rocks. I have trail run many of the sections north of Duncannon and it will definitely test your focus.
Spirit Walker
02-05-2014, 22:19
Thruhikers do about 20 mpd. The rocks aren't actually that bad if you are just dayhiking. They are intermittent. You'll have 100 yards of rocks, then a mile or two of clear forest floor. It's when you are doing bigger miles that it seems like the rocks are unending.
GoldenBear
02-05-2014, 23:41
First of all, LaGuardia is amazing in how FEW options you have for mass transport.
http://www.panynj.gov/airports/lga-public-transportation.html
There's one city bus that goes there (ie, no subway or train), and then you still have to transfer to a subway to get to mid-town Manhattan. Not recommended!
There's also the Airporter Bus.
http://www.nycairporter.com/OurServices/LaGuardiaAirportShuttle.aspx
This might meet your needs, or might not.
There's several options once you land at Newark.
http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-public-transportation.html
You can go into Manhattan via bus
http://www.coachusa.com/olympia/ss.newarkairport.asp
or commuter train.
http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=AirportConnectionsTo
You can ride Amtrak, or an NJTransit train, south to Philadelphia (use the Northeast Corridor Line)
http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/R0070.pdf
Or you can take a bus to Bethlehem or Allentown PA
http://www.transbridgelines.com/AllentownNYCWestM-FWithLegend.pdf
From these areas you can then take a city bus to Slatington
http://www.lantabus.com/route218.html
or to Wind Gap
http://www.lantabus.com/route217.html
Once in Manhattan, you can ride Martz Trailways to Delaware Water Gap,
http://www.martztrailways.com/schedules-from-port-authority.asp
and proceed south into Pennsylvania.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?82662-Delaware-Water-Gap-parking&p=1487840&highlight=#post1487840
Once in Philadelphia, you can ride Amtrak into Harrisburg, and then proceed to Carlisle, at which point you're at the Trail.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?85654-Information-on-Carlisle-Middlesex-PA
You can also get from Harrisburg to Duncannon.
http://www.cattransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Route-23-Millersburg.pdf
Or you can ride Greyhound to Reading (four buses daily)
and then ride a city bus to the Cabelas in Hamburg, at which point you're almost at the Trail.
http://www.bartabus.com/Schedules/Route20.pdf
From Manhattan, there are innumerable places on the Trail NORTH of Pennsylvania you can get to.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?101174-planes-trains-buses-public-transit-access-points-near-the-trail&p=1839605&highlight=#post1839605
colorado_rob
02-06-2014, 01:01
You da man, Goldenbear, thanks a ton.
JansportD2
02-07-2014, 20:42
In regard to the abandoned well, Yellow Springs is in State Gamelands so you should probably contact the PA Game Commission.
In regard to the abandoned well, Yellow Springs is in State Gamelands so you should probably contact the PA Game Commission.
Just to repeat a reply from earlier in the thread: I'm the overseer of the section, SATC and ATC are aware of the issue and working through channels to determine a resolution to preserve history and safety.
In the meantime, if you camp there don't burn the logs on top of the well again. :)
handlebar
02-12-2014, 20:21
I can personally vouch for this. Sometimes finding a camping spot on the Mid-State can be a challenge--unless one is in a Hammock. Shelters almost non-existant, unless you count state park picnic shelters. Only a couple of shelters on the MId-State, one NOT mentioned in the guidebook to keep local teenager partying under control. The Tuscarora Trail, on the other hand, has numerous very nice shelters spaced about a day's travel apart. On both the MST and TT, you are often walking on the very tip-top of the mountain across large rocks tilted up at an angle. Quite challenging. The AT has rocks, but nothing to compare with these two. Some of the AT rocks are very large and look solid, but, when you step on them, they rock! Thus the saying, "Pennsylvania Rocks!"
You'll hear trains at all times of day/night. Especially at Boiling Springs.