section hiking pa,nj,ny [Archive]

Cookerhiker

10-23-2005, 10:36

Want to do the pa-ct section next year and not sure when is the best time. We will be starting from Port Clinton to the New York/ Conn. line. We can either go in mid May or maybe mid Sept. Weather wise and bug wise which is better. Also we have done the Conn-vermont section all ready, how does this section compare? Thanks

You're thinking the right way - either time is far better than mid-summer! Personally, I'd choose mid-May for the wildflowers and birds. NJ features the only National Wildlife Refuge traversed by the AT. Also, water may be less of an issue than September which this year was feast or famine. September was drought-stricken but record rainfall occurred in October. But in September you have the advantage of summer-like foliage without (probably) the heat, hummidity, and mosquitos.

Re. comparing the two sections, how far into Vermont have you hiked? IMO, Vermont is in a class apart from the states below because it feels more remote, has higher mountains, and generally features more difficult walking because of rocks, roots, and muck/mud. Some of the views e.g. Glastonbury Mountain are of unbroken forests and lakes/ponds with a miniumum or no civilization. You won't have any views like that in PA-NJ-NY.

PA has its rocky stretches as does some of NJ. PA features your steepest and most fun climb (Lehigh Gap). NY has a lot of small up-and-downs, PUDs to the cynics, which don't register on the elevation profiles but which provoked much bitching from 2004 thruhikers, at least as indicated in the Shelter Registers. Both your previous and upcoming hikes features lakes and ponds and some open fields/meadows, a welcome variety from the green tunnel. Scenery-wise, I'd give the nod to CT-VT, both because of VT plus areas like Sages Ravine and Race Mountain. But you're more likely to see a bear in NJ.

Have a good hike!:)