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View Full Version : Lehigh Gap and the future AT


jmitchell
02-21-2016, 20:12
https://endlessmountains.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/kta-and-the-at-a-hike-at-the-lehigh-gap-nature-center/


https://www.flickr.com/photos/49239558@N04/albums/72157664721940942


I recently did a 5 mile hike at the impressive Lehigh Gap Nature Center on the AT and the North Trail. The AT will be re-routed in the future to take advantage of the non-stop views from mountaintop meadows and alpine-like ridgelines. Once completed, it will be a beautiful stretch of trail.

The Lehigh Gap was once an eyesore, a moonscape where all the trees died from air pollution caused by zinc smelting. Thanks to intensive rehabilitation efforts, the gap is recovering with vast meadows, wildflowers, and new tree growth. The change over the last ten years is hard to believe. The gap is also now an outdoor recreation destination. On the day we hiked, the place was packed with people hiking, riding their bikes, or bird watching (a bald eagle also flew over our heads). The warm, sunny weather helped, I'm sure. The nature center is worth a visit and the new route through the gap will be an asset to the AT.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1705/25159310905_2b3f3502e7_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Ekf3Av)


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1660/24528577524_f5b2eeac9a_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Dnvnx3)


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1651/25065987231_31e3ffe422_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EbZJHD)


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1507/25159214195_85bfe143e9_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EkexR6)


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1661/25065944751_04d69c2150_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EbZw6e)


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1614/24528446484_e9dbde7afc_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/DnuGzJ)
tdoczi
02-21-2016, 20:30
i can enjoy hiking out there for what its worth as much as anyone else. but ultimately the truth is that place will be an eyesore until it returns to the way it is supposed to be (if it ever does), at which point itll likely just be not terribly interesting. its a loose-loose proposition.
Deacon
02-21-2016, 20:52
It will recover. The earth will take care of itself if left alone.
Uriah
02-21-2016, 21:39
You get some nice views without all the trees in the way, that's for sure.
tdoczi
02-21-2016, 21:48
It will recover. The earth will take care of itself if left alone.

the slops into and out of the gap i think are effectively permanently altered. if they do ever return to normal it wont be anywhere remotely in our lifetimes. the tops of the ridges, maybe not. its a fun hike, but it wont ever not be an eyesore to me.
Slo-go'en
02-21-2016, 21:59
The first time I went through there in 1989 the trail climbed a slag heap and the whole area looked like you were on the moon. There was not a living thing to be seen for miles except off in the distance in the valley. It was really spooky.

When I redid that section in 2007 it was much improved and I actually though it is now one of the nicer sections PA has to offer. Will be interesting to see it again this year, 9 years later.
tdoczi
02-21-2016, 22:03
The first time I went through there in 1989 the trail climbed a slag heap and the whole area looked like you were on the moon. There was not a living thing to be seen for miles except off in the distance in the valley. It was really spooky.

When I redid that section in 2007 it was much improved and I actually though it is now one of the nicer sections PA has to offer. Will be interesting to see it again this year, 9 years later.

dont know what it looked like before then but 2008 was when i was there and it was an obvious disaster site, improvement or not. dont know how one could have seen it otherwise. i'm sure it is better now than it was then, and i'm also sure it still looks like exactly what it is- the site of a massive environmental disaster decades in the making.
BonBon
02-22-2016, 08:31
I enjoyed that hike. It was very interesting knowing what happened there, and the views were amazing. It is a great reminder to be mindful of our own impact.
peakbagger
02-22-2016, 09:02
I went through in the early 90s and to me it was nice respite from the green tunnel in much of PA. Even then there were efforts to restore. Unfortunately the top soil was effectively stripped and its takes a long time from people perspective for top soil to regenerate unless its hauled in and if I remember correctly the approach was to haul in wastewater treatment plant sludge mixed with binder in to restore the topsoil. At least there are attempts to restore and to allow the public in. Adjoining the Long Trail in Eden VT is huge superfund site that was formerly an asbestos mine. Rather than attempting to mitigate it, VT and the EPA just puts up taller fences.
hubcap
02-22-2016, 09:14
Awesome!! Thanks for the pics and info.
gwb
02-23-2016, 10:28
My wife and I hiked this are a few years ago and made a loop hike using the North trail and some others to link back up to the AT and then back to the nature center. The hike is interesting... They have sectioned off plots with different plants and grasses trying to determine what works the best to revive the polluted land.

When we hiked it, on a beautiful spring day, we didn't see anybody else other than some people at the Environmental Center. It was a nice hike and I would recommend it. Keep in mind this is on the South side of the gap. It's North of the gap that is the ugliest section of the AT in my opinion.