View Full Version : Pennsylvania conditions - Penmar north
Just wondering what the snow conditions are right now in Pennsylvania. I may be doing a section from Penmar north and I'd like to know how much snow is on the ground at this point. Any Penn. winter hikers out there?
I can tell you we had a nasty ice storm a few days ago. There were power outages and tree limbs down everywhere. I'm not sure power has been restored to everyone here yet.
Whenever we get snow and ice where I live, there's ordinarily more on the A.T. I can see South Mountain which forms the boarder of Berks and Lancaster Counties from where I work every day. There's still plenty of ice on the trees there and down below too. I'd expect more on Blue Mountain.
What we need here is a post from The Mechanical Man or that crazy hiker spinning in infinity.
The Solemates
12-20-2007, 17:30
I had about 2-4 inches along the Laurel Highlands Trail (west of the AT) over Thanksgiving. But, since then it got warmer and melted. Then again, I know PA has got hit with storms over the last few days as well. I'd prepare for snow.
TinAbbey
12-20-2007, 17:50
I'm in berks county PA and from what I know...for the most part everything south of berks is pretty much melted. BUT that goes for the neighborhoods not necessarily the trail. I would think the lehigh gap area still has snow.
TinAbbey
12-20-2007, 17:51
or ice maybe i should say
Remember, these freezing rain events hinge on a degree or 2 one way or the other. My township got hammered. Tulpehocken was closed as were Conrad Weiser schools. It hasn't been much warmer since.
I'm wondering what the former Pennsylvania co-champion white oak near me now measures. I'm not sure I want to know or see it, but I will soon as I like being under it briefly on a windless day.
TinAbbey
12-20-2007, 18:06
i'm conrad weiser school district, I work in fleetwood. I was just out in lancaster today. nothing on the ground there, but my lawn care company can't do any work in lehigh, northampton. too much ice/snow. haven't been on the trail though.
Me neither. Didn't know you were within shouting distance. You been to the oak yet?
TinAbbey
12-20-2007, 18:29
don't think so, what town is it in?
TinAbbey
12-20-2007, 18:31
ok, now where in south heidelberg?
I'll meet you and take you there. You should see it.
I'll bet you've never been to the sacred oak of the Oley Valley either, have you? It was once owned by Danny Hoch who introduced legislation to protect the A.T.
Some people think all my talk about The Green Diamond is non-sense. The Green Diamond exists only in my imagination and isn't A.T. related?:rolleyes: ;)
PM me.
Toolshed
12-20-2007, 18:40
Looking across the Lehigh Valley from my hill to about 60 miles of Blue Mountain, It is still pretty Icy - especially in all those nooks and crannies on the rocks on the trail. If we had better snow cover it wouldn't be so dicey, but the frozen rain/Ice Storm that left sleek ice it perilous in some spots. I was out hiking along some power line ROWs this weekend and wore my snowshoes in 2 inches of icy snow simply because the traction was so bad.
Javasanctum
12-20-2007, 20:26
Speaking of the ice storm, watch out for widow-makers over the next few months!!!!!!
The Mechanical Man
12-21-2007, 00:14
Yes indeed, it it very icy, especially at higher elevations along the AT in Pa at this time............thanks DSoTM
From Delaware Water Gap South as far as Port Clinton, perhaps to Duncannon?
....... On the ground, a 2-3 inch coating of sleet and freezing rain that is frozen solid and not melting due to low temps.
I would dig out my instep crampons, or get some kind of traction device to wear on your feet, like...... http://yaktrax.com/products.aspx
I get the pro model, it won't slip off your shoe;)
PS
Hey DSoTM. sounds like you live near Allentown or Bethlehem,....I grew up near Easton, look me up sometime when you are around Smith Gap.
Toolshed
12-21-2007, 11:24
MM,
I am just S of Bethlehem on a big hill. I grew up in Western NY but moved south for the Money :)
I think I've seen the side trail/road to your place Just on the S side of Smith Gap Road - Is that the one with all the boulders to keep thru traffic out?
MM,
I grew up in Western NY but moved south for the Money :)
I grew up in central NY (between Cortland & Ithaca) and moved out for a JOB!
Oh, here's a pretty good snow conditions map, found it when someone posted the link on another forum and it was spot on last year for me picking out XC skiing spots: http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive/html/map.html
Stood under it today on my way home from work. Seemed unaffected by ice storm. Ice now melted.:)
Many other trees nearby did not fare as well. Looked like tornado went through. Big pin oak about 30 inches DBH nearby toppled. Braches strewn about everywhere.
Toolshed
12-21-2007, 22:04
Stood under it today on my way home from work. Seemed unaffected by ice storm. Ice now melted.:)
Many other trees nearby did not fare as well. Looked like tornado went through. Big pin oak about 30 inches DBH nearby toppled. Braches strewn about everywhere.
SOG, Glad to see someone else knows what DBH is... Not a common term outside of old loggers :)
The Mechanical Man
12-21-2007, 22:30
DSoTM,.........We are located 1 mile down the NORTH side of the mountain, look for the blue blazes on the telephone poles starting at the AT crossing-Parking area. :welcome
A few days a week in the summer, My son and I ride bicycles at the Lehigh Valley VELODROME, http://www.lvvelo.org/ ..................and in the winter, we go to indoor Penn Skate, http://www.pennskate.com/main.htm
Not too far from your place..............ever go there, or hear of?
Tennessee Viking
12-22-2007, 02:09
Whats the general trail condition of the AT around Harrisburg?
DuctTape
12-22-2007, 06:55
I imagine near Harrisburg is similar to Blue Mountain - icy. There's a couple inches of snow - glazed with hard packed ice - damn tough to get any traction on a sub-freezing day. Not much fun for traditional walking.
shelterbuilder
12-23-2007, 22:48
I have NOT been out on the AT recently, but having seen the widespread damage done in several counties by the ice storm to which SOG refers, my best guess is that most of our maintainers will be cutting massive blowdowns out of the trail for the next few months. A quarter-inch of ice on the trees AND high winds are a recipe for disaster!
Plan on SLOW hiking anywhere in Pa. for the next few months!
Jaybird62
12-23-2007, 22:58
not too bad my brother and I climbed up out of the lehigh gap area and took the winter trail back down- not too bad- would advise wearing some kind of traction helpers (Yaktrax seem to work really good-inexpensive!)_
Spent many of youth summers and fall in Susquehanna county hiking and loved it.
Is the whites that much harder?
Bare Bear
12-23-2007, 23:52
Nuts....now I qualify as an "OLD LOGGER", I was perfectly happy as a young smartass. Then I was a middle aged dumbass........but Diameter Breast Height is common to anyone that knows which end of a saw is the dumb end. Use your chaps boys...............or you'll never live to be a man.
Patrickjd9
12-24-2007, 15:12
I got a notice of a work trip to clear blowdowns from the recent ice storm being held today in Maryland. The PATC organizers say it will be the first of several.
Toolshed
12-24-2007, 17:31
Nuts....now I qualify as an "OLD LOGGER", I was perfectly happy as a young smartass. Then I was a middle aged dumbass........but Diameter Breast Height is common to anyone that knows which end of a saw is the dumb end. Use your chaps boys...............or you'll never live to be a man.
Hmmm I NEVER hear anybody noawdays quite size using DBH. Maybe a I need to hang around a bunch of young smartass loggers:D
Nuts....now I qualify as an "OLD LOGGER", I was perfectly happy as a young smartass. Then I was a middle aged dumbass........but Diameter Breast Height is common to anyone that knows which end of a saw is the dumb end. Use your chaps boys...............or you'll never live to be a man.
I think you never roped yourself down 100ft in penn to score some bass or have your line&lure get picked by a chain pic?
shelterbuilder
12-25-2007, 19:26
SOG, Glad to see someone else knows what DBH is... Not a common term outside of old loggers :)
DBH is a term that would be familar to anyone who has had NFS or NPS chainsaw certification. They are teaching their students felling techniques that are straight out of "The Game of Logging", and you need a DBH measurement in order to be able to work out the size of your face-cut and your hinge.
I guess it's true, that everything old is new again!