George W. Outerbridge Shelter - PA

[Former Admin]

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - George W. Outerbridge Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

[ez-does-it]

This shelter is right on the trail and is the last one before Slatingon,Pa. and Palmerton.Pa. heading north bound and is in need of a lot of work.The water is a piped spring about a tenth of a mile pass the shelter coming right out of the rocks on your left side heading north and usually never fails to flow.It is only 0.7 further to the road that will take you into either town mentioned above.:eek:

[scottyfon]

Devil's Pulpit has eroded off the mountain's face. There is now a loose and sliding talus slope to the dropover above a sixty foot cliff that can't be seen as one approaches from above. It is and has been declared an official death trap for unsuspecting thru hikers who may venture out there. It is being closed and the blazes are being painted out. This is the blue blazed trail leading down the north-east side of the mountain into Lehigh Gap, from the blue blazed loop trail through the top of the mountain's boulderfield, which is above George W Outerbridge shelter.
Notice this: There is some confusion as to the name of this closed vista. Locals call it Devils pulpit, my 1982 copywrighted ATC maps call it Devils Pulpit. I've seen some maps calling it Dan's pulpit, where the names of the two are juxtaposed with oneanother. This is the one at Lehigh Gap, not the one near Port Clinton.

[c.coyle]

Devil's Pulpit has eroded off the mountain's face.....

Notice this: There is some confusion as to the name of this closed vista. Locals call it Devils pulpit, my 1982 copywrighted ATC maps call it Devils Pulpit. I've seen some maps calling it Dan's pulpit, where the names of the two are juxtaposed with oneanother. This is the one at Lehigh Gap, not the one near Port Clinton.

The one about 7 miles north of Port Clinton is Pulpit Rock. This is the first view south of the Pinnacle.

[dabjrnl]

Hi,

Has anyone been to the Outerbridge Shelter recently that can comment on the status of the spring there? I'd like to stay out there one night soon.

Thanks,
El Gato

[rafe]

It's a bit run down, and a bit too accessible to the road for comfort. Fairly reliable spring, though.

[High Life]

the shelter is "o.k" spring was good over the summer .. of course this was before water stopped falling on the entire east coast ...:confused::confused:

[shelterbuilder]

FWIW, I talked to a couple of SOBO's a few weeks ago, and they said that the spring was still running. We've had a bit of rain, although not nearly the amount that we need - most of the springs above 1000 feet dried up this year.

Terrapin's right - the shelter is too close to the road - they've had problems with vagrants and townies up there for decades. But it's an older shelter, and back then, the idea was to build 'em close to the roads so the maintainers could get to them without a long walk!

[dabjrnl]

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like I may want to avoid the Overbridge stop. Can anyone comment on the springs at Bake Oven Knob? I wanted to do a short overnighter from 309 to Little Gap. I guess BOK is the only other alternative in that stretch. I figured water may be a little scarce. I'm about 1.5 hours east and it hasn't rained here that much this fall.

Thanks again,
El Gato

[shelterbuilder]

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like I may want to avoid the Overbridge stop. Can anyone comment on the springs at Bake Oven Knob? I wanted to do a short overnighter from 309 to Little Gap. I guess BOK is the only other alternative in that stretch. I figured water may be a little scarce. I'm about 1.5 hours east and it hasn't rained here that much this fall.

Thanks again,
El Gato

All three springs at Bake Oven Knob were dry the last time I checked. I suspect that the New Tripoli campsite may have water, though - it's on the undeveloped side of the ridge and it's down far enough that it may be okay. Everything above the 1000 feet mark has gone dry this year.

[YeOldeBackpacker]

Devil's Pulpit has eroded off the mountain's face. There is now a loose and sliding talus slope to the dropover above a sixty foot cliff that can't be seen as one approaches from above. It is and has been declared an official death trap for unsuspecting thru hikers who may venture out there. It is being closed and the blazes are being painted out. This is the blue blazed trail leading down the north-east side of the mountain into Lehigh Gap, from the blue blazed loop trail through the top of the mountain's boulderfield, which is above George W Outerbridge shelter.
Notice this: There is some confusion as to the name of this closed vista. Locals call it Devils pulpit, my 1982 copywrighted ATC maps call it Devils Pulpit. I've seen some maps calling it Dan's pulpit, where the names of the two are juxtaposed with oneanother. This is the one at Lehigh Gap, not the one near Port Clinton.
Dan's Pulpit is just north of Eckville between Eckville and route 309. you will hike thru it and its bomb proof register box, (you have to see it to believe it ) I swear its like a 1/2 thick all steel mail box!! a few miles north of Eckville

[YeOldeBackpacker]

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like I may want to avoid the Overbridge stop. Can anyone comment on the springs at Bake Oven Knob? I wanted to do a short overnighter from 309 to Little Gap. I guess BOK is the only other alternative in that stretch. I figured water may be a little scarce. I'm about 1.5 hours east and it hasn't rained here that much this fall.

Thanks again,
El Gato
As of last weekend 11/3/07 everything with the exception the spring at the overbridge between Eckville and Lehigh Gap was dry, You can get water at Eckville Shelter as well as the Blue Mt Summit Bed and breakfast at Route 309. the is a faucet outside for you to use.

[dabjrnl]

Thanks for the info YOB. We'll have to make arrangements for water or possibly scale back if the weather threatens.

Thanks.

[saimyoji]

Recently cleaned. Tent area near by also recently groomed. Met a guy doing trail maintenance yesterday, though didn't get how much around the shelter. Seemed to be no changes as I hiked by the shelter.

Spring is flowing.

[saimyoji]

As of today, spring is flowing ok.

[darkage]

As of 8-10-08 spring was running ok ... Few guys at the shelter so i camped below ... area looked clean.

[slugger]

I was there in the dead heat of Aug of 2008. The Spring there is very reliable and has a good flow.

The shelter was in good condition.

The main down fall of this shelter is the proximity to the road. I know when I stayed there in Aug and we had a few campers with "questionable" backgrounds and manners.

I know when I came through the town right by the shelter allowed hikers to stay at the jail house.

[GalHikingTheGap]

What is recommended food storage overnight when staying at or near this shelter? (X-posted in several Lehigh Vally shelter topics in hopes of getting a response before hitting for the weekend tomorrow.)
Bash

[DrL]

A friend and I passed this shelter early on the morning of 11/16. Shelter was in decent shape and the spring running. However, true to previous posts, we passed about fifteen campers on their way to the bridge parking lot.

The parking lot was completely full so we half expected this. We did not expect so many people carrying their belongings in trash bags.

We picked up some of their trash at the campsite SOBO from the shelter, put out their smoldering fire, and dumped the jug half full of cran vodka.

I guess they couldn't spare one of the trash bags for actual trash!

[fabianscorpio]

Update on this shelter....I went through here on 4/11/16 and this thing looked run down, and smelled something awful (probably from the firepit). The spring nearby was still running, and refreshing!

[Wise Old Owl]

The one about 7 miles north of Port Clinton is Pulpit Rock. This is the first view south of the Pinnacle.

You ment north Right? otherwise I am confused.

[capehiker]

You ment north Right? otherwise I am confused.

The Pinnacle is 2 miles NoBo of Pulpit rock, so that statement is correct.

[capehiker]

Update on this shelter....I went through here on 4/11/16 and this thing looked run down, and smelled something awful (probably from the firepit). The spring nearby was still running, and refreshing!

Are you time traveling and not telling us? :) April 11th has not happened as of this post. But yes, myself and another WB member passed this shelter 2 weeks ago. It's definitely in need of consideration for a new shelter or an overhaul.