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Ham-Bone
01-28-2010, 14:28
I'm excited to be going on my first section hike in PA in April. I'm getting dropped off at Caledonia State Park and will end 3 days later in Carlisle. Anyone familiar with this section? One specific question I have relates to the frequency of tent sites besides at the shelters (particulary near Whiskey Spring as this is about where my 2nd days mileage will be getting kind of high). Another question I have relates to my footwear. I always hike in trailrunners. I just wonder if boots are highly recommended for this section due to the rocky reputation of PA.

hikingff77
01-28-2010, 14:49
Good luck with your section hike. While purusing my AT book the other night I've realized that I have done a lot of parts of sections but not many whole sections. One of these days I want to knock out the PA part of the AT entirely.

1azarus
01-28-2010, 15:02
wear the runners you're used to ... that section of PA isn't really too rocky, anyway. i'm guessing you plan to stay at the tom's run shelter the first night, since that's about half way to whiskey spring, camp near whiskey spring the second night, and then to end at Route 11, for three roughly equal length days. Water quality in that whole area is sort of iffy since it is so highly settled and farmed -- so staying near whiskey spring is probably a great idea -- the water there is very good (just had some two weeks ago...). I'm embarrassed to say I had trouble finding whiskey spring -- coming from the south, you just cross the street and there it is, right at the road side! I saw blue blazes for the mason dixon trail, which has its western terminus there, and started following them (uphill, of course...) thinking they were the blazes to the spring...NOT! You should find a place to camp just before or after whiskey spring. Enjoy your hike!

Old Grouse
01-28-2010, 15:04
What's your distinction between a section and "part of" a section?

Blissful
01-28-2010, 15:06
Not rocky there that I recall. Trail runners are fine. Though I wore mine all through PA anyway. :)

Ham-Bone
01-28-2010, 15:08
wear the runners you're used to ... that section of PA isn't really too rocky, anyway. i'm guessing you plan to stay at the tom's run shelter the first night, since that's about half way to whiskey spring, camp near whiskey spring the second night, and then to end at Route 11, for three roughly equal length days. Water quality in that whole area is sort of iffy since it is so highly settled and farmed -- so staying near whiskey spring is probably a great idea -- the water there is very good (just had some two weeks ago...). I'm embarrassed to say I had trouble finding whiskey spring -- coming from the south, you just cross the street and there it is, right at the road side! I saw blue blazes for the mason dixon trail, which has its western terminus there, and started following them (uphill, of course...) thinking they were the blazes to the spring...NOT! You should find a place to camp just before or after whiskey spring. Enjoy your hike!
Thanks for your help.........that's exactly what I was looking for, and I appreciate the warning about the blue blaze (I probably would have done the same thing)

ki0eh
01-28-2010, 16:24
Don't expect whiskey from Whiskey Spring or boiling water from Boiling Springs. ;)

Toolshed
01-28-2010, 16:34
wear the runners you're used to ... that section of PA isn't really too rocky, anyway. i'm guessing you plan to stay at the tom's run shelter the first night, since that's about half way to whiskey spring, camp near whiskey spring the second night, and then to end at Route 11, for three roughly equal length days. Water quality in that whole area is sort of iffy since it is so highly settled and farmed -- so staying near whiskey spring is probably a great idea -- the water there is very good (just had some two weeks ago...). I'm embarrassed to say I had trouble finding whiskey spring -- coming from the south, you just cross the street and there it is, right at the road side! I saw blue blazes for the mason dixon trail, which has its western terminus there, and started following them (uphill, of course...) thinking they were the blazes to the spring...NOT! You should find a place to camp just before or after whiskey spring. Enjoy your hike!
I've done PA mostly several times now, but am having a hard time placing Whiskey (or is it Whisky) Springs - Either way, is it in the Cumberland gap area just N of Boiling Springs?

ki0eh
01-28-2010, 17:38
Whiskey Spring is south of B.S., also south of Alec Kennedy shelter. But north of PA 94.

1azarus
01-28-2010, 18:09
Whiskey Spring is south of B.S., also south of Alec Kennedy shelter. But north of PA 94.

funny looking spring, too. there's a hole scooped out of the side of an embankment and the water drips down from the top. pretty convenient, really... I'd say, should be the standard for all springs.

10-K
01-28-2010, 18:19
Don't you cross a road that has a big convenience store just out of sight of the trail in this section? Going north it'd be to the right.

ki0eh
01-28-2010, 21:41
One thing I'm wondering is where the OP's winding up at. Basically every road from PA 34 to US 11 will wind up in the town of Carlisle if you turn left where the trail crosses (yes, even Whiskey Spring). Of those US 11/Harrisburg Pike would be by far the worst choice, it's full of truckers coming back to the terminal after a 27 hour run, and the A.T. has an overpass over it for good reason. Another fatality there just last week. (http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2010/01/10/news/local/doc4b48dee793a38878578000.txt) The Scott Farm Trail Work Center has a small parking lot but would likely be OK in the off season for trail work.

emerald
01-28-2010, 21:46
Don't expect whiskey from Whiskey Spring or boiling water from Boiling Springs. ;)

That's got to be the best Pennsylvania A.T. advice I've read!:)

Ham-Bone
01-29-2010, 15:36
One thing I'm wondering is where the OP's winding up at. Basically every road from PA 34 to US 11 will wind up in the town of Carlisle if you turn left where the trail crosses (yes, even Whiskey Spring). Of those US 11/Harrisburg Pike would be by far the worst choice, it's full of truckers coming back to the terminal after a 27 hour run, and the A.T. has an overpass over it for good reason. Another fatality there just last week. (http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2010/01/10/news/local/doc4b48dee793a38878578000.txt) The Scott Farm Trail Work Center has a small parking lot but would likely be OK in the off season for trail work.

I am in fact ending up at Scott Farm TWC (I'm being picked up...no need for parking).

ki0eh
01-29-2010, 15:40
Great! Have them take you to the Doyle afterwards. ;)

emerald
01-29-2010, 16:41
Is that one of Pennsylvania's water gaps?

ki0eh
01-31-2010, 17:22
Is that one of Pennsylvania's water gaps?

At least one (http://www.centralpaconservancy.org/node/133)

sasquatch2014
01-31-2010, 23:41
Rolled through that area this week basically. I came from Duncannon, and yes the Doyle, down as far as Birch Run. You'll have fun the big rain made some parts a bit washed out but they will most likely see repairs before you are on it in April.

harryfred
02-01-2010, 00:00
Don't you cross a road that has a big convenience store just out of sight of the trail in this section? Going north it'd be to the right.
There is a camp store on Pine Grove Road that is just out of sight It has a small deli in it makes a great sub has some basic supplies including alcohol and white gas.

harryfred
02-01-2010, 00:26
Good water at Birch Run, and Toms run. Both fast running streams. The common rest rooms (the one in the middle) at Pine Groove Furnace, the one just down from the forge and the one in the bath house at Fuller Lake are left open 24/7 normally. Water at James Fry shelter( Tagg Run) is a piped spring always good back a bit from the trail though. DO NOT! drink from Tagg Run. it looks good but it is contaminated from animal waste. There is a spring at Alex Kennedy shelter but most just get water from Little Dogwood run on the way back to the spring. It is good water. Again the water is a little ways back from the trail. I have never stopped at Whiskey Spring so I can't say what it is like. It is best to have the water you need before you cross the valley so if you don't have enough by Alex Kennedy you should stop and get what you need. There is a Sheetz just up the road from the ATC office in Boiling springs if you are headed north go left. it is not far. There is cell phone reception at all the shelters but none in Pine Groove Furnace Park.

ki0eh
02-01-2010, 09:06
There is a Sheetz just up the road from the ATC office in Boiling springs if you are headed north go left. it is not far.

No Sheetz in B.S., there is a tiny convenience store on PA 174 just west of the ATC office. Mt Holly Springs has a Sheetz but that's 3 miles off trail any way you slice it.

Ham-Bone
02-01-2010, 09:30
Thank you all for your help! I feel like I'm just as familiar with this section as my home trails now.

ki0eh
02-01-2010, 09:42
funny looking spring, too. there's a hole scooped out of the side of an embankment and the water drips down from the top. pretty convenient, really... I'd say, should be the standard for all springs.

We were there this weekend and I had to reach in awfully far to get water. I didn't remember it being like that before - wonder if someone knocked another rock out of the way that made the stream come out closer.

harryfred
02-01-2010, 11:26
No Sheetz in B.S., there is a tiny convenience store on PA 174 just west of the ATC office. Mt Holly Springs has a Sheetz but that's 3 miles off trail any way you slice it.
Yeah, you are right I was thinking of some thing else.:datz

ShakeyLeggs
02-01-2010, 12:09
Yeah, you are right I was thinking of some thing else.:datz

You might be thinking about Green Mountain store just up the road where the AT crosses RT34.