View Full Version : PA water 2011
Just returned from a section hike from Calendonia SP to Swatara Gap SP. Springs were flowing at all the shelters along the route though the spring at Darlington was flowing slowly on 6/7 and looked like it had a couple weeks of life left if they don't get more rain.
BAG "o" TRICKS
06-14-2011, 09:38
Just returned from a section hike from Calendonia SP to Swatara Gap SP. Springs were flowing at all the shelters along the route though the spring at Darlington was flowing slowly on 6/7 and looked like it had a couple weeks of life left if they don't get more rain.
Met approximately 50 nobo's this past weekend in Port Clinton PA. Springs slowing in most places if not reshot with rainstorms. Nothing yet was reported dry by hikers in PA south of PC.
Any update on these area . I plan to go from 501 NB to the Lehigh river July 1-4
thanks i hiking that route come monday pen mar to the doyld for a beer whoo hoo
atbackpacker
06-25-2011, 11:54
just went from little gap SB to port clinton last week 6/20. this is what i found...
lehigh gap piped in 100 yds N of shelter
bake oven shelter, first spring dry, second too far to check. snake living in shelter
new tripoli campsite nice spring and place to camp .5m left on blue trail for nobo
allentown shelter did not check
eckville is .1 to right at hawk mt. rd. spigot is on the caretakers house
windsor furnace...lots of water
pocohonas springs crosses the trail. moving slow
minihaha spring is the same.
use caution on the rocks due to a large number of snakes this year
hope this helps...happy trails
Heading from Little Gap to Port Clinton this weekend, how's it been?
Heading from Little Gap to Port Clinton this weekend, how's it been?
BUMP...I know it's been hot but anybody been out on this section lately?
Calmwater
07-21-2011, 01:18
I can help with the area north of Lehigh Furnace Gap. The spring at the Outerbridge shelter is flowing and is reliable. There is also a spring at Ashfield Road about 4.5 miles south of Outerbridge. It is .6 miles and about a 400 ft elevation change down the dirt road (trail left if you are SOBO.) It is also reliable. I have not been to, but heard that the Bake Oven Knob spring is dry. I also heard that there was water at the New Tripoli campsite as of a week ago, I couldn't say for sure if it is still flowing. That is the info I have, I am not sure of the area south of here. Hope this helps. If you are heading south this wkd, you'll be sure to run into NOBO's with current info.
On another note: Is the trail between Little Gap and Lehigh Gap (Superfund area) open yet? Maybe it was never closed, but I heard of some re-routing due to the project (?)
Calmwater
07-21-2011, 16:42
jabroni- The AT is open in that area, it did close for a few hours at a time back in june for a few days while they did some restoration work. However, the Winter Trail is still closed. That is the trail that leads into Palmerton from the AT Via an old railroad grade. It could possibly reopen sometime in mid August.
There is more info here:
http://www.nps.gov/appa/parkmgmt/upload/May-2010-LehighGapProject-FactSheet.pdf
Greetings!
Newbie here. Next week (1st week of Aug) doing the section NOBO from Swatara Gap to Eckville or there abouts.
Any info on trail conditions, reliable or dry :( water sources, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Greetings!
Newbie here. Next week (1st week of Aug) doing the section NOBO from Swatara Gap to Eckville or there abouts.
Any info on trail conditions, reliable or dry :( water sources, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Can help you with Port Clinton to Eckville.
Pochahontas Spring was slow but usable, but keep in mind this was just after a day of heavy rain so idk if i'd depend on it
The stream at Windsor Furnace Shelter was running great
Panther Spring on the way down to Eckville from The Pinnacle was ruinning pretty well
Water is available from a tap at Eckville Shelter
There may be more but that's what I noticed
Check out some of the older threads. I contend the flow of these springs is pretty consistent and they vary little from year-to-year mostly in response to rainfall.
In summer, focus on whether or not the more reliable springs are running and developed sources. The rest can be ignored. They are little more than ephemeral, vernal springs.
It really isn't the big deal these threads might seem to indicate if you prepare by planning ahead, carrying water and being somewhat flexible.
BadAndy: I appreciate the info on Port Clinton to Eckville, thanks!
Any current info for Swatara Gap to Port Clinton would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
WalksInDark
07-31-2011, 22:27
Just got off of the trail. Darlington & Cove Mountain Shelters, trickles of water flow through the rocks (not the pipes 'though) with water in pools which require you to use cups to fill your hydration bladder(s). If coming NOBO, I would recommend that you fill up on water from the stream located about an 1/8 - 1/4 mile after the route 850 road crossing.
Just got off the trail - hike shortened due to minor injury.
Not much data, but this is all I have:
501 Shelter -- faucet running strong!!
Round Head / Shower Steps -- no data -- did not stop.
Hertlein Campsite - streams flowing well
Spring below Fort Dietrich Snyder Marker - Told by a SOBO that it was "flowing fine" - did not stop to verify.
My apologies for the sparse information but it is all I have to contribute.
These findings are what experienced Berks County hikers expect. What is noteworthy is when these sources fail which is quite rare.
It is completely unnecessary and a waste of time and effort to walk to the base of Showers Steps for water whether the spring can be located and is flowing or not.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?52656-Pennsylvania-water-sources-2009 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?52656-Pennsylvania-water-sources-2009&highlight=William+Penn)
Anyone who wants to read earlier threads on this topic, click on the link. Much information no less valuable today than when it was written may be found in them.
Please don't post to those threads. Post any new information you may wish to contribute to the current thread. Information spread over many threads will be difficult and time-consuming to find.
Feel free to copy and paste or repeat anything thought to be especially helpful to this thread.
Stovemonkey
08-07-2011, 12:02
I'm back from a 40 mile section hike from Port Clinton to Leigh Gap so I figured I'd let everyone know about the water situation in that area. Pocahontas Spring was flowing nice when we passed it at the being of our hike and Minnehaha was dry but it rained (wednesday night as well as yesterday) so that spring could be flowing for a few but don't quote me on that. Didn't have any problems getting water at Gold springs that was a reliable source like the guide had said. A great spring we encountered on our hike the second day a little before dan's pulpit was flowing real good it doesn't have a name, in the guidebook it's 18.8 into Nobo hike(8.0 sobo). We checked out Dan's spring the next day it was dry but we thought it be flowing cause of all the rain, word of advice DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME. I don't know about the spring at New Tripoli campsite. However, all springs at Bake Oven shelter were bone dry. A good reliable source of water is on Ashfield road at Leigh furnace Gap its a short hike down the road but the water was flowing, it was worth the trip. Well I hope this informs everyone of the water in the Port ClintoN and Leigh Gap and just be advised that it rain heavily after we got off the trail yesterday so some of the dry springs listed here maybe flowing for a couple of days but I can't guarentee it. Hope this helps out fellow hikers.
rickworr
08-07-2011, 18:47
Also returned on Friday from 5 days Pen-Mar to Rt 34 (S. of Mt. Holly Springs). Water at Anteitam Shelter (at the pump house) was good; looked like Tumbling Run was fine as well. Quarry Gap spring looked low, but after some rain, it was flowing the following morning nicely. Birch Run Shelter spring was also flowing nicely. Did not stay at Toms Run, but others who we had been following did not note that there were any problems with water. James Fry (Tagg Run) Shelter noted that the spring was dry, but we did not checkit out as we had enough water for our needs. Hopefully the rain that we had each night (Tues. & Wed.) helped the springs.
I'm going to be out that way second week of Sept. I know Aug has been the wettest month on record in the Philly area. So I'm going to make an assumption that the springs should be flowing well now. I was at this shelter July 4th and the spring was just a trickle
Any one been there recently
Conditions now wouldn't necessarily provide any indication what they may be in two weeks.
Conditions now wouldn't necessarily provide any indication what they may be in two weeks.
OK that is so helpful, thanks emerald.
I guess I'll head over there this weekend and have a look for myself.
Now I remember why I don't post here often there are far too many folks with such sound advise, I'm not ready for this much help.
No need for the sarcasm. I don't know how the best possible report would have been of much use weeks before your planned activity.
July often is the wettest month in Berks County, but other months may be wetter when we are visited by tropical storms. Most precipitation in the summer months is produced by localized storms resulting in an uneven distribution of rainfall.
Irene dropped just over 3 inches at Reading Regional Airport. Spring flow now ought to be about as good as it gets in August, but much can change in two weeks. Additional precipitation, cloud cover, air temperature and relative humidity in the coming weeks are all apt to influence how much water is available for your use when you arrive.
These springs are sometimes slow, but it would be rare for them to run dry. Anyone who has reason to expect they might be dry should pack in water from Eckville or SR 309 and seek current information while on the trail.
I hiked into Allentown shelter last Saturday from 309. Went down to the blue blaze spring all was running well.