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View Full Version : Irene trail damage NY NJ and north east PA



Deerleg
08-28-2011, 11:19
Hurricane Irene, now a tropical storm, looks like it has dumped an incredible amount of rain along the trail from points south of PA thru New England. I’m sure the wind damage could be significant in places along the ridge lines. Maybe by tomorrow we will see some 1st hand reports on trail conditions. Got to believe there will be a lot of blow downs. Very interested in what North East PA conditions are like if anyone of our WB friends gets a 1st hand look in the next couple of days let us know!

Spirit Walker
08-28-2011, 13:47
In Chambersburg, we got very little rain. The official total is less than .1, though at our house we got about an inch. So the far south of PA shouldn't be much of a problem in terms of damage. This has been a dry summer for the most part. North of Duncannon is probably a different story.

emerald
08-28-2011, 15:07
I live less than 20 miles from most A.T. points in Berks County. Rain in the amount of 3.02 inches and a top wind speed of 48 mph was reported at Reading Regional Airport.

Locations east of Berks County no doubt experienced worse conditions. I expect to learn of little damage to the A.T. here.

shelterbuilder
08-28-2011, 15:18
WAY TOO SOON to tell about the damage, although it's reasonable to assume that we'll be busy with blow-downs and such for a while. I was up near Rt. 501 yesterday, trying to "batten down the hatches" at BMECC's cabin, and had intermittent sunshine (!), along with fog and almost NO breeze, but that was around noon yesterday. Today will be a different story. I worry about 2 HUGE trees that overhang 2 of the buildings up there - if they topple in the wrong direction, we'll have nothing but toothpicks! I'll be checking the shelters on BMECC's section within the next few days to gauge the damage, if any.

Wise Old Owl
08-28-2011, 17:46
Over the last two years we have been subject to massive downed trees due to straight line winds... costing me personally some three thousand in clean up and total replacement of the roof. My final solution this year was to remove all the trees that could be pushed into the roof of the house, some 7 more trees were removed. After each large storm, I like to take a break and head out and see for myself how bad it is, by visiting Chadds Ford (the Brandywine) and other nearby woods & areas... I am sure you will find a few blow-downs, but the trail itself will be in good shape as this was NOT the storm it was supposed to be.

Askus3
08-29-2011, 00:01
I would assume some of the boardwalk in the Vernon swamp might be flooded. Hope to check that out tomorrow (Monday).

Lauriep
08-29-2011, 01:02
A local trail volunteer involved in building the new boardwalk just south of the A.T. railroad stop posted this on ATC's Facebook page Sunday:

"The new boardwalk in Pawling ny is just above water but the old section is waist deep in spots and the bridge is off its foundation I recommend you detour by using Dutchess rt 20 to river road and ny 22."

Deerleg
08-29-2011, 14:40
WAY TOO SOON to tell about the damage, although it's reasonable to assume that we'll be busy with blow-downs and such for a while. I was up near Rt. 501 yesterday, trying to "batten down the hatches" at BMECC's cabin, and had intermittent sunshine (!), along with fog and almost NO breeze, but that was around noon yesterday. Today will be a different story. I worry about 2 HUGE trees that overhang 2 of the buildings up there - if they topple in the wrong direction, we'll have nothing but toothpicks! I'll be checking the shelters on BMECC's section within the next few days to gauge the damage, if any.
Thanks and let us know what you see in the next few days.

XCskiNYC
08-30-2011, 00:46
Tuxedo Park, NY got the most rain from Irene in the area, 11.48 inches. Tuxedo Park is five miles south of Arden, NY where the AT crosses the NY Thruway and NY17. One spot to look out for is a few miles to the west of Arden where the trail crosses the stream from Little Dam Lake. The bridge was out here in April this year and the stream had to be crossed by stepping across several large, fairly widely spaced rocks. You can detour just before this crossing (NOBO) by going south on East Mombasha Rd a half mile, east on Bramertown Rd about 0.75 miles, then north on Orange Turnpike/County Rd. 19 for about 1.25 miles.

So Way
08-31-2011, 10:31
i've been on trail since the storm heading south and so far what i can tell everyone is - bear mt. near top had a big river running down it and i couldn't pass so i had to road walk to seven lakes dr. - also just in n.j. at the long house creek the bridge washed away and i had to cross thru waste deep flowing water yesterday - i am headed to the pochunk creek area today where i was told by a local day hiker that the boardwalk is chest deep for a 1/2 mile section and knee high the rest of the way so it may be a road walk around situation won't know till i get there - alot of the trail between bear mt. and vernon,n.j. is now small streams so be prepd to have wet feet thru there - i'll update on trail conditions further south as i get to them and can get internet -

Askus3
08-31-2011, 15:48
There is a sign going east (northbound) at the AT xing of NJ 517 northwest of Vernon informing that the trail is closed due to flooding and boardwalk damage. This confirms what So Way said in his post above. This is the boardwalk between NJ 94 & NJ 517 north of Vernon over the Pochuck Swamps & River.

So Way
08-31-2011, 16:06
just went and took a look for myself and yeap the boardwalk is under water...now i have to find a way to get around it...i'm thinking i'll have to bypass to unionville because i was told the wallkill river is unpassable too.. Aaron wanna give me a ride...i'm at the church hostile in vernon & don't have the cash for a shuttle or taxi

So Way
08-31-2011, 16:20
ok just got a ride to unionville...i'll update trail conditions south of it tomorrow...everyone be safe out there

XCskiNYC
08-31-2011, 18:49
The Port-Jervis line is closed by washouts north of Suffern, NY. There's substitute bus service just to Harriman, which is fortunate because that's the station next to the Arden road crossing. Unfortunately, there's no substitute bus service to Port Jervis.

http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=ServiceAdjustmentTo&AdjustmentId=7954


The NJ Transit 196 and 197 buses are on a regular schedule but with delays in Passaic County. So that's good news for people taking the bus to reach the AT at Greenwood Lake or Warwick.

http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=ServiceAdjustmentsTo

So Way
09-01-2011, 11:48
Hiking from unionville south looks good so far and i just passed 2 nobo section hikers who said it's good to go south of here

Missadventure
09-01-2011, 12:03
thanks for all these updates - still hoping to get up soon to go from 17 A to Bear Mountain area, but looks like not for Labor Day weekend!

XCskiNYC
09-01-2011, 16:59
You might be able to do 17A to Bear Mtn now. Here's the update from NY/NJ Trail Council. They say the AT's in good shape overall. There are a few stream crossings that may have risen quite a bit in the storm (by Fitzgerald Falls for example) but they're up close to the top of the ridges so may have gone back to passable by now. Little Dam Lake might be okay too if they put the bridge back and the bridge survived but if not it's just a tenth of a mile past the road crossing so not far to track back to go around it.

http://www.nynjtc.org/news/postirene-message-hikers-trail-maintainers


Also some good news, the temporary bus service includes Port Jervis (near High Point Park and the Rte 23 crossing) as well as Harriman. One report says the damage is between Harriman and Suffern/NY 17 though another on the same site describes it as being all over the Port Jervis line.

http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/mnr_port_jervis.html

Missadventure
09-01-2011, 18:06
good to know - thanks for the latest

perrito
09-01-2011, 19:58
Thanx for these updates guys. Much appreciated.
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