spring conditions in Pennsylvania

[bobgessner57]

When do the trees start to leaf out and wildflowers come on strong in southern PA? I am looking at a 2-3 week section hike starting at Penn-Mar heading north and would prefer some shade so don't want to do it too early. Thanks

[Blue Mountain Edward]

Early spring, cold rain,possible light snow, mud,cold nights. Late spring, cool nights, mud,some mosquitos, crowded shelters, poison ivy.

[Blue Mountain Edward]

April showers bring May flowers.

[Cookerhiker]

When do the trees start to leaf out and wildflowers come on strong in southern PA? I am looking at a 2-3 week section hike starting at Penn-Mar heading north and would prefer some shade so don't want to do it too early. Thanks

Two years ago, I section-hiked from Duncannon to Harpers Ferry and started around April 8. I had rain on 3 of the 10 days of the hike but none of these 3 days were all-day rain. The flowers were great - these were the early ones before the trees leafed out. A good time to hike this stretch; I'd do it again.

[bobgessner57]

Early spring, cold rain,possible light snow, mud,cold nights. Late spring, cool nights, mud,some mosquitos, crowded shelters, poison ivy.

yeah, but what is early spring on the At in PA? I know the calendar says that spring starts March 20 but when does stuff up there start to really green up? Here at my house in eastern NC the daffodils are already starting to bloom.

[bobgessner57]

Thanks Cooker. it looks like I would maybe be able to start about the middle of April and should be good. I really like that period when everything first starts to leaf out, the colors are fantastic and a bit of shade helps minimize the late winter sunburn problem.

[Toolshed]

After 20 + years of hiking here, including some godawful hot days with no shade and 85+ degree weather, I would shoot for mid April. No sooner. If you are heading to northern PA, I would wait a couple of weeks further.

[keepinitsimple]

By early May things are usually very green, I would say no earlier than last week of April if you want shade

[Wise Old Owl]

Very late April...

[Blissful]

I did PA in April to finish my SOBO. It was marvelous. Lots of water. No hunters. Great views. No issues with rattlers or ticks either

[Cookerhiker]

Thanks Cooker. it looks like I would maybe be able to start about the middle of April and should be good. I really like that period when everything first starts to leaf out, the colors are fantastic and a bit of shade helps minimize the late winter sunburn problem.

I fully agree - one of the nicest times to hike. One of my favorite AT section hikes was NC/TN north of Hot Springs the first 10 days of May. The trees were just right and the flowers profuse.

[ki0eh]

In St Anthony's Wilderness (SGL 211) leaves typically break around April 15 +/- a week or so.

[Karma13]

It varies year to year, but I'd say mid to late April. Last year, spring happened to be early and magnificent, so I took some pictures.

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Also, things can be on the other end. It can frost through mid to late May. It's been a mild winter, though.

[handlebar]

I hiked the Mid State Trail (PA) 326 miles from MD border to NY border last spring starting April 3 and finishing up April 30. It roughly parallels west of the AT and for much of the way follows the top of Tussey Mtn. There were wildflowers early on and generally good weather except for the freak snowstorm (1-1/2 feet of wet snow). You can check out the pics on my TJ for an idea of the weather: www.trailjournals.com/handlebar. Use theh tab for 2012 MST

[takethisbread]

I sectioned hiked pa in march a few years back. Rocks are better frozen. Water is easier. Great time. Pa can be brutal in summer bc of lack of water sources.

[JAK]

Are fast hikers or slow hikers better off when it comes to getting best conditions the entire trip, on average?

[rocketsocks]

I hiked the Mid State Trail (PA) 326 miles from MD border to NY border last spring starting April 3 and finishing up April 30. It roughly parallels west of the AT and for much of the way follows the top of Tussey Mtn. There were wildflowers early on and generally good weather except for the freak snowstorm (1-1/2 feet of wet snow). You can check out the pics on my TJ for an idea of the weather: www.trailjournals.com/handlebar (http://www.trailjournals.com/handlebar). Use theh tab for 2012 MSTThoroughly enjoyed your pics from MST....I wouldn't have forded that water fall either.

[bobgessner57]

Thanks to all that have replied to this thread. Handlebar, the link to your journal was an interesting read. Sounds like a great trip. Now I have to block out the time and get it done. I am trying to sort out whether I have 2, 3 or 4 weeks and the best hustle on transportation to/from the trail. I need to fill in the section from Pen Mar to the NY border near Longhouse Rd and would like to do it in one shot or divide it into 2 or more blocks that make the best use of bus/train schedules. To me that is the hard part of section hiking.

[Cookerhiker]

Thanks to all that have replied to this thread. Handlebar, the link to your journal was an interesting read. Sounds like a great trip. Now I have to block out the time and get it done. I am trying to sort out whether I have 2, 3 or 4 weeks and the best hustle on transportation to/from the trail. I need to fill in the section from Pen Mar to the NY border near Longhouse Rd and would like to do it in one shot or divide it into 2 or more blocks that make the best use of bus/train schedules. To me that is the hard part of section hiking.

Don't know where you're coming from, but you can get to Harpers Ferry via AMTRAK and then catch a shuttle to PenMar. I'm not exactly sure where you're ending on the north part, but it looks like you're close to Greenwood Lake where a commuter bus runs to NYC. Shuttlers and transportation options are at the ATC website (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hiking/find-a-hike/parking-shuttles-transportation).

[bobgessner57]

Thanks, Cooker
I live in eastern NC and have an Amtrak station ten minutes from home so I can easily get to DC, Philly, NYC, or Harrisburg.
I actually have family that I can rely on to get me to PenMar and the Greenwood Lake area, even considered the side trail from Greenwood Lake up to the state line. Many of the logical start/end points such as Duncannon, Port Clinton, and Del. Water Gap are doable with mass transit but some lend themselves to links with the Amtrak schedule better than others or are good if catching a train in one direction but not the other. My preference is to walk this south to north to take advantage of spring and to do it all in one trip but life may make me split it up.

The snag is the buses from Cabellas by Port Clinton to Reading, change bus to Harrisburg necessitates an overnight stay in Harrisburg or Philly in order to catch a train home. Duncannon to Harrisburg is doable with a short shuttle. the bus schedule won't get me to the train on time. My train/bus combos to DWG all involve midnight arrival or 4am departure- not ideal but doable. It will all work out, it always does.