AT Train stop (Pawling) thru to Bear mountain

So I just got back from a nice hike thru the AT war zone. Huge trees blown down snapped off at 15 ft high. Tree carnage in some major spots. This section of the trail is in great shape. Some of it is currently small streams but they'll hopefully dry up soon. Telephone, Morgan Stewart, and RPH all in great shape Privy's good. No trash to speak of. The sign to point you toward Garymoor is gone so keep track of where you are. Also I have a bone to pick with "AWOL", the description that you can pitch your tent on the ball field is not really right. If you take your phone out and look on the view from above you will see NO ball field, its just an irregular piece of grass - yes a field but not baseball or softball just grass. The shower there is out of service and appears to have been locked for a while. No Privy there either. but ELECTRIC in the picnic shelter, everybody was happy about that. There is water "EVERY WHERE" don't stock up. Was told by many North bound watch your blazes between shenandoah tent and south end of Clarence Fahnestock they were "losing" the trail in spots. I was heading south, yes there were the couple of times where you were like " ok where's the next blaze" but nothing crazy. I kept mentioning a great piece of advice I got; "If you think you have lost your way Turn around a blaze might be right behind you". It really does help often. Ran across about 10 thru hikers ranging about day 70 -78. One " High Peaks" said he was 562 off springer and like 68 at Harpers ferry. "13" was slack packing with the help of a friend thru NY.

Oh word to the wise; if you are going to stay at Bear Mountain Inn or any of its outter buildings you can send a hiker box them BUT ONLY USE UPS ( the big brown truck) The post office does not deliver into the state park. All boxes are brought to the small post office which isn't usually open since the post office doesn't have the staff to run both locations. So you have to go to post office number one - tell the guy there your story, he will close the post office since he is the only one there and drive to location number two five minutes away, get your box and bring it back to you. So yeah don't ship to the Bear mountain area if you can avoid it at all costs.

Just FYI (as a way to not blame AWOL),I was at Graymoor last year. Yes, the ballfield is a simple "field" - much like some of us have in more rural areas. The shower and privy DID WORK last year! AWOL's guide is printed and available before people start hiking each season, so I am willing to bet he was not aware that the privy and shower would not open up this year... chances are, the monks weren't aware of it either, but something happened to prevent it...

I was VERY happy the night of my stay as it was POURING RAIN!!!!