Hiking the AT in PA

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As of right now, 18 February 2010 I have 11 April to 16 April off from work. I am planning on doing a section of the AT in PA. Any suggitions???

How is the public trasportation in PA near the AT? How are the trail condition in April??

[J-Rod]

In April you might run into snow on some parts of the AT in PA
i know my area(Port Clinton) we have 2 foot of snow on the ground...and calling for more next week..so might not all be gone come April

i wanted to do an overnight myself the end of the month...but with the snow and no snow shoes...i don't see me going

[buff_jeff]

In April you might run into snow on some parts of the AT in PA
i know my area(Port Clinton) we have 2 foot of snow on the ground...and calling for more next week..so might not all be gone come April

i wanted to do an overnight myself the end of the month...but with the snow and no snow shoes...i don't see me going

Oh man, I was planning on doing Del Water Gap to Port Clinton the second week in March...

[ki0eh]

Snow on the PA AT, all below 2,000' in mid-April? I suppose it could be possible but not terribly likely. On my maintenance section in St. Anthony's Wilderness buds are usually breaking by April 15 - I typically target the nearest weekend to hit the section with loppers and handsaw. Snow and most of the ice is typically gone from even the MST by mid-April.

Virginia bluebells typically bloom in the Cumberland Valley about the third week of April. You'll likely see a few other spring ephemerals in the second week. There's not much mud in PA other than the Cumberland Valley (due to the rocks poking through it ) but what mud there is will show up then. A dry summer in VT will show a lot more mud than a wet spring on the PA A.T. - again with the possible exception of parts of the Cumberland Valley.

Public transportation, frankly, stinks in PA for getting to the AT. Any of Delaware Water Gap, Port Clinton, or Duncannon may once have had bus service. DWG still does according to http://www.martztrailways.com/schedule-information.asp but I'm having trouble digging up the other two.

Harrisburg's Capital Area Transit has some weekday only commuter routes, on a weekday commuter schedule, that stop near the A.T. - on here Route 23 stops right on the A.T. (see stop #8, Clarks Ferry Bridge) on the other side of two rivers from Duncannon, and Route C crosses the A.T. in the Cumberland Valley on a busy truck-filled road (stop #15, Country Club Road, is probably the closest and at least has facilities to duck into for a bite to eat or something if it's raining). The bus transfer point in Harrisburg is 3 blocks from the Amtrak/intercity bus station with frequent trains to Phila and NYC.

[trailsauce]

Even if the snow is pretty much gone by then, the effects of the melt coupled with normal Spring rains will probably leave the trail pretty muddy in spots, especially in flat ridge-top sections like those around the Pinnacle. Nothing too terrible, though.

I'd definitely stick to the area east of Duncannon as it provides better views, but as ki0eh pointed out, there's really no good public transportation options.

[emerald]

Public transportation, frankly, stinks in PA for getting to the AT. Any of Delaware Water Gap, Port Clinton, or Duncannon may once have had bus service. DWG still does according to http://www.martztrailways.com/schedule-information.asp but I'm having trouble digging up the other two.

Connecting with BARTA's Route 20

Now what's so hard about that? All it took was an advanced search on my posts with BARTA as the keyword.

Carl Bieber Tourways offers competitive rates from New York City to Reading's Inter-City Bus Terminal. There's a link for CBT somewhere too or just Google it.

I owe you a response on another thread and haven't forgotten.

[ki0eh]

Now what's so hard about that? All it took was an advanced search on my posts with BARTA as the keyword.

I guess searching on "fussganger" would have worked too.

Maybe "public transportation to the A.T." should be one of the Articles. Hopefully someone who does more of riding public transit to the A.T. than I do, could write it.

[1azarus]

i'll be heading north from Duncannon March 4th (afternoon) to Swatara Gap, out by lunch on the 6th. we'll see about the snow shoes. thursday night at Peter's mountain shelter, friday night at Rausch gap. anybody around welcome to join me.

[Yahtzee]

That's a great hike, 1azurus. Nice planning, too. Doubtful there will still be snow on the mountains, unless it snows again. Those mts get direct sun and the snowpack reduces fairly quickly in those parts. Not sure if you have been around that area or where your preferences lie vis a vis shelter/tenting, but there is a great tenting spot at the point where the blue blaze trail to the shelter breaks off. On the other hand, the piped spring at the shelter is great.

I'd be more concerned with water on the mt. north of 325. Not sure how much work the Susquehanna ATC has done since taking over that section, but that section of trail is notorious for being wet, wet, wet. Once on top of the ridge, the trail can be quite the little stream.

Wish I could go. That's a great little hike.

Oh, on your first day, when you get the top of your first climb, about 1 mile north of the river, climb up the rock outcropping to your right. You will get a great vista of the river. In fact, the river bends around that mountain at that spot, so you have the same river whether you are looking east or west. Also, the pipeline view about 1/2 mile north of the William Penn Shelter is fantastic. On a clear day, you can see the stacks of TMI about 20 miles down river.

[sasquatch2014]

Wish I could go with you but I don't see any hiking for a bit. Have some home life stuff that I need to be available for. I was wanting to do this same section that your talking about but at the end of Feb. I'll be interested to hear how your trip goes.

[1azarus]

That's a great hike, 1azurus. Nice planning, too. Doubtful there will still be snow on the mountains, unless it snows again. Those mts get direct sun and the snowpack reduces fairly quickly in those parts. Not sure if you have been around that area or where your preferences lie vis a vis shelter/tenting, but there is a great tenting spot at the point where the blue blaze trail to the shelter breaks off. On the other hand, the piped spring at the shelter is great.

I'd be more concerned with water on the mt. north of 325. Not sure how much work the Susquehanna ATC has done since taking over that section, but that section of trail is notorious for being wet, wet, wet. Once on top of the ridge, the trail can be quite the little stream.

Wish I could go. That's a great little hike.

Oh, on your first day, when you get the top of your first climb, about 1 mile north of the river, climb up the rock outcropping to your right. You will get a great vista of the river. In fact, the river bends around that mountain at that spot, so you have the same river whether you are looking east or west. Also, the pipeline view about 1/2 mile north of the William Penn Shelter is fantastic. On a clear day, you can see the stacks of TMI about 20 miles down river.

I'd say I can't wait for the hike, but that is pretty much the way i always feel. i'll look for those spots you mentioned. if it isn't raining, i won't stay in the shelter if there's a prettier place nearby.

[emerald]

I'll be heading north from Duncannon March 4th to Swatara Gap...

Also, the pipeline view about 1/2 mile north of the William Penn Shelter is fantastic. On a clear day, you can see the stacks of TMI about 20 miles down river.

WPS is AT North of Swatara Gap.

[Lion King]

trains go into Pearisburg, easy 20 miles to Duncannon, hike it South to Harpers Ferry, train there.

North Of Port Clinton its tougher in trail and Public Transport terms till NY/NJ

[Lion King]

trains go into Pearisburg, easy 20 miles to Duncannon, hike it South to Harpers Ferry, train there.

North Of Port Clinton its tougher in trail and Public Transport terms till NY/NJ

\


HARRISBURG!.....not Pearisburg....

[1azarus]

...just remembering the PA regs -- I'll be staying at shelters where its required.

[Yahtzee]

Thanks for the pick up, Emerald, I was thinking of the pipeline north of the Clarks Ferry Shelter.

As for regs, Emerald, is it kosher to stay at the big open spot next to the creek right before the Rausch Gap Shelter? Would hate to steer someone in the wrong direction.

[Deerleg]

Oh man, I was planning on doing Del Water Gap to Port Clinton the second week in March...

I'm committed to at least a weekend 27 & 28 of Feb in that area, and if manageable will hike just north of there that 1st week of March...I'll let you know how it goes....

[emerald]

Some information about SGL 211 can be found in the Rausch Gap Shelter thread.

[J-Rod]

i wanted to get out on the AT near Port Clinton at the end of this month...
but with all the snow i don't see me going...
there calling for more snow this Mon into Tues i hope it misses us...i want this snow to melt LOL

some ppl are saying that we are going to get hit with a Big storm beginning of March ...i really hope not

[ki0eh]

I'd be more concerned with water on the mt. north of 325. Not sure how much work the Susquehanna ATC has done since taking over that section, but that section of trail is notorious for being wet, wet, wet. Once on top of the ridge, the trail can be quite the little stream.

Actually quite a bit - 2 years worth of the Mid-Atlantic Crew turnpiking the area north of Yellow Springs, a relocation on the NPS former Harrisburg Authority land, and a good bit of re-digging just south of the Rausch Gap shelter trail. For the latest project, the lower half of the Cold Spring side trail has been rehabbed too. More in the works awaiting approvals.