Palmerton Hostel

[Jester2000]

(This thread is being posted in the "General" area as I believe it will be better noticed here. Please copy this and post it on any other hiker sites you feel necessary)

Press release from the Billville Regional Community Relations Department:

Members of Billville, in keeping with our commitment to the Endangered Services Campaign, have spoken with the folks in Palmerton to suss out info on the hostel there and offer our support in making sure it continues to exist. After speaking with a number of borough representatives we have found out the following:

The "old jail hostel," as it is incorrectly known, WILL be open this season, according to the borough manager. There will be new rules in place, however. They include the following:

-- 10:00 pm curfew
-- zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol
-- no dogs allowed in the building
-- no hikers with support vehicles allowed

Rules will be posted in the hostel and in the shelters near the hostel. We will also post them in the registers in Port Clinton, Duncannon, and Del. Water Gap, and try to make sure that as we come into contact with hikers in PA this season that they are aware of the rules and the negative impact on other hikers and the town if the rules are broken.

In addition to the rules above we would encourage hikers doing laundry across the street to change in the hostel instead of getting nekkid in the laundromat.

I know the rules may seem strict, but these are the wishes of the town (which is offering a FREE place to stay), so if you feel they are too strict you should either avoid staying in Palmerton or make sure you have enough money once there to pay for a room.

Good hiking to all!

[rocket04]

Seems like some reasonable rules to me. It's awesome that the hostel is still gonna be open. I hope people respect those few simple rules so it stays that way.

[neo]

palmerton and jailhouse hostel rock,i stayed here in early november 2003
on a section hike from boiling spring pa to delaware water gap,so far palmerton my favorite trail town north of the mason dixson line neo

[Drum Stick]

Two thumbs up for Palmerton and the hostel!
Good people, a hot high pressure (rip your skin off) shower, bunks in a cool basement with industrial fans to make hikers comfortable, yes I like Palmerton very much too.

I am big on breakfast and I could often be found hiking very early in the morning following the waft of breakfast food over the hills. And I mean real breakfast food: eggs, bacon, homefries etc. So I was all to happy to hear about the "BIG S Breakfast" (say that ten times fast) in Palmerton. Whiteblazers! I had the biggest 'bestest' breakfast on my hike at the Big S. And when the waitress handed me the check I said, "there must be some mistake", because the bill was something like $3.25. Unknowingly I ordered the breakfast special, and indeed it was.

Yes the Palmerton rules are very reasonable indeed. 10 PM! Not many thrus are up at that hour... And I can understand locals not wanting to see nekkid hikers running around the laundromat. Oh! and in case anyone is wondering, poking two holes in a garbage bag and wearing it as cover while your clothes are in the wash is also frowned upon. (no name will be mentioned to protect the innocent of course)
Drum Stick

[chomp]

Excellent news, Jester. I am very glad to hear that Palmerton will be open once again this year. Hopefully, 2005 hikes will follow these new rules so that the hostel will be available to hikers in the future. We'll pass the word up here in Billville North to the southbounders.

[Lion King]

Best shower ever.

[DMA, 2000]

Word.

I got to Palmerton after a long hike on the trail and a long walk into down that was spend mostly in a horrible downpour. The hot sandblaster...er, shower, the big fans to dry the clothes, the cheap pizza in town, the $0.75 Yuenglings, the great and cheap breakfast the next morning, the climb out of town...I loved Palmerton.

Sorry to sound the cynic, but if those are the rules I wonder how long the place will stay open. The way I saw a few hikers act as if hiking bestowed some exalted status upon them makes me fear that these gems won't last.

[Peaks]

Word.

Sorry to sound the cynic, but if those are the rules I wonder how long the place will stay open. The way I saw a few hikers act as if hiking bestowed some exalted status upon them makes me fear that these gems won't last.

If the Palmerton Hostel closes, it will not be first that has closed due to the inconsiderate actions of a few.

[Jester2000]

If the Palmerton Hostel closes, it will not be first that has closed due to the inconsiderate actions of a few.

. . .and if it stays open, as is the town's stated desire, it will not be the first that has remained open due to the considerate actions of the many (and the many Bills).

[DMA, 2000]

Well said, Jester. Thanks to all who give to the trail, whether they be locals or hikers.

[peter2003]

I just wanted to add that Palmerton was one of my favorite trail towns on the AT. People were very friendly and the hostel was a nice place to stay. The walk into town was not long either.

[neo]

Word.

I got to Palmerton after a long hike on the trail and a long walk into down that was spend mostly in a horrible downpour. The hot sandblaster...er, shower, the big fans to dry the clothes, the cheap pizza in town, the $0.75 Yuenglings, the great and cheap breakfast the next morning, the climb out of town...I loved Palmerton.

Sorry to sound the cynic, but if those are the rules I wonder how long the place will stay open. The way I saw a few hikers act as if hiking bestowed some exalted status upon them makes me fear that these gems won't last.

yes you are right,there are some hikers that a very inconsiderate and take trail magic and trail angels for granted,they are selfish and ungrateful and feel that it is owed to them because they hike the trail neo

[mingo]

that 10 p.m. curfew is going to be tough to meet what with mugshots selling 50-cent beer down the street

mingo

[The Solemates]

word of advice:

just dont stand directly under the shower head when you first turn it on!!! i almost lost my manhood and it definitely took skin off me.

[Moxie00]

. . .and if it stays open, as is the town's stated desire, it will not be the first that has remained open due to the considerate actions of the many (and the many Bills).

Jester, I didn't stay in Palmartown but the talk of the trail in 2000 was one jerk who did. He got drunk, pissed the bed, barfed on the floor, and got up the next morning, remembering nothing and just left. Some others cleaned up his mess. Everyone who was there that night saw him do it and when we caught up with him later he completly denied everything. People like that will eventually close down every hostel on the trail if the rest of us don't help control them.

[Jester2000]

Yep, Mox, things like that have happened in Palmerton, and, I'm sure, in many other towns. Palmerton is slightly different than other hostel kind of places, in that there is no on-site caretaker. Which can be a problem. You'd like to think that people would be appreciative enough to exert a little self-control, and most do.

It doesn't help that the owners of Mugshots don't seem to have much self-control themselves (at least according to the locals with whom I've talked). There are other nice bars in town, although many of them are (gasp!) a block or two further away and (shocking!) not so likely to get you disgustingly and offensively drunk for cheap.

We shall see what this season brings. I know that making hikers aware of what is acceptable and what is not specifically in Palmerton and generally in towns is one of the things I'm focusing on this summer.

See everyone (hopefully) at Damascus!