AT from Delaware Water Gap to PA443, PA-
Part 2:
Danielsville to PA501, PA
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Day 4, 04/08/2005- I thought that with only 7 miles to do today, it
would be easy. WRONG! I had a great breakfast at the
Filbert Inn Bed and Breakfast.
Kathy, the Innkeeper served up an excellent meal and lots of it. I would
reccommend the Filbert to any section or thru hiker that needs some R&R
while on the trail.
It's a good thing that I had a good breakfast. Kathy drove me to Lehigh Gap first to show me where I would be passing through later in the day. I should have started there. She then drove me back to Little Gap, where I started. The first 4 miles were through the "wasteland" as Tom Stevenson called it. The vegetation is all dead thanks to a zinc plant that was in Palmerton for years. Then, I had a chance to take a blue blazed Winter Trail to Lehigh Gap. But, no, I had to take the AT over barren rock face for over a mile. I had to scramble across the face up to the ridge, then down the other. At one point, I had to throw my pack down a 20 foot cravase in order to navigate it. I also had pack problems and had to reattach my tent and pad half way through this ordeal. I made it down after 3 hours, crossed the gap and got some good, cold water from the water cooler at a car dealership. Then I had to endure another 1 mile 800 foot climb to the Outerbridge Shelter. I'm camping there now next to the shelter. I'm exhausted! Not sure if I'm going to make it to Carlisle. It hasn't been fun so far on the trail. Day 5, 04/09/2005- Another frustrating day. I set out trying to do at least 10 miles a day and keep getting set back by PA rocks, blowdowns, lack of blazes and the stupid rock hopping that you have to do. Some good things about today are that I am still half a day ahead of schedule and I hiked a nice stretch of trail between Outerbridge Shelter and Lehigh Furnace Gap, which is maintained by the Philadelphia Trail Club. I passed a group of maintainers from this club eating lunch on the side of a trail since it was a Saturday. I thanked them for their efforts. I stopped in at Bake Oven Knob Shelter to eat a meal in the early afternoon. The shelter was already full with weekend campers, who were all very nice to talk to. The trail immediately got rocky and crappy. I had a tough time following the blazes southbound over Bake Oven Knob. Many thanks to the locals up there enjoying the view that talked me through the piles of rocks and helped me find the trail. I'm not having fun this trip and may end up at PA 443 when I finish a stretch with fellow Rag Tag Rangers Charlie Johnson and Tom Stevenson. Day 6, 04/10/2005- Another rough day. I slept near Bear Rocks. Had rocky, crappy trail, including something called the "Knife Edge" until I reached New Tripoli Campsite. There, I got water, had a snack and continued on good trail from there until I reached the Allentown Shelter. This was probably the best shelter on this trip, rivaling the Birch Run Shelter further south. I met alot of day hikers out on a sunny Sunday afternoon, including members of the Allentown Hiking Club. I again thanked them for their stewardship of the trail in that area. I ate dinner at the shelter, then eeked out another few miles for a total of about 10 that day. I am tenting now between Tri-Corner Marker and Balanced Rock in an area rife with blowdowns. Tomorrow, I hope to take a shortcut to the Pocohontas Campsite, then into Port Clinton on Tuesday, 4/12. I will probably end this hike a week from today at PA443 since these PA rocks are getting to me. Day 7, 04/11/2005- Again, I cheated and won! Today is the first good hiking day that I have had since the trip started. I started out with typical rocky, crappy trail complete with blowdowns. I then met a northbound section hiker named "Dances with Scarves". Not enough space for a trail name explanation. Anyway, she was a very nice lady that had started at Port Clinton and was also having problems with the blowdowns. I even had problems with blowdowns on the descent to Eckville. Didn't stop at shelter because, according to the guide, it was not open yet. The trail up to The Pinacle was a well graded old road. Then I made my move. I did the Pinacle Spur Trail for about 2 miles to an unmarked trail and turned left onto it. This trail became yellow blazed for a short time, but the blazes would soon disappear. This trail went down into the valley, crossed a stream and then went up the mountain towards the AT. It was a tough up but it brought me right to the Pocohontas Campsite. This 4 mile shortcut saved me 5 miles and a half a day's hiking. So I did 13 miles (unofficially 17 miles) and am still a day ahead of schedule. Tomorrow, after consulting with Charlie and Nancy, I'll decide how far to go. Day 8, 04/12/2005- Easy day today. Hiked 3.7 miles into Port Clinton, checked into the Port Clinton Hotel, picked up my maildrop and just chilled the rest of the day. I had a great steak dinner at the hotel that night. It looks like 5 more days and I'm off the trail. Day 9, 04/13/2005- Good day today. The up out of Port Clinton was rough. Straight up. However, I think that I am getting my trail legs now so it went well. Once I reached the Game Lands Services Roads that paralleled the trail, I took them and made up for lost time. I was averaging 3-4 miles an hour on them. Ate an early dinner at Bald Eagle Shelter. Upon leaving, I ran into a nice couple also hiking southbound. They were staying at the shelter that night. I hiked 3-4 more miles and am tenting tonight along a snowmobile side trail near a radio tower. Now it's 5 miles to Hurlein Campsite, 11.5 miles to the 501 Shelter, then 14 miles until the end of the hike. Day 10, 04/14/2005- Good day today. Cold Start. Made it to Hurlein Campsite by 12 noon. I ate a meal, then had to endure rocky, crappy trail the rest of the way. Was going to camp at Applebee Campsite. But decided to continue the extra mile to the 501 Shelter. Very nice shelter. Fully enclosed. Day 11, 04/15/2005- Good night. I took a 'zero day' today. It was nice. Rode to town with the shelter caretaker to run some errands with him. Jen & Lane, the couple I passed yesterday, arrived at camp about mid day. We spent the day just talking. We then ordered 2 large pizzas from a local pizza parlor later in the afternoon. Man, that was good. Were joined later that evening by section hiker "Slow Walker". He was a very interesting gentleman from Chicago but with Irish origins. Charlie and Tom should be joining me tonight, then we do the final 14 miles this weekend. <<Part 1: Delaware Water Gap to Danielsville, PA
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Wasteland between Palmerton &Little Gap, PA. By Mike Calabrese.
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