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Hiking in PA...

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    • Hiking in PA...

      Had an early day Thursday, off Friday, soooo, I took a hike... Parked @ Eckville Shelter and Yo-Yo'd to Port Clinton... Took off @ 3pm Sobo from Eckville and was planning on staying on the South side of the Pinnacle, as there is a very cool site on the left side of the trail... Well, I got there, and was still feeling froggy, so I thought I just put new batteries in my headlamp, so why not continue to Furnace Creek Shelter, as there are some cool camping spots waaaay in the back... By the time I hit the boulder field right before the "Alter", it was very dark, and even tho my lamp is 200 lumens, I was kind second guessing myself, as I still had to go down Dan's Pulpit... No worries, as the moon was bright, going down was easier than I thought it would be... Bonus was the big Telescope was up and running... as many times as I have by there at night, I have never seen one open... Kinda cool... Got to the shelter aboot 9pm, there was someone in it, but it looked like he was sleeping, so I just keep going... Set up my tent, busted out my Wawa Italian hoagie, and chowed face... Woke up to 40 degrees(was hoping it would be colder) new bag was to warm, wound up using more like a quilt... was rolling outta there @ 5:30am, tagged the river in PC, and headed Nobo to Eckville... Met a really cool guy doing a SOBO Thru on top of the Pinnacle, named "Spinoza" from FLA. He is on a Sabbatical from teaching, and has a really cool journal (trailjournals.com/about.cfm?trailname=15910)... I just started reading it, and love his writing style... We even have 2 friends in common, Brakeman and Grasshopper, small world... Had the trail to myself all the way back to Eckville... BTW, the weather was perfect :thumbsup: ...
      West Rim Trail mid October to see the foliage, can't wait...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • Re: Hiking in PA...

      Sounds like you had good time. I was up in the blue ridge myself this weekend visiting my daughter and the leaves here in central VA are starting to turn already. About 3 more weeks and it should be prime leaf peeper season here.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference

    • Astro wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      There were tons of acorns falling along the BMT on my hike to Whigg Meadow. I saw a few chestnuts too which was exciting. Chestnuts are extinct in the Smokies.


      where did the chestnuts come from if the chestnuts are extinct?


      I think TJ probably meant extinct in SMNP.


      I think HB knows what she meant. He just likes to tease. I said a while back that I grew up running around in the woods. He asked something like if I was raised by wolves or something like that.

      its all just teasing
      Non hikers are about a psi shy of a legal ball.

    • hikerboy wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      There were tons of acorns falling along the BMT on my hike to Whigg Meadow. I saw a few chestnuts too which was exciting. Chestnuts are extinct in the Smokies.


      where did the chestnuts come from if the chestnuts are extinct?


      I found the only one left!

      Seriously, they're gone from GSMNP, there are a few left in the Citico Creek Wilderness. I should have taken a picture, I may never see one again.
      Lost in the right direction.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      There were tons of acorns falling along the BMT on my hike to Whigg Meadow. I saw a few chestnuts too which was exciting. Chestnuts are extinct in the Smokies.


      where did the chestnuts come from if the chestnuts are extinct?


      I found the only one left!

      Seriously, they're gone from GSMNP, there are a few left in the Citico Creek Wilderness. I should have taken a picture, I may never see one again.


      Citico and Big Frog Wilderness are really underestimated IMO... Spent many days hiking in them, and they are "wilderness"... And wet... Some of the coolest trees I've ever seen outside of Joshua Tree and the PNW, all the way to Vancouver...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • WiseOldOwl wrote:

      Yes Chestnuts are "almost" extinct and I don't want to see Toli's ! ;( Great post Toli! I have never seen the telescope either, and there isn't a future in that. I love that trail - did you stop and have a beer at Port Clinton?


      Ummm, we r good on the first part brother :huh: ... I LUV that section WOO, if I only have a couple of days, that's aboot 30 miles of bliss... Since I moved here, I have done that prolly 10 times... I read a post in another thread, not sure who posted it, but they don't care for yo-yo's cuz they have already seen it, but as you know, just with Dan's Pulpit, it is WAY diff going over that NOBO then SOBO, just like Blood Mountain, when I lived in Dahlonega, up and over prolly 50 times, NOBO is a piece of cake, but SOBO is a diff animal... I have seen people inside the complex w/ their own telescopes set up, but not any of the 3 biggin's open... It was kinda cool... No beer, been thru there enough, lol...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      There were tons of acorns falling along the BMT on my hike to Whigg Meadow. I saw a few chestnuts too which was exciting. Chestnuts are extinct in the Smokies.


      where did the chestnuts come from if the chestnuts are extinct?


      I found the only one left!

      Seriously, they're gone from GSMNP, there are a few left in the Citico Creek Wilderness. I should have taken a picture, I may never see one again.


      Ouch... Don't they normally come in pairs??? :whistling:
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • In contrast to many journals, I had a good time hiking thru PA. For some reason my spirits were high. Aside from the nasty footing (rocks!!), the verticals are really trivial (by AT standards) so it's easy to make "big miles." Views were OK -- not up to White Mountain standards, but no more lame than, say, southern New England. Good of access to towns, etc. Enjoyed my lunch and beer in Port Clinton, a stay at "The PA Money Pit" near the 501 shelter, and of course an overnight stay at the Doyle. Hiking SOBO, I was very impressed with the view of the Susquehana River on the descent to Duncannon. (I wonder if NOBOs miss it, facing the wrong way?) I had Ironmasters Hostel to myself. Actually, I had a lot of shelters to myself. That's an advantage to hiking off-season.

    • Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      WiseOldOwl wrote:


      Nice article. I also read somewhere that it will take 75-100 years before we know whether the breeding programs will work.


      That's a long time to wait and find out you're doing it all wrong.


      ive always been comfortable doing it wrong. takes the stress out of trying to do it right.
      its all good

    • CoachLou wrote:

      The trout fishing in Penns Wood is mostly on the excellent side..............just for GP. :thumbup:

      The Trout fishing on the Creek I lived on in Dahlonega, Dick's Creek, and the one it flowed into, Waters Creek, are World Class fisheries... Caught 3 Rainbow's over 8lbs... I don't think I ever fished once that I did not hook up with at lest a 20 inch Brown or Rainbow Trout... Never took longer than 5 minutes to catch dinner :thumbsup:
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • Toli wrote:

      CoachLou wrote:

      The trout fishing in Penns Wood is mostly on the excellent side..............just for GP. :thumbup:

      The Trout fishing on the Creek I lived on in Dahlonega, Dick's Creek, and the one it flowed into, Waters Creek, are World Class fisheries... Caught 3 Rainbow's over 8lbs... I don't think I ever fished once that I did not hook up with at lest a 20 inch Brown or Rainbow Trout... Never took longer than 5 minutes to catch dinner :thumbsup:


      That makes it sound almost too easy.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

    • dukes and waters are managed trophy streams. dukes is catch and release only. waters has a limit of 1 a day and a total of 3 all season. minimum length of 22 inches to keep.

      i was fishing one of them years ago and saw a ranger in full camo hiding with binoculars making sure all of the various special rules and regs on these streams were followed by the fishermen.
      2,000 miler

    • max.patch wrote:

      dukes and waters are managed trophy streams. dukes is catch and release only. waters has a limit of 1 a day and a total of 3 all season. minimum length of 22 inches to keep.

      i was fishing one of them years ago and saw a ranger in full camo hiding with binoculars making sure all of the various special rules and regs on these streams were followed by the fishermen.


      Waters had soooo many rules, when I lived there, you could only fish Monday/Wednesday/Saturday, Fly rod only, barbless hook, #6 line only... I fished it once, and had all my gear checked TWICE in aboot 2 hours, by 2 different Rangers... There is also a fence across the Creek where it meets Dick's at the top of the Falls to keep the Trout in...
      1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

    • max.patch wrote:

      dukes and waters are managed trophy streams. dukes is catch and release only. waters has a limit of 1 a day and a total of 3 all season. minimum length of 22 inches to keep.

      i was fishing one of them years ago and saw a ranger in full camo hiding with binoculars making sure all of the various special rules and regs on these streams were followed by the fishermen.


      It is unfortunate to have such regulated water. I only fly with barb-less, and never take(unless deep in the Montana/Idaho wilderness). What I've found on the east coastis that the good water gets pounded and abused, and it's only in small spots, so the gendarme can and does police it heavely.
      I fish primarily 1 river in Pa. every year, I have fished many others, but I have NEVER been pulled over by the fish police. Nor out west for that matter.
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:

    • Toli wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      I am heading to PA to hike Harrisburg to DWG. I do not know how far I will get. I hope to be on the trail today.


      If you want some company, let me know, off early again this Thursday, all day Fri/Sat... Where do you think you will be??? I am deff headed out somewhere :D ...

      Sorry, I did not see your post until tonight. I spent 2 1/2 weeks hiking between the Cove Mountain and Kirkridge shelters. My LASH was Kirkridge to 183, with no resupply, except 3 ounces of denatured alcohol bummed at the Pinnacle. I ruined 1 shirt and 1 pair of pants, and lost a mesh bag with three pairs of socks. I avoided hiking in rain, except for a few drops near the Eckville shelter.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • WanderingStovie wrote:

      Toli wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      I am heading to PA to hike Harrisburg to DWG. I do not know how far I will get. I hope to be on the trail today.


      If you want some company, let me know, off early again this Thursday, all day Fri/Sat... Where do you think you will be??? I am deff headed out somewhere :D ...

      Sorry, I did not see your post until tonight. I spent 2 1/2 weeks hiking between the Cove Mountain and Kirkridge shelters. My LASH was Kirkridge to 183, with no resupply, except 3 ounces of denatured alcohol bummed at the Pinnacle. I ruined 1 shirt and 1 pair of pants, and lost a mesh bag with three pairs of socks. I avoided hiking in rain, except for a few drops near the Eckville shelter.


      wow!! how much food did you carry?
      its all good

    • hikerboy wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      Toli wrote:

      WanderingStovie wrote:

      I am heading to PA to hike Harrisburg to DWG. I do not know how far I will get. I hope to be on the trail today.


      If you want some company, let me know, off early again this Thursday, all day Fri/Sat... Where do you think you will be??? I am deff headed out somewhere :D ...

      Sorry, I did not see your post until tonight. I spent 2 1/2 weeks hiking between the Cove Mountain and Kirkridge shelters. My LASH was Kirkridge to 183, with no resupply, except 3 ounces of denatured alcohol bummed at the Pinnacle. I ruined 1 shirt and 1 pair of pants, and lost a mesh bag with three pairs of socks. I avoided hiking in rain, except for a few drops near the Eckville shelter.


      wow!! how much food did you carry?

      I filled a stuff sack for a 3 person tent with food, and stuffed three pounds of tortillas where the hydration bladder is supposed to go in my Osprey Exos 58. I probably exceeded the load limit for the pack, but without damaging the pack or myself.
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

    • My next opportunity for a long hike will be January, I'd like to start back at Harper's Ferry and do the next 400 or so miles north but I'm thinking PA in January may not be a good plan...any thoughts on that? My youngest son recently moved to CA and has sent me some photos of great trails there, he said there is an ocean trail he's planning to do, don't know how long it is but three weeks of beach hiking wouldn't be a bad alternative.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.