PA Trip Soon?

““Do you guys have anything going on for the long New Years weekend?”
lost soul

I've got nothing yet. Weather permitting I'm headiong up to Buffalo for a few days after Christmas, but I was thinking about trying to grab a quick overnighter on the way back. I'll be passing right through/near some prime NY and PA backpacking country”

“I may be up for something Lostsoul. How about something in the Cats?”

“jmitch, you said you want to do Hawk Mtn Road (Eckville) to Lehigh Gap? I think that is just over 25 miles, but mostly ridge walking, only one climb (from Hawk Mtn Road) and a couple good vistas along the way. If we got an early start, it'd be totally doable. Long day though. We could also cut a few miles off by finishing at Bake Oven Knob Rd.

Not sure a good place to eat in that area.”

“Not sure a good place to eat in that area.”

"Crazypace Cafe" LOL. Just show up on his porch I hear he has a place in his heart for lost and hungry hikers.”

“ENS,

sounds like a plan.”

“Jackstraw
I've never been there, but I'm up for it. Did you have something in mind?”

“Yeah, Maybe one or two peaks. some snow shoing. I have friday through Monday off and could easily swing a two nighter. No specific peaks yet. I will check my maps and try and get a trip posted by tomorrow.

It doesn't look like they are forcasting any snow so It may just be hiking.”

“jmitch. We should get an early start Sunday. Can you meet up at 8-830am?”

“Hey Harry, maybe you guys can do the entire Devils Path as a three day trip.

Arrive Thursday night and hike 1 mile into the Devil's Kitchen leanto. (there is a Waterfall near this leanto)

Friday hike to Mink Hollow Leanto (between Sugar Loaf and Plateau)

Saturday hike to Diamond Notch Lean-to.

sunday Finish Hike at end of DP.

Maybe you can then camp somewhere else Sunday night and do a small hike on Monday before heading home.

I probably won't be able to go though.
last edited: 12/12/06 5:56:49 PM”

“Sounds Awesome. I'll consider it.”

“that'll get you:

Indian Head
Twin
Sugarloaf
Plateau
Hunter (you already did)
SW Hunter (side trip bushwhack)
West Kill”

“Sunday night you could hike into the Batavia Kill Lean-to and then hike up over the Blackhead Range on Monday.

That would get you:
Blackhead
Black Dome
Thomas Cole.”

“Sounds good I'll try to get to REI and pick up a map this weekend. I may have to work that Friday, not sure yet.”

“heh heh, ENS is gonna kill you yet, soul man.


Now...... wa happened to the nice hilly hike that was planned for Sunday?”

“Sorry I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Pennsy I need a butt kick'n every now and then.”

“jmitch is section hiking the AT in PA, so we made it a 25 miler instead. Still, the climb out of Eckville is no slouch. There could be a few speed bumps along the way.

Where is that Crazypace, or did he switch his name to crazyscrambler?”

“actually, the Devils Path trip I proposed isn't so bad.”

“ls - nah, I didn't mean he'd kill you for hijacking the thread. I meant he keeps trying to get you killed on the trail ala the BFT etc..
Besides - this thread is for anybody's hike in Pa and since your post was about ...... NEW YORK! Hey! You did hijack the thread. OUT I say!!

The CrazyOne is taking a 4 hour class tonight at NCCC about auto emissions. I'm sure he's very excited right about now.”

“I'm going (head hung in shame) can I still call myself a bonehead?”

“ENS- think we can do all 26 miles with the shorter days? We'll have about 8 hours of daylight, which means a pace of almost 5 mph.”

“I think we could do it. It's rocky through there. I think we'd need to be shuttled and hiking by 8. We could also shorten the hike by finishing at Bake Oven Knob Road.”

“Maybe shorten it to PA 309? what's that mileage?”

“that's less than 12 miles.”

“Eckville to Lehigh Gap is 20 miles.
Eckville to Bake Oven is about 16 miles.
Eckville to 309 is just under 12 miles.

Add about a mile if you're starting from the SGL parking area rather than Hawk Mountain Rd.

A good 'lunch' spot is the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant @ 309. If you stop there then it will be perfect. If you keep going you'll walk right past it, literally. Good food and cold beer.”

“Eckville to Lehigh Gap is only 20 miles? Sounds a little short.

ENS- if so, lets do the whole thing.”

“That's Lehigh Furnace Gap. Not the Lehigh River. It's another 5 mies to the river.
last edited: 12/13/06 12:10:48 PM”

“yeah, it's a 26 mile day hike. If we started at 8am and hiked 3-4 miles an hour, we'd finish before dark. It'd be an ass kicker.”

“Hey lostsoul email me @ the addy in my profile.”

“ENS- think we can do all 26 miles with the shorter days? We'll have about 8 hours of daylight, which means a pace of almost 5 mph.”
jmitch
8:31:40 AM
12/13/06
BWAH-HAH-HAH!!!!!

Did I miss something or are the mountains moving out of state very soon?!?

last edited: 12/13/06 4:34:23 PM”

“NG-

How's the Lehigh Furnace Gap road to the ridge?

Might want to start there instead, ENS.”

“I've never beem on that road, but even if it's seasonal it should be fine. There hasn't been any bad weather yet.”

“is there a plan yet on this lil ole stroll?”

“my suggestion is Eckville Rd to Bake Oven Knob Rd. That's a good 15 mile hike with a nice climb as well.”

“Eckville to Bake Oven would be a nice hike with a drunken lunch at 309, about 3/4 of the way through ;-)”

“I'm thinking meet up at 830 and hike by 9am on Sunday”

“Meet at Eckville at 8:30? That means we'll start at Bake Oven Rd.

Let's meet at the parking area in the game lands, not Hawk Mtn Rd.”

“So, is that official, meet at the gamelands lot at 8:30?”

“yeah, that's a good plan. Sunday”

“Where oh where was Jmitch today? We waited until 9:30 for you bud, so I hope things are ok and you just overslept or got lost or something not serious. EarthNsky and I drove off to Bake Oven road and hiked back to Eckville, an 18 mile stretch of rock hell. It was a beautiful day to be out, but dang, those rocks hurt da feet. Crazypace and the wonderdog Chase, joined us at Dan's Pulpit and finished the hike with us.”

“twas a good day for hiking, but my feet too are paying the rocky price. The weather could not have been better for hiking. It had to be in the low sixties. Didn't feel at all like mid-December.”

“You guys live in PA. You planned a legthy dayhike on the AT in PA, north of Port Clinton. And now you're surprised that your feet hurt? That's like drinking 5 Blithering Idiots and being shocked when you discover that you're drunk!

It was a great day for a hike though, and I'll bet you had lots of open views from the ridge.”

“the views were decent all along the length of the ridge, especially from Dan's Pulpit.”

“Ooops, my fault. I'm not too bright. I guess I should read more closely. I did go....on Saturday.

Like you Pennsy, I was at Eckville, waited, drove to Bake Oven, and hiked about 11 miles. Awesome weather.

I should get a cell phone.

Yesterday, I went hiking in the game lands near my house that are high on the plateau, I've been scouting some awesome trails that lead to waterfalls and incredibly deep spruce and hemlock forests, and these expansive rocky barrens with beautiful views of the sky. Some of the spruce trees have flagging from the wind. It looks like Canada. Complete wilderness. The streams are filled with boulders and cascades.”

“This weather is just too freaky. Great temps for hiking and the trail sure is dry, but please... Santa... How about some #&%!$ing snow!!!”

“Can anyone tell me the Milage (roughly)from the Lake Lenape trail head (DWG) to the Kirkridge Shelter/Nelsons Overlook area?”

“I think it is 5-6 miles.”

“Thanks ENS, it's not as long as I thought, but it might make a good quick winter trip. Climbing Minsi in the snow could be fun.”

“I've been up that hill in the cooler months and it get's pretty icey. Be careful, eh?”

“that is probably my favorite section on the PA AT. I love the view from Lunch Rocks.”