AT in PA Day Hike

“I will be heading up to PA this Friday for a few days, and while we will be having a Christmas Dinner Sunday, that leaves me Saturday and Monday to do some hiking.

The want to do about 15 miles each day.

Sections to choose from would be"

PA 183 - Port Clinton
and then pretty much anything North of Lehigh Gap..

If anyone wants to do the PA 183 - Port CLinton Hike we should do that Saturday, as the Port Clinton Hotel will be closed Monday.

If no one is interested, I'll do some kind of uut and back from either Lehigh Gap or Little Gap.

'32oz”

“I can shuttle you between 183 & PC on Saturday.

Wear lots of orange. It's still hunting season and most hunters aren't smart enough to know that deer bed down during the day so they're out there.”

“Thanks, I will definately keep that in mind..
can you do the hike as well, or if not I'll buy you dinner at PC Hotel..

'32oz”

“I think that it is only legal to hunt deer during daylight hours, so that also might be a reason hunters are out during the day hunting.”

“True, but smart hunters know that they probably aren't going to see anything to shoot between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

32--

Not sure what's on my schedule for Saturday yet. email me and I'll send you my cell number.

jungleboy54@juno.com”

“I can day hike Saturday or Sunday. I have a x-mas party Saturday night to go to.

Or......

Just stop by for a beer - your close enough.”

“I can hike 183-PC with you on Sat. Mon is no good.

I have to be at ritual pre-dawn on Sun. Solstice, yo!”

“Ummmmm....blessing the fields ???”

“I wish...nay. That's a spring/no snow/no frostbite activity.”

“Hey 32oz, this looks like one I'd be interested in 183-PC on Sat too. Just so I'm not avoiding ya and all that.

Here's a link with some info:
http://www.cnyhiking.com/AT%20in%20PA%20-%20Port%20Clinton.htm”

“Super.. It looks like a PA 183 - Port Clinton Hike on Saurday..

I'm thinking a little grub at the PC hotel afterwards..

What is the Parking Sitiation Like in Port CLinton? We can drop cars there and then head to PA 183..

'32oz”

“Lots of parking there.

What time?”

“You have the longest drive.. What's good for you.. do you want to meet somewhere and carpool?

'32oz”

“I think the car is ok for that drive.

183-PC is a 14 mile day, isn't it? Meet around 8:30am?”

“Yeah 14 rocky even miles...

8:30 it is...

We will be done and have eaten in time to catch the late bowl games
So far it looks like:

'32oz
spindle
CP
Cocohead..

Any other takers?

'32oz”

“I might be able to go.”

“http://www.portclintonhotel.net/sandwiches.htm

Tasting it already...

'32oz”

“8:30am. Be there or be square!”

“Damn, prices went up!”

“OK 8:30 Sat at PC hotel then”

“Actually, we should meet at the parking area by the tracks. Food after.”

“I must have this recipe if ya'll are going to go bragging on eating at the PC Hotel!

Cheese Steak Special (American Cheese, Hot & Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions, Sauce)

I'll need to know what they put in their SAUCE!

Please. :D

kthanx”

“Can't go on this one, but if someone could find me a heart shaped rock for my rock garden, that would be good. I forgot to get one when I was there last.

You PA peeps wouldn't mind giving up a rock right?”

“Sorry CD that would be against my 'Leave No Trace Ethics'...

Remember.. Take only pictures, leave only footprints, drink only Yuengling...

'32oz”

“I'll try to pry it out of them...

They also have perogies....

oh boy..!>!>!>!>!>!”

“I've never been to the PC Hotel. I kinda like the CP Hotel. Good eats and lodging, and the best part is it's FREE. The locals suck at pool though.”

“a little snow would be nice..

http://weather.msn.com/local.aspx?wealocations=wc:USPA1314&q=Port+Clinton%2c+PA”

“Poor Pennsy. You need more practice is all.

The PC Hotel doesn't have a pool table, so you won't get beat by a girl again this trip.

Heart shaped rock for CD, check!

I'm changing my status to a maybe for this...woke up with the flu today. Even my eyelashes hurt, and thinking about hiking is making me want to cry. We'll see come Fri nite.”

“Hope you are feeling better soon...

There is nothing like freezing temperatures to kill flu germs...

'32oz”

“Thanks.

*sob*

Come make me soup? I tried the freezing temps thing. Not so good.”

“How about a little hot chocolate with freeze dried ice cream and Khalua?

'32oz”

“Bring that by tomorrow? Sweet. :)

FYI...NOAA says the Hamburg area will be getting 3-7 or more inches of snow/sleet/nasty goo tomorrow.

I'm bailing. Yes indeed. A trip to my third floor gear room made me all swoony and passing out around you people would only get me groped. I'd rather be conscious if there's groping happening so I could enjoy it, thanks.

Sorry. :( One of the next times.”

“Is this hike still on?”

“I was going to wait until later this afternoon to see what was up..

I am still planning on doing a hike..

If you all want to do this one I'm game.

If you aren't I will probably do something further north...

I'll email my cell phone number to you all, and if you decide to bail after I leave here at 1:00 you can call me...

'32oz”

“I'm still interested in going, I sent ya my cell phone number 32oz.”

“Thanks cocahead.. I will see you in the morning..

Same plan.. Parking lot at 8:30..

CrazyPace, you in? Haven't heard from you in awhile.. Must be givig a lot of discounts out down there...

'32oz”

“Not sure if I can make it with the snow. If the roads improve, I'll try to get down there. If not, have fun.”

“The precip has tapered off for now. There's about two-three inches of sleet here right now and a lot of standing water. If the temps drop you'll have some good ice and crampons will get you through. If not then the hiking will really suck. Have fun.”

“320z and I met up at the parking lot by the RR tracks in Port Clinton Sat morning. We waited a few minutes for JMitch, and then headed out to the Rt 183 trailhead. As we neared the gamelands parking lot, traffic was stopped due to a downed tree across the road. Luckily someone had a bow saw and was removing the lower branches. Within a short time, we were just able to sneak under the tree, and continue to the parking lot. We would run into many other low hanging branches throughout the day.

We parked at the lot and I asked 32oz if he had any spikes or yacktracks of even poles. He had none. I put on my microspikes and gave him my poles, which he proceeded to carry and not use most of the 14 miles.

The trail was coated with 2-3 inches of snow and ice, but there was a little texture to the surface, so it wasn't a total skating rink. For some reason 32oz let me go first, and I tried to kick some steps in on the steeper sections. We made good time, cause the snow and ice had filled in nicely around all the pointy sharp rocks. It was almost like it was paved. The scenery was beautiful, with lots of ice covered trees, however, we had to do a lot of ducking and manuvering to get around all the obstructions on the trail. Lots of low hanging branches and such.

We made good time reaching the shelter in a little over 2 hours. 32oz wisely decided to stop at the icy ravine, while I continued another 100yds on to the shelter for lunch. After lunch we pushed on to the viewpoint. stopping 5 minutes for a quick break. Then it was another 3-4 miles and the steep icy descent into Port Clinton. The trail drops 1000' in a half mile, and it was ice covered. I expected to see 32oz come sliding down and knock me over, but somehow he made it down without embarassing himself.

We made it back to the car by 3PM, having started at 9AM, not a bad day at all.

I'll let 32oz tell about the locals at the Port Clinton Hotel and about trying to get the bartender to give up the ingredients for the secret sauce used on the cheese steaks.

Oh and they do have big portions!”

“Glad you had a good hike. The roads were bad up here.”

“Wow was this hike really THAT long ago?

I will have the pictures down loaded tonight or tomorrow but I felt like I needed to save a little face and tell my side of the story...

Cocohead pretty much nailed everything.. part of the reason for my unpreparedness was the fact that my poles were in Tenn, having been left there on my last hike with Mocs...

For the most part the trail wasn't bad, however I did have to skip hiking to the shelter as the trail leading to it was pretty much a sheet of ice...

For the most part the trail was easy, the snow having filled in all of the spaces between the rocks. We set a great pace.

The area was gorgeous, as the freezing rain had coated everything with a layer of ice. On the one occasion where we encountered a steep uphill coated with ice, I was able to bushwhack up the sides of the trail where the footing was easy.

The trail down to Port Clinton was dicey, but doable, and I believe we got there at 2:30.

As for me letting Coco lead, I pretty much always pull up the rear of the group as I am usually stopping to take pictures any way. Also, I was asked to get some shots for the Private TT'ers Tight Tushes Thread, as they were lacking shots of Cocoa's posterior. (I hope that you liked them).

Arriving in Port Clinton we headed to the Port Clinton Hotel where I order the Cajun Fries, Yuengling and the infamous Philly Cheese Steak. The bartender wasn't the most talkative gent in the world, but he did fill me in on the secret sauce recipe... I swore on my life not to divulge it, but I can tell you this......









...it's sweetened spaghetti sauce....




As cocohead and I consumed massive quantities of food a gentleman joined us at the bar. Come to find out, he was from Arkansas and was working at the local Outfitters....

After chatting with him for a bit we headed next store to the peanut shop where we bought a bunch of sweets. We then said our goodbyes....

All in all an awesome hike....

Pictures coming tonight...

'32oz
last edited: 1/05/09 7:50:55 AM”

“here they are

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/569541378CyyGpi

'32oz”

“Nice pics 32oz, That was a beautiful day with all the ice on the branches.

I forgot about the snowy views down the fire roads, really was a postcard type setting.

LOL about the unfriendly bartender!
We were taking up seats reserved for the locals!

Now to finish the next section......”

“Great pix. I love photographing ice-coated twigs and branches.

If you order a Philly cheese steak in Philly, you won't get anything. In Philly you order a cheese steak wid (South Philly for with), which means a cheese steak with sauce. Sauce is basically pizza or spaghetti sauce, cooked and season the Italian way. It is all served on an Amoroso's roll that has had the inner bread removed to accomodate the hefty steak, cheese, and sauce.

You can order a cheese steak wid with other things: onions, mushrooms, hot or sweet peppers.

Some steak houses use Cheese Whiz. Provolone is the other favorite.

"Philly cheese steaks" are sold outside Philly, but they are usually pale imitations that Philadelphians pass up. We're not food snobs, but we stick to our cheese steaks wid or widout and our hoagies.”

“Geo.. The item I ordered was the Cheese Steak Special... I'm not even sure if they had a Philly Cheese steak on the menu...

The darn thing sure was good!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to get up there again..

'32oz”

“Alright then Geo is it Pats, or Geno's?”