Adventure #26: The Appalachian Trail

April's hike is a DOOZY! This one has been in the works for a while, and I doubt that I'll ever have the gumption (or time) to hike the entire AT, but I'm definitely interested in seeing more! I'd love to hike sections through national parks (as I earn my badges, of course), and this would be a great excuse for me to get to a few states on the East Coast I haven't managed to visit just yet!

It was wonderful to visit Shannon and Tim (and Driver) and I'm definitely going to have to find time to head back that direction again soon (LOTS of historic sites run by the National Park Service in that area!). Packing for this trip was a fascinating adventure as well-- I've never had to fly with things like trekking poles, a fragile tent, and food for 5 days, so it certainly took some mental gymnastics!

Below is the journal I kept on the trail (45+ miles of trail in Pennsylvania) , and a few select pictures of my trip. Can't wait to get back in my tent again soon!

DAY ONE
We got off to a meandering start, after staying in one of the most strangely decorated Airbnbs I've ever experienced. There was a giant fish pillow, a taxidermy Canada Goose, and a fair number of skulls giving it a hunting lodge vibe in the middle of a quaint rural town in Pennsylvania. We had a spectacular breakfast at a tiny, cash-only Greasy Spoon, and listened to the locals talk about how new motors are "too environmentally friendly". The cook was so excited to see someone other than her regulars, that she offered us some spoons full of her creamed, chipped beef-- I think I'll pass next time, but I managed to politely choke it down.

We shuffled the cars around (so as to have a vehicle at the end) and hit the trail around 11:00 am. and plodded our way south. We stopped for a nice break around the Bear Rocks viewpoint, and really scrambled over the Knife's Edge ride, which required the use of all four limbs at times, and promised a quick end to our adventure if we weren't careful. We all sighed in relief when we were done with that section, particularly for Driver, the Springer Spaniel.

The trail is rocky, and it's often like working your way down a riverbed without the water. It makes for slow going, but at least my brain isn't bored! We reached the Allentown camp around 5:30, and claimed the shelter--a first for Shannon and Tim, as having Driver usually means they want to contain him in a tent, but we'd had the trail to ourselves, and decided to risk setting up in the shelter to avoid the hassle of setting up and breaking down the tents. IT was comfy, dry, and memorable, and much easier once Shannon, Tim, and Driver all decided to sleep on the floor together, instead of utilizing the bunk :)

A great first day on the AT!

"Strolling" along the Knife's Edge ridge!

Now that I know what they're called, I have an affinity for cadastrals. 

The Allentown Shelter was the perfect place to stay on night one!

DAY TWO
A leisurely start for day two was welcome as we struggled to put our packs on saddle-sore hips and shoulders. A local volunteer came up to camp to do some minor maintenance and check the log. Breakfast in the sun was great, and we refilled water at the slow trickling spring down the hill from camp. Said hello to a frog by the water, and then headed out for 7.4 miles along the trail.

The rocky trail continued, and the trail along the ridge gave good views of the valley below. The trees are mostly bare, and the trail is littered with last year's detritus--spring isn't here quite yet, despite the warm weather. We did encounter a brief thunderstorm that dropped just enough rain to make us grab our jackets. Glad I packed it!

The Eckville shelter is about 200 yards off the trail, and is right along the road we cross. It's on a property next to a cute house, and has a charging station, flushing toilet, and even a shower in the warm season! The property is owned by the National Park Service, and I'm sure it was donated to them for this exact purpose. A little strange to be so close to civilization, but definitely part of the adventure. WE'll be up and out early tomorrow for our longest day on the trail!

Good morning frog!

The Eckville Shelter and camping area is staffed by a volunteer who lives here. Note the AT Logo on the screen door!

DAY THREE
This chilly morning brought an alarm, a quick breakfast, a last visit to the flushie, and a climb out of the valley up another ridge. Temps had dropped to around freezing last night, and it was a struggle to get out of the cozy sleeping bag. While the climb pulled on our still-heavy packs, our muscles warmed up quickly and it felt really good to be hitting my stride. We took a nice long break at the Pinnacle, which offered beautiful views of the valley we'd just climbed out of, and then led us back down the other side through the local watershed area. While the viewpoints are nice, the trail has a strange deadness to it with the naked trees and leaf-strewn trail. It's strange to think of how many daffodils and cherry tree's I've seen at home, but very little liveliness here. We found a small patch of beautiful purple flowers at a shelter we weren't staying at as we attempted to use the privy (no luck) and filled our water for the night. The site we were headed to involved another sharp climb, and had a questionable water source (read: nonexistent), but Shannon and I made the most of it by singing a few choice Sigma Kappa songs. We finally found our wide spot on the trail, and plopped ourselves down after 12+ miles of hiking. Dinner was a quick and quiet affair, as even Driver began to show signs of exhaustion. We ate. We cleaned. We hung our food, and we are all in bed by 7:30. Tomorrow brings another long day, and probably some Aleve too.

The view (and "trail"), approaching the Pinnacle

A gorgeous day for a hike!

DAY FOUR
12 miles followed by another 12 miles is a lot of miles for just two feet...and even the four feet that Driver has. The day started with an early morning climb, followed by a steep drop into the small hamlet of Port Clinton. The sleepy town showed very little signs of life--eerily so: cars parked, drapes drawn, a lone dog barking, but not a single visible person. We finally turned a corner and found a hotel/restaurant willing to let us use their facilities and fill our water bottles as last night's spring had been unlocated (until we crossed it on the trail this morning, of course). After crossing a bridge, and a busy train yard, we had a STEEP climb back out of the town, and it was slow going. While I can usually find a good rhythm and slowly churn my way uphill on a smooth set of switchbacks, a straight shot up the hill with uneven stairs is exhausting and rhythmless, making me feel even more ineffective. Somehow, we all dug deep and climbed up for about a mile before finally leveling out. We took a long lunch break (read: nap) at the Auburn Lookout, and rested our roughed-up feet. Knowing we had about six miles to push on before camp, we continued the slog along the (seemingly drunkenly) meandering trail, commenting on the trail maker's lack of directional logic.

The trail would wind back and forth through an endless expanse of similar looking trees, before suddenly turning to bomb straight down a rock slide. I got a nice reminder that I'm much more effective when I fuel and hydrate myself properly--pushing on through our last bit we finally came to Eagle's Nest camp, scarfed our wonderfully warm dinners, and were in bed by 7:30 again. Long days, but definitely worth the memories made. Looking forward to a short hike in the morning, followed by milkshakes and a long shower!

Waiting for the train to move so we can start our climb out of Port Clinton

Some maps are clearer than others. 

DAY FIVE
Back to civilization today. The hike out was brief, and rather uneventful, with few stops along the trail for vistas or unique rock formations. It really begins to give a sense of scale for just how long and large this trail is. While I'm accustomed to day hikes that always give some sort of "reward" (waterfall, lake, overlook, etc.), it's a little greedy to think that EVERY day on the trail would be sprinkled with these beauties. While we were tentative to voice our concerns about whether or not the car would still be there, we all heaved a sigh of relief when we saw the car, patiently wating for our return, still in the parking lot after five days of being "abandoned". After driving back to our trailhead, and sending Tim off to Gamblepalooza, Shannon, Driver, and I set out for Alexandria. We stopped for burgers at Wendy's, and ice cream at a nearby KOA Kampground, and ate in the car in an attempt to not offend people with our trail-made scent. The evening was spent with shampoo, laundry, and a little Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Hulu. An excellent (and relaxing) end to a really spectacular trip. It's definitely not an easy journey out here, but I'm already looking forward to my next section of the AT!

Seeing blazes and the AT Logo is always like a little encouragement. "Keep going friend! You're going the right way!"

WENDYS!

BONUS HIKES!
I spent a weekend with a few friends out in a cabin near Crystal Mountain. We hiked up to Goat Falls one gorgeous sunny/snowy morning, and it was magical. It's one of those places that makes you understand why people fall in love with the Pacific Northwest. Lush, and green, and full of water--we couldn't have asked for a better morning!

I also did a training hike up Mt. Si with Christina--one of the women I'll be climbing Rainier with this summer! We met Margo on her way down too. Mt. Si was not a new hike for either of us, but it was a great evening, and a fantastic way to connect with a new friend before summiting THE BIG ONE in July!