| Date | Distance | Time | Elevation Gain | Average Moving Time | Year to Date Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/30/2017 | 8.3 miles |
Map: Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, Sections 1 through 6, Delaware Water Gap to Swatara Gap
Parking: Smith Gap
Directions: Hike from Smith Gap parking area northbound to Leroy Smith Shelter. Return to parking lot. Hike south to Stempa Spring. Return to parking area.
The weather was not looking promising for hiking in the Catskills, so we headed south to Pennsylvania. We got lucky and had no rain. This is a long drive for us for only a short hike on the AT. We were excited to be hiking in cooler weather. Our last PA hike ended at the Leroy Smith shelter, so today we started at a parking lot just south of it and headed north. The trail was very flat but rocky. The hiking was easy from an energy/leg muscle perspective. We just had to stay very focused mentally on where we stepped. I don't think I fell once today! My trail runners finally died during this hike. They developed huge holes. I ended up wrapping duct tape around one of my shoes to hold it together. I am in love with my shoes (other than the fact that they don't last long), but they no longer make this model. So I've ordered 3 different models of trail runners to see if any of them work for me.
Unfortunately I developed a lot of hip pain again (same as last weekend). I figured I wouldn't because the trail was flat. I ended up taking Aleve after the hike, and again the next day. We saw a few hikers out for the day, many of them backpackers. When we got back to the parking lot, I felt like we hadn't quite done enough, so we hiked south a bit. I'm guessing we'll have to re-do the portion we hiked south, because its a better parking area than the next one down (Delps Spring side trail). With only 1 car and a long drive, the out & backs are a bit challenging to figure out parking here.
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| Parking area is just at the intersection of the road and a private road. At this spot the road turns into gravel on the south side. |
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| Map of the whole AT with a "You are here pin!" |
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| Really sad to get rid of these shoes. |
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