AT – PA Pine Grove Furnace SP to Trindle Road

March 16, 2014

Two days and a night at Milesburn cabin with the Trail Dames? Oh, Let’s go! 🙂

Trail Dames Maryland had rented Milesburn cabin, a PATC cabin, in Michaux State Forest for the weekend. I had signed on for Friday and Saturday with planned hikes on the AT each day.

So north on 15, west on 34…oh did I mention it rained for a day and night before I headed up this way? Yeah, ten minutes after getting on 34 the road was flooded out, completely impassable. Had to turn around and find another route to Pine Grove. By the time I got to the park, I was itching to get out of the car.

Pulling up to the Pine Grove Furnace store, home of the “half gallon challenge” for thru hikers, I see Dirigo, Python, Tenacious D, B^2 and Google waiting for me. There was the initial flurry of confusion, running to the AT museum to use the bathroom, finding out the AT is under water near the lake…then we were on the road again…shuttling up to Rt. 94 to begin our hike back to Pine Grove Furnace (PGF).

Dirigo pulled over by the lake to show us the flooded AT. Yes, the AT was under about 2 feet of water meaning there would be a 2.8 mile stretch we would not be able to hike today. 😦

Water was the main course of the day, but Google & I did as much of the section as possible starting at Sheet Iron Roof Road south to Pole Steeple (2.8 miles short of the AT Museum at Pine Grove Furnace SP).

We ran into a thru hiker named “Harlan” along the way and at just the right time. Google and I had already had one small stream crossing, when we were faced with a much bigger, much faster, much deeper stream. Well, we had just about decided to wade across (in our bare feet) when Harlan and his buddy came along. Harlan had just made it across the stream getting a little wet and decided a bridge needed to be built. He was like a superhero! Gawd, the logs this guy was picking up and hauling into the stream were gargantuan! We appreciated his contribution to our cause!

As we talked with him and his buddy, we came to find out that he is thru hiking in memory of his friend, veteran Christopher Harlan, who passed away last year after returning from active duty. He has a facebook page “Hike4Survivors” and is seeking donations for his cause. Please check it out and donate if you are able and willing. https://www.facebook.com/Hike4Survivors

: Starting south from Iron Sheet Roof Road

: Who doesn’t like RR crossings?!

: Thru Hiker “Harlan” building a bridge.

: Ahhh yeah!

: Harlan telling us how he got his trail name and his charity “Hike4Survivors”

: Google crossing Harlan’s bridge!

: After we crossed, Harlan decided the bridge still wasn’t sturdy enough. So he added another log!

: Thankfully, the next water crossing had a bridge!

: The AT! A little sloppy today!

: Google & her reflection on the AT

: The view from Pole Steeple…not so sad we had to come this way!

: Another view from Pole Steeple. Gorgeous day after the rain.

May 17, 2014

Saturday’s hike was from Sheet Iron Roof Road to Boiling Springs. This hike took us through a really cool rock jumble and then entered farm fields before cutting back into Boiling Springs. Another fabulous weather day and we felt so good once we got to Boiling Springs that Google, Bag Lady, L and I decided to do 4 more miles to Trindle Road. This would make the first day of my back pack with Google the following weekend 4 miles shorter…yay!

The terrain through the Cumberland Valley is easy walking and just gorgeous. I wouldn’t want to be out here on a hot summer day, but on this cool, breezy sunny day…oh, just perfect!