Transcript Weekend Hikes and Equipment Guide to backpacking along the Appalachian

Weekend Hikes and Equipment
Guide to backpacking along the Appalachian
Trail in eastern PA and NJ
March 10, 2007
Hal Wright
Allentown Hiking Club Volunteer
Appalachian Trail Conservancy Volunteer
[email protected]
Why go into the woods?
Do you want to put the boys into the
woods, or…
Do you want to put the woods into the
boys?
• Connecting with nature
• Working as a team
• Unplugging
• Planning
Why backpack?
vs. day hiking, backpacking is more:
• Intense
• Complex
• Immersive
• Physically demanding
• Memorable
The Appalachian Trail in
PA/NJ
• Ridge walks with steep climbs /
descents at gaps
• Rocky terrain
• Inspiring views
• Backwoods; not a wilderness
experience
• Easy access from major highways
• Long-distance hikers
Appalachian Trail
1. Allentown Shelter
• South on AT: Hawk Mountain Road, Eckville
(8.5 miles)
steep ascent from Eckville going north
• North on AT: PA 309 (4 miles)
• Many tent sites, privy
• Spring 1200 feet down hill
• Campsite at Eckville
• Views: Dan’s Pulpit, Balanced Rock, Tri-County
Corner (all south of shelter)
• New Tripoli campsite (two miles north of PA
309)
Allentown Shelter
2. Windsor Furnace Shelter
• South on AT: Route 61, Port Clinton (6 miles)
• North on AT: Hawk Mountain Road, Eckville
(8.5 miles)
• Only 1/4 mile from a parking lot / road access,
but no overnight parking
• Tent sites, privy
• Spring very near shelter
• Alternate routes: blue-blaze past Hamburg
reservoir
• Views: Pinnacle, Pulpit Rock (north of shelter)
Pinnacle / Devil’s Pulpit
3. Eagle’s Nest Shelter
• South on AT: PA 183 (6 miles)
• North on AT: PA 61, Port Clinton (8 miles)
very steep ascent from Port Clinton going
south
• Many tent sites, privy
• Stream runs across the trail to the shelter
• Alternate routes: Sand Spring Trail, Tom Lowe
Trail, gamelands fire road (all ascend to ridge
from gamelands parking lot near Shartlesville)
• Views: Limited view behind shelter, Eagle’s
Nest (1.2 miles on side trail)
Eagle’s Nest Shelter Area
4. William Penn Shelter
• South on AT: Swatara Gap (8 miles)
ascent going north from Swatara Gap
• North on AT: PA 645 (2 miles), PA 501 (4
miles)
• Many tent sites and spring on opposite
side of ridge, privy
• Shelter with caretaker at route 501
• Views: Fisher lookout, Kimmel lookout
(both north of shelter)
5. Rausch Gap Shelter
• South on AT: PA 325 (11 miles)
• North on AT: PA 443/72 (5 miles)
ascents from both directions
• Spring at front of shelter, privy, tent sites
nearby
• Alternate routes: Rail trail at base of ridge,
many connecting trails to AT
• St. Anthony’s wilderness: Ridge walk on old
coach road (south of shelter)
• Many remnants of settlement that once
occupied this area
6. Delaware Water Gap:
Backpacker Site
• South on AT: I-80, recreation area information
center (3.5 miles)
• North on AT: Millbrook-Blairsville Rd (9 miles)
• Privy, no water (water from Sunfish Pond 0.5
miles north), no fires
• Alternate routes: Red and blue dot trails up Mt.
Tammany, Dunnfield Creek Trail, Douglas Trail
to developed campground with group sites on
Delaware River
Delaware Water Gap
7. Mashipacong Shelter /
High Point State Park
• South on AT: NJ 206, Stokes State Forest (9
miles)
• North on AT: NJ 23, High Point State Park
• State-Park privy, no water (leave water at
Deckertown Turnpike), some tent sites, no fires
• Possible use of High Point shelter for trip into
park
• Alternate route: Iris Trail from NJ 23
• Views: Sunrise Mountain (to the south),
numerous beautiful views on trail to High Point
State Park, High Point monument
Mashipacong Shelter Area
Maintenance Clubs
• Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club
(BMECC)
http://www.bmecc.org/
• Allentown Hiking Club (AHC)
http://www.allentownhikingclub.org/
• New York/New Jersey Trail Conference
http://www.nynjtc.org/
Appalachian Trail Maps
• Appalachian Trail Store
http://www.atctrailstore.org/
• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
http://www.hawkmountain.org/default.shtml
• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Information Center (DWG NRA)
http://www.nps.gov/dewa/index.htm
Backpacking Gear
• You cannot lead effectively unless you
are fit, comfortable and safe from the
elements.
• The boys will not optimize their gear.
You must optimize yours.
“What’s In Your Pack?”
Big Gear Decisions
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Pack: Internal frame, external frame, ultralight
Shelter: Tent vs. tarp vs. hammock
Sleeping bag: Synthetic vs. down
Stove: White gas, propane - butane / alcohol,
Esbit, Zip
• Food: Supermarket vs. specialized backpacker
foods
• Footwear: High, heavy boots vs. low trail shoes
vs. trail runners
• Rainwear: High-tech shell / suit, cheaper
rubberized suit, poncho, nothing!?
Pack and Shelter
Pack
• pack: keep it light!
• pack cover
• pack liner, 2-mil construction garbage bag: eliminates need for large
stuff sacks
Shelter
• tent or tarp or hammock
• sleeping bag: designed for backpacking, down or synthetic, 0° or 20° or
35°
• ground cover: use cheap plastic drop cloth over expensive custom
footprint
• sleeping pad for tent or tarp: Thermarest or Z-rest (3/4 length,
backpacker model)
Ground cover and pad not needed for hammock.
Tarp lets you keep an eye on what’s happening in camp.
Water
Storage
• Favor simple reused plastic bottles over Nalgenes (much lighter)
• Drink bladder with hydration tube
Purification choices
• Iodine
• Chlorine
• Filter pump
• In-line filter
• New method: UV (expensive)
How much?
• Minimum safe quantity
• For me: One quart while walking (winter), two quart while walking
(summer)
Food Preparation and
Storage
Food
• Group cook stove: most Scouts use larger white gas or propane/butane
backpacker stove.
Individual choices: white gas (four season), propane/butane (Jet Boil),
alcohol, Esbit, Zip
• Pot and/or pan: stainless or aluminum or titanium
• Windscreen: can be purchased or just use aluminum foil or disposable
cooking tray to make
• Lighter
• Bear bag w/50 ft line and carabiner
• Food: about 1 – 1.5 pounds per day, repackage in Ziploc bags where
appropriate
• Insulated mug (winter)
• Spoon, plastic (can cut handle to save weight) or “Spork”
• Sponge / scrubber (optional)
• Paper towels (10), in plastic bag
Clothes
Clothing
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Sturdy shoes
Gaitors: full or half or quarter
Gloves (cold)
Knit cap (cold) or lightweight for
sun protection (warm)
Thermal underwear (cold)
Jacket or vest, fleece (cold
/moderate)
fleece pants (cold) or thin pants
like for running (moderate)
Pants, zipouts (moderate) or shorts
(warm)
rain pants (breathable ideally)
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Shell: waterproof (breathable
ideally, for cold / moderate
weather, or simple rain jacket for
warm)
Sandals: flip flops or Tevas
Shirt: cotton polyester, breathable
Socks w/ liners
Bandana
Pillow case (used to store clothes
during the day)
Layers!
No Cotton!
Comfort / Personal Items
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Toilet
toilet paper / hand lotion kit, snow stake for cat hole
Civilization
sleeve with money, ID, keys, cards
Comfort Kit (easy to access)
Gold Bond, insect repellant (summer), sunscreen, Cort-Aid, Benedryl
cream, ChapStick, Ibuprofin (keep handy)
Evening Kit
toothpaste, toothpaste, floss, Alleve, Benadryl, Q-tips, glasses or contact
supplies, headlamp, “Photon”
First Aid
gauze pads, gauze rolls, bandaids, swabs, Orajel, adhesive tape,
abdominal pads, Advanced Care strips (Compeed), vaseline, safety pin,
ace bandage, neosporin
Miscellaneous
Supplies
• pocket knife , compass, whistle
• duct tape (wrapped on something round)
• guidebook (copy pages to save weight), map
• sunglasses
• trekking poles
• pen or pencil, notebook, book or puzzles
• camera, cell phone
• watch
• additional parachute cord, 50 ft
• plastic bags and mesh bag for organization
• spare parts kit: matches, batteries, extra lighter or matches
Shelter
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Best Practices / Etiquette
• Leave no trace
• Repackage food to
reduce trash
• Hang food
• Avoid using the
shelter to sleep - bring
tarps or tents for all
• Limit group size to ten
or fewer
• Restrict cell phone /
iPod use
• Keep fires small - no
fires in New Jersey
• No cotton clothes /
stay dry
• Minimize pack weight
• Wear orange during
hunting season
• Respect “hiker
midnight”
Additional Hints
• Don’t cook too much food - there is no good
way to dispose of it.
• Leave hatchets and saws at home.
• Designate a “sweep” - someone responsible to
stay at the back of the group.
See you on the trail!