I did a nice out and back 7.5 mile hike today from Lehigh Gap in PA. It jumped up 1,000 feet at the beginning, with some fun climbing, then followed a grassy ridge line for a few miles, and went through a barren area of the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund site. We stopped right before the powerline cut where there was a nice campsite with a breeze and plenty of trees for shade. It was a great rest spot, and lunch of avocado, cheddar, and crackers was delicious.
Then it was back down the way we came when we finally ran into some thru hikers to give trail magic fruit to. We went down the Winter Trail at the end instead of the Appalachian Trail. There were plenty of flowers and wineberries but the highlight of the hike was when we saw a fawn. I suddenly spotted it running down the trail about twenty feet in front of me and tried to get my camera out quickly before it was out of sight. Then it turned around and came running at us! In trying to get out of its way, my pictures were all off. Poor thing didn’t know what to do about us and kept looking around for its mom.
It was a hot day but a beautiful hike!
Did you use the original AT at the ridgeline, or the rerouted AT further down the mountain. I’ve always preferred the original, but I’m worried that it will become overgrown as the mountain itself recovers from the pollution. I like to go all the way to the powerline, because there is a great rock outcropping there for eating lunch and turning around. Haven’t done it this year. Will be trying it over Columbus Day weekend. Hope I can still find the original trail.
We were on the current AT, so the reroute I guess. I did see the entrance to the original but it’s very overgrown. I did not walk along it at all to explore more. The reroute does go to a powerline though.