My Hiking Life: Wet and Rocky

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Wet and Rocky

Day: 91
Start: 1164.9
End: 1186.9
Miles: 22
Hours: 11
High temp: 79
Low temp: 57
Thru hikers met: 0

Rocky road

The soft tapping of rain drops is the first thing I hear as I wake. A break in the rain happens allowing me to pack up and get on the trail by 0615 hrs. I ascend a 3 mile section first thing. Climbing is always easier in the morning when I'm fresh and the air is cool. Once on top I hear the thunder which ushers in some serious rain. The tread has intermittent rocky sections, really a lot more than I've had to deal with at one time on any part of the trail. The rain finally lets up about 1000 hrs. There is a detour because of work on a bridge. The detour sends me to the stream and some very big rocks so I can easily cross.

I find a sunny area where I can rest, gather water and dry my rain fly. It takes about an hour to get it dry, then I'm on the trail about 1200 hrs.

I briefly exit the forest into a nice open field. A small troop of boy scouts are hiking towards me. I pull over to let them go by, wishing the a great hike.

Surprising how warm it is outside the forest

I arrive at another stream with a downed tree as the crossing.

Convenient the tree fell here

I'm approaching interstate 81 the noise is loud, drowning out the subtle sounds of the forest. I have an interesting crossing on a nicely preserved steel bridge. Then I follow the trail under interstate 81 and up a 2 mile climb.

Crosses the Swatara River

The climb is in the forest shade but the humidity is up from this mornings rain and the temperature is 78. Needless to say I was pretty sweaty when I got to the top. I want to do a few more miles to end up at a lookout and hopefully get s camp site by myself. On the way I have to cross a jumble of rocks relying on the white blaze for direction because there isn't a trail.