Hiking the Appalachian TrailDate: September 2, 2011
Total Distance: 10.23 miles
Tiime to Completion: 4:57 (hr:min)
Elevation Gain: 955 feet
Configuration: Loop
Terrain: single and multi-track; dirt and gravel.
Difficulty: moderate with some rock scrambling;
Almost every hiker wants to step foot on the Appalachian Trail (AT) at some point, and on September 2, 2011, Hiking with Impunity hiked a small section.
In planning our Labor Day weekend hike, we looked for somewhere not only close-by, but a place that would offer us a challenge, both physically and mentally. Thumbing through AMC's Guide to the Best Day Hikes Near Philadelphia, by Susan Charkes, one hike kept catching our eyes: The Pinnacle and the Pulpit. Initially, we felt that we wouldn't be ready - you hear so many stories of what it's like to hike the AT, that a beginner hiker could second-guess themselves out of doing it. Then you read how the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is launching Family Hiking Day (on September 24th if you are interested), and you read stories of people of all ages and capabilities who have hiked it. That's when you think: maybe I can do this!
Not let's be clear…there is a huge difference between thru-hiking the AT and what we did on September 2nd. The Appalachian Trail is approximately 2,180 miles, running from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. While the number of people who have hiked the Appalachian Trail has risen over the years, by 2010 only 12,059 people had hiked the entire length of the trail with the youngest thru-hiker being 6 years old and the oldest being 86. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy estimates that roughly 2-3 million people, however, hike a portion of the trail per year, either by doing a day-hike or short-backpacking trip.
AT Mountain Club Log Book
Hikers who have completed the AT are classified according to how they hiked it. Thru-hikers complete the entire length of the hike in one shot, while a section-hiker completes the entire length of the trail by doing sections at a time. This method usually takes over 12 months for a person to hike the trail. Flip-floppers complete the entire length of the trail, usually in less than 12 months, but by using a different itinerary.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recognizes the people who complete the trail, regardless of whether they thru-hiked, flip-flopped, or section-hiked, by keeping an ongoing honor roll called the 2000-Milers. Take a look at the ATC's application to be a 2,000 miler here as it is quite interesting to see the details that the ATC requests of individuals completing the AT.
With all this in mind, Hiking with Impunity had been thinking about stepping foot onto the AT ever since we began thinking of ourselves as hikers. For us, we looked at the day that we hiked a section of it as our graduation from beginner to beginner-plus.
So, with Susan Charkes' book in tow, we drove ourselves to Hamburg, PA with the intention of completing the nine-plus mile hike she describes as the Pinnacle and the Pulpit. We parked at a lot at the end of Reservoir Road. There had to have been at least 10-15 cars in the lot, so we knew we weren't going to be the only ones on the trail. Charkes' book states that this hike should take 4.5 hours. Knowing that our hiking skills were steadily improving, we figured that perhaps it would only take us between 5-5.5 hours to complete. We also knew that we would want to stop at the Pinnacle and the Pulpit Overlook for a short while to take in the sights. Relying on the book to guide us, we set off past the yellow gate, and onto the gravel road that would take us to the Appalachian Trail.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail
The gravel road stretched in front of us for at least a half a mile. Eventually, we reached the sign that you see in the photograph at the start of this article indicating the North and South Directions of the Appalachian Trail. Following the guide, we made a right from the sign, crossing over a small bridge (which took us over Furnace Creek) before getting onto the blue-blazed trail.
The hike started easy enough, with relatively flat areas that showed minimal damage from the recent Hurricane (see Hurricane Irene). In fact, out of all the hikes we've been on, this trail was in the best condition, because of the fact that so many people walk on it every day as well as the hard work of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy was formed in 1925. Its mission is to "to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail – ensuring that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come."
Pulpit RockThe Appalachian Trail Conservancy provides information on its website about reporting both damage to the trail as well as a reporting method by which hikers can report incidents or suspicious behavior (see link here). From what I've seen, they do a very good job on the trails, and are certainly a reason why this was such a pleasant hike.
After walking along a primarily dirt trail, and climbing our way through rocks upon rocks, we made it to what would be the first stop on this journey: the Pulpit Overlook.
The view from the Pulpit was breathtaking! The Pulpit Overlook is at an elevation of approximately 1600 feet! We took a break here, as did many other hikers travelling that day. And, although Charkes' book warns of basking snakes, we managed not to run into any that day. By the time we had reached the Pulpit, we were beginning to feel more at ease with our choice of hikes for the day. We had already assumed a significant elevation gain and scrambled over rocks without any issue. We had stepped foot on the AT and it was awesome.
There's still more to come later this week in second part of our presentation on our hike on the AT: The Pinnacle and the Pulpit.
If you've thru-hiked, section-hiked, flip-flopped, or just had an awesome day-hike on the AT, why not become a member of our forum? We have a discussion thread at the Hiking with Impunity Forum, and we'd love to hear from you! Remember: becoming a member is as simple as using your facebook or twitter ID to log in; and, it's FREE!!
About the Author”Hiking” Mike Magro is the primary contributor and editor of Hiking with Impunity. Always on the look-out for a good hike, Mike is hoping to get through the rest of the year having minimal to no injuries while on the trail.
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