Hike #211 4/2/6
On the AT in Wind Gap PA
4/2/6
I had finally come to the point where I was ready to lead one of the hikes I had scaled offback when I worked at A&P years ago. As planned, we would hike the Appalachian Trailfrom Wind Gap roughly ten miles south to Delps Trail, then return to Wind Gap via theabandoned Lehigh and New England Railroad’s main line.
View just out of Wind Gap on the AT
Lookout on the AT south of WInd Gap
Lookout on the AT south of Wind Gap
Along the AT south of Wind Gap
View along the AT south of Wind Gap
Hahn's Lookout
Hahn's Lookout south of WInd Gap
Along the AT south of WInd Gap
Along the AT south of Wind Gap
View along the AT south of Wind Gap
View along the AT south of Wind Gap
View along the AT where we met with Mike and Dan.
With AMC's trail crew south of WInd Gap
Utility line view
Utility line view
Utility line crossing the AT
View from the AT south of WInd Gap
AT south of WInd Gap
Side trail to the shelter south of Wind Gap
Side trail to Leroy Smith Shelter
AT south of Wind Gap
Taking a break at Leroy Smith Shelter
AT south of Wind Gap
Along the AT south of Wind Gap
Taking a break in Smith Gap on the AT
Smith Gap road
Along the AT near Smith Gap
Along the AT near Smith Gap
Along the AT near Smith Gap
View near Delps
Delps Trail
Descending via Delps Trail
Delps Steps
Along Delps Trail
Delps PA
Delps PA area
Old LNE right of way near Delps
Old LNE right of way near Delps
Farm built over the LNE right of way near Delps
Alpaca?
Farm
View of Blue Mountain from the former LNE right of way
Former LNE right of way near Delabole I think
Walking through a field to get back to the LNE grade
Fields of upper Northampton County
In the fields with a view of Blue Mountain
Power line
Former LNE rail bed's southern route near Point Philip PA
LNE right of way
LNE right of way
LNE right of way with rails still in place
Heading toward Wind Gap along the LNE grade
LNE grade headed toward Wind Gap
LNE grade headed toward Wind Gap
LNE grade headed toward Wind Gap
LNE grade
LNE grade near Wind Gap
LNE grade near Wind Gap
LNE grade near Wind Gap
Utility line right of way
Utility line right of way
Utility line right of way
LNE rail bed, Wind Gap PA
I had covered the LNEcontinuesly now from near Swartzwood NJ as far as Wind Gap, and the AT continueslyfrom Hanford to Wind Gap. Joining me for this trip were Fred Hafale, Skyler Jermyn, and newcomer Tom Conroy who had read about me recently in the Express Times paper. Tom offered to drive when Imet him at Port Colden Mall, and we picked Skyler up at his house. We parked in Wind Gap at the AT parking area, where we met Dan Schwartz and MikeManus, who were both involved in maintaining this section of the AT. I had hiked withMike, and Dan I met through the AMC at the monthly Lehigh Valley meetings. Skyler andI both wore army helmets and camoflauge for kicks. We bagan ascending Blue Mountain on the AT steeply, passing some very nice views tothe south along the way. We met up with Dan, Mike, Dan’s son and a couple other guys on the AT at a power line crossing, so we chatted a bit. Soon after, a side trail led to theLeroy Smith Shelter. Fred and Tom waited at the AT while Skyler and I went to check itout. It was a nice shelter, similar to all AT shelters. There were few viewpoints on the way to Delps. In fact, the only thing that really brokeup the monotony of this trail section was crossing a road in Smith Gap, which was barely even recognizable as a gap. Along the way, Tom tripped and ripped his jeans. It wasamazing he did’nt break a knee on that fall! We continued on the AT southbound until wereached Delps Trail, which descended the south side of the Blue Mountain. We took abreak, then began down hill. It was steep at first, and past a dry spring, but then begandescending extremely steeply and dramatically on a long series of impressive stone steps,finally easing back and reaching a State Game Lands 168 parking area. From here, wecontinued on the dirt access road to the village of Delps. We talked about what coverstory we could use if we were caught trespassing. I said we should say Fred was our DrillSeargeant, and I began calling Tom Liutenant Tom. At the interesection, it was obviouswhere the railroad went, right across someone’s yard in front of us. We walked the roadparallel to the east. Soon, a road was build over the right of way, so we walked straight. Iasked a family in their yards if they knew about the railroad, and they told me there wasnever a railroad there. I just get annoyed at that, tell them a bit of history and move on. Atthe end of the road, we had to turn right and follow roads somewhat parallel. We wereoften able to see the right of way across yards, but unable to access it. Soon, we saw a road where it seemed like we’d be able to get on the right of way, butthere was a driveway using it on the one side. We asked a young girl pulling out if wecould walk it, and she said yes! We followed the driveway until it veered off the right ofway to the left, and continued straight into a finger of State Game Lands 168, then into afarm area. The next section was fenced in, so we tried to make our way back down thefarm driveway. People were looking at us funny, no just because we were trespassing, butI’m sure because of the helmets. We took them off and carried them through areas wewere worried about. I talked to some people at the farm and let them know what we weredoing. We also checked out the Alpacas they had there. We continued east, and found where the rail line crossed the road to Bender’s Junction,where the south and north branches of the LNE connected after breaking apart back nearPen Argyl. I had only followed the southern route as far as Rismiller the previous year. We were able to see near where both railroads diverged, and we thought about followingthe right of way where it said “No Trespassing”, but instead opted to walk nearby roads.It was amazing the kind of houses we were seeing; many were nice, but others lookedready to fall down. While walking the street, the girl who saw us earlier drove by andstopped to talk to us again. She told us that there was another grade further up above herhouse, and that when the railroad was built, they built without permission fromlandowners and had to dismantle and move the tracks down hill a bit, and that right of waykeeps water from running over her property! We made our way along roads, then cut into a field to a power line, following it northtoward the rail bed. Tom was hurting pretty bad here. He cooled his feet off in a springalong the way. Until now, the furthes he had ever walked was 7 miles, we had now walkedover 15! We followed the power line across a road, then crossed the southern LNE rightof way, soon reaching the later one. It was clear for a bit, and even had a piece of railintact! When we reached the next road, I told Tom he could wait behind if he wanted, andI would come pick him up. He gave me his car keys, and the three of us were on our way.Here, there were two places the tracks diverged. Aside from the southern route south ofus, the LNE main line turned right, while another line, much older continued ahead. Ifigure this was probably a similar issue to what the girl had told us earlier, that the line hadto be dismantled and moved further down hill. We continued on the right of way (the northernmost one), passing by beautiful giant newhouses, with the most run down trailers you could imagine right next door! On looked likeit was fabricated of plywood! There were signs on the road ahead forbidding trespassing,so we cut through the yard of a vacant house into the woods toward the right of way justsouth of us. I knew, as by reading the map, that these two lines were only apart verybriefly, and that we would soon be back on the single northern LNE route. As we walked,I heard people yelling in at us, probably wondering what we were up to. We soon reachedthe right of way, and continued east. Not far ahead, the railbed became clearer and wasobviously used by ATVs. We then reached the former junction site and continued east.Fred got pretty far ahead of us on the straightaway. We did’nt have anything to worryabout soon, as much of the right of way went through State Game Lands 168. A car wasdriving on the right of way ahead toward us, but managed to turn around before we got toit. We figured they were probably just as nervous about us as we were of them. The right of way kept getting wide, and we passed an area that had been cleared a bit tothe north. I hope it was’nt for new developement. We eventually came out near a house. The railroad from here almost all the way back toWind Gap was part of a road now, used to access a few houses. We continued to wherethe road turned right, and we continued straight across a few yards to Broadway in WindGap. On the way, a family looked at us funny as we walked. I hollered out that we werejust hiking rail enthusiasts. When we reached the road, I told Skyler to wait behind while Iran up the road to Tom’s car. Fred was already there, so I said goodbye and headed downto pick up Skyler, then had surprisingly no problem finding Liutenant Tom. I drove for abit further before letting Tom take over. After we switched and I was in the passenger seat, I got a disturbing sad phone call.Conrad Blease had called me telling me the horrible news that my good friend, and hiscousin Ron Short had died early in the morning as a result of a fall off the abandonedLehigh Valley Railroad bridge in Phillipsburg NJ. I could’nt help but remember howRonald did’nt want to listen to me when I told him not to walk on the center grates on thehikes. He had apparently fallen through a spot where a grate was missing. Later in the week, Conrad’s family and friends got together for an Irish Wake. Cathy, TeaBiscuit, Derek Baker, Bill Bill Jacqmein, and Andy “Buck” Brosonski who had all been onhikes with him attended. His family agreed with my suggestion that we spread his ashesfrom the Portland-Colombia Footbridge, as this was an appropriate place. He loved greatviews, especially Mt. Minsi which was within site from the bridge, not to mention thegreat view from the bridge itself, he loved the Delaware River and playing paintball on anisland to the south, which his remains would pass by, he grew up in Portland on theDelaware, and died in Phillipsburg along the Delaware, and he had hiked across the bridgewith us so many times as well. It was also great because his entire family could be theretogether on the bridge to witness. Peeps spread the ashes, and I felt it was appropriate thatit was illegal, because in a way, Ron got to trespass one more time, as he always got akick out of harmless illegal things. I could think of no better resting place.
Along the LNE railroad bed west of Wind Gap PA
Photos by Mike Helbing and Fred Hafale (FH)
Here's a link to all of the pictures from this hike...feel free to steal them for facebook use if you'd like...
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/sneezehorse/hike211%204-2-6/
1.) Power line view from the AT in Wind Gap (FH)
2.) Skyler, Fred, & Tom at the power line crossing of the AT
3.) View, north I believe from the AT called "Lookout Rock" toward Saylorsburg PA
4.) Another view toward Aquashicola Creek and the Chestnut Valley (FH)
5.) Me with Tom Conroy on the AT south of Wind Gap (FH)
6.) View to the south of Wind Gap PA and Rt 33
7.) Hahns Lookout, with views of Wind Gap and PA Rt 33 with South Mountain in the distance
8.) Another view from Hahn's Lookout (FH)
9.) Skyler and I in our camos at Hahn's Lookout (FH)
10.) Skyler at Hahn's Lookout (FH)
11.) View to the north from an underground pipeline I believe
12.) View of the Chestnut Valley to the north of the AT from a power line
13.) With Mike Manus, Dan Schwartz and his son, and their trail work crew at the power line
14.) Another shot with the trail work crew at the power line crossing
15.) View from the gas pipline (FH)
16.) Gas pipeline (FH)
17.) With the trail crew again (FH)
18.) View from the power line cut (FH)
19.) Chatting with the trail crew (FH)
20.) Sign showing the way to Leroy A. Smith Shelter (FH)
21.) Skyler and I following the Leroy Smith Shelter Trail (FH)
22.) Fred on the AT near Leroy Smith Shelter (FH)
23.) Skyler in the Leroy A. Smith Shelter reading the trail log
24.) Skyler on the AT on Blue Mountain
25.) Skyler looking like a bad-ass with "Lieutenant Tom" as we were calling him behind.
26.) Skyler, me, and Tom at Smith Gap road crossing (FH)
27.) Smith Gap Road (FH)
28.) New side trail to a spring near Smith Gap (FH)
29.) Skyler and I on the AT nearing Delps Trail (FH)
30.) Tom on the AT nearing Delps (FH)
31.) View south from the AT near Delps Trail
32.) Descending on Delps Trail (FH)
33.) Me descending on Delps Trail (FH)
34.) Skyler on the Delps Steps
35.) Fred in State Game Lands 156 parking area, Delps
36.) Skyler, Tom, and I walking on the street in Delps (FH)
37.) Blue Mountain in the distance near Katellan (FH)
38.) Lehigh and New England Railroad bed view west from Smith Gap Road I believe
39.) Fred and Tom on the right of way, now a driveway, near Smith Gap
40.) Skyler with an Alpaca at a farm near Smith Gap
41.) Alpaca (FH)
42.) Sheep! (FH)
43.) Blue Mountain near Bender's Junction PA
44.) Skyler on the former LNE right of way near Bender's Junction
45.) Fred in a corn field east of Bender's Junction
46.) Me crossing a stream along a power line east of Bender's Junction (FH)
47.) Skyler along the power line with a view of Blue Mountain in the distance
48.) Walking along the power line toward Blue Mountain
49.) Southern LNE right of way west of Katellen
50.) Former LNE main line looking west from near Katellen
51.) View of the former LNE east toward Katellen (FH)
52.) One rail still in place on the LNE in Katellen
53.) Skyler and I on the former LNE line east of Katellen (FH)
54.) Skyler on the LNE right of way east of Katellen
55.) Me on the LNE east of Katellen (FH)
56.) LNE right of way (FH)
57.) Me on the right of way near the former junction, where the rail line originally went straight, but was moved to the left (FH)
58.) Earlier LNE grade to the right, later one is to the left. View west.
59.) Skyler walking east on the former LNE grade north of Rismiller somewhere
60.) Somewhere north of Rismiller on the LNE grade
61.) Skyler and I on the LNE grade (FH)
62.) Just west of Wind Gap, a gas pipeline (FH)
63.) Another view of the gas pipeline
64.) Skyler pretending to take a dump next to a "no dumping" sign on the west side of Wind Gap PA
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