Hike #276; Lehigh Gap Area Loop

 Hike #276 4/1/7

4/1/7

Lehigh Gap Area loop with Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Gerry Martiniak, Jude Shabrach, Larry Butler, Dave Riedel, Sue Zeleznik, Bill "Guillermo" Fabel, and "Major Tom" Conroy

In Lehigh Gap Nature Preserve

Lehigh Gap, along the AT on the east side

Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap area view

In Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap PA

Along one of the trails in Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Lehigh Gap area view

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Lehigh River view toward Lehighton

View in the warm season grass fields of Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Warm season grasses on the north side of Blue Mountain

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

View north in Lehigh Gap

View North from Lehigh Gap

View to the east side of Lehigh Gap

View of the Lehigh

AT route across the Lehigh at Lehigh Gap

AT in Lehigh Gap

 For this April Fools day hike, I decided to do a bunch of the trails in the vicinity of Lehigh Gap PA. I had recently found out that there were new trails put in in the Lehigh Gap Nature Conservancy connecting with the AT and other trails in State Game Lands. Originally, I planned a loop between Lehigh Gap, Lehigh Furnace Gap, and Palmerton PA, but this would fall through because of weather and trail conditions, and I would amend the trip. We met at 9:30 am at the Lehigh Gap parking area on the east side of the gap, Appalachian Trailhead. I did'nt think I'd have a big group for this one, but to my surprise there would be ten people! "Major Tom" Conroy and Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell met me in the morning at Port Colden Mall, and we headed to Lehigh Gap in my car. Meeting me at the parking lot, to my surprise, were Gerry Martiniak and Jude Shabrach, who I was not expecting to attend but was totally happy to see! In addition, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler were there. Larry Butler was soon to show up, and Dave Riedel and Sue Zeleznik were both running behind but soon joined us. Bill "Guillermo" Fabel called me up around this time and changed his mind from a previous decision to sit this hike out. He would meet up with us at the end of the beginning loop. We began climbing the ridge on the Appalachian Trail, heading up through the trees to the beginning of the open area, cleared by past zinc smelting in nearby Palmerton. Everyone of course loved the view. We made our way up the steep sections easily. Major Tom was apprehensive at first, but was glad to have come up, especially when we reached the 180 degree views. We took a break at the viewpoint, which was amazing to even be visible with the bad weather predictions. My camera batteries were dying during this section, so I was upset not to be getting many pictures. We made our way to the top and headed down hill on the Winter Trail, blue blazed. The views continued on this trail as well as on the old Lehigh and New England Railroad right of way at the bottom, where we turned left, or south back toward the parking lot. As we walked the right of way, it got pretty wet. We had to cross a couple puncheons, and I carried Sue across one very wet section. Guillermo met us near the cliffs at the end of a very wet section, and we continued back to the parking area where we got our packs and headed off along the AT southbound. At first, I turned the wrong way, but Gerry pointed me in the right direction for the trail. We crossed over the bridge over the Lehigh River and descended to the former Lehigh Valley Railroad grade, following it north into the gap and the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, where we stopped briefly. Next, we made our way up to the LNE Trail, which ascended to the former Lehigh and New England Railroad bed. We followed this west until we reached the end of the preserve near the PA Turnpike. Amish Paul turned left early to meet up with us at the top using an easier and quicker route. The rest of us struggled to find the route of one of the new trails marked on the map. We ended up walking off trail quite a bit. There were roads at first, along which was a weird looking little building built into the ground. There was a sort of trail, which used only tied orange tape blazes, so we followed that for some time. Major Tom was having some trouble with the uneven terrain, probably because of his boots. It seemed like it took forever, but we soon reached the Charcoal Trail, a new trail which connected Lehigh Gap's North Trail with the other new nature center trails. We at first began going the wrong way, down hill, but turned back and found out way. Since Major Tom was hurting, I gave him my car keys and directed him back toward the nature center from where he could find his way to the parking lot. Amish Paul called me from the top of the ridge to be sure we were okay. He waited until we got there. 

Lehigh Gap PA

AT parking area in Lehigh Gap

An old bridge site in view across the Lehigh

On the Appalachian Trail crossing the Lehigh

Appalachian Trail crossing the Lehigh

This is where the Appalachian Trail crosses Rt 248 in Lehigh Gap

It took a while, but we soon reached the top and the North Trail. Gerry, Jude, Dave, Larry, and Sue decided they did'nt want to continue on, as it was beginning to rain. Captain Soup, Guillermo, Wyatt, Amish Paul, and I continued west on North Trail back to the AT to make a bit bigger loop. As we walked the AT, the rain calmed down, and we did impersonations of Mr. Buckett for fun. We met some people at the trail shelter as we descended into the gap, talked briefly, then continued back down. After reaching the parking area, we decided to go for dinner at a little bar and grill place nearby in Palmerton. No one was happy with the service, unfortunitely, because it was apparently ready to close and we inhibited them from doing so!

Here's a link to all of the pictures from this hike:

http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj93/sneezehorse1/hike276%204-1-7/

Lehigh Gap Nature Preserve