Closing pa – the walk

Given a family vacation in Yellowstone and Grand Teton, 2025 was always going to be a light year. What better way to use limited time than to close a state? Then, with 50 (ISH) Miles of the remaining path in PA, I blocked a four -day weekend to review it.

Rt. 309 A Blue Mountain

I said goodbye to my daughter early in the morning and headed to leave my car at the Kittatinny visitors center. After Moon transferred me to Rt. 309 (for the watchman) I was back on the road where I left him. From there, I quickly familiarized myself with pointed and delicate rocks walking on the edge of the knife. It was not too difficult compared to the dozens of trail miles, but my arches and fingers were No impressed.

An hour or so along the path, I spent the Caboose Nobo walk. This was notable for me, given the time of my sections so far, he was the first Nobo I met along the way since officially started in 2023. We only said briefly Hello and then we separated. Shortly after, I came to bake the shelter of the oven knobs. The moment was perfect, since I could dodge a brief downpour.

A beautiful walk through the forest

I arrived at Outerbridge Shelter (my original target destination for the day) late in the afternoon. After filling the water, I planned to continue, but on the advice of Goodwill, I stayed in the shelter to expect another strong storm in the forecast. Taking advantage of the opportunity to prepare dinner and dry my soaked feet, I briefly contemplated staying the night. But I’m always after big miles. So around 6:30, I returned to keep alive the possibility of a three -day excursion (or even two).

View from the top of the rock scrolmble with views of Lehight Gap

I discussed that decision shortly after crossing the Lehight. While PA is clearly known to the rocks, I had not really experienced a rock struggle In the state until now. Exhausted a long and wet day, slowly walked through the almost vertical rock field. The summit offered spectacular views of the gap, but I paid it. So I marched during the next five miles, the always fleeting day light, until I finally arrived at my tedsite target near Blue Mountain Drive. Fortunately it was as flat and free of rocks as I expected. So I prepared the camp, greeted goodwill when they passed their lighthouse and giant scissors, and fell asleep.

Blue Mountain to Kirkridge Shelter

The long lakes of the late day gain slow accompaniments the next morning, even on the longest day of the year. Around 7:30 (afternoon for me) I packed and returned to a slightly cooler and much more dry morning. My main objective was to reach the Kirkridge refuge, but always with very open eyes I had the water gap at the bottom of my mind.

Morning view just after my tempt in Blue Mountain

I took advantage of good cell service and called my wife and daughter when I spent a nameless but pleasant cleaning. As I found quite true, the springs in pa are unpredictable at this time of year. Because of this, he was grateful for two surprises that morning. The first were two jugs of five gallons provided by Hippie Baba in Blue Mountain. The second was an epic magic of trails (with beer and gatorade) provided by an older couple in Smith Gap. Several nobles stopped on the Magic path, including a group of five or six that were my age and older. It’s always great to see others from my generation in the mixture!

The green tunnel can really make a pose from time to time

Advancing, I stop at the Leroy Smith shelter to get out of my feet and lunch. There I thought of a great conversation with Wormwood, the same 40 and so many of Flagstaff (and Valdez). He planned to wait for the heat of the day before continuing the path when he cool later in the afternoon. This was a trend that I started to notice, and really appreciate: early and late heavy miles, with long breaks during the hottest hours. With the heat index breaking 100 while I write this, it is quite possible that you do the same in my next exit.

However, I continued again on the road. As it has become my custom, these long and hot days become blur in the afternoon. Apparently, my only thoughts were: (1) Keep walking; (2) GAH my foot! Damn rocks; and (3) I probably need to fill water soon. As my exhaustion worsened, I decided to stop just after Kirkridge.

Camp just after the Kirkridge shelter

I stopped just after the shelter, a tenty with spectacular views of the Valley below. While the grass was high (and ticks were apparently everywhere), however it was a serene site. I shared it briefly with Stranger, a young South Carolina Marine who gave me her conquest of Half-Gallon Challenge. We shared a laugh when my tent briefly caught a breeze before I could put it. Given the ticks they do not play well with BIVY bags (Stranger’s dream mode for his walk), he chose to move along the path at night. On the other hand, I soaked in the brightness of dusk a little more before becoming under clear skies.

Of the Water Gap and NJ

Awakening shortly after dawn, Wormwood received me surprisingly as I directed it to a water gap bakery. While I never got to the bakery, I also wanted to get to the gap quickly to join my family. It was warm and humid, but the rest of the morning was mostly downwards, partly on a gravel and relatively fast road access road.

The mystical cup is just one of several beautiful stores right next to the path in the water gap

Before crossing the I-80 bridge in New Jersey, I decided that I would stop and have a bite and coffee in The mystical cup. A little expensive, but it is deliciously worth it. I saw Wormwood, Goodwill and a couple of other nobles that I had not met, and I returned to my path.

He arrived at NJ! Those tractor trailers surely make the bridge cross a bit disconcerting.

So there he was, walking through the I-80 towards NJ with hiking posts in one hand and a coffee with frozen milk in the other. Somehow, this brief company was bittersweet. While my happy feet of the torment that was northern Pennsylvania, the State had more to offer what I expected.

Where I go from here

As readers can know, I originally planned to complete my walk of the Novo section sequentially. Therefore, he always felt unusual of penslvania hiking after Helene devastated great stripes of the communities of trails and trails the past fall. While I understand that most of the path is now passable, I know that the threat of damage remains. I also know that trail communities are really beginning to rebuild. Add the extensive damage to Standing Bear just this week highlights the growing vulnerabilities surrounding the path. However, I have all the intentions of returning to the North Smokys in 2026 to continue my march north.

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