Need help finding a tiny (tiny) sliver of Trail in PA....

[jgaisser]

Okay. So I admit it-- when I first began my flip flop thruhike, I was not a purist at all. I skipped a few 1-2 mile segments throughout PA. I turned into a purist later on. When I completed my NOBO flip and summitted Katahdin, I drove a car back down and made up every single inch of the Trail that I had skipped. I would park my car, hike the 1-2 miles I had skipped, and then hike back to my car again. I am proud to say that now, I have hiked every inch of the Trail from where I am currently to Katahdin.

Except.

Except for one half-mile stretch that I simply cannot find. I actually hiked all the way to one location thinking it was the correct spot, but it wasn't. I have Guthooked it, I have pored over AWOL's guides, and I even google earthed the Trail. And I simply can't find this half mile stretch that I am looking for. All I know is the following:

It was in the very beginning of my hike, so somewhere in MD or early PA.

The Trail comes up to a tiny radio tower or communications building, and then goes off to the right and winds around a mountain. To the left of this communications building is a service road that goes straight up for half a mile and then reconnects with the Trail a little further up. Apparently this is labeled in Guthook but I couldn't find this. Anyway, I took the service road instead of the AT, and I want to make that up.

A few miles north after this section, I believe there is a shelter. It makes me think this is near the Peters Mountain Shelter. But I have looked at maps and the radio towers listed on AWOLs guides are not the ones that I'm looking for. Ahh!

I know that many hikers have blue blazed or skipped parts of the Trail, and that I should forgive myself and move on and understand that "it's about the smiles, not the miles". I would like to sleep easy at night knowing full well that I did 100% of the trail and didn't skip a single mile. Please help me locate this spot!

thank you

[rjjones]

I like the passion.Hope you find and finish it.

[rocketsocks]

I know exactly where that is...but I don't wanna tell ya.

[jgaisser]

Nooooooo don't tease me like that! Details!

[ddanko2]

Lamb's Knoll in Maryland?

[AegisIII]

I too am thinking Lamb's Knoll. The shelter would be trail north from the summit, and west and downhill from the AT.

[jwright]

I'll 3rd Lambs knoll as a good possibility. I remember the paved road wasn't a pleasant short cut.

[jgaisser]

I will look into Lambs Knoll! I do seem to remember this service road being gravel/unused/more of a fire road I guess. I seem to remember a log across the road somewhere in the middle of it that had a message painted on it, something like "jump!"

[jgaisser]

And the radio tower wasn't so much a "tower", more like a building in the woods. The Trail went on to the right of it, and this fire road/gravel road went on to the left. Sorry for the vague information!

[Spirit Walker]

Could it be the section just south of Pen-Mar? Some hikers follow the road rather than the trail because the AT is so rocky.

[Viper2016]

From Southwest PA, I'd say youns are likely right, it isn't in PA. I hiked PA in recent history and can't identify or remember anything like jgaisser's description. Therefore it is not PA and probably in Mary's land.

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[tdoczi]

Okay. So I admit it-- when I first began my flip flop thruhike, I was not a purist at all. I skipped a few 1-2 mile segments throughout PA. I turned into a purist later on. When I completed my NOBO flip and summitted Katahdin, I drove a car back down and made up every single inch of the Trail that I had skipped. I would park my car, hike the 1-2 miles I had skipped, and then hike back to my car again. I am proud to say that now, I have hiked every inch of the Trail from where I am currently to Katahdin.

Except.

Except for one half-mile stretch that I simply cannot find. I actually hiked all the way to one location thinking it was the correct spot, but it wasn't. I have Guthooked it, I have pored over AWOL's guides, and I even google earthed the Trail. And I simply can't find this half mile stretch that I am looking for. All I know is the following:

It was in the very beginning of my hike, so somewhere in MD or early PA.

The Trail comes up to a tiny radio tower or communications building, and then goes off to the right and winds around a mountain. To the left of this communications building is a service road that goes straight up for half a mile and then reconnects with the Trail a little further up. Apparently this is labeled in Guthook but I couldn't find this. Anyway, I took the service road instead of the AT, and I want to make that up.

A few miles north after this section, I believe there is a shelter. It makes me think this is near the Peters Mountain Shelter. But I have looked at maps and the radio towers listed on AWOLs guides are not the ones that I'm looking for. Ahh!

I know that many hikers have blue blazed or skipped parts of the Trail, and that I should forgive myself and move on and understand that "it's about the smiles, not the miles". I would like to sleep easy at night knowing full well that I did 100% of the trail and didn't skip a single mile. Please help me locate this spot!

thank you

sounds a little bit like the area south of the pulpit near the reservoir and the observatory. but, it also sounds kind of like a million other places too.

[tdoczi]

picture of the spot im thinking of. you would have walked up the road shown here and across what sort of looks like a gravel parking lot and got back on the trail on the other side.

matches your description, and that its further north than you thought ould explain why you cant find it.

Screen Shot 2015-10-26 at 10.13.57 PM.jpg

[Toolshed]

Could it be the section in PA just north of Allentown that goes over near the PA Blue Route Turnpike tunnel there is an antenna/Building in that area and it sounds similiar.... Are you sure your missed spot was that far south?

[asyouplease]

Hello, I live near Peter's Mountain and hike a section of it once or twice a week for exercise. At first your description sounded close but not quite and then you mentioned a log on the fire road with the word "jump" on it. I jump over a log like that every time... Here's a screenshot from Google Earth of the area.AT Peters Mountain in PA.jpg
The log would be on the fire road to the right of the tower building and about half way to where the AT reconnects on the far right. If you think this is a possibility I can grab some pics of the building and log next time I'm out.

[ralph23]

I don't know the section you are looking for. But I would like to discuss the idea of "purity" a little. The trail changes a little each year and thus never has exactly the same mileage. As a section hiker, is it incumbent on me to complete the trail as it was the first year I started hiking, the last year of hiking, or an average of the distance of all the years I hiked?? I'n not trying to stir the pot but I always hear this idea of purity tossed about but no one ever mentions the trail changes every year.

[Rain Man]

As a section hiker, is it incumbent on me to complete the trail as it was the first year I started hiking, the last year of hiking, or an average of the distance of all the years I hiked??

I hike the section as it is at the time I hike it. Been section hiking the AT since 2003. I'd go crazy if I tried to keep track of all the changes over the years, ahead of me or behind me.

In my book, nothing is incumbent on you, except not to claim to have hiked the AT unless you did hike the AT.

[rafe]

I'm pretty sure I lost the trail for about 15 minutes or half an hour up on the ridge just south of DWG, and just north of Kirkridge shelter. There was a road, some kind of concrete or cinder block shed.

I feel no guilt about losing the trail occasionally. It happens. Sometimes even on purpose.

[jgaisser]

Hello, I live near Peter's Mountain and hike a section of it once or twice a week for exercise. At first your description sounded close but not quite and then you mentioned a log on the fire road with the word "jump" on it. I jump over a log like that every time... Here's a screenshot from Google Earth of the area.AT Peters Mountain in PA.jpg
The log would be on the fire road to the right of the tower building and about half way to where the AT reconnects on the far right. If you think this is a possibility I can grab some pics of the building and log next time I'm out.

THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE PART OF THE AT I MISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'll be in contact via PM! YAY!!!!

[squeezebox]

Glad you found it.
May the lightness be on your mind.