Week 3 - 2024

New Tripoli, PA to Delaware Water Gap, PA, 50 miles

This post will be different than the rest. I need a moment to reflect on the good and to sing my woes of the not-so-good of Pennsylvania.

Prior to hiking Pennsylvania (aka Rocksylvania) we heard that this state was going to be very difficult and challenging.  But every state has had its challenges so we thought, “How difficult can it really be?”

The AT runs roughly 230 miles through Pennsylvania with many sections of the trail flat: walking by many bubbling brooks and winding streams, through meadows and valleys of beautiful wildflowers making their springtime appearances along the way, and offering many outcrops of magnificent views of the countryside.  There was the excitement of entering a trail town that offered easy walking on paved sidewalks with many delicious opportunities to dine at their restaurants and eat something other than trail food and drink a soda instead of filtered water.  And the people … wow, some of the nicest, most generous and accommodating people we’ve met on trail.  So many great memories made in this state that will forever bring smiles as we remember our time spent here. To leave it at that would be a misrepresentation of all that Pennsylvania offered to the AT hiker. 

It was raining, a cool 50 degree temperature outside that morning as we bundled up to conquer another section of the trail. We had already experienced many days in a row of climbing up boulders, rock hopping, going slow to avoid twisting an ankle and always being alert where your foot landed to not accidentally step on a rattlesnake or copperhead sunning or nesting in the crevice of the rocks. 

Our stay at the Lookout Hostel had come to an end and it was time to say goodbye to Sticks and Snakes, fellow section hikers. As I gave Snakes a hug goodbye, she hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear, “I’m praying for you. I’ve done the section you are about to do today and it’s very difficult.  FROG will have to help you in many sections for you to be able to get up and over the boulders. Please be safe.”  Although it is good to be aware of a hard climb coming, that left me with a great amount of fear.  Donning my “Faith Over Fear” hat, we head out the door.  We can do this, we are FROG and Faith! We can do this, can’t we?

It was to be an 11-mile day that day; our first 5 miles were wet and cool but manageable, minimal rocks and fairly flat.  The calm before the storm. 

We seemed to be the only crazies out there in the wet and cold so when we came upon a man huddled in a shelter trying to stay warm, we were somewhat surprised at his presence.  He had just started a fire and had a pot of water boiling for hot tea.  Looking around we quickly determined he was homeless and had made camp at the George W Outerbridge Shelter that night, something that is not allowed but we had heard reports that homeless people were trying to take up residence in the surrounding shelters. He was young, maybe late twenties, very knowledgeable about the area and so very kind. He could tell we were cold from the rain and invited us to have a hot tea with him.  We never felt threatened or uncomfortable around him but knew we were on a time crunch so we thanked him for his offer and told him we needed to move ahead. Oh my! If only I had known what was ahead I may still be there enjoying hot tea with the young lad.

In just that short amount of time we spent talking, our bodies and especially our hands had become so chilled, it was good to be moving to get warmed up again.  A mile of downhill rock hopping brought us out to an open field that revealed that the busyness of life is still going on even though our life had been in seclusion.  Freeways, cars, trucks, stoplights, gas stations, people … everywhere.  It was intimidating to say the least.

Knowing our journey would eventually lead us to the other side of the road, we had looked up the mountain in front of us and noticed a huge area at the top that was all rocks and I kiddingly told FROG we were headed there, not believing that it was true, or at least hoping it wasn’t!

After crossing the bridge over Lehigh River in Palmerton, PA, we headed north (we’re NOBOs remember), we came upon a port-a-john sitting beside the highway and decided we were going to take advantage of that opportunity.  What a strange feeling to be sitting in there as traffic is whizzing by behind you at fast speeds, shaking the john as they go by, all the while praying that it won’t tip forward and leave you no way of escape and have to be rescued. Now that would be a story - thankfully, it’s not this one.

Thinking all eyes are on the hikers as they exit the port-a-john, we gather our things and keep our heads low not to make eye contact.  Our next demise is having to cross the busy road to get to the other side.  Why do they do that to hikers anyway? It’s just not safe.  HAH!! That was nothing compared to what was coming.

We got ourselves safely across the road and back into the woods where it was quiet again and we could breathe calmly once again.  That was short-lived. It was all uphill for the next 2 miles, breathing became labored.

As we make our way up Blue Mountain we pass a “Winter Trail Junction” sign and have no idea what that means especially since it’s not winter, must just be another trail you can take, it’s a blue blaze, not a white for the AT, so we continue onward. 

Remember those rocks we spotted while crossing the bridge? They are now before us as we look straight up, a steep, vertical rock wall at least a football field straight up with white blazes scattered here and there to follow. Mind you, the rain has picked up to a downpour so we have our long raincoats on that go well below our knees.  Scrambling on these rocks will be tricky enough but now it’s like we’re wearing dresses and will have to make sure to pull them up enough so our legs can move freely.

We stood there looking at what lie before us, with fear in our eyes; but then we remembered who we were… “we’re FROG and Faith, we’ve got this!”

One slow step at a time we started our rock scramble back and forth looking for any opening we could find to plant a foot and grab a boulder above to pull ourselves up. Our trail buddy’s (trekking poles) were useless at this point and more of a nuisance than anything else.  It took a lot of team work, butt pushing (literally), to get us up and onto the next rock cliff. The views were phenomenal if you dared look behind you.

One of our biggest saving graces was the fact that we did not have our full packs that day, it was a slack pack day, so we each just had a day pack on. I can’t even imagine what having a heavy load behind us could have resulted in because you had to lean in the whole time. One wrong move and backwards you could go.

Another saving grace, it was much too cold and rainy that day that we didn’t have to worry one bit about coming upon a rattlesnake or copperhead, they weren’t coming out in this mess!  I’m thinking they might be smarter than we were!

Two young backpackers came up behind us and quickly scrambled by us. Such showoffs! I think they didn’t want to be responsible for the old people so boogied on by as fast as they could.  We never saw them again. So much for being concerned for the old goats!

We finally made it to the top, or what we thought was the top, a false summit! With tears in my eyes and groans coming from both of us, we see before us more boulders to climb up and over and a huge rock field to balance our way across after that.  We keep reminding ourselves who we are and we’ve got this, with God’s help nothing is impossible!

Finally! … what looks like a clearing up ahead, if we can just get there we’re done!  As we step in the small clearing, I grab FROGs hand and we thank God for getting us through it.  As we leave the clearing, what do we see before us?? Another huge rock field! It happened one more time, thinking we were done, saying a prayer and then bam! hit with another rock field!  The third prayer was a charm, we were in the clear for a while. We saw many more rock fields that day but no more boulders to climb up and over.   I have had my fill of rocks. I will never be a rock climber!  If I ever say I’m going to start rock climbing, you will know someone has taken over my body, it’s not me!

There were several times that day I hung onto the side of the cliff for dear life, frozen in fear, more for FROG than myself because I knew he couldn’t bend well with his hip replacements.  I’m not sure I ever prayed as much as I did that day for God’s protection, strength and guidance in each step we took.    We literally lived out our names that day … FROG, Fully Rely(ed) on God in Faith.  It was the scariest thing we have ever done in our lives.  But, we can hold our heads high and proudly say WE DID IT!

Oooh…remember that Winter Trail Junction just before the huge rock scramble? We found out two days after we finished it that it was advisable for wet conditions to take this trail instead of the rock scramble for safety reasons! Seems like a cruel joke played on us! Not one person told us or advised us to take this trail. But in all fairness, we should have done our research - but then we might not have had a story to tell y’all!

Pennsylvania you have kicked our behinds, made us land on our behinds, but now it’s time to leave you behind. I am not sorry to see you go, it’s time to move forward, New Jersey here we come! 

Sidenote: We have already walked 10 miles into NJ and guess what??? It’s been rocky!!!!  Don’t rocks follow state lines and know they’re supposed to stop?!