First A.T. Hike - Pen Mar to Chimney Rocks




[Day 1 - Yellow, Day 2 - Blue, Day 3 - Green]


Deer Lick Shelter
Mileage: 1040.1
Dec 27, 1991

Finally stepped foot on the Appalachian Trail! Started at 3:01pm at the 0.1 mile mark at Pen Mar (Sec 14 of PA). Had a nice talk with a couple when I crossed Route 16. They asked "How far does this trail go?" what a joke! Ended up staying the night at Deer Lick Shelter. Made a campfire and did some star gazing before bed. Woken up by 3 or 4 motorcyclists, other than that a great night.




Tumbling Run Shelter
Mileage: 1043.5
Dec 28, 1991

Woke up to nice weather but cold, my water was all frozen. Once I started hiking it was all but forgotten. Crossed the pipeline but took a detour to take a look down the hill. Why this isn't marked as a vista is beyond me. Then I went down what the trail guide refers to as a "descending gradually" slope. If that is gradual, I would hate to see steep. I arrived at Antietam Shelter around 11:00. Looks like a very old shelter (and used more for parties than hiking). Continuing on I reached the "Safe water" source witch had a sign stating "water infected with Griardia boil for 20 min before drinking" so much for safe. Reached Tumbling run shelter around noon. Talked to a hiker who told me the forecast called for rain tonight and tomorrow. Gave me a few ideas what to do this afternoon. I took his advice and hiked up to Chimney Rock (Chimney Rock was great. What a view! It was fun exploring all the little tunnels and rock formations. Spent quite a bit of time just exploring. Worth the uphill hike from the shelter to it.) [farthest point hiked on A.T. 9.0 miles] Then I tried to return via the blue blazed trail to Hermitage Cabin. But some how every blue blazed trail lead from the Cabin back to the same cabin. I guess I hiked 3 to 5 miles looking for the right trail. Finally ended up back at Chimney Rock so I took the A.T. back to Tumbling Run. A few minutes after arriving, guess who shows up but the hiker from lunchtime. He offered me a ride to my car saying "It's no fun hiking in the rain this time of year." Talk about a Good Samaritan. I found out he was from D.C. and has been hiking for some 35 years. Never did get his name but THANK GOD for him because it started raining shortly after and all night [I drove my car back to the road crossing before Tumbling Run Shelter and hiked back to the shelter for the night]. At about 1:30am I had visitors who moved in next door. Considering I was expecting a beer party, they were not bad and I fell back to sleep around 2:00 I guess.

Dec 29, 1991

Next morning they were gone [I did find something they left behind. Part of a book entitled "Las Vegas Rules of Gambling" .... Now I know what they were doing] Still dripping but the rain stopped. No ice in my water today, but I knew my car was near so I pulled out after breakfast - Aprox miles 8.0 on AT, 0.3 on road to shelter, 3.0 blue blazed trails for a total of 12.2 miles.


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