We hiked this section on April 4, 2010.
Python, Dirigo and Thelma & Louise (Trail Doc & hikerBG) dropped the truck off at Fox Gap and headed to Wind Gap. The day was beautiful and we were excited to hit the trail again.
This section has been the section that we have been hearing about for years in PA. This is where the word "Rocksylvania" came from because this section looks like someone just threw these toe stubbers all over the place. Now we understand why boots go to die in PA, cause this section will do them off.
We started at Wind Gap around 9:00 and proceeded to climb steeply out of the gap up a rocky hillside lined with oak. Rocks are every where, ready to bite your boots.
At the top of the ridge we hiked through a rock garden and meandered under a canopy of oaks and elm.
The look of the forest seemed to change often. We hiked through some bushes with small red berries on them and we thought at any moment we would see a bear.
At one point, Trail Doc stopped real quick and we looked and there was a snake sunning itself across the trail. It was a small garter snake, but it made us all aware that other snakes could be out today as the sun was heating us up.
The trail crossed a road and led around a water station. This section was real rocky and seemed to go on forever.
We hiked on through a tall forest and again Trail Doc stopped abruptly and we all thought we would see a bear, but as we looked 3 or 4 deer were running beside the trail and then jumped across the trail in front of us.
We stopped a few times for short breaks and then finally came to Wolf Rocks. Our feet were feeling the full pain of all the rocks. Wolf Rocks give a view of western PA. The rocks are tall, broken ledges of smooth quartzite, and are angled to the southeast.
We saw a guy who took our picture and we asked him what he was doing and he said he and his friend were out looking for snakes.
We asked what kind of snakes and he said rattlers. He and his friend go up there to take pictures of the snakes. Not something we were looking forward to seeing.
The trail drops off Wolf Rocks to the left and we climbed slowly down over the rocks. Wolf Rocks is a like a jungle gym and it was our playground today.
Looking back up towards Wolf rocks
After the climb down we came on to an old road that looked like a truck had tried to come up it. It was really pitted on the sides, but in the middle was a smooth walk way. A lovely change from all the rocks we had just been over.
The trail turned right and passed under a power line and then we started the descent into Fox Gap. Off to the side of the trail was a nice overlook, which was starting to get overgrown, but we could still see Stroudsburg in the distance.
hikerBG started to run ahead with Trail Doc's camera because she wanted to take a picture of the view overlooking Wind Gap. We looked at the both of them because we were confused. How was she going to take a picture ahead of Wind Gap when we were almost at Fox Gap. Oh yeah, they are use to doing loop hikes, so they thought we would end where we started. Reminded Dirigo of a rafting trip on the Kennebec but that's another story, for another time!
We descended into the parking lot where there were cold sodas and water waiting for us in the truck.
We shuttled back to Wind Gap to get hikerBG's car and she was bound and determined to get that picture that she missed on the way up the mountain, so she took off running up the mountain. We had no idea what picture she was taking about cause we didn't remember any views on the way up. While she was gone Trail Doc showed Dirigo some things that she can do to help her feet. Pretty cool. hikerBG came back without any pictures…
Great hike and wonderful company.