PA225 to PA325 (9.40 Miles)

We hiked this section on November 29, 2008.

Python, Dirigo, B Squared, Rock Star, Sling Blade, and The Messiah hiked from PA 225 to PA 325 in about 6 hours. We had a beautiful sunny day for the hike with temperatures in the low 40's and very little wind. Everyone except Sling Blade was wearing blaze orange since it was hunting season. We heard gunshots all day long on both sides of the ridge.

Dirigo had Achilles tendonitis and had to wear a soft cast for the past 2 weeks. The soft cast was removed this past Tuesday and her physical therapists told her it was okay to hike. Note, I do not think the therapists would have approved of a 9-mile hike right off the bat but Dirigo was a trooper and toughed it out.

We enjoyed the views under the double power lines and from the Table Rock.

We talked to a father and his sons who were winter backpacking and it was obvious that the boys were not really enjoying it.

We stopped for a short lunch at Peters Mountain shelter. This shelter has 2 levels and the picnic table is inside the shelter. According to the guide book "water is difficult to obtain at this site."

We met 2 ladies who are members of Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club (SATC) hiking with their dog near the Shikellimy Trail. They told us that their club was going to do day hikes of the AT in Pennsylvania starting in the spring of 2009. We wanted to chat for a bit longer but the dog was anxious to continue hiking (the dog also had on a blaze orange vest).

Just before leaving the ridge line, we saw a hunter in a blaze orange vest sitting on some rocks on the trail surveying the woods. He had a tree stand attached to his backpack and asked us if there were any more people in our group. He gave us the creeps so even though our feet were sore we started to hike faster.

The descent down the ridge was via switchbacks and we took our time because the dry leaves were slippery. We reached the parking lot at PA 325 just before 4 PM.