Date: 2013-06-12
From: Campsite at Rattling Run, PA

To: Hertline Campsite, mi 1,194.9
Miles today: 30.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The AT north of the Rattling Run Campsite, which oddly was nestled in what seems to be the only grove of Rhododendron in sight (the Rhododendrons had pretty much vanished north of Virginia), was virtually flat until reaching Second Mountain some 8.5 miles north. Anyone who has read Bill Bryson's interesting history of the Appalachian Trail (Walk in the Woods), knows that the trail follows along historic coal mining grades. The AT was black, not the rich organic clay rich black, but anthracite black! Anthracite is the highest grade of coal in nature, essentially ancient tropical forests subjected to burial and consequentially extreme pressure over the millennia to form what appears to be black rock. The AT was covered coarse sand to fine gravel sized fragments of Anthracite. The previous day, hiking the gradual slope north of PA 325 (mile 1,160.5), the trail passed several mining adits (entrances to historic, subterranean coal mines, which followed the coal seams into the ridge side. At the Yellow Springs Tr junction, the trail passes over a bridge and historic mining village site. Most interesting to me, having spent some of my career mitigating polluted water, was a large diameter well drilled on the banks of the stream, designed to neutralize the pH of the water. I do not recall the exact process, but think the stream water percolated through limestone gravel (carbonate), which I recall from basic chemistry, reacts with acid to form water and CO2. The water appeared to reenter the drainage downstream. North of Second Mountain, the AT crossed several roads/highways in close proximity, separated by fields bounded by trees. North of the Swatara Gap (PA 72), the AT crossed beneath the I-81 (the major N-S artery linking towns along the eastern side of the Appalachians) before climbing steep, rocky slopes up the next ridge to the north. The trail was choked with dense understory, mostly invasive vines quite possibly mixed with poison ivy. I was paranoid to touch anything, but it was unavoidable. I used my walking poles when possible to move aside suspicious vines of the three leaf variety, before hiking beyond it. By late afternoon, after passing by several scenic spots on the trail which traversed vertical rock ledges over looking the distant valleys (e.g. Fisher and Kimmel Lookout), I intersected PA 501. I arrived at the 501 shelter around 5pm. Several hikers were just finishing large pizzas and soda when I arrived. I recall one of the hikers was named Torch. I could not recall the name of an older man, sorting through his food supply. He had dried his own apples at home and offered me a handful for the trail. They were delicious, though I could not stomach dehydrated food after a long day of hiking. Another young hiker, who could not finish his 2L Mountain Dew, offered me half of it. I decanted it in my empty water bottle and ordered a large pizza and 2L soda for myself. I hiked the short distance to the parking area off PA 501 where the delivery boy arrived about 25 minutes later. Folks staying in the shelter that night mentioned that a storm was predicted to move in within the next 24 hours. They had given it a name, so it likely meant torrential rain, possibly accompanied by lightning. It was getting dark quickly, though I figured I could get a head start on the storm and make it before dark to the Hertline Campsite about 5 miles north. In theory this was feasible, however, the terrain was some of the worst that PA had to offer! Every foot step required careful placement, or my ankles would be sprained. It was a virtual talus field on moderate topography. It was nearly dark when I finally arrived to the Hertline Campsite. Here, Torch had stopped as well and was in his hammock beneath a tarp. I set up my tent on a very small tent pad across the trail, found a branch just up the slope to through a line over for hanging my food, and cooked dinner. I was in my tent by around 9:30pm.