Dates ........ Tuesday May 2, 2000
Miles ........ 19.7 miles
From ........ VA - David Lesser Shelter
To ............. MD - Crampton Gap Shelter
Weather ... Foggy morning, mild, calm, then clearing and warmer, 75 degF
A foggy but mild morning greeted me as I made breakfast and packed up. The day cleared quickly becoming sunny, breezy and mild in the 70's. By 8:45 I was crossing WV rt. 9 at Keys Gap, just inside WV with both border signs visible. The trail covers about 7 miles of WV, including Harpers Ferry. I passed the (Federal) Civil War rock redoubts on the ridge above Harpers Ferry and entered Harpers Ferry National Park. An interesting boulder was engraved with "US" . Also along the trail were several monuments, plaques, memorials and graveyards relating to the intense Civil War battles that took place in this area.
I descended, steeply at times, down the hillside to the bridge crossing the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, crossed the beautiful river and followed the trail to AT Headquarters where I got my mug shot for posterity, signed the register, called home, and then went out to a nice café for lunch with one of the AT employees, Old Spice, ElWolfe, and Southern Comfort. After a quick stop at the post office, I resumed my hike through the quaint and historic Harpers Ferry, crossed the Shenandoah River on the Railroad Trestle footbridge.
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| Harpers Ferry railroad tunnel entrance |
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| Looking back along the AT footbridge and RR trestle across the Potomac to Harpers Ferry. |
One train was waiting on the trestle at the Harpers Ferry Tunnel opening at a signal as another train moved along the tracks adjacent to the towpath. This had to be a railroad buff's dream come true. A stairway takes the AT off the B & O train trestle down to the C & O Canal Towpath. The three miles the AT followed the towpath and Potomac River was teeming with ducks, geese, and turtles. It was a far more interesting portion of the AT than I expected and very pleasant, easy walking.
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| Turtles bask in the sun in the old C & O canal bed. |
I crossed the RR tracks and highway and climbed the nose of South Mountain, entering the state park there and hiked on to Gathland State Park, Crampton Gap, and Crampton Gap Shelter, where I spent the night. Gathland State Park and its War Correspondent's Memorial were interesting. South Mountain runs through all of Maryland and deep into Pennsylvania with the AT on top of its ridge most of the way.
I hiked past the correspondent's monument up the hill to the Crampton Gap Shelter. AuSable Mike, his wife and Medicine Man were there. Old Spice and Southern Comfort came along shortly. ElWolfe stayed in Harpers Ferry to meet Fannypack for his ride into Washington DC to pick up Annie, his hiking partner. I took a sponge bath, did some trail laundry, and cooked supper. Mikes wife was joining him for a couple of weeks.
The big push to Crampton Gap put me ahead one full day. When I called home, I told my ride to meet me Friday at noon instead of Friday evening. I had less than 30 miles to my hike's end at PenMar Park, PA and 2 ½ days to cover the relatively easy trail. I am getting anxious to be home again.
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| 4/19/00 | 4/21/00 | 4/22/00 | ||||
| 4/30/00 | 5/01/00 | 5/02/00 | 5/03/00 | 5/04/00 | 5/05/00 |