Rt. 850 to Duncannon

March 17, 2013
8.5 Miles
Tom, Molly, Wyatt, Mike and Dakota

The Pittsburgh crew of Tom, Molly, Wyatt came out on Sunday morning and we were hiking from Rt. 850 by 10:20 a.m.   We headed north to Duncannon over Cove Mountain—through the state game lands that cover almost the entire section of this segment.  Joining us for the first time—and leading the way---was Dakota, a 6 year old Shepard/Chow mix that Molly rescued from the Humane Society.   

The trail ascends nearly 700 feet about 1.5 miles from Rt. 850 and stays level for about 4 miles along the top of Cove Mountain.  On this St. Patrick’s Day hike, there were no shamrocks to be found along the trail—only rocks.  Lots of rocks.   Because of this, we spent much of the hike looking down at our feet--navigating over the rocks that had been made slippery by the 2-3 inches of snow that covered the length of the ridge.

There were a number of hikers on the trail, but there was little wildlife evident along the way—although Molly spotted a large turkey vulture sitting on a tree limb about 30 yards away from us.   And, while we didn’t see a Pileated Woodpecker, Wyatt enjoyed seeing the holes it carved into some of the trees along the trail.   The Pileated Woodpecker makes large, rectangular shaped holes as it searches for insects on which to feast.  (Credit and thanks to Amy Weidensaul for identifying the woodpecker).  More info on the Pileated can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pileated_Woodpecker

Near the end of the hike along the top of Cove Mountain, we took in the sights at Hawk Rock.  From this vantage point, you can see nearly a hundred miles towards Blue Knob, and across the Susquehanna River to Peter’s Mountain.  Just below is Sherman’s Creek and the town of Duncannon.  It’s a beautiful spot for any day hikers and parking is available in a lot just below the mountain.

The 800 foot descent down from Cove Mountain is challenging under normal conditions, and with the snow and slippery rocks, it took us longer than usual, but was enjoyable nonetheless.

After nearly five hours on the trail, we arrived at our car in Duncannon.  This quaint town is officially designated as an Appalachian Trail Community, and the Doyle Hotel is a well-known stop for thru hikers looking for inexpensive food, a warm shower, and a fairly priced room for the night.  http://www.appalachiantrail.org/what-we-do/community-engagement/appalachian-trail-communities/duncannon-pa

So, in the spirit of the difficult journeys that our Irish ancestors had made in the past—the Walsh and Murphy hiking clan celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a journey of our own over Cove Mountain and towards the mighty Susquehanna River.

With just a few miles left before we cross the River and head in a northeasterly direction, we are about 147 miles from the New Jersey line!