Sunday, December 28, 2008

Hikers claim midstate snow means time to go

Summer is the busy season on the Appalachian Trail, but local experts said winter is a great time to go for a hike.

WINTER HIKING TIPS Dress in layers you can remove to avoid overheating. Don't wear cotton next to your skin. It gets wet and does not wick. Wet clothes are a quick ticket to hypothermia. Carry a flashlight. Short days make it easy to get caught outdoors after dark. Gaiters, types of leg/shoe coverings, can help keep snow out of your shoes. Check elevation profiles. Be prepared for conditions you might encounter at higher elevations. Remember to wear blaze orange during hunting season, which runs to Feb. 7 in Pennsylvania. Sources: Karen Balaban, Laurie Potteiger

"There is no such thing as bad weather," said Harrisburg attorney Karen Balaban, the president of the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club. "Just inappropriate clothing."

Balaban insists winter is the best season to experience the trail, which stretches 2,175 miles from Maine to Georgia. The midpoint is in midstate Pennsylvania. In fact, she planned to lead some hikes this week.

"I prefer winter hiking," she said. "You can hike fast without worrying about sweating. There are no bugs, no poison ivy and no snakes."

"There are great views because there are no leaves on the trees," Balaban said. "And if we get enough snow, it cushions the rocks."

Neither the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club nor the Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club schedule maintenance as regularly as in warmer weather, but club members make sure the trail remains clear during winter.

"Usually, once or twice a year the weather requires us to do some special maintenance," said Craig Dunn of Hampden Twp. Dunn is the trail maintenance chairman for the Cumberland Valley group. "If there is a lot of damage, with trees or limbs down across the trail, we schedule special work parties."

During warmer months, Pennsylvania's numerous road crossings can detract from the wilderness experience.

In the winter, though, those same crossings help make the state one of the best places to hike the trail.

"The frequent road crossings in the winter are nice," said Laurie Potteiger, a spokeswoman with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. "Lots of road crossings give you shorter chunks, more manageable hikes."

Snow, or the lack thereof, also can make the state's portions of the trail some of the best winter hiking, Potteiger said.

"Some of the lowest snowfall totals along the trail are in Pennsylvania," Potteiger said. "From Georgia to Maine, it might be one of the best places to go."

CHRIS A. COUROGEN: 255-8112 or ccourogen@patriot-news.com

INFOBOX: TO LEARN MORE For a schedule of hikes organized by the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club and the Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club, visit www.satc-hike.org/hikes.html