Draught declared on AT

imported
#1

This morning the weather channel officially declared PA is in a draught. Also reported that NY and NJ are running rainfall deficits of 4+ inches.

Realizing that most NOBO’ers aren’t near there yet, it could be something to keep your eye on. We had quite the opposite in '03 and just assumed if the book had a “w” recould tank up.

And, not just because I will be in PA NOBO in June & July, but we always apprecitate the trail angels who leave fresh water at the road crossings draught or not. Thanks!

TBD

#2

I hope its the weather channel, and not you, calling for a draught. What kind is it? Is it on the house?

Maybe . . . and I say this kindly, with warm heart . . . maybe they meant ‘drought’.

The only draught declared in PA is in Duncannon, at the Doyle Hotel :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :wink:

Kineo Kid

#3

Well, thats for sure.

Lion King

#4

if there was one place in ny that it would be helpful to leave water at what road crossing would it be.

thanks

boy who wanders

#5

…yeah since beer dehydrates you…thanks for being humerous and not calling me a dumb ass.

bww…in NY state…if things are really hot and dry…where the AT crosses NY 55 or Penny Rd as the stream at Telephone Pioneers Shelter is intermittent at best. Those stopping there at the end of the day will already be dry and will need water to cook with too.

TBD

#6

A real good excuse for Trail Angels to pop up :tongue

Marsha

#7

Just came off of section 4 (port clinton to rt. 309) Nobo, and I will like to attest that all the springs (even the ones I have never seen but dry) are running, I was amazed by the plethora of water. On the other hand I pray to god you take a lot of water through wind gap. Hotel lady seems to give a real attitude if you arent staying there about filling your 2 liters of water to get you to the shelter. Hope the hike goes well for the NOBO’s on the trail, going to be an angel somewhere along the PA route a few weeks out of this summer I am sure. :cheers

Ridge Rat

#8

When things are hot and dry … you know you’re on the southern AT in summer. In fact lots of those counties are dry all year round. :lol

Slo Walker

#9

I was wondering when someone would note that NJ-NY (and I guess PA) haven’t had as much snow/rainfall this winter. Today, April 11th, I was out for a short hike from NY17a to Fitzgerald Falls. Having hiked this section a couple of times, I would certainly say that the water & springs are not flowing as much as usual, even considering that it rained about 2 weeks ago. This area was in a drought during June of last year also…During June I sectioned from Southfields to Pawling, CT, and I remember the lack of water and muggy torturous temperatures. But one good thing about this section in NY, there are numerous places wher you can head to a store in a town right off of the trail.

My two cents.

Priest

#10

In '02 we had a drought. We didn’t get water out of the ground but in a few places in NY. NJ was ok. PA was a challenge. The water jugs at the road sides were our best bet. At the park just before Bear Mountain, NY the water coming out of the fountains was red!! When we got to Bear Mt. we hitched to a small town, went into a restaurant and asked if we could get some water. They said they didn’t use the water for anything but washing the dishes and moping the floor. If we wanted water “we should buy it at the store.” They showed us the large bottles they bought to use in their restaurant!

In CT some of the rivers have warning signs that the water has PCBs, mercury, lead, and other harmful chems. We would hitch and buy a gallon or two and fill our bladders.

When it seemed we would have to use the bad looking water, we would find gallon jugs sitting at the roadside.

Papa Smurf

#11

I know this is going to sound stupid, but when you say “a couple gallons by the side of the road” is that literally what you mean? I’ve only trail angeled once, but being newly retired, I plan to do so again. Seems like hanging from a tree or on a post or something a litle more secire would be preferrable. Is there a rules of the road for angels? At 59 cents a gallon, I can haul a lot of water. Just like to see it get used by some hikers and not a convenient target for some misguided sharp-shooter.

Jim 2

#12

Jim 2, I said on the roadside but it was usually up the trail a little ways away from the road. Sometimes there would be five or six gallons. Most of it was in milk jugs or similar containers.

In Port Clinton an older couple would deliver it looked like 20+ gallons of water every night and put them on a bench in the pavilion. The hikers would leave the empty jugs and they appeared to just refill them each day.

The number of gallons we found would vary depending on the site. We would just fill them enough to get to the next water source “and leave some for other and thank kindly of Desert Pete.” (That tells my age, remember the song, Cool Water? Ole Dan and I with throats so dry, with the taste of water … cool clear water.)

Thanks for your generosity. I know it was a wonderful blessing for us on our hike to find that water at a road crossing.

Papa Smurf

#13

Since I sectioned the trail in MD over the April 1st weekend, I can give an update on the water situation there.

We started in Harpers Ferry and didn’t need to tank up until Gathland State Park. The frost-free tap was working, although the soda and juice machines were turned off for the season. The next water stop was at the Dahlgren campground and the frost-free tap was also OK. The big mistake was counting on the frost-free tap at Washington Monument State Park - it was non-operational and the soda machine was also off.

The spring at the Pine Knob shelter was slow but steady while the spring at the Pogo campsites was gushing. The box spring at the Cowall Shelter was a little stagnant but usable. Finally, the spring near Warner Gap Rd was very slow but the stream next to the road was flowing strong. We made it to PenMar with the water from this stream.

And related to NY and the Telephone Pioneers Shelter, Holly Champion allows hikers to get water from a hose in her yard. All she asks for is some polite conversation and manners. She’s just down the road from the Dover Oak. If I recall correctly, the house was purple although it was listed as gray in the handbook.

Stalking Tortoise

#14

Saw on the weather channel this morning the areas they thought were in drought conditions. Most of VA was in the just above the low caution and nothing for PA or northward.

socks

#15

Adams - No Burning
Cumberland - No burning
Franklin - No burning
Jefferson - No burning
Lancaster - No burning
Monroe - No burning
Northumberland - No burning
Pike - No Burning - Ban will go into effect April 14
Susquehanna - No burning
York - No burning

That means no campfires.

Cool Water by Sons of the Pioneers?

Lobo

#16

That’s it Lobo!

Papa Smurf

#17

Ok, bear with me here, I hiked in '02. As I recall there was someplace in NY/NJ where they listed water and soda machines, bear mountain maybe, there was a park there, and there was no water anywhere. All the soda/water machines were turned off, the water fountains didn’t work, and this was June. The ranger said there was a break in the pipeline to get the water up the mountain, it would probably never get fixed, and in drought years there wasn’t enough water pressure to bypass the break. Even the bathrooms were locked. We had reallyl counted on the water since in the book it seemed like a pretty secure source.

Grassy Ridge

#18

Thanks hikers. No burning is a bummer. Lets hope all pay heed to the bans. We don’t need any fires claiming our scarce and precious woodlands. Connecticut is usually pretty well-fixed water-wise but I’ll check with the DEP and make my watering plans accordingly. “Cool, clear, water. (Water, water)”

Jim2

Jim2

#19

It is true that it did not snow or rain much this winter in Pennsylvania and streams are low. However, it has rained fairly often during the last week, so the streams are back to normal…for a few days. I think thru-hikers are going to have to cautious with water this year…but there is no definitive draught “scheduled” for Pennsylvania this summer. Sometimes a stream or spring flowing in Pennsylvania just depends on the week! ~Spicy GA-ME 05’

Spicy

#20

would a good place to leave water be at seven lakes drive in the woods near the trail. i was thinking that the fingerboard shelter does not have any water. so if i leave it there and some water at fingerboard then people could have water. is this a good idea.

boy who wanders