Rausch Gap shelter rebuilt in 2012 by Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club

Completed Rausch Gap Shelter.  (Photo: BMECC.org)

The Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club's Winter 2013 President's Message notes the beautiful job that BMECC Shelter Chair, Dave Crosby, and numerous volunteers did on the rebuilding of the Rausch Gap Shelter. 

The Rausch Gap Shelter was built in 1973 within State Game Lands Tract #211 and is one of seven shelters maintained by Reading-based Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club.  The shelter was scheduled for a roof replacement this year but, upon starting the work, it was discovered that too many of the logs had rotted and needed to be replaced. As a result, a total rebuild project was undertaken.  A dedication ceremony was held in October 2012.  For more info on the project, volunteers involved, and a slideshow of the rebuild process, visit BMECC’s web site – Rausch Gap Work.

Duncannon A.T. Community volunteers participate in Appalachian Trail maintenance

From left to right: Martin Sussman, Jerry Wright, and Sean O'Shell

Report from Sean O'Shell, Vice President of the Duncannon A.T. Community Advisory Committee: 

 “I have been on two maintenance hikes with the Mountain Club of Maryland along the 8 mile section of the Appalachian Trail located on Cove Mountain just south of Duncannon PA. The first trip was part of standard scheduled autumn maintenance and the second trip was to clear the trail of fallen trees after Hurricane Sandy had passed through. I spent both days walking and talking with a Class 'C' sawyer (class 'C' is the best) who was very knowledgeable about the Appalachian Trail and the surrounding environment. I asked him to help me identify tree species and he was more than willing to comply. I can identify quite a few trees now just by looking at their bark, for example if a tree is big, has very rough textured bark and is on a mountain ridge in PA it's almost certainly a Chestnut Oak. The sawyer also took the time to explain various boundary markings, maintenance policies and AT history. The only thing I had to contribute to earn this privilege was to bring a pair of pruners so I could cut any vegetation encroaching on the trail and carry a backpack full of first-aid equipment in case anything went wrong along our hike. It was a honor and a pleasure to be one of the many volunteers who help maintain and take care of the Appalachian Trail, one of our greatest national resources.” 

The Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community hopes to recruit more volunteers from the greater Duncannon area to get involved in maintenance of the Appalachian Trail as partners with the local Trail Clubs including Mountain Club of Maryland, Susquehanna Appalachian TrailClub, Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club, and York Hiking Club.  For more information contact DATC President Mary Parry at trailangelmary@gmail.com or go to our web page to learn more http://duncannonatc.org/

Findings from Statewide Survey shows overwhelming support for Conservation Funding

Source: http://www.plateshack.com/

Attention state legislators!  Results from a recent survey conducted by the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg, The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land indicated overwhelming public support throughout the state for both continuing existing dedicated state funding for conservation as well as increasing state funding for land and water conservation, even if that means a small increase in taxes.

Read the full Executive Summary of the Survey Findings here.

Overall, the results of the survey show that Pennsylvania residents clearly value the state’s natural resources.

2012 a record Saw-whet Owl year at Little Gap!

As a follow-up to last week's post on the Saw-whet Owl project, Rick Wiltraut of DCNR's Jacobsburg Environment Education Center reports that they banded 435 Northern Saw-whet Owl's this fall up at Little Gap on the Ridge near Danielsville, PA.  This marks their best year yet!  

Learn more about the Center's Environmental Educational programming and be sure to keep tabs on construction of their new state-of-the-art facility.  

Upcoming events along the Kittatinny Ridge

Winter is an exciting time to explore the trails and nature centers of the Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor!   Mark your calendars and "Experience its Ridgeness" in early 2013.  A Happy New Year to all from the Kittatinny Coalition!

Jan. 1 ~ New Years Day Pinnacle Hike with BMECC
Hamburg Reservoir Parking Lot, Hamburg, PA
Meet at 9:00 AM at the Hamburg Reservoir Parking Lot for this 8 mile hike. We will hike the AT to Pulpit Rock before continuing to the Pinnacle. Start off the New Year by keeping your resolution to get out and hike. Bring water, snacks and lunch. We will spend some time at the lookouts to enjoy the views. For more information or to register with leader, visit Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club's Hike Schedule.

Jan. 5 ~ Shikellamy Trail to A.T. Clarks Valley Shuttle Hike with SATC
Clarks Valley Rd. A.T. Crossing, State Game Lands #211, PA
Beautiful uphill hike to A.T. and we will follow the A.T. back down to Clarks Valley Road. Wear blaze orange.  For more information or to register with leader, visit Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club's hike schedule.

Jan. 12 ~ Exploring the World of Black Bears at Wildwood Park
Wildwood Lake Park, Harrisburg, PA
Are bears true hibernators? How much can they weigh? What do bears eat? Come and find out at the Creature Feature Story Time! Stories will be read aloud in a group setting where the world of the Black Bear comes to life. We will be looking at tracks, habitat, teeth, and scat throughout the morning. This program is suitable for children ages 3-6 and their parents.  For more information, visit Wildwood Lake Park's event calendar.

Jan. 15 ~ Tall Timber by Van Wagner, Lecture Series at Wildwood
Wildwood Lake Park, Harrisburg, PA
Songwriter, historian and Pennsylvania logger Van Wagner will present a program celebrating the past and present of Pennsylvania’s timber heritage. This program, sponsored by the Friends of Wildwood, covers how timber was harvested over the past several centuries and most importantly WHO harvested it. The program also focuses on the rafting days when millions of board feet of Pennsylvania Timber were assembled into various styles of rafts and piloted down streams and rivers.  For more information, visit Wildwood Lake Park's event calendar.

Jan. 19 ~ Woodpeckers of Jacobsburg
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, Wind Gap, PA
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center has some of the best woodpecker habitat in the Lehigh Valley area.  Join us as we search the park for local species of woodpeckers like the elusive Pileated Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  For more information, visit the DCNR event listing.

Jan. 19 ~ Wild About Winter at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, PA
Full day event includes free information about winter wildlife, a live raptor program, children's activity and winter walk.  For more information, visit Hawk Mountain Sanctuary's event schedule.

Duncannon A.T. Community Committee hosts coloring contest at Duncannon's Winterfest

Gigi Sylvester, Age 12

Duncannon’sAppalachian Trail Community Committee (DATC) held a coloring contest for Duncannon area children at the Borough’s recent WinterFest celebration.  Winners Abby Heckard, Age 11, and Gigi Sylvester, Age 12, colored vibrant recycling snail pictures while learning more about their Community's connections to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.  Duncannon Borough is one of the few towns in Pennsylvania the Appalachian Trail travels directly through and DATC hosted a town-wide A.T. Community designation ceremony as part of a day-long Trails festival this past June.  DATC recently launched a new web site and is starting planning for another event in June 2013!  

Abby Heckard, Age 11

And who can forget the winners of the Susquenita Middle School "Trail to Every Classroom" Post-Card Art Contest this past June!  They're proudly on display in area businesses and in the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Mid-Atlantic Regional Office.  See below photo.

Duncannon A.T. Community Post Card Art Contest

Saw-Whet Owls tracked at sites along the Kittatinny Ridge

Saw-Whet Owl (Source: Owling.com)

The Kittatinny Ridge and Corridor is home wildlife large and small, from black bears to bog turtles.  The Ridge's forests are prime habitat for nesting songbirds, provide resting places for migrant raptors, and host a diversity of other species.  One of the smallest bird species in North America, the Saw-Whet Owl, is the subject of author, scholer and naturalist, Scott Weidensaul's research with many sites along the Kittatinny involved in the ongoing project. 

Over the weekend the Reading Eagle reported on the research project's history and current monitoring efforts with banding sites strewn across the Ridge and eastern part of the state.  Learn more about the Saw-Whet Owl research in the article below and at Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art where Scott serves as coordinator of the Saw-Whet Owl project. 

Reading Eagle: Research tracks movement of tiny Saw-Whet Owls

Explore PA and the Kittatinny Corridor via DCNR's Interactive Map, now including Geology

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has added new state geologic information to the interactive geographic information systems map. There are layers of information on the map such as bedrock geology, earthquake locations and magnitude, and outstanding geologic features.

You can scroll over and pick specific locations to get more information about geology, state parks and forests, and recreational opportunities available throughout Pennsylvania. Other geologicinformation includes state park geologic guides, maximum elevations by county and glacial boundaries.  Information related to other local recreational amenities will soon be added.  Thanks to Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club trail mail for the notification!

Historic Delaware Water Gap Borough undergoing Village Study

An Appalachian Trail hiker enters Delaware Water Gap.

Historic Delaware Water Gap Borough is one of the few communities in Pennsylvania along the Appalachian Trail passes directly through, a long time stop for hikers and visitors to the Poconos in general.  Situated at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge, the quaint village is named after the “magnificent natural wonder carved by the Delaware River.” 

The Borough is currently undergoing a Village Study made possible by a grant from Monroe County.  This planning process serves to engage various stakeholders within the community with goals of sustaining the traditional look and feel of the Borough, improving and ensuring continued safety for life and property, promoting appropriate community development and maintaining a high quality of life. 

The study area for this project will focus on the primary commercial corridor within the Borough which includes many businesses, services and community groups that serve Appalachian Trail hikers, including: Church of the Mountain Hostel, the Deer Head Inn, Edge of the Woods Outfitters (only outfitter along the A.T. in Pennsylvania!) and Village Farmer and Bakery (home of the famous Hot Dog & slice of Apple Pie special).    The steering committee hopes to incorporate elements of how Delaware Water Gap could position itself as a gateway for outdoor recreation to the Appalachian Trail, the Kittatinny Ridge, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and various other valued natural and cultural assets that contribute to its unique sense of place and draw visitors.  We can’t wait to see the results!