Day 90 – Kittatinny Visitors Center to near Buttermilk Falls Trail

Today we got a lift to back to New Jersey from Mom and Dad Hnatow. I’d like to say many thanks are in order to Mom and Dad Hnatow and Heiser (and Becca). They were all super hospitable, flexible, generous, and just amazing during our slackpack and zero days in eastern PA over the last two weeks. You guys are all awesome.

As far as the hike today, this is still one of my favorite areas on the AT that I’ve experienced thus far. There is a gentle climb up to Sunfish Pond, which is so cool and peaceful.

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Sunfish Pond

The trail winds along a narrow ridge and provides some nice views.

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Kittatinny Mountain view off towards PA

We also crossed by a neat pond swamp thing that some beavers had gone crazy on. Unfortunately we didn’t see any beavers.

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Pond thing with beaver dam in the very bottom / foreground

On the negative side of things, it was (is) really hard mentally to be hiking away from friends and family. For the last 3 months the focus was always to get home to PA for the big wedding picnic and ride the excitement of being able to see everyone when we got home. Now that it’s over, it’s tough to refocus and stay motivated since it’ll be another 2 months or so until the end of the hike.

To make things more fun today, we got hammered with a downpour in the early afternoon. It was just one of those situations that almost comically sucks and that you have to try to laugh at and keep trucking along.

We ended up camping at a neat spot a couple hundred yards off the trail. Hopefully it stays dryish tonight. Tomorrow we continue trekking through the stormy weather here.

Vital stats :
Milestone – 1300 miles
Miles hiked today – 19.6
Mood – hanging in there. Had a few moments I was wishing I was back chilling in the atrium at work instead of hiking though.
Smell – like a Jersey swamp
Song stuck in my head – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee (some other thru-hiker dude was horribly and hilariously belting this out in the rain while he was hiking)

6 thoughts on “Day 90 – Kittatinny Visitors Center to near Buttermilk Falls Trail

  1. Mom - Tapey

    Great photos, Cowboy! Sorry to hear about the rain. We were at an outdoor picnic and it was pouring here for awhile, too. Hope you are more than dry-ish tonight! Hang in there! Dad and I hiked about a mile up the trail when we dropped you off (and then back, of course). What a nice area! I can understand how it must be awesome to experience all the goodness of the trail…great views, the tranquility, the sounds and smells, etc. I guess the not-so-great stuff comes with the package. Congrats on yet another milestone. You are awesome! Have a restful night and a refreshing day tomorrow. Stay dry, safe and healthy! Sending sneaker-wing thoughts, many prayers and lots of love.

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  2. ALF

    In 2 months you will again see family and friends (don’t forget cats and Flyers games). You guys are awesome! I love looking at the photos and imagining how it would be for the first settlers to see these views. Are you familiar with the song “Stormy Weather”? I think Billie Holiday sang it, though I could be wrong on that. There is also a Grateful Dead song about trekking along. Keep in mind how wonderful it will be to achieve your goal and dream in just 2 short months.

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  3. AL

    There is that kids song: “star trekking across the universe. Always going forward cause we can’t find reverse…”. I could go on but I’ll spare you. Hoping and praying you’re staying safe and dry!

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