(Delaware Water Gap (mile 1296.1) - Crater Lake (mile 1316))

AC and I left our Airbnb in Kutztown, Pennsylvania around 9am. After making a quick resupply, we stopped at a Waffle House on the way back to Delaware Water Gap. I have been craving Waffle House for the last 3 months and was surprised to find one above the Mason Dixon Line! I happily ordered an All Star Special and felt nostalgic for all the times my dad and I used to get Waffle House before scout trips.

We made it back to Delaware Water Gap at 11am and stopped by the apple pie bakery to get AC a cup of coffee. After that we found a gazebo in front of Church of the Mountain where we ate watermelon and I organized my resupply. I was about to hike into New Jersey, so we both knew this was probably the last time AC would be able to meet me on trail. I was simply getting too far from Chapel Hill. After I was packed it took a while to muster the strength for a “see you later.” Our zero day in Kutztown had been lovely. We had an early birthday celebration, making a cookie ice cream sandwich cake and visiting a record store where I picked up a copy of Future Islands’ “As Long As You Are,” which has been an absolute trail anthem for me. For my birthday, AC got me a very fancy Excalibur food dehydrator, which I’m super excited to use. Eventually, we shared a final embrace and wishes of happy trails. I was off and hiking at just about noon.

I made my way down the main street, past all the cute houses, past the Deer Head Inn, and past the fire station onto the giant Interstate 80 bridge over the Delaware River. Halfway over the bridge, I reached the New Jersey border. Goodbye, Pennsylvania!!!🥳🥳🥳 There shouldn’t be anymore rocks from here on out🚫🪨🚫

Beyond the bridge, the trail left Interstate 80 and joined a small road which followed the river and passed by the Kittany Point Visitors Center for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The visitors center was closed, but a whiteboard outside featured a daily weather forecast which, in rather dramatic fashion, warned the heat index would max out at 112°F. Apparently the actual temperature was 92°F, with 71% humidity. I was amused. It felt hot, but the heat index estimate seemed absurd. I think I’d be dead if it felt like 112°F.

The trail continued alongside the river, and I passed the first ATC ridge runner I have seen since Shenandoah just before Big Meadows Lodge. She told me the first shelter after Delaware Water Gap was 25 miles out, but there are plenty of campsites. She just warned me to hang a bear bag because the bears in New Jersey are “crazy.” I have heard this sentiment repeated by a lot of folks. Fingers crossed I’ll see a bear. before passing under Interstate 80 and reaching a small trailhead parking lot. The area was clearly popular with day hikers, and I quickly discovered why. The trail was beautiful, following alongside the large, cascading Dunnfield Creek.

After a half mile, the AT split off from the Dunnfield Creek Trail and started slowly climbing the ridge. The trail was wide and the grade was easy-going, but the heat had me sweating. A lot. After about 3.5 miles, I reached Sunfish Pond, a small 41-acre glacial pond which a plaque declared as a registered National Natural Landmark. Another hand-painted sign explained that the pond is one of the seven natural wonders of New Jersey. Apparently the pond is naturally very acidic, and only a few hardy species can survive like pumpkinseed sunfish and yellow perch.

The pond was beautiful. As I approached, I could hear many frogs singing along the shore. I spotted many frogs as I walked along the shore. Each time I stopped to admire the few, I found a bullfrog crouched among the shore brush. Apparently, bullfrogs are one of the hardy species who don’t mind the pond’s acidic water. I am not surprised. Bullfrogs are tanks.

Near the far end of the pond, I ran into JPEG and "Aquadog" who were drying off after a swim in the pond. We chatted for a bit, collaboratively praised the day, and I hiked on. I was in a great mood and wanted to drink in as much of the day as I could.

The trail left the pond and climbed up onto Raccoon Ridge of Kittatinny Mountain, offering many views of the Delaware River and Pocono Mountains to the north and the Yards Creek reservoirs to the south. After another 2.7 miles, I stopped at a small footbridge over Yards Creek, taking the opportunity to "camel up" on water and eat a snack. I continued to climb up to Kittatinny Ridge, enjoying many spectacular views, and a vulture who decided to show off for my camera. A little over 2 miles after Yards Creek, I reached the Catfish Fire Tour. The lookout box was closed to the public, but I was able to climb up the stairs and appreciate a lovely panorama.

After another 1.4 miles, I reached a pond formed by a large beaver dam. To my surprise and amusement, the trail routed hikers over the dam itself. The footing was a bit precarious, but I enjoyed the novelty and thrill of possibly slipping and ending up in dirty giardia water. If it weren’t for all the full-bloom mountain laurel dominating the underbrush, I might have thought I was back in Ontario.

The next 5.5 miles offered pleasant ridge hiking at steady elevation, and I was treated to frequent views of the surrounding lakes and ponds. Late in the afternoon, as the shadows were growing long, a large porcupine waddled across the trail in front of me. It stopped at the base of a sizeable oak tree and bristled its quills to appear larger than it really was. After a moment’s pause, I was surprised to watch the porcupine slowly crawl straight up the tree trunk, where it perched itself about 10 feet up. I watched for a bit and then moved along, content with my first porcupine encounter.

It was 7:30pm, peak golden hour, and I was less than a mile from a campsite at Crater Lake. I would be getting in a bit late, but I felt satisfied to have made it nearly 20 miles through hot weather after a noon start. Plus, I don’t have to make dinner tonight thanks to the leftover Brussels sprout pizza I hauled out from Kutztown. I was pumped to eat pizza at a lakefront campsite furnished with privies. I thought it might even feel like Ontario.

As I approached the short blue blaze down to Crater Lake, I saw a Zpacks Duplex tent with an Arc Haul pack peaking out from the rain fly. As I approached the tent, my suspicions were confirmed when I spotted a dinosaur hand sanitizer holster attached to the pack strap. “What’s up Delta? Long time no see.” Delta poked his head out the tent and exclaimed “Frogman! Puddin and Katie are just down the trail at the campsite.” Sure enough, I found Puddin and Katie at a sad little tentsite where the Crater Lake blue blaze split with the AT. The last time I saw my trail family was the day before I hiked into Pennsylvania. Now here they were, the day I hiked out of Pennsylvannia. They had already set up their stuff, so I found a relatively flat spot and set up my tent. I broke a tent stake and then we all caught up as I ate my leftover pizza. No one was sure where Jasmine was, but Katie seemed to think she had likely made it to the next shelter, which had been their original plan as a group, but Delta had a migraine so these three stopped early.

When I asked about Caroline, I was shocked to learn that she had to get off trail permanently. Her knee pains in Shenandoah got so bad that she left trail to get an x-ray. The doctors did not see anything so she assumed it was tendonitis and got back on trail after a short rest. She ended up hiking another 60 miles until the pain became unbearable. She got off trail again and got another x-ray and an MRI. Her femur was broken. Apparent she had a small stress fracture in her femur that the doctor missed the first time. After another 60 miles, it developed into a full-blown fracture. She literally hiked until her femur broke. Plus there is something wrong with her meniscus. Clover will not be able to continue her hike this year.

As the evening light faded, I made my way down to lake to use the privy and fill up water. No one was around. I waded out into the placid lake as the last wisps of sunlight vanished into the night. I breathed deeply, feeling happy as minnows nibbled on my feet. Beautiful. Peaceful. Calm.

Symphony of frogs

from the banks of Sunfish Pond

music to my ears