“Reality is hard. It is no walk in the park, this thing called Life.”
~Patty Duke
June 8, 2022
AT miles: 14.4
Ascent: 1237’
Descent: 2190’
Weather: sunny and low 70’s
Sightings: lots of butterflies
High points: surviving “knife edge” and hiking with Smooth and Carjack
Most rocks are back-sleepers or stomach sleepers, but the rocks in Pennsylvania are all side-sleepers!
I was dreading the first five miles of today’s hike, which are supposed to be the hardest, rockiest miles in Pennsylvania. I felt better knowing that Smooth and Carjack (from the hostel) were also tackling this section and would be nearby. Also, since I was slackpacking again, I only had a few pounds in my backpack.
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-122.png)
Carjack and I drove to Palmerton, where I left my car and we got a shuttle back to Rt 309. Heading north, the trail quickly deteriorated into a jumble of rocks. The rock hopping wasn’t too bad, but I am very thankful that I was doing this hike on a dry day!
Suddenly I was at the knife edge. I put away my poles and prepared for the worst.
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-124.png)
Navigating the narrow rocky ledge took a lot of concentration. You had to watch every foot and hand hold. A tenth of a mile later I was done!
There were numerous other rock jumbles that needed to be navigated, but having survived the knife edge I was on a roll. I really have trust issues with rocks, and I do not enjoy climbing on them at all, but honestly today was almost fun.
We all stopped for lunch at Bake Oven Knob, which has a fantastic view.
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-128.png)
After a few more rock scrambles the trail straightened itself out.
Under a set of powerlines there was orange plastic netting everywhere. If you looked through the netting you could see that there were vast VW bug-eating holes between the rocks. The whole effect was extremely weird.
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-129.png)
Gradually the trail became lighter and more cheerful and suddenly we were high up on a ridge, walking through stubby pines and fern meadows.
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-130.png)
There were a number of really great camping areas along the trail. In one camping area some wannabe rogue Rocksylvania sculptor had taken some of the local rocks and actually fashioned rock chairs!
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-132.png)
For the next several miles the trail wound on the side of Blue Mountain, providing stunning views of Lehigh River and Rt 476, which went in a tunnel underneath the the mountain and the AT!
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-134.png)
This particular section of trail just opened this year as a re-route of the prior section. We are the first class of AT hikers to walk this section!
![](https://hikinghaggis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/image-136.png)
Wild bleeding heart was blooming everywhere, and lots of stunning butterflies were flying about.
It was a long hot day, and we were all glad when we finally made it back to Palmerton, where we had to walk about a mile through absolutely crazy traffic back to the car. Another day on the Pennsylvania AT done!
Today’s a great day for a long walk in the woods!