November/December 2017
Brought to you by Nathaniel "Angry Bird" Shank, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager
Do you know someone who we should consider for the A.T. Hall of Fame? Nominations are open now. Just follow THIS LINK.
The Appalachian Trail Museum Hall of Fame Festival will be held on Saturday, May 5th, 2018, at the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. We will be located at the pavilion below the AT Museum like usual.
FIRST DAY HIKE
PINE GROVE FURNACE STATE PARK
January 1, 2018 at 1 PM
Meet at Fuller Lake Bath House
Join the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park and park staff on a hike to
celebrate the new year. This guided hike will start at the Fuller Lake Bath House then
follow Old Railroad Bed Road to the Mountain Creek Trail. The hike will continue to the
end of the Mountain Creek Trail and return along Old Railroad Bed Road back to Fuller
Lake Bath House. Total distance is approximately 4 miles. The Friends group will serve
refreshments during the program.
Please dress for the weather, bring water, and wear sturdy shoes. The trail is
relatively flat, but there are tripping hazards, large stepping stones across side channels,
and steps at the bridge: no strollers, please. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome.
In case of severe weather, check www.PineGroveFriends.org or our Facebook page:
www.Facebook.com/Friends-of-Pine-Grove-Furnace-State-Park-131815140192988.
We hope to see you “1/1 @ 1” at the Fuller Lake Bath House!
On the way is a waterproof map of the Michaux State Forest by Purple Lizard Maps. A few of the great groups that helped create this map include the Pine Grove Furnace State Park Friends Group, Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve and Gettysburg Bicycle and Fitness. This map will be available for sale at the AT Museum and at www.atmuseum.org in 2018.
Volunteer Hours & Special Thanks
On Sunday, November 5th the Volunteer Recognition Dinner was held at the Iron Masters Mansion. There were 40+/- in attendance. The overall attendance at the museum this year was 9327 visitors. The volunteers donated 2558 hours of their time greeting hikers and visitors from all over the world, guiding road scholar hikes, resource library organization, garden and lawn work, building maintenance, renovation to 2nd and 3rd floor and constructing our new walkway. I'm sure there is plenty more that I am forgetting.
At the banquet, we recognized Gwen Loose for finding the open door and following through with final reports for grants that were available to us this year and in past years. She has helped us to accomplish what was thought to be impossible. Another person who really helped us a lot with outreach and donations is Robert "Red Wolf" Croyle. He is a wonderful person to work with. I can't imagine the museum without him.
We also recognized Ron Bungay for his countless hours thinking, planning and building the upper floors of the museum. For all of his help this year at the museum we have created for him and his crew a patch (pictured) and honored him with the 2017 Presidents Award.
The 2017 Volunteer Of the Year is Berry Flicker. Berry helped maintain the yard all summer, he donated gas, fixed lawn tools when needed, brought an army of scouts to help with an early fall cleanup and placing pavers in our walkway and he is one of the happiest people to be around.
Thank you all for a great year!
Comming Events in 2018!
The Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet returns to the Allenberry Resort this coming May! In early April the inductees will be announced! The actual induction ceremony will be on Friday, May 4, 2018, at the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet, located at the Allenberry Resort. Follow THIS LINK to get your tickets.Do you know someone who we should consider for the A.T. Hall of Fame? Nominations are open now. Just follow THIS LINK.
The Appalachian Trail Museum Hall of Fame Festival will be held on Saturday, May 5th, 2018, at the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. We will be located at the pavilion below the AT Museum like usual.
The Appalachian Trail Museum Children's Festival will also be held at the Pine Grove Furnace State Park on June 2nd, 2018. This event will be held on the museum grounds.
FIRST DAY HIKE
PINE GROVE FURNACE STATE PARK
January 1, 2018 at 1 PM
Meet at Fuller Lake Bath House
Join the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park and park staff on a hike to
celebrate the new year. This guided hike will start at the Fuller Lake Bath House then
follow Old Railroad Bed Road to the Mountain Creek Trail. The hike will continue to the
end of the Mountain Creek Trail and return along Old Railroad Bed Road back to Fuller
Lake Bath House. Total distance is approximately 4 miles. The Friends group will serve
refreshments during the program.
Please dress for the weather, bring water, and wear sturdy shoes. The trail is
relatively flat, but there are tripping hazards, large stepping stones across side channels,
and steps at the bridge: no strollers, please. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome.
In case of severe weather, check www.PineGroveFriends.org or our Facebook page:
www.Facebook.com/Friends-of-Pine-Grove-Furnace-State-Park-131815140192988.
We hope to see you “1/1 @ 1” at the Fuller Lake Bath House!
Renovations
The water has been turned off for the season, but there are still a few cold weather hikers like myself who cannot stop exploring. |
| Janice Gibson donated seat covers. |
 |
| Electricians have been working on track lighting for the second floor. |
New Merchandise
Check out some of the new merchandise that was added to our inventory near the end of 2017. We now have two books by Mic Louther, Walking North and Taking the Long Way Home. We also have another book by Jeffrey Ryan called Blazing Ahead.
On the way is a waterproof map of the Michaux State Forest by Purple Lizard Maps. A few of the great groups that helped create this map include the Pine Grove Furnace State Park Friends Group, Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve and Gettysburg Bicycle and Fitness. This map will be available for sale at the AT Museum and at www.atmuseum.org in 2018.
Angry Bird Trail Stories (Continued)
I got to the Carl A. Newhall Lean-to as it was getting dark(er). My clothes were wet but the contents of my pack were totally dry. I had stuffed some dry wood from the last shelter into my pack in case I really wanted a fire. Instead, I decided that I wanted to go right to sleep... or not! Before I could go to sleep the people at this shelter were giving me some wonderful advice. It was all legal but highly unethical. Some of the advice they gave me was also definitely illegal. So the advise was in reality not so wonderful. About an hour later another hiker showed up. I'll call him Redhead since I don't know his trail name. He was drenched, sleeping bag and all. I thought I was in a bad spot but after seeing him I realized how well off I really was! It was also a cold night. I don't remember a whole lot after this because I actually went to sleep very quickly. That seems to happen when I least think it would.
When we hiked out in the morning Redhead left before I did, but not by long. When I caught up with him he asked, "Did you see my knife?" I replied with, "Noooo!" That made us very happy to be away from there. Minutes later when the other hiker who was there showed up we had a few laughs and sighs of relief. Then the Canadians showed up and we had to cross the flooded, waist high, bitter cold, fast moving, slippery west branch of the pleasant river. I was the first to test the water and cross. They said I made it look easy, but it was far from easy. One of the Canadians fell and went straight back to shore behind me. Then the female that was with us was carried 200+/- feet down river getting hit by rocks along the way. She managed to escape by using her poles to push herself across. She was bruised pretty badly but managed to get out.
When looking up videos of that river online it is only ankle high. In hindsight, camping until the water was lower would have been a great route to take. If planning to ford a river be sure to unbuckle the waist belt from your pack before trying to cross. It may save your life.
Coming Down the Trail
First Day Hike (P.G.F.S.P. Park Staff) - January 1st, 2018, 1pm @ Fuller Lake Bath House
Hall Of Fame Banquet - May 4th @ Allenberry Resort
Hall Of Fame Festival - May 5th, 2018
Program: Women of the A.T. - Thursday, May 31st, 6:30 pm @ A.T. Museum
AT Museum Children's Festival - June 2nd, 2018
Halfway Hiker Picnic - July 7th, 2018
I got to the Carl A. Newhall Lean-to as it was getting dark(er). My clothes were wet but the contents of my pack were totally dry. I had stuffed some dry wood from the last shelter into my pack in case I really wanted a fire. Instead, I decided that I wanted to go right to sleep... or not! Before I could go to sleep the people at this shelter were giving me some wonderful advice. It was all legal but highly unethical. Some of the advice they gave me was also definitely illegal. So the advise was in reality not so wonderful. About an hour later another hiker showed up. I'll call him Redhead since I don't know his trail name. He was drenched, sleeping bag and all. I thought I was in a bad spot but after seeing him I realized how well off I really was! It was also a cold night. I don't remember a whole lot after this because I actually went to sleep very quickly. That seems to happen when I least think it would.
When we hiked out in the morning Redhead left before I did, but not by long. When I caught up with him he asked, "Did you see my knife?" I replied with, "Noooo!" That made us very happy to be away from there. Minutes later when the other hiker who was there showed up we had a few laughs and sighs of relief. Then the Canadians showed up and we had to cross the flooded, waist high, bitter cold, fast moving, slippery west branch of the pleasant river. I was the first to test the water and cross. They said I made it look easy, but it was far from easy. One of the Canadians fell and went straight back to shore behind me. Then the female that was with us was carried 200+/- feet down river getting hit by rocks along the way. She managed to escape by using her poles to push herself across. She was bruised pretty badly but managed to get out.
When looking up videos of that river online it is only ankle high. In hindsight, camping until the water was lower would have been a great route to take. If planning to ford a river be sure to unbuckle the waist belt from your pack before trying to cross. It may save your life.
If you would like to listen to me give a tour of the museum and talk about some of my experiences on the trail then you are in luck. The A.T. Museum was featured in the podcast "Effing Weird Museums". HERE is a link to the episode, in which host Emily Morman interviews Museum Manager Nate Shank.
Coming Down the Trail
First Day Hike (P.G.F.S.P. Park Staff) - January 1st, 2018, 1pm @ Fuller Lake Bath House
Hall Of Fame Banquet - May 4th @ Allenberry Resort
Hall Of Fame Festival - May 5th, 2018
Program: Women of the A.T. - Thursday, May 31st, 6:30 pm @ A.T. Museum
AT Museum Children's Festival - June 2nd, 2018
Halfway Hiker Picnic - July 7th, 2018
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