Beginner’s Backpacking trip on AT in Central PA

Especially for folks who want to try out backpacking for the first time. Distance is not too bad (4.7 miles on Sat, 2.7 miles on Sun), with ground relatively level. A good rule of thumb is you can only backpack, at most, half the distance you can day hike, so you should be able to day hike 9.4 miles (4.7 * 2) to backpack this one. Start location is roughly 3 hours drive from Cherry Hill NJ
Note, trail can be rocky at times (this is Pennsylvania or “rocksyvlania” as AT hikers call it) but there are no major rock scrambles or climbs. We will cross some streams and a sign for the Mason-Dixon line might be seen. AT 4.7 miles, signs for the Deer Lick shelter can be seen off to the right. Shelter has water and a privy, and can be seen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJpM4PVIESk – though he does the hike in reverse. This means the start of his hike is where we will be hiking Sunday.
Sunday, we will wake up, climb up 200ft from shelter, then down 500ft to the cars, a total of 2.7 miles. May have time to hit a diner on the way home.
Weather could be cold or warm, so as we get closer, we’ll need to watch the weather and pack appropriately.

Hike limited to 25 people. Hike Leader is Kevin Drevik (856) 630-2485 or kdrevik@aol.com.