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July 25, 1983 Monday (873.3 mtg) From Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal Catfish Fire Tower practically loomed over the shelter, but I did not realize it until I arrived there this morning to watch the sunrise. If I had known that it was a mere half mile from the shelter we had stayed at, I might have even went there to watch the sun set last night. If I had checked the guide, I might have even camped out in the tower. The morning was heralded by the sounds of reveille that could be heard coming from the valley below as the campers were awakened for the morning's activities. The hike today was not extremely memorable, as I have no notes from the area between Catfish Fire Tower and Culver's Gap at US 206. However, at Culver's Gap there is a nice bakery that most hikers stop for baked goods. Worthington's supplied me with a turkey sandwich and miscellaneous danish and donuts. After a short break at the bakery, I proceeded along the trail along the road that leads to the summit of Sunrise Mountain. A half mile past the bakery the trail turns off of the road and enters the woods to begin the climb up to Kittatinny Ridge. Not long after leaving the bakery, is the Gren Anderson shelter. Although I do not have an entry in the register there I may have stopped in and perhaps the page got torn out. I have no record in my journal stating that I stopped. Other trail enties from other hikers can be see from this register here. The
trail followed the crest of Kittatinny Ridge for about six miles to the summit
of Sunrise Mountain and the pavilion located there. Although the area is restricted
to camping, I and a couple of other hikers (Marcel Montville, Paul Nichols, and
Pete Headden*) sat around waiting for the sun to set before settling in for the
night. The sunset from Sunrise Mountain was one of the best that I had ever
seen. The clouds that were to the west were just right to provide interesting
forms, and add a sense of life to the scene. I saw Apollo as he raced across the
sky in his chariot. As the sky darkened, we waited for all the other public who
had driven up to the pavilion to leave, and then we got out our sleeping gear.
The night air was cool and there was only a slight problem with mosquitoes in
the early evening. I had to carry all of my water up the mountain for the evening
meal, breakfast the next morning, and the beginning of the next section, but the
view at sunset was well worth the effort. We drifted off to sleep sheltered under
the pavilion.
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