Hill Week 2014: Lehigh Gap

For some time, I've thought it would be fun to put together a full week of challenging trail runs throughout the area.  I put together a run for National Trails Day, last year and this year I decided that I'd make a full week of trail runs leading up to it.  Today, was the first day of that week.

We met up at Lehigh Gap.  This would be one of the longer runs and some of the best, if not the best, scenery out of all the runs.  I love running here, but it is in the northwestern corner of the LV, so not too many trail runners venture out there.

It was ideal, sunny weather for this first run of the week.  That was good, since it can get quite hot on this exposed trail.  Many of the trees were killed off years ago, by a nearby zinc plant.  Some prairie grass has started to grow back.  I wore shorts and a short sleeve shirt for this early morning run.

I wasn't sure what kind of attendance to expect.  I had plenty of people committed to come to a run throughout the week, but not too many people were talking about coming to this run specifically.  I figured some of the regular trail runners would show up, and they were there when I arrived.

We took off on the LNE.  That has a challenging short climb.  It was a good way to wake up the lungs.  I led the way, but Aaron and Pat soon passed me.  I wanted to kind of hang in the middle of the group, so that no one got lost.  I also brought along my GoPro camera and got a ton of good photos.

The LNE is flat for awhile.  That provides a good warmup.  I ran with Kristin and then we got on to the Prairie Grass Trail.  This is where all the fun climbing begins.  I ran with Kristin for a bit, but then she dropped back.

I was going nice and slow.  The bottom of this section isn't too bad, but it gets pretty rocky at spots.  It climbs over 1,000 feet and that makes it difficult, when combined with the rocks.  I ran and walked it.

I kept heading back to check on people.  Eventually, Tim and Tim passed me.  I followed behind them for some time.  We were on the Charcoal Trail now.  There are some decent views here.

Last time I ran here, I had some trouble finding the North Trail.  Once Tim, Tim and I found it, I went back to find everyone else and make sure they didn't miss the turn.  Kristin wasn't sure where to go, so she stopped and was waiting for everyone else.  I sent her on to the North Trail and made sure the rest of the group found it too.

Once everyone was on to that trail, I took off after Kristin.  We ran together for awhile, but then stopped to take some pictures, when we had good views.  The trail runs along the ridge near the top of the mountain.  It makes for amazing views.  It is also a lot of fun.

Everyone else caught up to us and we stopped briefly for photos and to chat.  This was clearly not a super fast run.  It was a fun trail run.  We all ran together along the ridge, near the communication towers.  I got some cool pictures.

After stopping a couple more times, we all finally connected to the Appalachian Trail.  Now, it was basically a run straight down the mountain.  Since I didn't run up the whole way, I wasn't all that tired.  I didn't get much of a workout during the climb.

Once I told everyone how to get back to the parking lot, I took off and few down the trail.  I wanted to push a little bit on this downhill.  It is fun and fast early on.  There is a shelter that I went by.  After that, it is very rocky.

I still ran at a decent clip over the rocks.  I had to be careful with my GoPro in one hand.  I had told the group that we had to turn left onto another trail.  However, I gave them the wrong trail name.  It was actually the Woodpecker Trail.  I turned there.

I went over a rocky section.  Somehow I got lost after that.  I was on some overgrown trail.  I've gone this way a few times and never had a problem.  I ended up coming out with the AT, near the bridge on the main road.

I tried going down each side of the bridge, but it was more overgrown than last time that I went through there.  Instead, I ran on the road and cut through a business.  I made it back right at 7.50 miles.  That was good, since I didn't think the run would be that long.  I forgot to start my watch after one break and I did run some extra distance back to everyone, so that was pretty close to an accurate distance.

I went up the other trail and waited for the rest of the group to finish.  Eventually, they came out the same part that I did.  The others ahead of me had already gone out to run up the other side of the gap.  I'd like to do that next time that I am there.  Apparently the group behind me almost ran through someone's yard, before they were kicked out.

It was a solid turnout and a great group run.  I'm glad I could introduce this fun and scenic section to some other people.  I hope to do some more runs in the future.  Tomorrow's run with be at South Mountain in Emmaus.  It is in the evening and will probably be a few miles shorter than today.  Hopefully, we'll have a similar turnout as today.

7.5 miles - 1:32:19 (7:19 pace)