Category Archives: Announcements

General news announcements from DATC.

Hawk Rock Vandalism

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Amazing panoramic view from Duncannon PA's Hawk Rock, summer 2014Nearly every Duncannon resident has been up to Hawk Rock at some point in their life.  The people of Duncannon are lucky to have what is often considered one of the best views in the state of Pennsylvania with its wide open natural vista showing Duncannon Borough, the Susquehanna and Juniata river confluence, and the Clarks Ferry Bridge off to the right.  Shermans Creek is immediately below with Orchard Hill, Dicks Ridge, Mahanoy Ridge, Hickory Ridge, and the Tuscarora Mountain ridges trailing off into the distance.  So why isn’t this beautiful vista more popular among hikers and tourists?

Hawk Rock is a great place to go to enjoy nature’s beauty as it spreads out both far and wide but when seen up close, the rock itself is an ugly mess plagued by layer upon layer of graffiti and the area directly below is littered with years upon years of trash.

Here is how Hawk Rock has looked in the past:

Normally I don’t show pictures of Hawk Rock graffiti because I dislike giving vandals any publicity but the most recent incident was too terrible to ignore.  Some misguided Romeo decided that the best way he could declare his devotion to his beloved “Anna” was by Continue reading →

Cattail Hike

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Prior to our hike we got to examine the cattail and discuss how it can benefit us. Then we proceeded on the 3 mile cross country course behind the Susquenita High School. It is a well kept and well marked trail due to the efforts of Coach Rick Knepp and his helpers. While a moderate hike, some of the hills proved strenuous, especially the hill referred to as the “Demoralizer”, it would prove challenging for a runner as well as a hiker.

Why did Euell Gibbons call the cattail “The Supermarket Plant of the Swamps”? It gets its name because some part of it is edible year round. Parts of the plant have other uses too besides gracing your table.

In the spring the inner core of the first shoots can be used like celery. When the shoots are 2 feet high you can pull out the soft white core eat it raw, boiled, or in salads. The roots can be made into flour which will be discussed in more detail later in this article. Continue reading →

DOC August Hike – Cattails

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On Sat., Aug. 16th the Duncannon Outdoor Club (DOC) will be hiking at the Susquenita High School 3 mile cross country course, through a wooded area. This is an average paced hiked on easy to moderate terrain with some short, steep hills. We will be learning about the Cattail and why it is called the Supermarket Plant of the Swamps. Meet at the Susquenita High School parking lot closest to the entrance of the building at 9:00 am. Call 395-2462 to register or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org. Hope to see you there!

Susquehanna Sojourn

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Susquehanna Sojourn

Break out the paddles, prepare your campfire tales, and join the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership for an exciting trip through some lovely and scenic sections of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River during a 5-day educational canoe/kayak trip! Paddle the entire trip, or just a few days… it’s up to you!

Touted by National Geographic as a “Best Adventure Destination for 2012” and recently designated a National Recreation Trail and connecting trail to the Captain John Smith Historic Trail by the National Park Service, the West Branch is a great place for exploration!

Visit the Susquehanna Greenway – West Branch Sojourn webpage for more detailed information.

DOC June Scavenger Hunt

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DOC LogoThe DOC scavenger hunt at the Cornerstone Christian Church Trails was a lot of fun! Participants carried clipboards holding a checklist of various items one would see while hiking. While some things were real; like the birds, butterfly, nests, and leaves, some items were strategically placed for the children to find and check off their list. There was the giant yellow spider on a trail sign, a turtle on a bench, a frog on the ground, a feather in the grass, the big red ladybug, a cobra, and a fish in the creek. We all missed the bat hanging from a tree! It was a fun time for all.

Join us for the July DOC Scavenger Hike at Wildwood Nature Center where all the items on our list will be for real!

Duncannon Outdoor Club Scavenger Hike at Wildwood

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On Sat., July 19th the Duncannon Outdoor Club (DOC) will be at the Wildwood Nature Center. Join us for an average paced 3 mile hike over easy terrain, as we search for items to check off of our scavenger cards. It is a hike for the whole family; provided children can walk the distance. Bring water, a snack, and binoculars if you have them. Meet at the Cornerstone Christian Church in Duncannon at 9:00 am. to carpool or meet at the Nature Center entrance by the bathrooms at 9:30 am. Call 834-9216 or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org to register.

DOC June Scavenger Hunt Family Hike

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On Sat., June 21st the Duncannon Outdoor Club (DOC) will be hiking at the Cornerstone Trails.  This is a slower paced 1.14 mile hike through woods and fields mostly on wide paths.  It is a hike for the whole family, especially for children ages 5 and up.  Try and find as many things as you can to check off your scavenger list.  Meet at the Cornerstone Christian Church in Duncannon at 9:00 am.  Call 834-9216 or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org to register.  Afterward attend the Duncannon Appalachian Trail Festival (Duncannon Blast) from noon to 4:00 pm on High Street in Duncannon.

May Pink Lady Slipper Hike

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DOC LogoThe DOC May hike was a smashing success!  We got to see a lot of Pink Lady Slippers that had not been present just the weekend before.  It must have been all of the rain we had.  The cross-country course behind the Susquenita High School was very well marked and maintained.

We did get to see a lot more than the Pink Lady Slippers.  There were massive fields of mushrooms along the wood-chipped path.  Then we hiked up a short hill to the reservoir where we saw the spillway and clear water.  Not long after that we came upon the old grave yard with tombstones dating to the 1800’s.  It was a very nice hike through a very nice area of woods and streams.

Prior to the hike we took a few moments to discuss the illusive flower, the Pink Lady Slipper also called the Moccasin Flower, Two Leaved Lady’s Slipper, and Stemless Lady’s Slipper.  It is a rare and beautiful flower belonging to the orchid family.  They take years to grow and are often picked by unknowledgeable individuals who are unaware that a special fungus is needed for the seed to germinate.  The seed is without its own food source and  needs a fungus, in the Rhizoctonia Genus, to break open the seed which then attaches itself to the fungus.  The seed feeds off the fungus until the leaves are grown and the plant can produce its own food  Although this seems a parasitic relationship, the Pink Lady Slipper returns the favor once the plant makes its own food.  Then the fungus lives off of the Pink Lady Slipper.  So coming full circle the relationship can be termed symbiotic,

In some states the flower is endangered and in others it is threatened.  In PA the Showy Lady Slipper is threatened and the Pink Lady slipper is rare and unusual.  The Pink Lady Slipper has two leaves coming up from the ground, a long stem and a pink flower at the end of the stem. The Showy Lady Slipper looks similar to the Pink, but has 3 white pedals on top of the slipper.

The Pink Lady Slipper can be found in pine forests, where it can be seen in large colonies, but it also grows in deciduous woods.  It prefers acidic and well-drained soil.  It can live up to 20 years and relies on bees for pollination,

If you find this flower please let it be.  Then it will be present for future generations,

Note: A “thank you” to SeanO for the wonderful pictures.