Category Archives: Outdoor Opportunities

Get outdoors with people in the Duncannon community.

Vernal Ponds and Jefferson Salamanders Hike

: Vernal Pond

: Jefferson Salamander

: The Hikers

It was a great day, a little windy, but you couldn’t ask for better weather and trail conditions. We even got to hike on moss! Just the week before the trails were covered in snow and ice making footing very precarious. The vernal pond was not frozen over making observation easy with no sign that the Jefferson Salamander had been there. It has not been quite warm enough yet for them to migrate. We also stopped at the non-vernal pond and had a little discussion about toads and frogs. There was a little excitement on the way back when one of the puppies got loose, but the kids made a mad dash and caught the dog. Continue reading →

Berry Mountain Hike and Hypothermia

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: At the Bottom

: At the Top

: View From The Top

: The Susquehanna River

Well, we finally had our Berry Mountain hike after canceling once, having no place to park and another winter storm threatening another cancellation. A few days prior to the hike I checked out the trailhead parking which was under 3 feet of snow. There were two men there plowing the road, so I batted my big brown eyes explaining my dilemma. They were wonderful and plowed the parking lot for us. That just left the threatening weather forecast to deal with. I said a little prayer and the storm never came. So the hike was a go!

We had a total of 10 hikers to start, but one missed us at the trailhead, ran, and caught up with us at the top in time to see the beautiful view and take in the surprise that was mentioned on Meet Up.

Once on the mountaintop we took a few moments to discuss hypothermia, a body temperature below 95 degrees F. The most important thing to know about hypothermia is how to prevent it in the first place. Continue reading →

Another Haldeman Island Waterfowl Hike

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The DOC and DATC are hosting another Haldeman Island Waterfowl Hike to be led by Scott Bills, a Land Management Group Supervisor with the PA Game Commission, on March 23rd from 8 AM to 12 PM. Everyone is invited to attend, but we especially encourage people with children to enjoy this fun and highly educational opportunity.

This hike will primarily focus on migrating waterfowl and as many as 20 species could be spotted on both the island and the river. Dress appropriately for the weather, wear one extra layer for the wind, and wear neutral colors to help keep our presence muted. We encourage you to bring binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras , and bird guides. The length of the walk is but a few miles on level ground. Appropriate footwear would be warm boots.

DATC Logo Haldeman Island is located off 11/15 at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers. Parking coordinates are: 40.427407 -77.004258. Access is usually restricted to provide sanctuary for a wide variety of birds including the iconic Bald Eagle so don’t miss out on a rare chance to experience and learn about this wonderful Duncannon area natural resource. There are only 30 spots so hurry and register while there is still time. Call 834-9216 or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org to register. Hope to see you there.