October 22nd, 2013 DATC Meeting

The Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community Advisory Committee will hold its next meeting Tuesday, October 22nd at 6:30 PM in the Duncannon Christ Lutheran Church located at 115 Church Street. The church can be found at the intersection of Plum and Church streets. We should park in the gravel lot along Plum Street and use the entrance on the left side of the church to get to the meeting room in the basement/undercroft.

THERE WILL BE FREE PIZZA AND SODA! RSVP is not required but it’s greatly appreciated and helps us determine how much pizza we should buy.

Our agenda will focus on next year’s 2014 Duncannon A.T. Community Festival. We’ll also discuss fundraising, event promotion, vendor management, the progress we’ve made in the past months, and further increasing meeting attendance and volunteer participation.

The church where we’re holding our meeting accepts any unwanted used clothes that are still in good shape. If you’ve been looking for a place to donate your old clothes that no longer fit after losing weight while hiking the trails, then this is a great opportunity to help the Duncannon community. All clothes are first offered to Duncannon residents and what is not claimed goes to Community Aid which is a reputable non profit organization.

Anyone who would like to be involved with this organization, offer guidance or influence its policies is welcome to attend. You might find a volunteer opportunity that suits you in any number of fields such as: planning our next 2014 DATC Festival, fundraising, supporting the Duncannon Outdoors Club, learning about Appalachian Trail maintenance and inspiring people to enjoy outdoor activities in the Duncannon area. Join the fun!

Moonlight Hike

Join the DOC on Oct. 19th for a moonlight hike up Peter’s Mountain. It will be an average paced 4 mile hike on moderate to rough terrain. This is a strenuous hike requiring a steep climb. Once on top of the mountain view the river and valley under the moonlight.

Learn about waxing and waning gibbous and crescent moon phases, as well as, full, new, and quarter moons. Bring water, a snack, and flashlight. Meet at 7:30 pm. at Clarks Ferry Community Parking Area near Rtes. 322 & 147. Call 834-9216 or email dtakach@duncannonatc.org to register.

Rain Date: Oct. 20th at 8:00 pm.

DOC Sumacade Hike

On September 14th the Duncannon Outdoor Club (DOC) sponsored a 2.43 mile hike at Little Buffalo State Park in search of staghorn sumac. We did find a small tree too young to bear fruit. During the hike, those in front were treated to a doe and her fawn.

Prior to hiking we discussed the difference between Poison and Staghorn Sumac. Poison Sumac can be found in swampy, wooded areas and bears white berries. Staghorn is located in sunny areas along fields and roads. Staghorn has red berries in a cone shape and soft velvety fuzz on the branches similar to the velvet on a stag’s horns (correctly known as antlers). The bare branches in winter also resemble a stag’s horns, hence the name, “Staghorn Sumac”. Remember the phrase: “White means fright – red delight”.

We also dicussed The Tree of Heaven since it looks similar to sumac. The Tree of Heaven is an invasive species from China that bears light yellow flowers that hang down and turn into green seed pods changing to brown in the fall.

After the hike, participants had the opportunity to make Sumacade. They soaked the berries in water for 10 minutes, strained the water and added sugar to individual tastes.

Our next hike will be on October 19th for a moonlight hike. Come learn about waxing, waning, quarter and gibbous moon phases. Hope to see you there.