Beltzville State Park (4-Nov-2016)

Took the Christman Trail back to the Wild Creek channel in Beltzville State Park. I thought this area might have more trash on the bottom than most places around the lake because the rope swing here draws a lot of people and with them, a lot of trash in the summer. From what I could see I believe this may be as low as the channel will go as long as there is a flow coming in from the creek. I began to pick cans and bottles out of the mud right away, I was limited to how close I could get to the water due to the depth of the mud. 

Cans were the most abundant item on the lake bed. Nearly every one was full of mud and had to be broken open and emptied out. This task would have been much easier if I could had easy access to the water.

This adult Red-Spotted Newt was in one of the first cans I opened up. As the lake was emptied it must have sought shelter where there was remaining water. I helped it get back into the lake. 

 In addition to the newt I also found two crayfish in other cans. I tossed them back in the lake as well.

These older cans with pull tab tops were in the water near the edge and I went for them. My feet sunk in about a foot into the mud when retrieving them and they were the last cans I pulled out of the water. 

I walked as far up the channel as I could. I was blocked from going any further by a rock face that I couldn't climb up and I couldn't cross the stream without getting soaked. In the photo above there were deep pools around the large rocks. They had trash in them and I had no way of getting it out. I find it extremely frustrating when I can see trash and I know I can't pick it up. 

Along the normal water line in the above channel I found a few pieces of footwear.

This is not the first flip flop that I have found like this. I wonder just how many Muskies attacked this one. So far I have only seen darker flip flops, black and gray, torn up like this. 

The sticker is still intact, it can't be that old. This doesn't bother me as much as all of the other trash, I am sure the owner had no intention of loosing it or leaving it behind. 

Walking the channel towards the lake I found a couple areas where trash collected on the bottom. These were mostly places where there was a change of topography of the lake bed that acted like catches. This pile was from one of those spots. 

When I paddled this I always thought it was deeper. Only the channel to the left really has much depth to it. In this area cans and bottles were scattered throughout. 

At first I was annoyed when I saw this bag hanging from the sign. When I looked through the contents it didn't bother me as much. Inside were all items that someone had picked off the bottom. They at least gathered the items, would have been nice if they took it out. 

The largest find of the day. It looked to be a raft. This too was filled with mud and took a lot of shaking to get everything out. This didn't fit in my bag and I was left with finding a way to attach it to my pack and it dragged behind me on the way out. 

This was almost everything. I also filled up my pack on the way out. The burlap sack was heavy and it wasn't the easiest hike out. 

Everything collected from the channel. Half of a skateboard was about the most surprising thing that I found. Everything else was the average lake trash. How much more is further down in the depths of the lake? 

Before heading home I stopped at the Pine Run Launch to get rid of the non-recyclable items. I was glad I did. The lake was lower than my last visit here and I was able to pick up more trash and there was something big flying over the water. 

Didn't pick up much at this spot, I was just here not too long ago though. 

This Bald Eagle was the big thing flying over the water. The sound of crows directed me to it and when it landed I was happy to see this...

A second eagle! Hopefully they are a pair. I don't think there has been a nest around Beltzville in recent years, it would be awesome if they are sticking around and make one. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Mauch Chunk Lake (2-Nov-2016)

The original plan for the day was to continue the clean-up I started at Pine Run Reservoir this past Saturday. The weather was perfect for a paddle though and there probably won't be many more days like this, I had to go hit the water. I loaded up the kayak and headed over to Mauch Chunk Lake. 

Warm air and no wind, it was a perfect day to be out on the lake. The lake looks empty in this shot, there were a couple other kayakers and a few fishermen in larger boats though. 

Like just about everywhere else the water levels in the lake were down and portions of the lake bed were exposed. I paddled across the lake to search the newly exposed rocky bank. On the left was the first find of the day, a glass bottle that was weathered probably from moving around on the bottom. On the right was a rubber glove.

All of the trash I found on this trip were single items scattered about. With the water levels lower I was able to get some cans on the bottom that would have been out of reach on other trips. 

Made several stops where I just docked my kayak and walked down the bank. This gave me a different perspective than I would have had if the water level was normal and I was in my kayak. I was able to find some old cans that I wouldn't have seen from a boat or that I just wouldn't have been able to retrieve. 

Not a lot of trash and I had to search for every piece. This was from one of the bank walks. 

This was another day of amazing colors on the mountainside. Really my views in every direction on this paddle were pretty spectacular.

Looking down the lake towards the dam. The leaf colors seemed the brightest along the shore against the darker backdrop of evergreens.

The bottle on the left really makes me wonder how many of the round bottom bottles are still out there. They clearly show that plastics don't easily break down in our environment, it has been around 25 years or more since these bottles have been produced. On the right was a good find. From a distance I could only see something small and green sticking out of the water about an inch. When I paddled over, it ended up being the end of a kids net and I pulled it up. In the netting I found a lure. 

As the sun started to set I took a slow paddle back. Look at how calm the lake was!

What a beautiful way to finish the day, paddling through the sky. The entire lake turned into a huge mirror, with only the occasional fish adding a ripple to the surface.

These are both photos of the water and the reflective image on its surface.

The sun was down when I made it back to the launch. I covered a good amount of ground on this trip, but not too much trash. I was happy to get some of the older cans I had missed or were out of reach on previous trips. In all it was an amazing day! 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Big Pocono State Park (1-Nov-2016)

On my way to pick up a canoe given to me for next years clean-ups, I stopped for a short trash hike at Big Pocono State Park. I was limited on time and chose to start at the top working my way down and  around the Indian Trail which is a small loop. 

No matter the weather or time of year the views from the top of Big Pocono are always spectacular.  Unless the top is covered in fog. This is what you see from the North side of the mountain. 

The start of the Indian Trail. It is a fairly easy hike down to a lower lookout then loops back around. 

Like on many trails there were not large piles of trash, just the occasional can or bottle that someone discarded off the side. These kinds of clean-ups would be much easier if those who litter just left the items on the trail. 

Returning to the trail after picking up an item thrown off into the woods I almost stepped on this Garter Snake. It was coiled up on a leaf and it would have made an amazing photo, but I was too close when I noticed it. Before I could raise my camera it was slithering away from me. It was cold up on the mountain and like the Black Racer the other day I didn't anticipate finding any reptiles at all. Garter Snakes can often be seen in fall though and seem to tolerate the colder temperatures a little better than other species. 

This is the view looking east from the lookout on the Indian Trail. 

Back at the top of the mountain this was the Southern facing view. 

Before leaving I stopped at the compass and pointed it in the direction I was headed. If you decide you want to visit Big Pocono State Park and this is something you want to see you have to make it there before winter comes. In winter the roads in the park are closed and this is wrapped up. 

This was everything from the trail. After loading it into the car it was off to Stroudsburg to pick up the canoe. The canoe needs some work, but it will be ready for next year and will allow me to do more larger on-the-water clean-ups.
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Pine Run Reservoir (29-Oct-2016)

Went to Wilkes-Barre to help some relatives with getting their house ready to sell. On my way home I made a stop at Pine Run Reservoir which is about half way between Wilkes-Barre and Mountain Top.   I really wasn't looking to do a clean-up, just a hike. However with what I found when I got to the reservoir the hike didn't happen and I spent all of my time picking up a huge mess. 

This was the first large pile I came across. I knew from the start I wouldn't be able to clean up everything so I focused on the recyclable items that I know I can easily dispose of. 

At this first spot I only left behind burnt, rusty or biodegradable items. Everything else was recyclable. Getting it to this point took a good amount of time and to conserve space I crushed every can. 

Taking a closer look around a portion of the dam I had already passed by I found another large pile buried in the brush. Again I focused on getting the recyclables out. 

The bag and bin were items found along the trail to the reservoir and everything from the first spot cleaned up. All the cans and bottles to the right were from the spot in the photo just above this one. Again this took time to crush all of the cans and once done I had just about everything I could carry. 

I was not able to get to the bottom of the dam and from the top I could see it was just as bad down there. I will be back to work on this spot soon. 

Like many places this one would be so much cooler if people just respected it and didn't leave their trash behind. 

On the way out I had to carry this stuff across four lanes of speeding traffic. I can't say that doing so was fun. With everything loaded in the car I set off for home. 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Nesquehoning (28-Oct-2016)

Stayed close to home for this clean-up and hit some trails not far away. This is an area I have been to and cleaned up many times. It generally has the normal trailside trash and sometimes I will come across a party site.

Along the access road there were a number of Shaggy Mane Mushrooms. To my knowledge this was the first time I have come across this species and they were pretty cool looking and every one looked slightly different. 

This was one of two small reservoirs I hiked out to. The colors are already starting to fade and I think soon all but the evergreens will be bare. 

It was a cold and windy day, so I didn't think I would find any amphibians or reptiles out and about except for maybe a Red-Spotted Newt. This Green Frog was out and looked like it shouldn't be. Its exposed skin looked dried out and at first I wasn't even sure it was alive. It did burry itself under when I got too close though. 

I did think I would find Red-Spotted Newts. This is one amphibian I can find year round at a few locations. 

This moss was growing on a rock in one of the streams I followed. I don't know the species and there really isn't anything special about it, I just liked the photo. 

Came upon this young White-tailed buck walking across a small field. I watched it for awhile and it didn't even know I was there. Then Penny noticed it and started barking. It looked at us and must have decided it was best to run away because that's what it did next.

Hiking out one of the trails, two Golden-crowned Kinglets came in to take a look at Penny and I. They stuck around the trailside for a few minutes then flew off back into the woods. 

I was shocked to find this Black Racer on such a cold day. It was sunning itself on an exposed portion of the trailside. This snake allowed me to get closer to it than most Racers do. I think since it was so cold it just wasn't up for moving that much. 

By the end of my hike I had just over a backpack full of trash. Most everything picked up was new from this past year, like I said at the beginning of the post this is an area I have cleaned many times before. I will probably do more hiking in the surrounding area as winter approaches. 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA