General Club Facts:

Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Membership in the BCHC is $10.00 per person per year in order to receive the quarterly newsletter. Further information on membership can be obtained when attending a scheduled hike. Other subgroups within the BCHC are the "Thursday Wanderers." Most hikes are followed by a dinner stop. We call ourselves "The Eating Club with a Hiking Disorder"! ****Hiking and Trail Guidelines: ** Be courteous & stay behind the leader unless directed otherwise.** Offer $.10/mile to driver when carpooling. * *In the event of inclement weather, the hike may be canceled.** Please leave your pets at home.**If unable to keep a club commitment, please find a replacement. * Wear blaze orange during hunting season (Sept 1 to last day of Feb). * Appropriate footwear and attire should match the type of hike.** If you leave the hike early, notify the hike leader or ask someone to do that for you.** Bring water and food as the hike description and weather demand.* * Hiking involves risk. Come out prepared and know your capabilities. Each hiker is responsible for their own safety and well-being.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Saturday October 30, 2010 French Creek State Park/ Six Penny

approx. 5 - 6 miles

Join Lynn and Linda as they lead a hike through beautiful woods and a variety of soft trails with some rocks and hills. They will bring back memories for some hikers by including a visit to Six Penny.


Meeting place: 9:30 am, Shed Road Parking Lot

Directions:from Birdsboro take Rt. 345 towards French Creek; turn left onto Shed Road; the parking lot will be a short distance on your left

For further information and directions, contact: 610-582-5220 and 610-926-5251


Thursday, September 23, 2010

Saturday October 23, 2010 - A Trivial Hike of Boyertown

Approx. 5 miles, easy walking

We’ll travel through Boyertown and explore the trivia associated with historical Boyertown. Learn or tell everybody about Boyertown facts that you may know and others might not! Meander around the borough and outlying areas. At the end, an optional visit to the Boyertown Historic Museum (old autos galore!) will be available. Eats as always afterwards!

Boyertown Historic Museum cost and details: $6.00 adult admission, $5.00 Seniors/ AAA Members, $4.00 Students w/ ID Website for more info: www.boyertownmuseum.org


Meeting place: 9:00 a.m. at King’s IGA in Oley (Rte 73 & Friedensburg Road)


For further information and directions, contact: 610-223-6952 (especially day of the hike) or 610-779-2599


Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Saturday October 16, 2010 - Orwigsburg Scenic Hike with Some History

6 miles


We will do a 6 mile loop hike out over the ridge and down into the valley, coming into town to see some historic buildings. We will be passing a cemetery, nursing home, school, ball fields and through two wooded areas. Hopefully we will find some benches to take a break for some snacks. Bring water, snacks and dress in layers for a lovely fall day (we hope), with colored leaves.

Meeting place: 9:30 am, Redner’s Market, Rt. 61 North, Leesport


For further directions and information, contact: 610-678-5245


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Saturday October 9, 2010 - Mount Pisgah Plane

4 Short but Steep & Strenuous Miles - Difficult


For the adventurous or the just plain foolish, we will climb the 2322 foot, 29 degree Mount Pisgah Plane of the former Switchback Gravity Railroad, in Old Mauch Chunk (aka Jim Thorpe), Carbon County. This long climb, though strenuous, abounds in history. The Switchback was Pennsylvania’s first railroad, and the second in the USA. We will see the remains of the original “wagon road” and continue down Packer Hill into town for lunch. The group may split up here depending on size, meeting an hour later in front of the Mauch Chunk Opera House. After lunch it’s up Broadway onto the former, now abandoned “bus road”, returning to the parking area. This hike is short, but steep and strenuous and is rated difficult for that reason.


Meeting place: 10:00 am, Parking area at the top of Hill Road, Jim Thorpe.


Directions: Hill Road is the only right hand turn off Broadway heading west from downtown Jim Thorpe, and is located right next tothe Mauch Chunk Opera House.


For further information and directions, contact: 610-921-3252


Monday, September 20, 2010

Saturday October 2, 2010 - Hopewell Lake at French Creek State Park

5 miles


Clyde will lead a five mile walk beginning at the West Boat Launch and climbing to the top of Mt. Pleasure, passing the site of a former Lean-To. Continuing downhill on the 1974 route of the Horse Shoe Trail, we will cross Rt. 345 into Hopewell National Park land and visit the remains of the Harrison Lloyd Farm before returning to the center of the Hopewell Furnace where we rejoin the current route of the Horse Shoe Trail, completing our loop around Hopewell Lake.


Meeting place: 9:00 am, parking area at the west boat launch of Hopewell Lake


For further information and directions, contact: 610-913-0284