Our first hike of 1996 covered the short but uphill segment connecting the gap between our last two hikes. We drove directly to the LT on Saturday, stopping for lunch in Bloomsburg. Aimee drove the last stretch from Bloomsburg to the trail and she almost had to pull off Route 42 about ten miles north of Bloomsburg because of a thunderstorm with pouring rain. The National Weather Service reported wind damage with trees down as close as Williamsport. The storm lasted only about 15 minutes, and by the time we reached the parking area on Dry Run Road, hiking conditions were warm and humid but not particularly wet. Mike commented later that this was the second worst hiking weather we'd experienced in terms of heat and humidity, surpassed only by a 16-mile Memorial Day weekend hike we took in Upper Michigan along with Mike's brother in 1987 or 1988.

The beginning mile of the hike was relatively flat, rising only 80 ft from the starting point at mile 28.42 to mile 29.36. At that point, we climbed High Knob in a series of six switchbacks, rising 260 ft in about 6/10 mile to an intersection with the High Knob Vista entrance road at elevation 2010 ft. Part way up the hill, we passed Center Point at mile 29.64, representing the exact halfway point of the LT from end to end. Mike thought for sure there would be a blue coffee can lid sign for "Center Point," but if there was, we missed it. (We would recommend that the Alpine Club install one if there isn't one.)

The remainder of the hike was a flat section on top of High Knob, from the entrance road to the exit road at mile 30.57 where we turned around. We stopped for a snack a short distance in from the road. As we crossed the entrance road and prepared to follow the trail as it dropped off the hill, Mike noticed a sign indicating the trail was for "Hikers Only." We laughed at the notion that anyone would try to drive a vehicle down the narrow, steep trail. Perhaps the sign was intended for horses and bicycles.