Hike #2 proved to be more challenging than expected, but hopefully it was more rewarding as well. We beat the forecasters and ended up with fairly nice weather as the rain held out until later in the afternoon, after we were finished. In all, 5 of us made the hike which was anywhere between 7.2 and 9.2 miles long, depending upon the tracking software we utilized. Either way, it was longer than I predicted and we'll double and triple check distances going forward.
Some quick highlights and lessons learned:
The route was definitely slick and three of us, including yours truly, took a spill. Always check your footing!
Beware of scraggly looking raccoons that are out during the day and not afraid of people.
Enjoy the small things - colorful centipede's, orange newt's, and spring wildflowers.
And the big - Wyanokie High Point, Carris Hill, Chikahoki Falls, and rock hopping along a stream bed and the surrounding wetlands.
But bring bug spray, especially in the moist areas
Most importantly, we also learned to walk with at least one other group member at all times. At one point a member of our group went missing and a healthy dose of concern set in for all but the "lost" person. In the end it turned out they were ahead of everyone else and not lost, but if it hadn't been for cell phone service (which isn't usually reliable) the hike would have turned into a search.
Thank you for those that attended! This was a good enough hike that we'll put it on the list later this year for a re-hike, perhaps in the fall with the foliage is at it's peak.
Some photo's below (Thanks Jilana for sharing!) As with last time, click one to enlarge and you can then cycle through.
Hike Date: Saturday, July 10 Postponed Our last route was intentionally on the easy side to help get everyone back into the swing of hiking. This time we up the difficulty a full notch with an 8 mile route through Bearfort Ridge and into Wawayanda State Park. The loop is called Terrace Pond north has some rock scrambling, a few nice viewpoints, and a scenic (though sometimes crowded) pond. Neither Lou, Jeff, or Karen have hiked this one so let's discover together! Start Time - 9:00 AM Length - Appx 8.0 miles Elevation Gain - ~1,100 feet Difficulty - Moderate with Difficult, rocky sections Expected Duration - 4-5 hours Park Trail Map - Trail Map Parking Location – Side of the road on Warwick Turnpike, West Milford, NJ: 41.15744782812143, -74.36746903484052 Restrooms – None at the trailhead, best option is one of the Gas Stations on Route 511 Our Route:
Great first hike of 2020 - good trail, great weather, superb people. Thanks everyone for joining us! The good news - I clocked 5.2 miles with 1,130 feet of elevation gain. The bad news - my net calories by the afternoon was a gain of 200 after that lunch at the Sycamore Grille. Also of note this the first hike that came in with few miles than expected, we're getting better at this. The photo album is linked to the right and please contribute if you can. Or if easier you can send me directly as well. Obligatory Relive Video (Viewing in Full Screen is Much Better Photo Highlights Our first automated selfie A selfie that wasn't outsourced to google or siri As fire roads go, this was not to shabby View of Mt Tammany The AT The Delaware Water Gap The most dangerous stream crossing of the day Table Rock
Thank you hikers for an enjoyable morning! I clocked 6.1 miles with 879 feet of elevation gain, with a total moving time of 2 hours and 46 minutes. We battled some cold rain and wind, and then enough sun that I did get a little burn by the time we made it back to the trailhead. Our photo album is here and linked to the right, please continue to add any pictures you want to share. Below are some of the photo highlights and the Relive video. (Click to enlarge for better viewing)
Looks like it was a great hike with nice challenges. Much greener than Tammany too! Glad it's a candidate for re-hike later this year!
ReplyDeleteGood point on the green - the tammany pics are all brown-hued, what a difference a month makes!
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