Take a Hike!

Wonderful Weather, Wonderful Hike Given it was the middle of August, Sunday's weather was as good as one could possibly hope for.  I am not sure the temperature reached the 70s and there wasn't a drop of rain the entire time.  This was especially fortunate as the hike duration clocked in at just under 6 hours.  Each GPS tracker is a little different, and this time mine displayed 8.1 miles with 1300 feet of elevation gain. The highlights were numerous: Never ending rock scrambles, most of them simple, but a few were challenging enough to make you pause and plan your route before proceeding. A changing terrain featuring a lot of scrub pines, exposed bedrock, minor stream crossings, rocky ledges, and one low lying wetland. We also caught a glimpse of the NYC skyline, some partook in ledge hopping, and we all enjoyed the views above greenwood lake. Here is the full photo album (also permanently linked on the right) and below I cherry picked some of my favorites...

Tricky weather forecast for tomorrow.  The good news is the further north one goes, they less rain they should see, and this hike is close to the NY state border. Forecasts: NOAA has gives the hike area 40% chance of scattered showers that will accumulate less than 1/10 of an inch Weather Underground is going party sunny with a 20% chance of a shower. Accuweather shows showers before and after the hike time, but cloudy during. Weather Channel is very similar to Weather Underground, but the least reliable in my opinion. We'll watch the weather today and post by 7 AM if we need to cancel.  Also, please wear shoes/boots with a good grip, the last time I was here many people had minor slips on the rocks that are covered with lichen.

I can't believe it is August and we've only had two hikes so far this season, we'll do our best to make up the time before the snows.  Also, feedback has come in that not everyone is available on Sunday's so we'll begin to alternate between Saturday's and Sunday's whenever possible. Our 4th hike of the season will be in West Milford, NJ at 9:00 AM on Sunday, August 19th.  Lou and some other regulars in the group have completed this hike before and it is a fan favorite.   The hike clocks in just under 8 miles in length with a nice 1260 feet of elevation gain.  It has some minor but fun rock scrambles , great views of both Greenwood Lake and Surprise Lake, potential views for the NYC skyline, and lovely hiking terrain on a ridge line spotted with the often sought after scrub pine . Parking is limited, so be sure to let us know if interested in advance.  The specifics: Follow Our Route on Your Phone with the free Hiking Project App Difficulty – Moder...