This Week: Del Water Gap Challenge!

Hey all!
A lot of stuff going on, and hopefully things will calm down in some respects soon.
As many of you know, I will be moving very soon. It's looking likely that the location will be Washington again, for a year lease. We'd like to buy a place and this will give the opportunity to do so.
Because of packing, moving, and such a lot of the Metrotrails plans will have to go on hold for a bit. The hikes will still go on as always, and I'll even still try to get in a night hike, because after all, that's what this is all about.
Don't worry though, Metrotrails tee shirts are still planned and we'll work it out soon, and there will be a lot more trail work coming up. We're close to opening a new section of Warren Highlands Trail, and new properties that fit into the plan are being looked into by the good people at the Warren County Department of Land Preservation.
Coming up, I have a doctor's appointment in Hackettstown on Friday, and so may do a night hike directly after it, probably 3:30, looping around Allamuchy and Stephens State Parks.

 This Sunday, join us for a fantastic but very difficult hike in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area between Wallpack Bend, the most dramatic bend in the Delaware River, and a point near Walpack Center.
We will meet at 9 am at Millbrook Village, on the corner of Millbrook-Blairstown Road and Old Mine Road. There is a restroom to the right coming from Millbrook Rd onto Old Mine Road and parking. There is NO CELL SERVICE here so please try to be on time. I'll wait a few minutes for stragglers, but be sure to have directions as GPS often fails us, and leave early enough to allow for time to arrive.
Once we meet, we shuttle cars to the end and beginning. The end point has very limited parking and so we'll need to use as few cars as possible. This point is on the way to the beginning point, so we'll drop cars along the way and continue.
From Blairstown, turn off of Rt 94 at a fork for Rt 521 north, then make the IMMEDIATE left into town. Go straight and up hill to an intersection following Millbrook Road. Make a right, then immediate left to continue on Millbrook Road. This is a tricky area with or without GPS. If you fail with this turn, you can also do it by continuing on 521 to turn left at Spring Valley Road. Follow it to Millbrook Road and turn right. Follow Millbrook Road over the Kittatinny Ridge, and steeply descend into Millbrook. Turn right at intersection and parking is there on the right.
The hike will begin on an abandoned section of Mountain Road (DO NOT attempt to get directly to the beginning. You will not find it. Wait for the group). The hike will start out with the difficult climb off trail along the creek outlet to Hemlock Pond.  There are off trail waterfalls along this route as long as water is running well, but there is NO TRAIL, and it can be nearly vertical at times. Inexperienced hikers should consider sitting this one out.
We continue to Hemlock Pond where we'll take a nice break. We then continue along the north shore of the pond to Hemlock Pond Trail, which ascends over the ridge to Crater Lake. We'll follow the Appalachian Trail to Crater Lake Trail, then abandoned Woods Roads as well as dirt Skyline Road past lovely vistas along the Kittatinny Ridge. We'll continue from here into the Pool Colony Trail System, and descend to the outlet tributary of one of the former lakes. This will lead us into Donkey Hollow. We'll make our way off trail through this section, and check out Coventry Pond nearby. We then head through Millbrook Village, take Orchard Trail to Hamilton Ridge Trail, then follow the Delaware north to Wallpack Bend where the Big Flat Brook meets the Delaware. We'll do a little more walking from here, but this is near to the end.
Everyone should be prepared for bushwhacking, walking through water, possibly some climbing, and slippery conditions.
Bring plenty of water. A quart or two simply will not do. Have extra just in case. People have been running out on my hikes lately when we've been close to civilization and places to refill. There were be very few places to do so on this hike, so be prepared. There are also no stores whatsoever. Bring a lunch or snack.
I plan to move along at a pretty good pace on this one, but we will take time to stop and swim. I have scaled a route that is 14.5 miles, but it will certainly come to a bit more due to the circuitous nature of off trail hiking. An exact mileage cannot be placed on this hike until after we complete it.
If there are any questions, feel free to contact me at 908 343 8374

In the following weeks, I hope to cover more places with good swimming spots including Harriman State Park, and maybe another Pocono adventure, and other stuff that has swimming! We'll also be doing one in and around High Point State Park. Exact dates are yet to be decided on these, but the last Sunday in July will be another beach hike, between Corson's Inlet and Stone Harbor. In August we'll have the annual March on Musikfest, and I'm planning on a double peak Catskills day hike that will include both Table and Peekamoose Mountains!
Stay tuned for more fun stuff coming up!

M'ke