Hike #179; Stokes State Forest

 Hike #179

Taking a break at Stony Lake

7/10/5

Lower Stokes State Forest with Fred Hafale, Jim Delotto, Jude Shabrach, Skyler Jermyn, Nicola Maloney, Julie Satmari, and Jim "Mr Buckett" Mathews

 

Again, the original journal entry from this hike was lost in the fire...if anyone has it please e mail it to me!

Crossing Rt 206 in Culver's Gap

Looking out to Culver's Lake from the AT

Above Culver's Gap on the AT

Ascending from Culver's Gap on the AT

Ascending from Culver's Gap on the AT

Culver's Inlet from the AT

Culver's Lake from the AT

Culver's Lake from the AT

Above Culver's Gap on the AT

Above Culver's Gap on the AT

Culver's Lake from the AT

Culver's Lake from the AT

The group above Culver's Gap on the AT

Above Culver's Gap on the AT to the south

Culver's Lake from the AT

AT south of Culver's Gap

AT south fo Culver's Gap

Along Woods Road trail, near Kittatinny Lake

Swamp view from Tibbs Trail, Stokes

Swamp view from Tibbs Trail, Stokes

This hike would be another repeat of a past one I'd done with Tea Biscuit and Skyler, to introduce the areas I'd been to the new generation of hikers. Only one newcomer was on this one, Nicola Maloney who I believe was from Ireland.

We started in Culver's Gap and followed the AT southbound up to the ridge with views of Culver's Lake and the village of Culver's Inlet. We continued on the AT until we reached Jacob's Ladder Trail and descended to Woods Road. We followed it to the right until it became paved in the Kittatinny Lake community. The last time I think we walked the east side of the lake so this time we stayed on the west as I recall and headed for the entrance to Stokes. Once here, we followed roadways to the Shotwell Camping area, a place I'd stayed when I was with boy scouts. Along the roads Skyler and I tried some jogging.

From here, we followed Tibbs Trail south. This took us to the road to Stoney Lake, but just before it we found a giant abandoned lift. I was considering taking the grease gun from on top of it for work, but then I never did, and never went back for it. We turned right on the road, then left onto Lead Mine Trail which led us shortly to Lackner Trail, and we turned left toward Stoney Lake. We turned away from the trail and crossed Stony Brook below the dam, then swam for a while at the beach.

Old lift along Tibbs Trail, Stokes

Skyler carrying the Lead Mine Trail sign, Stokes

Along Lackner Trail, Stokes

Stony Lake in Stokes

Crossing Stony Brook below the Stony Lake dam

Stony Lake

Stony Lake Beach, Stokes

At Stony Lake

Stony Lake

Resting at Stony Lake

At Stony Lake

Along Swenson Trail

Along Swenson Trail

Spring Cabin, Stokes

Along Swenson Trail

Sunrise Mountain Road

Sunrise Mountain Road

Sunrise Mountain Road

Sunrise Mountain Road

View from Cartwright Trail

View from Cartwright Trail

View from Cartwright Trail

View from Cartwright Trail

Ascending Cartwright Trail

Next, we took the Swenson Trail out to Tinsley Trail...I can't remember exactly but I might have gone down Tinsley to Spring Cabin Trail and came back up, but either way we ended up at Spring Cabin. We then continued on Swenson out to Carwright Trail. Swenson Trail along the way was pretty wet and flooded out.

Cartwright Trail took us to the road by Sunrise Mountain, which was cool in the shade, so we layed on it to cool off a bit before making the steep ascent up the last part of the Kittatinny Ridge to the AT.

Me on Sunrise Mountain USGS marker

Cartwright Trail

View from Cartwright Trail

Ascending Cartwright Trail

Ascending Cartwright Trail

Cartwright Trail

At Sunrise Mountain

Sunrise Mountain

Sunrise Mountain

Sunrise Mountain view

Sunrise Mountain view

Sunrise Mountain view

Sunrise Mountain view

Sunrise Mountain view

Sunrise Mountain View

Sunrise Mountain View

Sunrise Mountain

Sunrise Mountain CCC shelter

Sunrise Mountain

Sunrise Mountain

Normanook Tower view

Me on Sunrise Mountain USGS marker

Normanook Tower View north

Normanook Tower view east

Normanook Tower view west

Normanook Tower view south

View down from Normanook (Culver) Tower

Normanook Tower view north

Normanook Tower view of Stony Lake

Normanook Tower View

Normanook Tower view south

Bottom of Normanook Tower

At Normanook Tower

We headed up passing some good views along the way to the AT, then took the AT southbound to Sunrise Mountain. We took another break there. As I recall I think Delotto may have taken Nicola for a shortcut walking the road to meet back up with us at Sunrise Mountain but I can't really remember.

We passed the CCC shelter and continued on the AT southbound, stopping by the Normanook (Culver) Fire Tower along the way before returning to the cars.