Hike #220 6/11/6
6/11/6
My next trip would take us through Hacklebarney State Park north near Chester, then outto Schooley’s Mountain Park, much of which was new scouting. Joining me this timewould be hike veterans Fred Hafale, Gerry Martiniak, Beverly Auvil, Julie Satmari, Paul Z(who I had hiked with on Rich Pace’s Bake Oven Knob to Lehigh Gap trip), Steve Sanbegand his girlfriend Hayen Zheng (sorry if I misspelled it!), and one more new participant, Joseph Stockette.
We met at Schooley’s Mountain part at the parking area on Springtown Road for thePatriot’s Path and shuttled to Hacklebarney State Park’s southern entrance in Pottersville.We had to walk downhill from the parking area to a woods road that took us into theparkland. We then walked down along the Black River. We bushwhacked along the BlackRiver for some time, which was quite nice. At times, it was very narrow and we had toclimb around some big rocks. Joe S whacked his head with a branch and was bleedingfrom his head, which looked much worse than it must have felt, apparently, since he wassmiling and very happy! We continued on, and came to a spot where there was some kind of wire bridge acrossthe river. Steve was over checking it out when a ranger-looking guy with a dog walked upon the opposite side. I said hello, and he angrily told us we were trespassing. I told him Idid not know about that (the state park map even show it as being part of the State Parkland) and we would leave the area. He warned us that we’d better quick because we couldbe jailed. I thought it was a bit ridicules, but we headed uphill a bit and shortly climbedback down. The Hacklebarney State Park trails were now visible across the river, so wedecided to try to cross. I walked across at a reasonable looking spot, and many followedme, taking their shoes off, while others opted to try to shimmy across a log. Steve coachedhis girlfriend across it. We took a break on the other side and then walked to the left along one of the outermosttrails. I was nervous that we’d catch up with that ranger guy again, but we did’nt. Wecame to a spot where the trail entered the private land, but we turned back and headed uphill and around a long loop. There was a nice little waterfall on a small creek above thetrail. We stopped again for what I believe was the lunch break at the top of a smallwaterfall on what I believe was Rhinehart Brook. If not, it was Trout Brook. It was’nthuge, but it was nice. We continued directly for the most part along the trails system north to the park officewhere Beverly decided to cut out while we finished the hike. We walked out the accessroad to the park, then turned right on Hacklebarney Road. We then opted to walk StatePark Road until we reached an old bridge over the Black River to the Patriot’s Path/BlackRiver Trail on the Hacklebarney Mine Railroad. We walked around the HacklebarneyMine behind fences, then along Kay’s Pond to the Cooper Mill. I walked on the railroadright of way even where the trail diverted from it’s route. I ended up walking through mudand water to where the bridge used to be over the Black River. I stopped in at the visitor’s center at Milltown near Chester, then we continued northalong the trail north. I had never noticed it before, but there were some giant concretepipes set along the trail. We continued across the right of way of the CNJ Chester HillBranch railroad, then out to Furnace Road. We continued on the Patriot’s Path across theroad and out to the CNJ right of way. Along the way, we passed by the ruins of what Ibelieve was the Chester Furnace, and someone had started piling the blocks up like a fortinto a pile. Otherwise, it’s just a pile of rubble. Whoever decided to pile the rocks did agood job of making it circular. We continued on the Patriot’s Path west, and when the trail broke off the right of way tothe north, I decided we’d follow it. The previous time we’d hiked it we stayed on therailroad bed. The trail took us across a small field and into a pine grove before reachingTanners Brook Road. I looked around to see if I could find any trail work done, but therewas nothing, so we continued to the left to Furnace Road and out to Rt 24 to ColemanRoad. I did not want to bring this group trespassing through the yards and such as we hadthe last couple times through here. We soon reached the former rail crossing on the west side of Coleman Cut, and weheaded out on the clear right of way/Patriot’s Path to the Ort Farm. This time, the trailwas overgrown a bit more than it had been in the past, but there was a fence in place alongthe farm land that had not been there our previous visit. We continued out to Rt 24 once again to the Gillette Trailhead, following it back to theCNJ right of way. We then headed off the trail through the orchard to where the railroadused to cross the South Branch of the Rariton. We soon headed upstream to the gaspipeline bridge over to the High Bridge CNJ branch/Colombia Trail. We continued a shortdistance to take the Patriot’s Path up Schooley’s Mountain. We stopped for a bit at theviewpoint over Long Valley, then headed down into the gorge of the Electric Brook. Wekept to the creek on the east side and admired the two small waterfalls on the way up toLake George. Somehow, Fred got ahead and ended up off the trail. We met up with themjust up the trail a bit. We continued back to the parking area on Springtown Road wherethe hike officially ended. I continued north on the Patriot’s Path alone across Rock Road,then through the ball fields that had been closed on previous visits. This time, it was openand there was some event going on. I continued on a new path to the right of the fields,though it was not blazed. I crawled through some thick weeds, as it seemed the pathwayto the cul de sac on Falcon Court had been covered. I made my way to the road andheaded out to the Patriot’s Path along Flocktown-Kossman School. I continued to wherethe path took us across a couple yards, and I talked to a resident of one of the houses whodid not know the trail existed. We chatted a bit, and I was on my way. I continued downinto Cataract Park, then to Schooley’s Mountain Road. I walked As I walked out to Rt57, the all new Wallgreens was open on the corner of Newburg Road and 57 where MooMoo used to live. I walked in the door out of curiosity but immediately walked back out. I continued east passing the new “Shoppes At Mansfield” under construction, which to meseemed like the last thing we needed. There are too many strip malls already. In addition,the old A&P that I worked at in Mansfield had been gutted and strupped down to it’s steelinfrastructure, which totally surprised me when I saw it. It was under renovation to bere-opened as a Kohl’s Store. I then walked to Wal Mart in Mansfield where Cathyeventually came to pick me up!
Photos by Mike H and Fred Hafale (FH), here's a link to all of them as well as descriptions of what they are...
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/sneezehorse/hike220%206-11-6/
1.) The Black River in the Pottersville vicinity (FH)
2.) Black River north of Pottersville (FH)
3.) The crew along the Black River, Hacklebarney State Park off trail
4.) Steve Sanbeg climbing around the outside of a steep rock along Black River
5.) Joe Stockette after cutting his head on a pricker bush..ouch!
6.) Along the Black River north of Pottersville (FH)
7.) Making our way up hill from the river for a bit (FH)
8.) Along the Black River (FH)
9.) Me in the Black River (FH)
10-11.) Climbing around the edges of rocks along the river (FH)
11.) [Movie] Fred and Haiyen (did I spell that wrong?) scrambling over rocks and logs
12.) Gerry crossing the Black River (FH)
13.) Crossing on a log (FH)
14.) Gerry and Beverly walking across the river together
15.) A small waterfall in Hacklebarney State Park
16.) Small cascades in Hacklebarney State Park
17.) Resting along little waterfalls (FH)
18-19.) Hacklebarney State Park (FH)
20-22.) Small waterfall in Hacklebarney State Park
23.) Making our way up toward the park office
24.) A the Hacklebarney Park office (FH)
25.) Entering Black River Park near the Hacklebarney Mine and Kay Pond (FH)
26.) Near the Cooper Mill (FH)
27.) Right of way of the Hacklebarney Mine Railroad
28.) Hacklebarney Mine Railroad right of way in Black River Park
29.) Site of former trestle over the Black River for Hacklebarney Mine Railroad
30.) Old mine railroad bridge abutment at Milltown near Chester
31.) Along the Black River on Patriot's Path, north of Milltown (FH)
32.) Giant concrete pipes piled along Patriot's Path north of Milltown
33.) Paul Z placing a block onto the recently piled stones atop what was once Chester Furnace
34.) View upstream of the Black River from the CNJ Chester Branch bridge
35.) Patriot's Path in a pine grove west of Furnace Road
36.) Another shot in the pine grove (FH)
37.) Julie at the gas pipeline bridge in Long Valley (FH)
38.) Me after taking a dip in the South Branch of the Raritan (FH)
39.) At the gas pipeline bridge in Long Valley (FH)
40.) Still on the gas pipeline bridge (FH)
41.) View of the South Branch of the Raritan from the gas pipeline bridge (FH)
42.) Still on the pipeline bridge (FH)
43.) The group on Colombia Trail, former High Bridge Branch of the CNJ RR, Long Valley NJ
44.) View of Long Valley from Patriot's Path on Schooley's Mountain
45.) Long Valley view
46.) Me taking pictures from the viewpoint on Schooley's Mountain (FH)
47.) View from Schooley's Mountain (FH)
48.) Taking a break at the viewpoint (FH)
49.) Falls on the Electric Brook, Schooley's Mountain Park (FH)
50-55.) View shots of took of the waterfalls on Electric Brook in Schooley's Mountain Park
56.) A fisherman and his son on Electric Brook Schooley's Mt.
57.) Me on the trail near the falls along Electric Brook (FH)
58-59.) Views of the Electric Brook Falls (FH)
60.) A deer along the Patriot's Path on northern Schooley's Mountain north of Flocktown
61.) Me on Cataract Trail, Schooley's Mountain. Behind Heath Village
62.) Cataract Falls, in Cataract Park on Schooley's Mountain
63.) Cascade below Cataract Falls
64.) New stores in Mansfield west of Newburg Road, to be called "The Shoppes at Mansfield"
65.) The old A&P where I worked, being turned into a Kohl's store
66.) Another view of the former A&P
67.) View from the west of the old A&P
The group on Columbia Trail, Long Valley
Along the Black River near Pottersville`
Black River near Pottersville
Black River near Pottersville
Steve along the Black River, Hacklebarney State Park
Joe cut himself on a bush in Hacklebarney
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Black River crossing, Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park
Hacklebarney State Park office
Hacklebarney State Park
Black River Park
Skunk Cabbage growing in the right of way of the Hacklebarney Mine Railroad, barely visible here in Black River Park.
Former Hacklebarney Mine Railroad, Black River Park
Site of trestle for the Hacklebarney Mine Railroad over the Black River at Milltown
Hacklebarney Mine Railroad trestle site at Milltown
Along Patriot's Path in Milltown
Pipes along the Patriot's Path in Black River Park
Paul at the site of Chester Furnace, which someone took the trouble to start piling up.
View of a former pond near Chester Furnace site, from former CNJ Chester Branch
Patriot's Path near Chester Furnace
Patriot's Path near Chester Furnace
Gas line bridge over the South Branch, Long Valley
Me taking a dip in the south branch in Long Valley
Gas line bridge over the South Branch, Long Valley
Gas line bridge over the South Branch, Long Valley
View from Gas line bridge over the South Branch, Long Valley
Gas line bridge over the South Branch, Long Valley
View of Long Valley from Schooley's Mountain
View of Long Valley from Schooley's Mountain
Schooley's Mountain view point
Schooley's Mountain view point
Schooley's Mountain view point
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail, Schooley's Mountain Park
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail
Falls on Electric Brook, Schooley's Mountain Park
Schooley's Mountain Park
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail, Schooley's Mountain Park
Falls on Electric Brook, along Boulder Gorge Trail, Schooley's Mountain Park
Deer along Patriot's Path on northern Schooley's Mountain
Along Cataract Trail
Cataract Falls
Cataract Falls lower part
New construction in Mansfield, 2006
New construction in Mansfield, 2006
The Kohls being remodeled in Mansfield, formerly the A&P where I worked.
The Kohls being remodeled in Mansfield, formerly the A&P where I worked.
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