Hike #228 7/23/6
The group on an abandoned platform along Slateford Creek
Hike 227
7/23/6
My next trip would take us back to the Delaware Water Gap, this time on the Pennsylvania side, to do a similar trip to what I had done only a couple weeks prior. We would begin near Slateford PA and walk to Stroudsburg. We met in the morning in Stroudsburg and shuttled our cars south to the Arrow Island parking area just south of the gap.
Mt Tammany view from Arrow Island Overlook
Slateford Creek
Abandoned platform along Slateford Creek
Swimming in Slateford Creek
Slateford Creek
Slateford Creek area
Along Slateford Creek
Slateford Creek
Weird rock cut on Slateford Creek
A rock cut on Slateford Creek
Slateford Falls
At Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Jason trying to climb Slateford Falls
Jason trying to climb at Slateford Falls
Slateford Falls
Near Slateford Falls
Trying to climb steeply and dangerously from Slateford Gorge
Climbing out of Slateford Gorge
Climbing Kittatinny Ridge from Slateford Farm
Climbing Kittatinny Ridge from Slateford Farm
Climbing Kittatinny Ridge from Slateford Farm
Kittatinny Ridge, off trail view in PA
Climbing Kittatinny Ridge from Slateford Farm
Climbing Kittatinny Ridge from Slateford Farm
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail view from the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail on the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
Off trail on the Kittatinny Ridge in PA
View from utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
View from utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
utility right of way near Totts Gap
Stream crossing near Totts Gap
Stream crossing near Totts Gap
Former bridge site near Mountain Road, Del Water Gap PA
Former bridge site near Mountain Road, Del Water Gap PA
Along Caldeno Creek
Along Caldeno Creek
Resort Point Overlook, Del Water Gap PA
The Water Gap Trolley
Former NYS&W railroad right of way, Minisink Hills PA
Buttermilk Falls, Shawnee area of Marshall's Creek PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls
Stone foot bridge at Buttermilk Falls on Marshalls Creek
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Buttermilk Falls PA
Old cemetery near Marshalls Creek PA, in someone's front yard!
I planned on finding a waterfall Peeps had shown me photos of the previous fall when we went to the bar together. He grew up just down the road from it's location, and told me it was a great spot. Joining me this time were Fred Hafale, Bill "Guillermo" Fabel, Julie Satmari, Jason Itell, Laurie Ellicott, Jean Fletcher, Susyn Mihalasky, and Jude Shabrach who was running behind. She called me on my cell phone and met us at the end of the Arrow Island Trail. We began walking from Arrow Island area up Arrow Island Trail past the old slate quarry, and made our way off trail onto an old woods road which was a bit overgrown. It led us back out to the Arrow Island Trail, which we followed to the upper parking lot on the road to Slateford end parking area where we met Jude. I was in cell phone contact with her to tell her where to go. From here, we crossed the road and began descending down to Slateford Creek. There was a building we passed and some kind of tranch where there must have been something underground. We followed it for a ways, then along the top of a little ridge south toward the Slateford Creek Gorge. We found a sort of trail heading down into the gorge, and we followed it to a cement block structure along the creek. We then continued along the creek upstream. Next, we reached a pool of water where stones had been placed to make it deeper. Guillermo and I of course had to jump in. It was nice to take a dip this early in the hike. Everyone else climbed up above the creek to the north while Guillermo and I opted to walk in the creek upstream. We soon came to a narrow passage between the rocks which the creek flowed through. I had a feeling that this may have been a man made cleft in the rocks. Just as the two of us passed through the cleft, a beautiful waterfall lay before us. It was probably about twenty or so feet high at least. It was every bit as incredible as Peeps had told me. We hung out here for a bit, and I took a dip under the falls. Jason tried to climb up from the side, but it was far too slippery. When we were all ready to move on, we began climbing the north side of the gorge in a washed out area. We began climbing, which was very difficult. The rocks that appeared to be well anchored in the ground were in fact very loose and would fall when grabbed. The worst part was at the end, where we had to use some roots to pull ourselves to the very top. I stood at the top and hung myself down with a root to help pull everyone up. We walked along the top briefly, then headed up the road passing the Slateford Farm entrance. As we walked along National Park Drive, a dirt road, we came to a side road. We turned right and followed it toward the ridge. Along the way, another trail seemed to break off to the left, and we followed that as well. Guillermo led the way, but the trail soon disappeared. He continued to lead the best way through the brush, and we decided to head directly for the Kittatinny Ridge. Like we did in NJ, we reached the boulder field at the base of the ridge and began to ascend. There was a lot of poison ivy, but we tried to follow the route that looked clearest. There was again some nice off trail viewpoints. This ridge was not nearly as tough to climb as the one on the NJ side, as it did'nt get quite as vertical. Still, it was interesting and exciting, and by no means easy. We reached the ridge and bushwhacked to the Appalachian Trail, following it southbound to the pipeline before Totts Gap. When we reached the pipeline, I was surprised to see the entire distance as far as the eye could see was covered in some sort of mesh material with hay on it. The fortunite thing was that it was clear. We began walking downhill on the pipeline, which proved very difficult because the ground beneath was a pile of many stones that we could not see. We almost fell several times trying to walk on it. Fred and the others finally wised up and walked to the right off the pipeline while Guillermo, Jason, and I continued like lunatics directly down to the bottom. Fortunitely, the rocky underlayer ended when we reached the bottom. We continued on the pipeline to the old road that headed toward the town of Delaware Water Gap. We stopped to regroup here, and there was a giant earth mover parked. I ran over to it and climbed in. It had an enclosed cab, and I figured they would leave their keys in the visor, and I was right! I started it up and sat in the air conditioning briefly before we moved on. We walked the road, making our way around giant puddles as we did in the past, making our way down near a small creek. There appeared to be the remains of a dam to the right, and we checked it out, then crossed the creek. We made our way to another old woods road which headed back toward Mt Minsi. The old road took us out to a dug out area, then to the Mt Minsi Fire Road. We followed the fire road down hill to a right hand turn on another woods road to the side, past the foundation of a building and past a meadow. We then descended past a little pond marked as Lake Latini on some maps. We continued off woods road and descended to the AT. We followed the AT downhill passing Council Rock, then broke off to the right on the blue blazed trail down to Resort Point. We stopped for a break at Resort Point and Jean and Julie decided to cut out early here where they'd left their cars. While we waited, I mixed some Jose Cuervo into a bottle of Coca Cola. This proved to be a mistake, as it tasted absolutely terrible! I gave Guillermo a swig of it, and he agreed that it was a bad mix. I hung onto the bottle until we walked into the town of Delaware Water Gap, and then I could not handle drinking any more of it, so I threw it into a dumpster. We continued along the AT through town to the Rt 80 bridge where we climbed underneath to the former DL&W tracks. We followed the tracks north to the next road crossing where we turned right, This was Minisink Hills. then made our way briefly into a park where we were able to get on the former right of way of the NYS&W Railroad, now part of a driveway. We followed it back to the road, then turned right. I don't have a good map, so I don't know the name of the roads in the area. The sight of the railroad crossing was only visible on the south side, to the north it appeared to be totally obliterated. We turned right on that road, then headed out to an intersection. We turned right again here, then left on another road up above the Marshalls Creek in North Water Gap. We continued from here along part of Rt 209. We soon reached a Pizzaria and I went in with Susyn. I really needed to use the restroom, but they would'nt allow it, so I had to go down near the creek underpass nearby, which was not the best situation, but I dealt with it. When I emerged, the others had already gone down to the creek below. I could hear rushing water, so I walked down to what I believe is part of the Shawnee property there on the Marshalls Creek, and before me was Buttermilk Falls. It was more of a cascade than a falls, and it looked much more beautiful than it had in any of the pictures I had seen. There was a nice stone bridge up and to the edge of the "falls". We all walked to the side of the creek and took a dip in the falls, which was very refreshing. We took our time here, and when we'd had a good break we continued on along the creekside. There was a trail at first, though not an official one. It soon petered out, and we were walking along the creek as closely as possible. We had to move away from the creek in order to pass around a swampy area, then rejoined and walked along a narrow area. I was getting worried we'd have to trespass in order to get out of the creekside area. Fortunitely, we were able to get away from the creek passing through a business, I think it had some kind of lumber or garden supply stuff or soemthing. We walked along the main road and turned left where the Marshalls Creek turned away, thinking it would follow the creek closely. Unfortunitely, it did not. There was a great deal of black smoke coming from the Marshalls Creek area towering into the sky, but I do not know what was on fire. Whatever it was, it must have been huge. We continued on roads, following them all the way back to East Stroudsburg. The only particularly interesting thing we found along the way was an old cemetary in the front of someone's yard. I can't remember what it was called, but it was rather interesting.
Photos by Mike Helbing and Fred Hafale (FH)
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