Hike #263
1/7/7
Phillipsburg-Easton area with Scott "Tea Biscuit" Helbing, Bill "Guillermo" Fabel, Lauren Gropp, Rollin Ronemus, John Flood, Jim Bloom, Lynn Frasure, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Joan Aichele, Jenn Ladd, Justin "Bob" Ladd, Rich Pace, Bob "Bode" Bodenstein
Group shot at the P Burg pipe
At Hillcrest Mall, Phillipsburg
Hiking out of Hillcrest, P Burg
School above Hillcrest Mall, P Burg
Street walkin in P Burg
Phillipsburg park
Crossing a retention area in P Burg park
Retention area in a p burg park
Retention pond in a P Burg park
My next trip would bring us once again to Phillipsburg NJ and Easton PA. I had planned a loop using many different points of interest between the two towns, partially covering the ground Cathy and I had scouted out back on 11/28/6. This time, I decided it would be better if we met a little closer to the center of Phillipsburg than we had previously started, so I had everyone meet at the Hillcrest Mall in Phillipsburg near Nicolosi's Pizza (though we did'nt end up eating there afterwards). I was joined by Tea Biscuit, Bill "Guillermo" Fabel, "Amish Paul" Hassler, Rich Pace, Bob "Bode" Bodenstein, John Flood, Joan Aichele, and newcomers Rollin Ronemus (a friend of Guillermo's from work), Jen and Justin Ladd (I'd met Jenn years ago when I worked at Shop Rite in Mansfield, and Tea Biscuit went to school with Justin, they were recently married), Lauren Gropp, Lynn Fraser and Jim Bloom (whom I'd met at AMC Lehigh Valley group meetings). Rich and Bode shuttled one of their vehicles to Union Square along the river in Phillipsburg while the rest of us planned on hiking back to Hillcrest. We began walking north through the parking lot where we found a path leading up to some ball fields. We made our way up, and I was about to cross the fields directly but there was a ball game going on. We continued along the edge of the field and then near what I believe was part of Warren Hospital, then continued out onto a street and continued north. We soon reached Belvidere Road and turned right, then cut through someone's driveway which doubled as a bike lane into the municipal park near Marble Hill. We made our way north into the park. It looked pretty interesting with a group of 13 following me along, and I was surprised to have such a large group. When we reached the gate Cathy and I had passed through, it was closed, locked, and posted. We had to find another way around, so we turned right. As we walked out, there was a hole in the fence through weeds to our left, and John went to investigate. The rest of us continued on to where a field slowly becoming overgrown appeared on the right. It was kind of mucky and well posted with 'no trespassing' signs, so I opted to go back to the hole in the fence John had found where there were no posted signs. We all hurried through and I led everyone cautiously across a large dried up retention pond.
Crossing a retention pond, P Burg
On Marble Mountain
Ascending part of Marble Hill in P Burg
Ascending part of Marble Hill
On Marble Hill
Tea Biscuit juggling on Marble Hill
Future high school site on Marble HIll
View from Marble Hill toward P Burg
View toward P Burg from Marble Hill
Future high school site on Marble Hill
Future high school site on Marble Hill
View from Marble Hill
Rock on Marble Hill
Marble Hill
Me on Marble Hill
Marble Hill
Marble Hill, future High School site
Marble Hill
Marble Hill
Marble Hill future high school site
Future high school site on Marble Hill
View from Marble Hill
On Marble Hill, future high school site
Future high school site on Marble Hill
Bullying through the Rhododendrons on Marble Mountain
Bode relates a story to the group on how he was ambushed by his cat, Little Bode.
Old road on Marble Mountain
Fulmer Mine on Marble Mt.
In the Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine on Marble Hill
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Fulmer mine
At Fulmer Mine
Fulmer Mine
Resting at the Fulmer mine
In the Fulmer mine
Trail heading down Marble Mountain
Trail heading down Marble Mountain
At the base of Marble Mountain
Approaching the old Pump House
Old P Burg Pump House
At the pump house
Old Phillipsburg Pump House
Antique Mack Truck!
Antique Mack Truck
At the pump house
At the pump house
Bode relating area history to us at the Pump House
Phillipsburg Pump House
Antique Mack Truck at the pump house
wow
Old trolley rail
Old trolley rail
Antique Mack Truck and Pump House
Tea Biscuit. Bad.
Pump House
Trolley Rail
Transportation heritage
Bus at the pump house
Pump house
Former Bel Del Railroad, P Burg
Former Bel Del Railroad, P Burg
Former Bel Del Railroad, P Burg
Former Bel Del Railroad, P Burg
P Burg industry
Along the Delaware in P Burg
Along the Delaware below the pump house
Along the Delaware below the pump house
Along the Delaware, P Burg
Giant pipe
Along the Delaware
Approaching the giant pipe
The group at the pipe
Group at the pipe
Group at the pipe
Group shot at the pipe
Inside a giant pipe below P Burg
Giant pipe
Giant pipe
Giant pipe
We made our way across without getting wet, then climbed up steeply on the other side to an access road, then followed it around a bend continueing to ascend. As soon as we got around the corner, we turned right up hill on grassy terrain. We were then on a plateau like area on Marble Hill with a nice view of the Phillipsburg area to the south, and a nice view of Northampton County PA in an open area to the northwest. The east side of Wind Gap was also visible. The entire area was cleared, apparently for some kind of new school or ballfields of some sort. There was a dug out area with a giant rock, and one pile of debris in a low area, so I ran down to climb the rock.
It was very steep on one side but easy to get up on the other. Jenn ran down to climb up the knoll further away. We soon continued to the west heading toward the edge of the open area near the above ground water tanks, the same place Cathy and I entered the woods on the previous trip. There was a brief down and up where some sort of a road had been dug through. I tried to somersault down it, but I hurt myself because it was way more rocky than it appeared. I led everyone into the woods, this time making our way through the Rhododendroms. We ascended to the small ridge, then descended briefly to the trail in the Marble Hill Preserve. I waited for everyone to regroup here, then led them to a large pit mine to the north a bit. We hung out for a bit while Guillermo climbed down to the bottom for a look. Bode related stories to us about how his cat attacked his neck while trying to bring him to a photo shoot. We soon continued on along the trail, heading steeply down to the old Fulmer Mine and foundations. Most of us went inside with our flashlights. We hung out here for a while before heading down hill to the old mining road. We began to descend with nice seasonal views to the west over the Delaware River and PA. We soon reached the road and the former Bel Del Railroad, and crossed into the property of the old Phillipsburg Pump House. Because Bode was with us, and he was a member of the group that owned it, we were able to walk through and check out some of the historically significant transportation artifacts kept there. One of the most interesting things was a very old Mack Truck. Tea Biscuit decided he was going to pee on a porta-john (yes, on, not in). We continued on, across the Bel Del tracks and down alongside the Delaware River. We began following the river downstream. Soon, we reached the large pipe Cathy and I walked through previously. I got everyone together and led the way through the pipe.
In the big P Burg pipe
Giant pipe
Giant pipe
Tea Biscuited checked out this side pipe leading from the main one
In the giant pipe
In the giant drainage pipe
Exiting the pipe
Leaving the pipe in P Burg
Other end of the big pipe
Swinging as usual
Swinging as usual
Swinging as usual
P Burg
P Burg
P Burg
P Burg
This is the old trolley shop in P Burg. The building still bears the name.
This is the old trolley shop in P Burg. The building still bears the name.
P Burg
Approaching Rt 22
Approaching Rt 22
Looking at Rt 22/Bushkill Street bridge from the former pre-1955 route of the highway
Looking at Rt 22/Bushkill Street bridge from the former pre-1955 route of the highway
Looking at Rt 22/Bushkill Street bridge from the former pre-1955 route of the highway
Getting onto Bushkill Street (Rt 22) Bridge
Getting onto Bushkill Street (Rt 22) Bridge
The group walkng the bridge on Rt 22
Rich and Bode from atop the Rt 22 bridge
Group on the Rt 22 bridge
Plaque along Rt 22 on the Bushkill Street Bridge
Rt 22 (Bushkill Street) Bridge
P Burg
P Burg
Union Square, P Burg
On the bridge
Getters Island from the Rt 22 bridge
On Rt 22 bridge
On Rt 22 bridge
Entrance to Lafayette College
Ascending to Lafayette College
Ascending Lafayette College hill
View from College Hill, Easton
Heading up College Hill, Easton
View from College Hill
View from College Hill
Lafayette College
College Hill
In one of the Lafayette College buildings
Lafayette College
Hiking through College Hill
Fisher Campus, Lafayette College
Fisher Campus, Lafayette College
Descending College Hill near Rt 22
At Easton Cemetery
Easton Cemetery...this person had strange hand signs on the top of their grave
Examining a tomb stone that had sign language on top. I guess this was pre braille
Entrance to Easton Cemetery
Easton Cemetery
Easton Cemetery
Easton Cemetery
Former Lehigh Valley Railroad in northern Easton
Awesome scrap metal sculptures
Awesome scrap metal sculptures...an abstract Atlas!
Easton PA
Former LV RR bridge over Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek Trestle, former LV railroad
Old Bushkill Creek bridge that was recently closed off, Easton
Old mill in Easton
Easton PA, Bushkill Creek bridge
Abandoned building left open in Easton
In the abandoned industry in Easton
Abandoned building interior in Easton
In the industrial site abandonment, Easton
Easton PA
Easton PA
Along the Bushkill in Easton PA
Along the Bushkill, Easton PA
Former LV railroad in Easton PA
Upper Hackett Park
Resting in Hackett Park, Easton
Foot bridge over Rt 22 on Hackett Park trail
Lower Hackett Park
Lower Hackett Park
Northern Easton PA DIP
Resting in Jim and Lynn's back yard
Jim and Lynn's back yard, Easton
Jim and Lynn's back yard
Jim and Lynn's back yard
Jim and Lynn's back yard
Candle over the statue in Easton Circle
Tea Biscuit crawled into a side pipe a short distance and decided not to go too far. We stayed close together using flashlights and came out along the main street in Phillipsburg. We walked the road out to just below the Rt 22/Bushkill Street Bridge. Bode pointed out a garage along the way that was once the horse drawn trolley shop, and the sign on top even still read "horse car railroad". We continued on, climbing up to the 22 bridge. Bode and Rich decided to cut out here, heading back to Rich's car which was left in Union Square. The rest of us crossed the bridge, and I told everyone the story of Getter's Island, a popular island with many local legends involved in the Delaware. After hanging out and viewing Getter's Island, we made out way down to street level and over to the large stairways that ascend to Lafayette College. There were old walkways blocked off from the current staircase as well, though we did not try to follow them. After reaching the top, we made our way up across the campus to the north. Jim and Lynn knew of a convenience store we could stop at, and Jenn needed some more film for her camera because a roll got ruined up at the Fulmer Mine earlier. On the way, we passed a newer building on the campus that sort of looked out of place, but it was very reflective, made to look like it was not there. When we reached the store, I think Tea Biscuit and I got Chocolate Milk, and we also stopped in at a pizza place/bar across the street. We bought a six pack of beer because it was so much more expensive to drink it there. We simply carried it back across the campus and drank it at one of the statues. After this extended lunch break, we continued south to the ridge again, and walked through the campus and down the ampitheatre at the Fisher buildings, then down the west side to Rt 22 where we climbed under the bridge over Bushkill Drive, the creek, and the railroad bed. I climbed down to the railbed, and most of the group followed me. We continued across the little bridge over Bushkill Creek into Easton Cemetary. Justin (or as Tea Biscuit was calling him "Bob") decided to wait below since we were only doing a loop. When we reached the top of the cemetary area, Lynn decided to walk back home just off Northampton Street. The rest of us continued on through the cemetary. The graves were all very interesting, yet none stick out in my mind so much as one that had hands doing sign language on top. Rollin knew some sign language and confirmed the name was "Lloyd", further confirmed by the name written below on the stone. Very interesting, I'd never seen anything like it. There was also a stone of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. We continued around as Cathy and I did before, returning to the railroad grade, following it along the creek upstream. We could not stay on it all of the time, but we were close. When we reached the scrap yard along the creek, we checked out the scrap sculptures that Randy Melick helped work on along the way. I also climbed up the Atlas statue as Peeps had done years before. Tea Biscuit and Guillermo got inside a weird horseshoe cage thing. We continued north, crossing the Bushkill Creek on the old railroad bridge and following the rail bed north to the next cross street, where we turned right crossing the creek yet again, and paralleling it to the east. There was an old factory building on the right, left totally open, so Guillermo, Amish Paul, and I went in to have a look around. It was incredible, and I could'nt help but think I'd wished we had more time to explore it all. After coming back to the road, we continued to an apartment area where we could get on the rail right of way again. Some of it was paved as a trail here. We continued to the paved path ascending up hill into Hackett Park, then cut across the grassy field and across the road, continueing to Lower Hackett Park via a footbridge over Rt 22. Along the way, we found some golf balls we were throwing around. Once in Lower Hackett Park, we decided to take the most direct route back to the beginning. We followed Jim, who led us along streets to Northampton Street. He invited us to him and Lynn's house, only a block in from Northampton Street, and showed us their beautiful garden they had constructed. It was a great little haven in the middle of Easton, and a nice break stop. Jenn, Justin, and John cut out here while the rest of us continued on walking Northampton Street east. When we reached the circle, Tea Biscuit and I went into Mother's Bar and Grill to see what was going on, but there was really nothing so we continued on. Just after crossing the Northampton Street free bridge, Jim and Lynn were parked at the gas station at Union Square, Phillipsburg. They kindly offered us a ride up the hill, which did not take too much convincing for us to accept. Tea Biscuit and I pigged out with dinner from two different McDonalds' in both P Burg and Washington using coupons.
Photography by Mike Helbing, Jim Bloom (JB), Rich Pace (RP), Robert Bodenstein (RB), and Lauren Gropp (LG)
1.) In the Hillcrest Mall parking lot getting ready to walk! (RP)2.)3.)4.)5.)6.)7.)8.) Walking across the weird retention pond field (RP)9.) Regrouping in the retention pond area (RP)10.) Climbing up from the retention pond (RP)11.) Making our way up the hill still...12.) Tea Biscuit fixing his shoes or something. This road will possibly be the access to the new Phillipsburg High School one day.13.) More of Tea Biscuit on the railing (RP)14.) The group reaching the access road15.) View of Phillipsburg area from the access road (JB)16.) Another nice view shot (RP)17.) Another little view up on the possible future high school site18.) Amish Paul and I walking along the new High School site on Marble Hill (RP)19.) A nice view to the west looking into Northampton County PA. The Delaware is out of view beneath Marble Hill.20.) Me on a large rock that had'nt been moved from the construction site on Marble Hill. I think Rich or someone took this...21.) Me on the rock (RP)22.) I'm still on the rock (RB)23.) Me on the rock...(JB)24.) Me climbing down from the rock...who took this I don't know...25.) Group shot of everyone on the construction area (RP)26.) Jenn on one of the big rocks (RP)27.) Jenn running across the construction site after standing on one of the rocks28.) Crossing a big cut for vehicles or something in the construction site (RP)29.) The rest of the group crossing the cut (RP)30.) Another terrific view (RP)31.) Some of the group crossing the construction area32.) Amish Paul, Guillermo, Lauren, and Joan up front of the group at the construction site.33.) Navigating our way through the Rhododendron thickets on Marble Hill (RP)34.) Trail on marble hill, once an old mine road (RB)35.) Bode explains to us how recently he was brutally attacked by his cat, Little Bode while exploring mine pits at Marble Mountain Nature Preserve (JB)36.) Entering the old Fulmer Iron Mine on Marble Mountain (JB)37-40.) Goofing off inside the Fulmer Mine41.) An outside view of the Fulmer Mine (RB)42.) Me in the Fulmer Mine (RB)43.) More inside the Fulmer Mine (JB)44.) Rollin, Amish Paul, and Jim in the Fulmer Mine45.) In front of the Fulmer Mine (RP)46-51.) More in front of the Fulmer Mine (RP)52.) We're still there! (JB)53.) Descending on the old woods road on Marble Mountain (JB)54.) On the woods road descending from the mine area (RP)55.) Reaching the road along the Delaware just north of Phillipsburg (RP)56.) Entering the property of the Phillipsburg Pump House (RP)57.) The Pump House (RP)58.) Stuff at the pump house (RP)59.) Another view of the pump house60.) Checking out an old Mack Truck at the Pump House61.) Another view of the Mack Truck (JB)62.) More goofing off with the Mack Truck (JB)63.) Another structure near the pump house64.) Bode telling us about the history of the Pump House (RP)65.) Bode! (RP)66.) The Pump House (RP)67.) Another one of the Mack Truck (RP)68.) Old traffic lights? (RP)69.) A piece of rail sitting near the pump house for unknown reasons (RP)70.) Me next to the rails (JB)71.) Tea Biscuit prefers to pee on or behind porta johns...(JB)72.) Another view of the Pump House (RP)73.) More with the section of old trakcs (RP)74.) Old buses and such along the pump house (RP)75.) Walking by the pump house (JB)76.) More of the buses along the pump house (RP)77.) The former Bel Del Railroad tracks (RP)78.) Cars parked on sidings along the Bel Del in Phillipsburg (RP)79.) The pump house from the Bel Del tracks (RP)80.) Crossing the former Bel Del tracks (JB)81.) Making our way down from the railroad tracks (RP)82.) Industry along the Bel Del in P Burg (RP)83.) The group descending to along the Delaware River in P Burg (RP)84.) Bode and Joan investigating along the Delaware85.) Bode and Jenn along the Delaware near the Pump House (RP)86.) Amish Paul sitting on some boards along the Delaware (RP)87.) Amish Paul and I at the entrance to the drainage pipe to the Delaware (RP)88.) The group approaching the pipe89.) Regrouping at the entrance to the pipe (JB)90-93.) Many attempts at a group shot, the last of which is satisfactory.94.) Guillermo, Lynn, and Amish Paul inside the drain pipe (JB)95.) A view into the pipe (RB)96.) Looking into the pipe (RP)97.) More looking through the pipe (RP)98.) More of the pipe? (RP)99.) Walking through the pipe (RP)100.) Tea Biscuit crawling through a side pipe from the main pipe101.) The group in the pipe102.) Near the east end of the pipe!103.) More of us near the end of the pipe area (JB)104.) Looking out of the east side of the drainage pipe (JB)105.) Climbing up from the drainage pit (RP)106.) The west opening of the drainage tunnel (RB)107.) Guillermo swinging on a vine (JB)108.) Out on the road in P Burg (RP)109.) Heading south along the road (RP)110.) Some sort of quarry stone place in P Burg (RP)111.) More of the P Burg industry...(RP)112.) Still on the road in P Burg (RP)113.) Continueing south (RP)114.) In front of the old trolley shops in P Burg115.) Crossing south Main Street area (RP)116.) Walking toward Rt 22 in P Burg (RP)117.) Just below Rt 22 in P Burg (RP)118.) The group below Rt 22; we're talking about previous highway alignments before the flood of 1955. (RP)119.) Bushkill Street Bridge which carries Rt 22 between NJ and PA (RP)120.) Bode and Rich walking along South Main Street in P Burg as seen from along Rt 22.121.) Bode and Rich still walking...122.) Approaching the main section of Bushkill Street Bridge (JB)123.) Rich and Bode still walking124.) The group on the Bushkill Street Bridge as seen from below (RP)125.) Rich and Bode walking beneath the Bushkill Street Bridge126.) Close up Rich took of us on the bridge (RP)127.) Plaque on the Bushkill Street Bridge128.) View of Bushkill Street Bridge (RP)129.) View South Main Street P Burg (RP)130.) View north on Main St P Burg (RP)131.) Buildings at the end of Northampton Street, NJ side (RP)132.) Group on the bridge along 22 heading into Easton133.) View north along the Delaware from the bridge with Getter's Island in view134.) On the bridge while I'm giving a history lesson on Getter's Island (JB)135.) Still on the bridge (JB)136.) Entering Lafayette College Campus via long steps in Easton (JB)137.) Ascending the stairs to Lafayette College138.) More ascending to the college139.) View toward the center of Easton from Lafayette College Hill140.) Tea Biscuit and Joan ascending along the steps141.) View from the statue at Lafayette College Campus (JB)142.) Another view from behind the statue out into Easton143.) Wandering through Lafayette College Campus (JB)144.) Still wandering through the campus145.) The group in one of the buildings at the college146.) Here we are leaving one of the college buildings (JB)147.) Here we are walking along the street on College Hill (JB)148.) Amish Paul on a tree on College Hill149.) View of the Fisher buildings at Lafayette College (JB)150.) The group seated on the steps of the amphitheatre at the Fisher buildings151.) The group descending below the Rt 22 bridge at the Cemetary curves along Bushkill Creek (JB)152.) Tea Biscuit and the others walking up hill into Easton Cemetary153.) The top of a grave stone with hand signs on it, probably for the deaf. This person's name was "Lloyd" according to the tomb stone.154.) Here we are examining the tomb stone with the sign language on it (JB)155.) The group at the main entrance to the Easton Cemetary (JB)156.) View north in Easton Cemetary toward Bushkill Creek157.) Another nice cemetary view158.) The group descending through Easton Cemetary159.) Former Lehigh Valley Railroad right of way with ties still in place coming through the grass along Bushkill Drive near the creek160.) At the scrap yard, with one of the scrap sculptures constructed by Ron Kiefer and Randy Melick (Randy did one of my hikes in 2006.).161.) Me in the abstract atlas statue, another Keifer/Melick piece (JB)162.) Rollin along Bushkill Drive163.) Beginning to cross one of the old LV Railroad bridges over Bushkill Creek164.) The group crossing the trestle (JB)165.) Another different angle shot of the group crossing the bridge166.) An old mill at one of the former railroad crossings in Easton167.) The group on an old stone bridge over Bushkill Creek (JB)168.) The entrance to an old industrial place that has wide open area inside...169.) View inside the abandoned industrial site in Easton.170.) Amish Paul in the old industrial site171.) Another view of the inside of the industrial site172.) The group walking outside the industrial site173.) The road curving back and forth generally northbound along the Bushkill Creek174.) Here we are walking along the road heading north (JB)175.) Still walking the road along the creek...(JB)176.) The group walking part of the LV Railroad right of way north of Easton177.) Ascending into the top of Hackett Park178.) Jenn, Justin, and Rollin, all tired from their trip so far, resting in Hackett Park.179.) Tea Biscuit and I at the footbridge over Rt 22 in Hackett Park (JB)180.) Hiking in lower Hackett Park (JB)181.) Leaving lower Hackett Park182.) Guillermo with a "Dip" sign in Easton183.) In Jim and Lynn's back yard garden184.) More in the back yard paradise185.) Jim in his back yard186.) Another one of Jim in the back yard187.) The group taking a rest at Jim and Lynn's (JB)188.) The candle that covers the statue around Christmas time in Easton Circle
Jim and Lynn picked us up at the very end to return us to our vehicles
Collage of pictures sent to me by Lauren!
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