Hike #382; Lower Delaware Water Gap

 Hike #382 10/27/8

10/27/8 Lower Delaware Water Gap with Jason Itell, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Jack Lowry, Susan Dawson, and Laura Cunningham

The famous chocolate milk shot that Jason doesn't like. LOL

Abandoned structure at Hainesburg Junction site

Former Lehigh and New England Railroad west of Hainesburg Junction

Former Lehigh and New England Railroad approaching Columbia NJ

View of Slateford Junction with Mt. Minsi in the background

Slateford Tower

Cold Air Cave, Del Water Gap

Cold Air Cave, Del Water Gap

Mt. Tammany view with the profile from a lookout along Rt 611.

Delaware Water Gap view from former Lackawanna Railroad

Lower Caldeno Falls below Kittatinny house site

Old hotel in Delaware Water Gap

Lake Lenape

View from Lookout Rock along the AT

View down the Delaware from the top of Mt. Minsi

Me

Strange leaves meshed into the surface on National Park Drive

Group shot along National Park Drive

 On this hike, a Monday morning ramble, I would again lead my "Lower Water Gap Hike" starting in Hainesburg NJ. Joining me this time were Jason Itell, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Laura Cunningham, as well as Jack Lowry and Susan Dawson who joined us late in Colombia. We began walking the former NYS&W Railroad bed, Paulins Kill Valley Trail heading toward Colombia, and switched onto the former Lehigh and New England line at the former junction site. An old building that had been standing there had collapsed since my previous visit, sadly (1). We continued on the rail bed which was somewhat overgrown (2) but still passable, across the through style truss bridge, then across Rt 94. We had a clear shot, and when we got to Stark Road, it was cool to see that the railroad right of way was still clear, and was now part of a state park (3). We continued on this secting reaching a cell tower, and then the municipal garage area. The service road was built on the rail bed, which we followed to the frontage road along Rt 80 and turned right toward the TA truck stop where we met Jack and Susan. From here, we walked into Colombia to the Portland-Colombia footbridge. We crossed into PA where we got some terrific Lehigh Valley Farms chocolate milk (4). Heading north from here, we followed the former DL&W old main line under the Delaware Viaduct and to the Slatefore Junction site (5). We of course had to go up into the old slateford tower which was fortunitely still standing (6). We then continued north on the tracks stopping along the way at the Cold Air Cave. Jason and Commando Tom somehow ended up following a trail up hill to the vertical cliff above the Cold Air Cave, and I had to call them back down. That gave Laura, Jack, Susan, and I time to check out the cave anyway (7). We walked on, continueing to the Delaware Water Gap view spot, admiring the Indian Head on the NJ side (8), then headed back to the tracks. We followed them to the Rt 80 underpass passing Caldeno Creek's falls on the left . There were also some great views through the gap (9,10).  We climbed our way up to the Rt 80 bridge and followed the Appalachian Trail into the town of Delaware Water Gap, then walked down the street to a pizza place for lunch (11, old hotel). Commando Tom and I walked across the street and got some warm apple pie, cookies, a hot dog, and apple cider all for two dollars I think it was. On top of that, as we were leaving, we were given all the donuts we wanted to take! We could'nt believe it! We went back to the pizza place to share. After eating lunch, we walked the AT up to the parking area where we had left Laura's car in the morning so she could cut out early. The remaining five of us followed the AT up Mt Minsi passing Lake Lenape (12), and my shins were killing me something terrible. I was not used to this happening, so it was particularly bad, but still I forged on. By the time I reached the lookout rock (I think previously known as Winona Cliff, picture 13) I was'nt sure that I could make it the whole way. Still, after taking a few minutes break at the view point I forced myself to head up the mountain passing more viewpoints till we reached the top (14) and I again had to stop from the pain. When I was good again we continued on. The AT followed a woods road atop the ridge for a couple miles, but it had recently been rerouted off the woods road earlier than before, and so we walked the new section to the gas pipeline crossing and beyond to Totts Gap. From there, we followed Totts Gap Road down hill passing by the old cave, then reached Laurel Hill Road. We followed it to National Park Drive, a dirt road whih looked incredible with the fallen leaves adhering to it (15,16). Susan was wearing devil horns for the whole trip, and one guy stopped and commented on it (17). We continued from there to Slateford, and bushwhacked down to the Lackawanna cutoff after walking along Rt 611 for a bit. I had to slide down a muddy hill which was really rough, but I lived (obviously). We walked the cutoff, overgrown at first, to the Delaware Viaduct and beyond to Hainesburg and the Paulins Kill Structure which we climbed into. Susan was'nt able to handle it, so her and Jack turned back, while Jason and Commando Tom followed me throught the bridge quietly. Every time a car went by we layed down, and there was a cop who had someone pulled over nearby, so we got freaked out. Still, we made it out okay, rejoined Jack and Susie, and then walked down to the road making it back to the cars just fine. We had dinner at the diner at the TA truck stop.