Hike #498 7/10/10 to 7/11/10
7/10/10 to 7/11/10 Blairstown to Camp Ken Etiwa Pec with Chris "Cupcake" Kroschinski, "Action Adam" Stevens, Jillane Becker, Amanda Rosenblatt, Carol and Rob Creamer, and Evan "Joe Millionaire" Van Rossum.
The group at the fire, Camp Ken Etiwa Pec
Throughout the Spring into the Summer we had been trying to plan "DJ Ray's Peachy Keen Camporee Spectacular #3", but the date kept having to change because of his other obligations. When we finally settled on a date, July 10th, everything was a go but DJ Ray scheduled a DJ gig for that night without thinking. Every other date he suggested was not good for anyone else. People had already marked their calenders and requested the needed days off or whatever, so we decided to do a trip of our own anyway.
In the month prior Jillane and I did some exploring at the abandoned Camp Ken Etiwa Pec, a YMCA camp that was no longer in use along Long Pine Pond. The swimming was great, the buildings were not secured, and there was an awesome fire pit. This would be the perfect place for our campout as long as we didn't have too large a group. We began making plans and I arranged a great hike that would lead directly to Camp Ken Etiwa Pec.
When the morning came to do the hike, Jillane decided she didn't want to hike, but I was still joined by Joe Millionaire, Cupcake, Carol, and Rob, as well as their dog Bruce. It seemed everyone was late showing up at our meeting point, Blue Mountain Lakes Road at the AT crossing. Once we were together (save for Cupcake who was running further behind and met us in Blairstown) we shuttled my car down to Blairstown.
We stopped in a liquor store in town, and I asked the proprietor where we might be able to park a car overnight since we were going to do a campout. Surprisingly, he told us we could park in his own parking lot further back a bit, and so I pulled my car in close, then bought a couple Four Locos.
We began walking across Rt 94 and onto the long footbridge into Footbridge Park. This took us to the Paulins Kill Valley Trail where we turned left, heading upstream along the Paulins Kill. A haze was still looming over the river on this morning even though we'd gotten a late start.
Slackwater lake at Paulina NJ
We continued along the Paulins Kill Valley Trail which took us into the little village area of Paulina where there was an old mill converted to a house, a dam, and a beautiful little lake. An unmarked side trail led away from the rail trail closer to the lake and rejoined just beyond.
Paulins Kill River at Paulina NJ
We continued on the rail trail from here where the trail sat very near the water level. Shortly, we came to a nice through style girder bridge over the calm slackwater section of the river. We took a break here and I climbed out onto the girders of the bridge and goofed off a bit. We then moved on to Marksboro. Here, we turned left on the road to the first section of the Ridge and Valley Trail which followed here the right of way of the abandoned white lake spur to the NYS&W Railroad.
Abandoned white Lake spur to the NYS&W Railroad, Marksboro NJ
The rail bed took us to the old Marl Works ruins along the shore of White Lake, always an incredible sight to see.
Along the Ridge and Valley Trail, former White Lake spur railroad
There used to be an old house to the left, but that had been torn down maybe a year prior. We wandered through the Marl Works ruins exploring for a bit. I noticed that one of the window areas had collapsed even since my previous visit.
Abandoned Marl Works, White Lake NJ
Also, the Warren County Board of Recreation of which I was now a part also had two residents remove trees from one of the structure areas to keep the place from decaying any further.
Abandoned Marl Works, White Lake NJ
We walked along the side of the building and then headed out toward the water.
Abandoned Marl Works, White Lake NJ
The "Marl" Was a limestone based sediment that was dredged from the lake and used not only in area lime kilns; it's main business was shipping the lime via train to the city for use in it's sewer systems. In addition to the Marl Works, there was also a huge industrial ice house complex at the site.
Across the lake, The Vass House, the original farming family's homestead, was in clear view. It had recently been restored by the Hardwick Historical Society. The barns behind it were restored as well.
View of the Vas House from the Marl Works
We continued back through the Marl Works and saw the old chimneys laying on the ground within the ruins.
At the Marl Works ruins, White Lake NJ
Ruins of the Marl Works where the trees had recently been removed.
We continued down the Ridge and Valley Trail from here as it was now following an old woods road. We walked through what was once a girl scout camp, then up along a higher ridge area above a swamp land on the east side of White Lake. When it was dry enough, the trail descended into the low land.
Old lime kiln along the Ridge and Valley Trail
We soon came to a nice old lime kiln as the trail began to ascend along yet another old woods road on the other side of the gully. On my first visit to this site I had come out from an unofficial trail from where we started at White Lake at this point.
Along Ridge and Valley Trail, Warren County Natural Resource Area
The trail continued as more of a foot path, but well worn, and then seemed to come to another woods road on a straightaway. This soon led us out to Stillwater Road. I couldn't remember where the next leg of the trail came out of the woods, but I knew it was near the White Lake WMA parking area just up the road. We turned right on Stillwater Road and came to the parking lot. I looked around the lot but couldn't find where the trail went in. I seemed to remember coming out off of the road years before, so we walked a bit and then I decided to just bushwhack into the woods. Soon enough, I came to the trail which had simply been obscured by a lot of blow downs.
Ridge and Valley Trail in White Lake WMA
We continued along the trail as it took us down hill and then through a small valley with lots more blow downs. We ascended the next ridge, then descended into another little valley with a field to the left. We continued through more woods and soon reached the largest ridge we'd crossed yet.
Ridge and Valley Trail in White Lake WMA
The entire section of the Ridge and Valley Trail is characterized by lots of little ridges and valleys, and has lots of ups and downs. We made our way up this ridge along a little stone row on a cleft in the rocks to the top. Here, there was a fork in the trail. My plan was to go right, as the trail to the left was new to me. I don't think it was there my previous visit, and I didn't know where it went. We'd have to come back to explore more.
Ridge and Valley Trail on the Carrizone tract
We continued along the trail as it ascended and descended many more times. The blazes certainly were not all very noticeable, and being of slate composition were cracking and falling off the trees. Someone had hammered them all the way into the trees and so they were breaking off badly. It was quite a chore trying to figure out where to go next. I also was drinking Four Loco which I'm sure didn't help much. The trail came to a lot of weird uncertain spots, but we worked together to figure out where the next blazes were and soon came to where we could see some homes off of Sunset Lake Road. We paralleled the back of them as we walked through the "Carrizone Tract", and crossed a driveway.
Ridge and Valley Trail on the Carrizone Track near Sunset Lake Road
We continued through woods parallel to the dirt road to it's left, then eventually came back out to it. The blazes ended here, though when I discovered the trail there were some right on Sunset Lake Road.
Busted mailbox at the Carrizone Tract entrance, Sunset Lake Road
When we reached Sunset Lake Road and the gate over it there was no sign of any trail head. It was all posted with private signs like no trail had any business being there. The mail box on the post was badly broken and I wondered if the house in the area was abandoned or something. We took a break here for a bit before continuing right on Sunset Lake Road.
We followed Sunset Lake Road to Millbrook-Stillwater Road and turned left. I guess we didn't walk for long before we came upon an abandoned house. It looked a little rough on the outside, but the inside was beautiful. The door was wide open so we just helped ourselves.
Abandoned house
As we walked through it was evident that this house was certainly an historic structure.
Cupcake in an abandoned house
The place still even had appliances in it. It was quite nice. We checked out every room before we decided to move on.
In the abandoned house
Abandoned house
Abandoned house
Abandoned house
Hand hewn beams in the abandoned house
Abandoned house
Leaving the abandoned house
I found out later that the property had been eyed for preservation and a possible continuation route for the Ridge and Valley Trail. I was one of the voting members to approve the acquisition of this property later, ironically.
We moved along down the road and passed a nice lime kiln on the left.
Lime Kiln along Millbrook Stillwater Road
We continued north along Millbrook Stillwater Road heading gradually up hill. We passed Birch Ridge and Hardwick Roads, and headed up toSand Pond Road.
Road walking toward the ridge
Taking a rest on the road walk section
We followed Sand Pond Road a short distance to a woods road breaking off on the left. In the past, I'd come off of the power line but didn't realize we could even go this way. We took a little break in the shady woods and then continued out to the power line. We descended through the weeds to the edge of the flood plain of the Blair Creek, a huge swampy wetland.
Crossing the swamp of the Blair Creek
Ahead of us was the long, high puncheon in a bad state of decay over the creek. I'd brought a group over it before, but it was now in even worse shape than it was on previous trips. We carefully crossed, stepping over and holding onto the broken areas. At one point Joe Millionaire took a fall right into the swamp!
Puncheon over the swamp of Blair Creek
Old Puncheon
Crossing the old puncheon
Joe Millionaire takes a fall off of the puncheon
Crossing the puncheon
Blair Creek puncheon
Blair Creek Puncheon
Bruce walked through all the much and came out a bit of a mess. Once we were all on the other side it was much easier to walk along the height of the land above the water heading up stream. We skirted the wetlands to beyond where the creek wise a wide swamp. The creek made a turn past an old mill site.
Old mill site, probably where the water wheel sat
The pit where the water wheel would have been for the mill, as well as the cut out route of the mill race were clearly visible.
The dam from the old mill
Just up stream from the old mill site was the site of the former dam that supplied the needed slack water for the mill race. This mill had been gone probably a century already. No trail passed by these ruins, and are pretty much unknown.
We continued along through Blair Creek Preserve and soon ascended a bit at a woods road that led into the old camp ruins I'd visited in the past. It was all pretty much as I'd remembered it, nothing had decayed beyond where it was before.
Old camp ruins
Camp ruins
We continued from here further into the old camp on a section I hadn't been on yet. There were more old buildings up ahead, these ones in even worse condition that the ones furthest from the existing YMCA Camp Mason which was still in use on the adjacent property near Fairview Lake.
Camp ruins
Camp ruins
Camp ruins
We soon crossed into the Camp Mason property. We'd been kicked out of here before on another hike, so I didn't want to have any run ins. We got to a large activity field and crossed it directly heading toward a giant red water tank. From behind the tank we bushwacked into the woods.
Camp Mason activity field
We ascended very steeply making our way up. At first it was just a tough up hill hike, but as we continued it gave way to talus slope and some hand hold climbing.
Bushwhacking up the Kittatinny Ridge
As we continued views started opening up to Fairview Lake below, and across Sussex and Warren Counties. When we reached the top the climb paid off with an outstanding view over the sorrounding countryside.
Off trail view of Fairview Lake, Kittatinny Ridge
Off trail view on Kittatinny Ridge looking northeast
At off trail view of Fairview Lake, Kittatinny Ridge
We took a nice long break at the overlook before moving on. When we were ready, we made our way through the woods up to the Appalachian Trail and turned right. This was a nice easy stretch, as the AT followed woods roads in this section. We came to a side trail to the right that led down to Camp Mason. I'd wished we could have used that, but it's private and certainly wouldn't have afforded us the view we found.
When we reached Blue Mountain Lakes Road, there was another big group there hanging out, on some sort of trip of their own. We hung out here for a while talking to them.
Along Blue Mountain Lakes Road at the AT crossing
After waiting around and chatting with people for a while, Jillane showed up and we walked together along the access road to the abandoned camp as the sun was setting beautifully.
Sunset over the camp road
We passed by the edge of Long Pine Pond and were soon at the camp. Jillane and I stashed our stuff I think at the building we were going to stay in with the nice bed we'd found previously. The others went to pick up their vehicles and bring them back so they'd be nearby the next day.
Long Pine Pond
It wasn't long before they showed up, and we all walked on through the camp. I was at first thrown off that there were other people there. AT through hikers were all staying on the porch of the main lodge building! We said hello, and then we realized we wouldn't have a problem being there because they were pretty much doing the same as us. We just wouldn't be able to go into that building.
As I walked down the road I said hello to a long haired hiker. After a second, I recognized him as Eric Fay, who had been hiking with us the previous Summer! He had told me he was gearing up to do the entire AT, and it was really cool that we saw him on the day he was passing through our area!
Eric Fay at the camp
We all went to the long building where everyone else would be staying and let them put their stuff down.
Camp building
In a camp building
There were lines of rooms with bunks in each one, and everyone picked their rooms. We then headed over to the beach to take an incredible nighttime swim. The water was perfect and the stars were brilliant. Being out in the middle of Long Pine Pond treading water was amazing beyond the ability to describe.
When we'd all felt refreshed, we got changed and headed back to get some more of our stuff.
In a camp building
xoxo
Exploring camp buildings
We made our way back by a check in lodge and then descended into a little valley behind it to a beautiful giant fire pit complete with more wood than we'd ever need. We got the fire going, and Joe Millionaire manned it and kept it ablaze.
Party by the fire
Party by the fire
Action Adam brought a radio and some music, and we hung around the fire laughing, listening to "The Doors", and just enjoying where we were.
Party by the fire
Party by the fire
Hanging by the fire at the old camp
Joe Millionaire keeps the fire going
When the fire started to die down, we eventually dispersed, many of us in an intoxicated stupor. I think Joe Millionaire went for another swim. Jillane and I retreated to our cabin and comfortable bed. I woke up before Jillane and went out for a walk around. It was a beautiful sunny day.
Camp Ken Etiwa Pec
camp road
camp Ken Etiwa Pec
Camp Ken Etiwa Pec
I think I greeted the others first, then went back. Maybe I didn't I don't remember. Jillane and I came back out to Amanda and Action Adam slowly and clumsily coming out of the window of one of the buildings, probably not smart in such a high visibility place.
We all made our way over to the beach and had a great time swimming around.
Long Pine Pond
Long Pine Pond
Long Pine Pond
Long Pine Pond and camp
Long Pine Pond
Long Pine Pond
There was only one other person around, a lady with her dog. We played fetch with him, and he'd jump into the water like if he were going off of a cliff. I took a canoe that was sitting there out for a spin. Jillane had had the good forethought to bring one of my paddles from my canoe from home so we'd be able to use this one. This was a floppy, incredibly light canoe, and I clumsily took it out and around the nearby peninsula as fast as I could make it go, and then took a hard turn, throwing me into the water. This was the first time I'd ever tipped a canoe in my life, and I could not believe it.
Long Pine Pond
Long Pine Pond
The beach at Camp Ken Etiwa Pec
Camp Ken Etiwa Pec
Swimming at the camp
Swimming at the camp
After spending at least an hour swimming around, we went to explore the camp a bit more. There were even more abandoned buildings further along, but these ones were in terrible shape. We'd seen some of them on Cupcake's first hike with us the year before, but it was getting dark so we couldn't see the extent of the damage.
Abandoned camp building
Abandoned camp building
The very last building we came to did not seem so abandoned. It was an attractive lodge building. We walked around it looking to see if there was a way in, but it was pretty well secured. I finally found that I could get into a rear window. I climbed in and helped the others up.
Lodge
The inside of this one was beautiful, and we found something that said that it had been redone recently through a grant or something. As with the other buildings, we left everything as we found it and moved on.
Inside an old lodge
From here, we headed back to the main camp area where we were staying, and Cupcake, Amanda, Action Adam, and Joe Millionaire gathered their stuff. Poor Joe Millionaire must have gotten next to no sleep. When we all arrived at the beach in the morning he'd already been there or quite some time, and I think he must have fallen asleep in the sun because he got burnt so badly.
Packing up to go
Next, Jillane and I showed some of the other buildings in the area to the group.
In an old camp building
We walked through for a bit, and then the last thing we did before leaving was show them the cabin we had stayed in. Of course they were jealous as could be, but this was our reward for finding the place and arranging the trip, so we didn't feel at all bad.
Our little retreat at the camp
We continued back down the camp road past the outlet of Long Pine Pond. As we continued along the road there was a big rattlesnake basking on the pavement. This had certainly been a good year for finding large rattlesnakes.
Before going directly back to the cars I believe we stopped and picked some wine berries very close to where we were parked.
The Summer had reached some personal high points for me. We had our crazy get togethers, awesome hikes, and other good times that could not be topped, and this was among them.
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