Hike #510 9/6/10
9/6/10 Pyramid Mountain area loop with "Action Adam" Stevens, Fred Hafele, Sue Bickford Martin, Glenn Rothman, ????
Climbing on Bear Rock, Pyramid Mountain
My next hike would be another weekday impromptu thing. I had not returned to work yet following the fire of August 1, and so I had every day off. I can't remember a lot of that time or what I did. My mind felt fried, and even some of the hikes I enjoyed so much are a blur to me. The brain damage I supposedly suffered is still evident to me in my lack of being able to concentrate. It's really depressing so I try not to think about how I don't feel the same. Some of the problem must have been medications I was on, because my mind is a lot clearer now.
Since I was still off work, and Action Adam was off of work Thursdays, we made plans to hike Pyramid Mountain around the framework of my friend Fred's hike. He had posted a hike of his own there, and I would meet Adam earlier and do some east area trails, then continue after Fred's group at the end.
We met at the main parking area and visitor's center for Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic site and crossed over Boonton Ave onto the yellow blazed trail. This trail was an easy surface, but we soon turned right onto another somewhat new trail that ascended to the right. This nice trail took us up to a seasonal view area. We couldn't see much, but I think Lake Valhalla was sort of in sight. We then descended to another part of the yellow trail. We took another trail to the north, and I think we crossed a puncheon, and then ascended Turkey Mountain and came up to a utility line with a bit of a view to the west.
View west from Turkey Mountain, NJ
From here the trail paralleled the utility line to the right and descended via "100 Steps", stone steps placed to descend Turkey Mountain. The trail took us down to Boonton Ave again and across to the parking lot where we started. It was here we met up with Fred and his group, including Sue Bickford-Martin and Glenn Rothman. I'd seen Sue somewhat recently, but Glenn I hadn't seen for years, so that was nice. I also chatted with some of the people in Fred's group I hadn't met yet. In retrospect I wish I'd given some of them my contact info, but I forgot.
Once we were all together, we followed the Kinnelon Boonton Trail I think heading north. We went by the overlook where we could see the NYC skyline on Pyramid Mountain, and continued along the Kinnelon Boonton Trail north. I had never done this section, and I wanted to make sure Fred was there because I wouldn't know where I was going otherwise. The trail took us out to a couple back roads through developments, and where it re entered the woods was not clear. Fred cut a corner for us here instead of pointlessly going further along the road.
The trail eventually led us out to Butler Reservoir where we took a nice break on the east side of the dam.
Action Reservoir Adam
I had already been to the west side on the Butler Montville Trail the previous Spring. After the break, Action Adam and I decided to continue on from the group across the dam following the connector trail to Butler Montville Trail.
Butler Reservoir dam break.
The next section was one of my favorites, the beautiful footpath along the lake shore. Action Adam and I walked along the shore, and I stopped to take a dip in the reservoir at a beautiful little hidden cove. Adam could only get in up to where his burns were, sadly.
The trail took us north across the awesome little wooden footbridge, then across the roads heading back to the main part of Pyramid Mountain as we'd walked before, below Miller Road. When we reached Bear Rock, there were a bunch of kids playing around on it climbing. We helped them get to the top. I remembered my previous trip I couldn't quite get up there, but this time we both managed. We hung out here for a bit trying to get the kids to give us one of their beers, but they didn't. The rest of Fred's group showed up soon behind us; I suppose we were taking a long time. They headed to the left as I recall, probably up to Tripod Rock, but Adam and I continued on the Butler-Montville Trail since it was something I hadn't done. Fred warned me that that trail was difficult to follow on the far southwest end of the park, but I wanted to see it anyway, and what better time than when I didn't have a big group?
We walked and soon passed the ruins of the "Morgan Place". I don't know the history of it, but I had envisioned it to look more interesting.
Ruins of the Morgan Place below Pyramid Mountain
We then passed a trail junction to the left, but ignored it (I think the new trail to the right was in place as well, but we were only following the older system this time) and continued on the same trail as it came to a utility line. It followed the line to the left, and it wasn't badly grown in at all. Trail work must have been done since the last time Fred saw it. I actually though it was rather neat, swerving back and forth off of the power line.
We eventually came back out to the visitor's center and rejoined the same trail with foot bridge over the creek we passed earlier to complete our hike.
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