Hike #627; Pocono Rim; Milford/Conashaugh Loop

 Hike #627; Pocono Rim; Milford/Conashaugh Loop

5/20/12 Pocono Rim with Derek Baker, Shelly Janes, "Naaron" Young, Jack Lowry, Laurie Davey, Jason Kumpas, Amanda Murphy, Greg Hudis, Cesco Tetto, Giancarlo Tetto, Teun Ott, Chip Denis, Eric Pace, Matthew Otey, and Caitlyn Preciado.

The group at Raymondskill

My next hike would be another loop in the Pocono Rim series. This was a milestone because it would connect with the end of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area section of the Pocono Rim, in Milford PA.When we last left off, we looped on the Rim to Conashaugh Creek and then headed back to Adams Falls area on the McDade Trail. This time we would begin in Milford PA, head south to Conashaugh and turn back on the McDade Trail.

We met at the Grand Union grocery store in Milford PA. I had met at this location once before, and headed across the Milford Montegue Bridge into NJ on hike #296 several years earlier, but never connected it another way.Some of us went into the Grand Union for some snacks and drinks. I bought a box of ice cream cones to share with everyone as well as a gallon of water. The previous week I did not have nearly enough water, and wasn't going to make that mistake again. This day was supposed to be 85 degrees. The woman working the deli counter, as well as most employees had a very different demeanor than the clerks at home. They seemed amused by us being there, but also like they weren't the kind to go out of the way to help anyone!

Once everyone showed up, we walked along the streets of Milford, back and forth through the blocks trying to figure out how to get into the glen on the east side of town. I knew there was an abandoned bridge across somewhere, and so we went looking for it. As we left the parking lot, a young woman asked what we were doing, and if this was an organized group. She was walking two dogs and was very interested. I told her to look up Metrotrails.org and she'd find us (it's so easy having an official website!). Jack showed up late and came running down the street, guitar in hand, and we caught up with the group at the abandoned bridge on Mott Street.While walking Mott Street, a door opened, and it was the woman we saw at the Grand Union and I guess her boyfriend or husband. We had walked down to the bridge and were turning back because there were so many signs saying "no trespassing" and such. They told us to ignore it, and go on over. The guy gave us directions up to "The Knob", one of our first points of interest. The woman said, "want me to show you?", and we were happy to accept.We crossed over the fenced bridge, which had a walkway in the middle, added after the bridge was abandoned as a drivable street, but even that was fenced off. Everyone crossed on the left side, which was easy, but when Jack and I got there late, we crossed the tough way on the right side.

Once across the bridge, the woman led us to the right, into "The Glen" as it was shown on a brown sign. She said that the town of Milford owned it, that it was not owned by National Park Service. She showed us a deep swimming hole next to the bridge too, which we didn't take at this time.We turned to the right and continued up stream along the creek, with lovely giant hemlock trees. Two little neighborhood girls both joined us and followed with the woman as we walked through The Glen. The trail was spuratically blazed with painted arrows, and led to a woods road off to the right. It was a good thing we had a guide, because we would have missed the turn sharply to the left, but not on the road we were on, which led up hill toward the Knob.She and the kids left us at this point, and we continued to climb gradually. There was a wire we crossed, laying on the ground along the way up. Soon, the trail led us to Milford Cemetery, at it's upper end. I was originally planning on climbing to The Knob through the cemetery, but this route was probably better, and we had to take advantage of it while we had a guide.At the cemetery, we turned hard right an reached the Milford Knob Trail. and turned right once again. The trail led on an incredibly steep slope which Jason and I hurried to the top of. The trail then turned right and came to an intersection with Cliff Trail. The trails were marked with carsonite posts with colored circles on them, but no standard blazes. We continued to the right on the dead end trail out to the Milford Knob. The view was great, of the Pocono Rim beyond DWGNRA, Rt 206 and the Delaware River, as well as the Kittatinny and Shawangunk Ridges beyond. We could see the interstate highway crossing over the Shawangunk Ridge beyond High Point from there.There was a big star laying on the ground at the Knob, which must be put up seasonally over Milford. We figured out that the wire we crossed that was laying on the ground was the power source for the star.After a good break, we continued on along the Cliff Trail. This trail was parallel to the Cliff Park hotel and golf course area, which was now closed. We didn't go there, but rather remained on the Cliff Trail.

Actually, the Cliff Trail remained a wide path a bit further from the cliff; a better, narrower track went off to the left of the Cliff Trail and actually followed the cliff itself, we continuous views  of the Delaware River, the Milford Montegue Bridge, and the Kittatinny Ridge. We could see Culver's Gap as well in the distance.Some of the view points were "developed" with fences and such. Our next one was Riverview Overlook. We could see up and down the cliffs on either side of us with great views down into the valley. We could see people jogging on the McDade Trail below, our return route, looking like tiny specks.We continued on from here, and passed Buchanan Trail, Minisink Overlook, and Tri State Overlook, all great.

As Giancarlo got too close to the side, I warned him to be careful, we didn't need any Giancarlo Chowder. The statement was followed by a series of off color jokes and the statement "Are you ready for the Giancarlow Chowder?", which spurred a good amount of laughter.The trail descended and passed Loggers Path, and then just before reaching the road, we crossed a foot bridge and turned right on Hackers Trail. The trail ascended and connected with old woods roads on the way, and eventually began to descend toward Raymondskill Creek. I found a side trail to the left, and assumed it would be to Hackers Falls, another smaller falls on the creek. I thought it was, but it turns out we found a nameless cascade: Hackers Falls was a larger falls further up!Regardless, we had a great time at this hidden spot on an obscure foot path. We took a dip in the creek, which felt great. There was an amazing deep spot, and a rock outcropping, jutting out into the river with a small cave in it. Jason Kumpas went out to climb through it, and took a fall on the way back, but he was alright. Laurie fell into the river, jeans and all, but she was okay and was happy that it happened.

After we all took a dip, Eric made his way back the trail toward Raymondskill Falls to meet later, while the rest of us continued bushwhacking along the creek down stream. Cesco and I climbed through the cave Jason had done earlier, which was really cool. We then continued down stream to the left. At one point everyone had to climb a high slope to he left to keep out of the water, but I walked down the center and found an extremely deep swimming hole, which I noted for future reference.We soon made our way out to Raymondskill Road and turned left. I knew there was an abandoned building nearby, but wasn't going to do any exploring of that kind with such a big group. We made our way to the Raymondskill Falls Trail head, and rested at the restrooms for a bit. We then made our way to the top of the Upper Falls, then headed down stone steps to the view of the Upper Falls, top of Lower Raymondskill Falls. While we were there, Jack had passed out briefly because he hadn't had enough water. Shelly and Laurie looked after him, and I ran back when I realized they weren't with us. It was such a hot day, and he was feeling 100% fine until it hit him all of a sudden. It just goes to show that it can happen so fast, and without warning. SO DRINK WATER! (this message brought to you by Metrotrails: "don't sue us! we have no money!" lol)After a nice break at the falls, we continued on. Cesco and his crew were going to continue back to Milford on the McDade Trail, while Eric, Jack, and Shelly continued with them, then waited at McDade for us to finish the next loop.The rest of us continued down to the lower end of Raymondskill Falls, passing some more small falls along the way, then ascended by way of another old woods road out of the ravine. The woods road seemed to turn off to the right, and we bushwhacked through extremely high ferns, then to another woods road. This one led up to the Conashaugh View Trail, a part of it I hadn't done yet, and we turned left. The trail was very wide, and took us up hill a bit more.Soon, it was a relaxing, easy walk down hill into the valley of the Conashaugh Creek. There was a slight view off into the gorge between the trees as we descended.At the bottom, we reached a gravel road and turned left along Conashaugh Creek. This time, we could see the water flowing through it. Our previous visit it was just a dry creek bed we were walking in at this point.When the road reached Zimmerman Road, we continued off trail, bushwhacking down stream along the creek. We passed by a stone ruin of some sort, and had to fight through some terrible stinging nettle. We then came out to Rt 209, closed at this point, and most of us walked through the culvert beneath the highway which was pretty cool. Some went over. The McDade Trail crossed over the top of this culvert on the other side. It was a hiking only path at this point, and a very nice one at that.We began following the trail along the Delaware between lovely purple and white flocks. We then came to a horrible washout. The remains of trail steps, wood and re-bar were sticking out of the ground to that point. We took some time to fight across the washout, with dirt falling down as we tried to cross the area. It took a good amount of time to get everyone across.Once on the other side, it went much quicker. The hiking only trail continued until we reached a small creek and foot bridge, then it became the normal wide McDade Trail. We followed it out of the woods and through some wide open fields, as well as through a former orchard. There were great views of the cliffs above, where we had been not that much earlier.After a bit, we reached Raymondskill Creek. The bridge carrying the trail over the creek had already washed out in the Hurricane the previous year. We had to wade across. Jack, Shelly, and Eric were waiting on the other side.Once across, we continued on along the trail through more fields with great cliff views.

I was feeling somewhat out of it on this trip. Usually I feel great by the end, with the relaxing walk along the McDade Trail, just as I've done so many times in the past, but this time I was preoccupied with too much.

In less than a month I will be moving to Great Meadows, a lovely little carriage house in Townsbury only a literal stone's throw from the Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad bed, state land at that point. Of course, almost no where could be as great a place to live as where I am now. White Lake and the Wiseman House is a dream home. I have loved living there, and loved making such a huge difference in the trail network and public perception of the place, clearing the paths, blazing the trails, removing invasive species, cutting back weeds from around interpretive signs, and reporting issues to Warren County as they arise. But now I must move, and the house will be left unattended almost all the time. It's considered a conflict of interest that I am Chairman of the Board of Recreation and living in the Wiseman House. That I can understand, but apparently the land steward "needs" the house so that he can take a shower, because he uses chemical applications on invasive species. It is driving me crazy though, because in the last place I assisted him with these removals, not a single Ailanthus (highly invasive chinese tree) has been removed since February 4th from that site. He also attended our last board of recreation meeting, and makes claims like "The Ridge and Valley Trail was routed right through a vernal pool". He insists so adamantly that this is the truth, when I know it is not. I am bottling up so much frustration dealing with his deceptiveness that it's making me mad. No amount of hiking, or great food, or red wine can muffle the thought of the county paying out $83,000 per year to The Nature Conservancy, who can't even adequately maintain their own preserves in the area. Just the week before we had a hell of a time navigating the Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve. How is it such an organization can get a stewardship agreement with such horrible land management. Honestly, I don't care where exactly I love; I can always return to White Lake, do the trail work, hang out on the dock, or whatever, it's public land of course. What I do mind is that an incredible resource is going to be wasted, and very likely destroyed (kids party up here all the time, and the house has a history of being broken into ) because of an inept organization and lazy stewardship.If I raise the issue, it sounds like sour grapes because I live here, and it might end up hurting the county employees for whom I have a great deal of respect. But if I let it go, if I let apathy sink it's corrosive teeth into this place that has been the focus of so much of my attention for a year and a  half, we stand only to lose.Even beyond this one property, there are so many things that have been the focus of my passions, and too often there is someone or some thing standing in the way of progress. I hope that one day soon I can stop fighting against the current, just for a little while, and bask in a period of sweet success. Everything I've done has paid off for me in the past, and I'm pretty sure it will pay off again, as long as the fight to get there doesn't kill me.

The hike continued very easily to the end. We passed beneath the Milford Montegue Bridge, where I knew we were nearly finished with the McDade Trail. We passed a giant tree and then came to the opening into the Milford Beach area. A chocolate lab dog was running around the area before we finished the trail.Wooden fences lined the way as we approached the northern terminus. I remembered my first time hiking the McDade Trail, which was Hike #290, and it was hard to believe I hadn't finished it yet (of course the trail wasn't even finished yet).

It was cool to think another of the long distance trails was done. We walked the road from Milford Beach back out to Rt 209, and crossed onto Old Bridge Road. The road is now a dead end, and we walked the abandoned former continuation of the road on from there to the old bridge to Mott Street we had crossed earlier, and headed back the way we came in.The couple who had directed us to the Knob earlier in the day saw us walking by again, and asked how it went. They thought it was really cool that we had done this big hike, and took a group picture for us of the survivors.We headed back up the street in Milford, and then dropped our packs off at the cars at Grand Union. We then walked north on Rt 6 to the Apple Valley Restaurant where we had some great burgers and other food (Jack stole my check and wouldn't give it back. Thanks Jack!).After dinner we headed back to the cars at Grand Union. As I got in my car, I turned the radio on to my favorite Pocono classic hits station and heard the sad news that Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees had passed away at the age of 62. I shared the sad news with Shelly and Jack, knowing that they, as lovers of music would appreciate knowing most of anyone.

I thought to myself how crazy it was that Donna Summer, the Disco Queen had passed in this same week at the age of 63. Two of the leading artists of the Disco genre were now gone, but I didn't think "Disco is now dead", although it might make a funny joke somewhere. Disco, and music itself is an art, and art is an infinite thing.

I then reflected on the day, and thought of the interaction between the people I had met at different points over the years. As we sat at the dinner table, I was surrounded by friends out of three different decades. I watched as my old friend Derek, who was on hike #1 in 1997 interacted with Jason who I met at AMC training, and joined his first hike with me in 2004, and Laurie who had her first hike with me just the month before. They were on their smart phones, looking at photos, and pictures of Derek on hike #1.

I realized that these hikes, with the eclectic groups of people and planned out connective routes could also be an art. Even if I were to die today, these hikes, like disco and the music of the artists who have passed, will always go on, and the genre will continue to evolve as it will. Someone could always pick up where I leave off and carry on with these trips, in their own way of course. Maybe someone will lead the Warren Railroad hike every year.

Regardless, I don't plan on going anywhere, any time soon. I have been very lucky to meet interesting new people week after week, and to hold onto great friends from the past. I love sitting back and watching them all interact together, and when I see them continuing conversations on facebook that they had had on the hikes, and spending time together outside of the hikes, it's all the more rewarding.My mind wanders off with the question: "what is the next big thing, what is the next big change?". It's scary, and it's exciting, and I will try to make it good.