Coming up:Helbing Farm and Schunemunk Hike!

Hey all!
I've got some really exciting stuff coming up over the next few weeks!!
This week there will be one night hike and of course the regular Sunday hike. The night hike will follow a meeting regarding the Morris Canal, and the Sunday hike will be something I've wanted to do for a very long time: the Helbing Farm in NY adjacent to West Point.
The trip will be a point to point using both the Highlands Trail and the Long Path in sections we have not yet covered, with outstanding views and diverse terrain.
I will describe both the Wednesday night hike and the Helbing Farm hike Sunday separately:

WEDNESDAY:

This weekday afternoon hike will be a loop using the Patriot's Path from the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.
Meeting time will be 4 pm at the Wal Mart shopping center parking lot on 235 Ridgedale Ave, Cedar Knolls NJ. Park on the south side of the lot closer to Hanover Ave on the south.
Those wishing to go to the Morris Canal Working Group meeting, where we will discuss the Morris Canal Greenway Trail across the state may meet me at the same location at about 1:30 or so. The meeting begins in Frelinghuysen Arboretum at 2.
The route will take us east on the trail and through Frelinghuysen Arboretum to a southern terminus where it connects with Traction Line Trail. We will follow this to a connector path into Loantaka Brook Reservation. Another somewhat urban trail leads from this to Ginty Field. From that point we'll make our way in through town, maybe get a bite to eat, and head to the Patriot's Path's main route back to where we started.
It's a relatively easy trail at almost all times. The beginning is just foot path, but then it will become a paved trail along the traction line. From here, we'll follow another paved trail at the Giralda Farms property which closely follows a road. We will be back into woods along Loantaka Brook, and maybe be able to cool off a bit.
The trails eventually open up to more paved suburban ones before re-entering Morristown. The Patriot's Path closely parallels the Morristown and Erie railroad tracks back to where we started.
This hike is likely to take us until after dark, so a flashlight may be helpful.

SUNDAY:

Meeting at 4 Smith Clove Road, Central Valley NY at 9 am.

I don't know why I've waited so long to organize something like this, but it's certainly overdue. The next hike will include a history talk on the Helbing farm. My paternal family moved to NY from Germany way back, and purchased a tract of land at Black Rock Forest area, and now most of that old farm is now part of West Point Military Academy. One sliver of it was subdivided and is now the residence of my cousin, Dorothy, who is a very active volunteer in the area. The hike will begin with a history talk by Dorothy, and you'll learn some of the history about the Mineral Springs, the Helbing family, and our relation to the original Rubix Cube!
We will be meeting at 9 am in Central Valley NY, on Smith Clove Road where Danny's Market and Deli are. There is a large parking area on the west side of the road just north of it's intersection with Rt 32, so there should be plenty of parking.Take I 287 north from NJ and then 87 north once in NY. Take exit 16 toward Rt 17W, then take the exit for Central Valley. Keep left at a fork and follow signs for Rt 6 east/Bear Mountain. Turn right on Rt 32 and continue north to Central Valley, then turn right on Smith Clove Road, where the deli should be, with lots on the left.
From there, it's an incredibly easy shuttle north to my cousin Dorothy's house on the old Helbing Farm, where we will begin the day with a history lesson. Dorothy is a great presenter!
The hike itself will be mostly along the Highlands Trail, in a section we have not done yet. The trail reaches Mineral Springs Road just barely north of the house!
We'll hike the Highlands Trail westbound, down into Mountainville NY. Once there, it crosses the through way and ascends to Scunemunk, a section of mountain with a reputation of being both challenging and breathtaking.
We will follow the Highlands Trail south past many view points until we get to the Long Path, where it crosses. We'll then follow the Long Path south to Central Valley out of the preserve. This should add diversity to the hike, and showcase a section of the Long Path that is slated to close soon. We'll get to see some of it that we will likely not be hiking again.
By leaving Schunemunk on the Long Path, it also adds possible swimming opportunities in a river, a must for the Summer hikes. The only other opportunity is earlier on, along Baby Brook which ascends Schunemunk. Dorothy also has a pool, and maybe we'll get invited back to it...we'll see!

The terrain on this hike will be difficult on the Schunemunk sections.There are also no likely food stops on the way so everyone should bring plenty of water and plenty of food for lunch and such. The secluded nature of much of this hike make early outs both unlikely and impractical.

If anyone has further questions about upcoming hikes, contact me at (908) 343-8374 or at sneezehorse@hotmail.com

Trexler Hike

This next hike will be a point to point through the Trexler Preserve and State Game Lands following some of the completed and proposed Jordan Creek Trail.
We will meet at 9 am on the corner of Rt 309 and Levans Road, at the CVS Pharmacy this Saturday (yes, Saturday this week!).
I'll be posting more about this trip very shortly, but should be a really cool one!

Next Up: Manasquan Hike and More!

Hey all,

As usual, we have a lot of interesting stuff coming up. This Sunday's hike will be in and around Manasquan ending at the beach! In addition to this hike, there will be another Tuesday night hike, this time with the Warren County Board of Recreation Commissioners for whom I am currently serving as Chair. We will do a loop on abandoned rail lines I wish to promote as a loop hike, then continue on other area trails possibly in a loop.

This Manasquan hike will be a point to point, between the Jersey Shore at Manasquan and Manasquan Reservoir. The hike roughly parallels the river, but has a lot of other stuff to see. It will hopefully be a welcome break to the crazy tougher hikes we've had lately. I've scaled off 15.5 miles, but as usual we are scouting a lot of new stuff too.
We will be meeting at Fisherman's Cove Conservation Area, a lovely little park that is where the original natural Manasquan Inlet once joined the ocean. The lot is on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Pompano Avenue in Manasquan. If the lot is full, use on street parking nearby, but it shouldn't be. Plan on leaving early to avoid shore crowds on the parkway and such. The parking area is just a couple blocks from the ocean where the hike will end with a great swim.
Once we meet, we will shuttle as few cars as possible to Manasquan Reservoir. There, we will hike their trail system and visit the visitor center, which looks to be quite lovely. The trail will skirt the southern end of the reservoir, and when we reach the east side we will try to trace an old railroad bed and maybe do some off trail stuff and woods/sand roads. NOTE: there is likely to be one river crossing with no bridge, so hikers should have a change of shoes to wade across. The section ahead may require a road walk, or otherwise we're following another clearing into Allaire State Park. We'll follow the abandoned Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad out to another trail on the northern perimeter of the park. Maybe we'll stop by the camp grounds for showers!
The rail bed continues out of Allaire toward Manasquan is is easy and open. We last covered this trail the end of Summer 2008. This time we'll skirt the south side of Stockton Lake to the end near the ocean.
Meeting time is 9 am. Until we get near the end where there's a convenience store, there are no known food or drink stops so hikers should have plenty of water and snacks or lunch with them. Most of the terrain this time is pretty level, so we should have a much easier time.
If anyone has any further questions, feel free to contact me at sneezehorse@hotmail.com or at (908) 343-8374
M'ke

Next Hikes: Tuesday Night and Sunday Day!

Hey all
I have two hikes coming up this week, one is Tuesday afternoon, meeting at the gas station in Hampton (I think it's BP) on Rt 31 near the Musconetcong River bridge by New Hampton Road, within sight of the traffic light. We'll be hiking fifteen miles of abandoned rail lines between Townsbury and New Hampton. There will be some back road walking, but mostly pleasant rail bed stuff, which is pretty wide.
Note there is one tunnel, which is possible to go over, but will require getting feet wet.
Then on Sunday, we will be doing a half off trail, half on trail hike in the Lehigh Gorge.
This hike will be run much in the way we have always done the Pocono Rim hikes, only on a much more difficult scale. The route begins in Jim Thorpe, and follows quite streets to the cemetery where we will visit the tomb of Jim Thorpe himself. We then make our way out to the access road to the gorge and get on the Upper Division Lehigh Canal...if we can.
From here, the route becomes much more difficult as we try to ascend the east rim of the Lehigh Gorge. This will involve ups and downs, and off trail situations. We plan to get to the Oxbow Bend, pictured here in a great photo by Rich Pace. We'll then continue north to Penn Haven where we cross the Lehigh and return with a relaxing walk along the Lehigh Gorge/D&L Trail back to the Glen Onoko access.
Meeting time will be 9 am Sunday the 7th at Jim Thorpe Market. Try to park on the railroad track side and we'll try to find each other. Other than the market, there are no food and drink stops on this hike, so everyone should be prepared with a lunch and/or snack, as well as plenty of water. Hikers should also be prepared for difficult terrain and steep slopes. Probably not suitable for pets.
Feel free to contact me for more information (908) 343-8374 or sneezehorse@hotmail.com
M'ke

Sunday Horseshoe Trail/Furnace Hills Hike!

Hey all,
Although I try to move in a totally different direction every week, I have been made aware that old friend RJ Morholt will be hosting a small get together which is just a short distance off of the Horseshoe Trail in the Furnace Hills, conveniently near the date I had originally planned it for! Therefore, we shift the date somewhat!
Lancaster County.
We will be meeting at 9 am at Pumping Station Road at the following GPS coordinates, just south of Rt 322.
To get there from Philly area, it is just off interstate 76, but there is no exit. You'll need to figure out the nearest parallel route and exit. Coming from NJ, take 78 west to 501 south, turn right on 322, then left on Pumping Station Road (it also goes north, don't go that way.). Parking will be on the left after a bit.
Lattitude: 40°14'19.22"N
Longitude: 76°20'11.84"W
This site is also the northern terminus of the Conestoga Trail.
After meeting here, we will shuttle as few cars as possible east to Denver PA. The Horseshoe Trail is a good way to experience PA Dutch country, and has pleasant back roads, nice ridges, and trail sections that aren't too difficult. There are a few good views, and reportedly at least one swimming hole!
One of the great views is known as Eagle Rock.
At the end of the hike, we'll hang out with RJ at his campout area, a private tract on a cool piece of woodlands.
Feel free to contact me if there are any further questions: 908 343 8374 or sneezehorse@hotmail.com

M'ke

Sunday Wissahickon Hike: The Entire Green Ribbon!!!

Hey everybody!

The first Sunday hike following my move will be back to the regular hike routine, branching off in a different direction every week.
This particular trip will be a long one; 21 miles to cover the ENTIRE WISSAHICKON GREEN RIBBON TRAIL!
We will be meeting at Manayunk Diner at 3722 Main Street, Philadelphia PA at 8:45 am.
Meeting is at the following GPS coordinates:
Lattitude: 40° 0'57.08"N
Longitude: 75°12'31.49"W
After meeting, we will shuttle as few cars as possible north to Upper Gwynedd PA where the Green Ribbon Trail starts. This amazing route will lead us from the small headwaters of the Wissahickon on an almost continueous route all the way south to it's confluence with the Schuykill River. The beginning will have hops across on stones and pleasant little bridges. It then becomes wider, but remains a simple foot path mostly.
As the hike continues on, the trail becomes more developed as a very wide, crushed stone pathway and leads through Fort Washington Park.
We continue on from there, and the last third of the hike is within the Wissahickon Gorge section of Fairmont Park, part of the largest city park in the world. We will follow Forbidden Drive and the trail south to where the Wissahickon joins the Schuykill, very close to Manayunk Diner, and the trail joins the Schuykill River Trail.
Note that this is a long hike, and although the terrain is not at all difficult, it will take a while to complete. If anyone wants to arrange an early out, please contact me ahead of time because it will not be easy to determine where we can leave cars. If anyone from the area steps up as co leader and wants to help with this, let me know!

Although this is a long trip, it is also relatively easy terrain and rather straightforward route. The last nine or so miles especially can be done quite fast.
If anyone would like any further information, feel free to contact me!

M'ke 908 343 8374 or sneezehorse@hotmail.com

Upcoming Hikes; June 17: Millbrook to White Lake; June 24: Wissahickon Green Ribbon

Hello everyone

For this, the last Ridge and Valley Vicinity hike during my time of residence at White Lake, we have something really great in store.
The hike will be a point to point following the northern fork of the Ridge and Valley Trail, as well as the Appalachian Trail and Coventry Pond Trail, with a little bit of off trail stuff. There will also be a bit of back road walking in Hardwick Township.
We are very fortunate that Metrotrails has been offered an exclusive tour of Millbrook Village by the President of the non profit, Wilson Bullivant. Mr. Bullivant is working to bring other volunteers to relate the history of Millbrook for us during this fantastic trip.
I am asking that all participants please make a modest donation to the Millbrook cause (maybe $5) to help preserve these historically significant buildings, and to show our thanks for being offered this amazing tour.
Because we will be taking a good amount of time to do this tour, participants should expect the hike to run later than many of the hikes tend to run.
If anyone wants to join for the tour alone, that is fine as well. Early out options may also be possible.
After leaving NPS property, we will hike through the Blair Creek Preserve and pass long abandoned old scout buildings, then follow the Blair Creek through a wide valley. There are unmarked trails in the area, and we'll do some stuff that is off trail completely. After a road walk section, we'll follow the Ridge and Valley Trail south through White Lake Wildlife Management Area back to the lake to finish off the night.
Join me to make one last great memory at White Lake before I say goodbye, and leave it in the hands of the hoodlums and vandals who may very well end up wrecking it after I leave.
Better days are coming; there are more amazing places to experience, and we will visit White Lake again in the future. Let's hope apathy does not reign over this amazing place for too long.


MEETING: Sunday, Meeting time is 9 am at the White Lake Natural Resource Area parking lot, along Rt 521 a bit north of Blairstown. There is a white fence around the parking lot, and it's across the street from an old stone farm house called the Vass House. The parking lot near the barn is not the one; it may be confusing because since the last hike up here there has been a new white fence installed around that parking lot as well.



Further, as I stated, I am currently in the process of moving, and anyone who is able to help with stuff (many of you have offered, thank you, and it's coming to that time) it is appreciated. Over the past two weeks I had a concussion from a tree falling on my head, then sprained my ankle. I'm okay to walk on it, but the doctor won't clear me to go back to work for a week. Jillane and I have to have all of our stuff out by the 20th.



If I'm not well enough by Sunday I could have a co leader do the difficult section for me, or I might change the route slightly. We will see.


Following the move, the next hike will be Sunday the 24th, and it will be the entire Wissahickon Green Ribbon Trail, a roughly 21 mile undertaking! It's a fantastic route between Upper Gwynedd PA and the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. This summer is going to be some of the best hikes yet!

M'ke