Appalachian Trail Section Hike #2: NJ Route 23 (High Point State Park) to NJ / NY State Line (State Line Trail to Greenwood Lake, NY)
Dates: 9/18/04 – 9/19/04
Participants: Tim & Jeff
A number of factors prevented us from finishing the AT in NJ in 2003. We found ourselves back at High Point State Park over a year later with a single quest – hike the remaining 30 miles of the AT in New Jersey. Once again, we met at the High Point Country Inn and completed the final preparations for the trip.
Tim and I had to schedule this weekend months in advance to make sure we could get together for another hike. The downside was that the weather forecast didn’t sound promising. But we were going to complete our first state along the AT – come hell or high water.
Friday September 17th
I arrived at the Inn first, checked into our room and waited for Tim to arrive. He got there within 20 minutes and we left to shuttle my truck to the end point of the hike at Greenwood Lake, NY. Just after passing through Vernon NJ, the road was closed due to a traffic accident. We decided to turn around and have dinner in Vernon while waiting for the road to clear. The food at the Vernon Inn was good but the service was extremely slow. By the time we got back on the road, it was dark and the rains from tropical depression Ivan (formerly known as Hurricane Ivan) made driving a bit treacherous. After a short search, we found the parking area for the State Line Trail, dropped off my truck and returned to the High Point Inn to complete the final preparations for tomorrow’s 14.1 miles.
Saturday September 18th
The rains from Ivan poured all night long and continued into the morning. Tim was up before the alarm went off at 06:00. He was just getting into the shower when the power went off. Then it briefly came back on before going out two more times. The result was a delayed departure for the trailhead. We were dropped off at the High Point State Park office at 07:45 and finished the pack and rain gear adjustments by 07:53. Our rain jackets were working well but it soon became apparent that we were going to get wet either from the rain or from sweating. Thru-hikers say “No pain, No rain, no Maine.” We were certainly getting our fair share of the rain. I had brought along a pair of high gaiters and they were doing a pretty good job of keeping the rain out of my boots. Tim wasn’t faring as well and reported wet socks within the first 15 minutes. This stretch of trail was just as rocky as last year’s section but it was a good thing. The trail looked more like a stream and the rocks were actually a blessing - providing places to walk without sloshing through the water. We stopped briefly at the High Point observation platform to take pictures of the monument through the rain and clouds. Regrettably, our disposable cameras got wet during a creek crossing on Sunday and most of the trip’s pictures were lost.
The next stop was at the High Point shelter. As we approached, I was surprised to see a couple of red jackets hanging from the inside of the roof. We met Carol and Phyllis, two retired teachers from Vermont that are also section-hiking the AT. Their current section is from Connecticut to Delaware Water Gap. We made their day by giving them the weather forecast, which called for diminishing rains and clearing by the afternoon. After an exchange of stories, Tim and I headed out for our first true challenge of the day. At mile 2.0, we reached a point where the guidebook says “cross an intermittent brook.” With the rains and flash flooding, it was a raging torrent. Crossing at this point was not an option. Tim found a point about 20 yards upstream where the water wasn’t as violent and made a successful calf-deep crossing. I followed and found that the gaiters were all but worthless at this point. Tim was kind enough to take my picture as I sloshed through the current. Both of our feet were swimming inside of our boots.
More raging streams were crossed although the rain began to taper off as we continued through a combination of woods and fields. Each stream crossing was announced in advance by the roaring sound of the white water. Several of the bridges were covered with debris, indicating that the water level had been higher during the night. One of the crossings was knee-deep and set the new high water mark for the hike. I crossed first and casually waited for Tim to follow, snapping his picture as soon as he hit the deepest water. When we reached Goldsmith Lane, we decided to visit Jim Murray’s property and check out the so-called Secret Shelter. Jim is a thru-hiking alumnus and offers an outbuilding on his property as an unofficial shelter to long distance hikers. As we approached the shelter, I saw two deer and a flock of turkeys in one of the fields. I had read that there was a dryer inside the shelter and had a brief thought of staying long enough to tumble my socks into warm and dry nirvana. Unfortunately, the dryer was gone but we were still able to fill our water bottles from the spigot. At least we took a few minutes to wring the water out of our socks. The Secret Shelter
Just after Goldsmith Lane, the trail crosses the Vernie Swamp on puncheon. Puncheons are boards (2X6’s 2X8’s, etc.) that are supported by either logs, pieces of telephone pole, or 6X6 posts. In the Vernie Swamp, the water depth was high enough to require 2-foot high supports. Puncheon can be a pleasure to walk on when they’re dry and well anchored. When they’re wet and covered with mold, they have the same coefficient of friction as Teflon. I slipped and caught myself at least three times before making the comment out loud that I didn’t know how many more times I could keep from falling.
Within 30 seconds of that comment, my left foot slid off the puncheon and I did a less-than-graceful spin into the stagnant water. My first thought was to keep from landing on my back and wallowing in the bog while my pack filled with water. As I landed, I spun onto my right knee and let out a primal scream as I tried to get upright and climb back onto the puncheon. I looked up and saw birds scattering from the trees as a result of the commotion. The end result of my bog bath was that my socks were again soaked and I had to drain water out of my jacket and the bottom of my pack cover. Fortunately, I had placed all of the contents of my pack in different plastic bags so nothing else got wet. Tim had a good laugh at my expense and took a picture of my smiling face (flipping him the bird) as I stood on the boards recovering. I got to return the favor a few minutes later as he slid off the puncheon into some bushes – after we finished crossing the swamp. Shortly after, we passed our first hiker of the day (Mustard), a Maine-to-Georgia thru-hiker. He had stayed in the Pochuck shelter on Friday night and was on his way to the Secret Shelter for this evening.
The stream crossings and wet feet had slowed our progress, along with the late start due to the power failures. We were both ready for lunch by the time we reached Lott Road. It was a half-mile walk each way to Unionville NY and Horler’s General Store but it was worth the effort. We let our stomachs order for our bodies and ended up with huge Italian hoagies along with chips, sodas and a loaf of Italian bread to compliment dinner. Tim added a Coor’s light while I opted for a lemon pie and we both kicked in $1 towards some quick-pick lottery tickets. As we left the store, one of the employees told us to have fun. I replied, “Fun is my Chinese neighbor’s middle name!” We sat in the drizzle at a picnic table behind the store enjoying our feast. Only a hiker would sit outside in the rain eating lunch on a day where most people were doing their best to stay sheltered. Fully stuffed, we walked back to the trail and set our sights on Pochuck Mountain and our end point for the day.
One benefit from the nasty weather was the lack of mosquitoes. We didn’t need to use any DEET until we approached the Wallkill National Wildlife Preserve and Mosquito Breeding Sanctuary. I had read enough journals to know that this was one of the worst spots on the trail for being swarmed by the winged vermin of death. Even as we applied the repellent, we were being attacked from every angle. While walking, the assault was tolerable. When we stopped on a bench to take a short breather, the onslaught was terrible. I guess that this stretch of trail is preferable to a long road walk, but it certainly will not make the list for my favorite sections. We finally left the open fields and followed more puncheon through the woods until we reached Lake Wallkill Road.
The trail guides note that the State of NJ has purchased a white house on Lake Wallkill Rd. and that water is available from the outside spigots. Right in front of us was a white house, but there was no indication that this was the place except for the run-down appearance of the driveway and the landscaping. We dropped our packs at the bottom of the steep driveway and carried our water bottles up to the house. A sign by the spigot confirmed that we had the right place. With all of our water bottles full, we walked down the driveway and once again hoisted our packs and set off down the road for the trail up Pochuck Mountain to the Pochuck Mountain Shelter. About 100 yards up the trail, there was a sign for water and a side trail over to the white house. We could have avoided the walk up & down the driveway and carrying the weight of the water up 100 yards of steep trail. Oh well…. better than running out of water.
As usual, I saved some horsepower for the end of the day and cruised into the shelter ahead of Tim. It would have been nice to find a vacant shelter but there were three gentlemen present with gear scattered over every square inch of the shelter. They did make room on the sleeping platform for us but didn’t move any of their gear so that we could hand things out to dry. All in all, I got the feeling that they wanted to have the shelter to themselves. Dave, Stu and Gordon were all from Buffalo and were taking their first hike on the AT from Unionville to the Taconic Parkway but were seasoned hiking partners. At least they made the same mistake with the water as we did….
While Tim and I strung a rope and hung our gear out to dry, Stu and Gordon attempted to start a campfire. With a little help from Tim’s fire starter materials, they eventually got a nice fire blazing. Dave cooked dinner for his crew and Tim took care of the boiling water for our dehydrated lasagna. The Italian bread was tasty with the lasagna and the squeeze Parkay margarine that I had included in my food bag. We enjoyed blackberry brandy and a pair of Cuban cigars for dessert as we warmed ourselves around the fire. It’s times like these that make all of the hardships worthwhile. After Dave and his crew finished drying their gear around the fire, Tim laid his socks on the rocks to remove as much moisture as possible. I warned him not to place his gear too close to the fire but he didn’t pay heed. As a result, he scorched both pairs of his hiking socks and burned a big hole in one of the sets. Based on the steam coming off of the socks as they baked next to the fire and the fact that he ended up scorching not one but both sets, Tim received the trail name of Smoking Socks. It was dark by 19:30 and no one seemed to want to do anything. Tim retired to his tent while I laid in the shelter listening to music on my .mp3 player. Around 21:00, I turned off the tunes and tried to get some sleep.
I’ve never slept in a shelter along the AT and felt the need to experience the thrill of sharing a sleeping platform with total strangers. Now I can say that I did it. Between the tossing & turning and the frequent bathroom breaks (not me, my shelter companions), I was fortunate to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. I hope that my snoring annoyed them as much as their noise annoyed me. Tim had the right idea sleeping in his tent.
An interesting story that I’d like to mention is about the Mayor of Unionville. I have read journals describing his hospitality to hikers and today heard another story of his effort to help out the hiking community. Dave and his crew called the Mayor to inquire about legal parking spots for leaving their vehicle in Unionville at the start of their hike. The Mayor offered his yard as a place to park their car and insisted that the three of them join him for breakfast at his house on the morning of their hike. While we were out hiking the first nine miles in the rain, these guys were hanging out at the Mayor’s house drinking coffee and waiting for the rain to subside. They also reached an agreement to pay the Mayor to pick them up in New York at the end of their hike. Although we didn’t meet the Mayor, we enjoyed the hospitable treatment by the people in Unionville NY.
Sunday, September 19th
We all got up around 06:30 just as the woods began to get light. It was in the low 40’s overnight but the cool temperatures and stiff breeze meant that it was another DEET-free day in New Jersey. Yowsah! However, the temperatures and the aches from yesterday made for a slow go when packing up. Dave & crew seemed to be on a mission despite a short 12.3 miles to the Wawayanda shelter. They packed up in a hurry and took off, leaving a bag of food lying on the picnic table. Tim was kind enough to chase them down to return the food. We decided to skip cooking breakfast at the shelter in lieu of hiking for a few miles and eating when our appetites were whet. Our goal for today was 15.9 miles to the junction with the State Line Trail and an additional 1.2 miles down to the parking lot where my Chevy was waiting. Shortly into the hike, Tim crested a small rise and saw the southbound side of a northbound bear. At a scenic overlook, we stopped briefly to view the ridge where we had started hiking on yesterday morning. The High Point monument was clearly visible at the top of the ridge, some 16 miles away. It was impressive to see how far we had hiked since standing on the observation platform in the rain just 24 hours earlier.
We stopped after two miles at a point where the trail crossed a gravel road. There were a few flat boulders that were perfect for cooking and sitting. In a move reminiscent of the Huevos Rancheros incident from last year’s hike, Tim and I botched the recipe for the Mexican omelet packets and were forced to crunch our way through them. Still, they were better than granola bars or trail mix. Breakfast on the rocks
Our pace was pretty good and we soon came to the much-anticipated Pochuck Swamp boardwalk – the most expensive mile of the trail based on construction costs. We zipped along the perfectly flat boardwalk and took a few pictures of the suspension bridge over the Pochuck Creek. Then the nightmares from yesterdays hike reappeared – deep water. The boardwalk ended right at a long path of gravel that was submerged under 8 inches of water: our 6-inch high boots didn’t stand a chance. After a short walk on puncheon, we reached Canal Rd. and stopped to yet again wring out our socks. Dave,
Pochuck Boardwalk Pochuck Creek Suspension Bridge
Gordon & Stu there and had suffered a similar soaking. They had water shoes with them but chose to cross the flooded trail wearing their boots. Tim set off before me and we all met up at the bridge crossing the Wawayanda Creek. Normally, there are puncheons crossing some muddy areas leading to the bridge. Today, these puncheons were submerged thigh-deep in swift water on both sides of the bridge. I arrived to watch Gordon crossing the far side of the creek and Tim setting out on the near side. In the gap between the first and second puncheon, Tim lost his footing and went for a swim. Although a little wetter than before, he survived the ordeal. I made the crossing successfully but failed to remove my disposable camera from my pocket and found condensation in the lens, viewfinder and flash windows afterwards. In any event, a new high water mark was established.
Yet again, the efforts to keep our socks dry had failed miserably. We crossed wet fields on more puncheon before using stiles to climb over fences paralleling a railroad track. Just before the stiles, we met a trail maintainer and thanked him for his efforts. After all, it wasn’t his idea to drop several inches of rain in the area known as the drowned lands of NJ. Route 94 came into view along with the Heaven Hill farm store, our lunch stop. Our plan was to eat all of the leftovers in our packs before buying any more food. But our demoralized minds demanded fresh goodies and we soon were picking out snacks and beverages from the various areas of the store. I bought a ½ gallon container of apple cider, a Coke, a plum and a cinnamon roll. Tim was happy with a pack of cookies and a Coke. We ended up throwing away the leftover chips, bread and margarine. This is a prime example of what happens to the logical mind when confronted with a demoralizing situation.
We lounged in the grass outside the store with our boots off and our socks airing in the sun & breeze. Tim met a couple thru-hiking southbound while throwing away our trash and struck up a conversation with them. Months later, I found their journal and read their version of the encounter. Before leaving the store, we removed all unnecessary weight and trash from our packs in preparation for the ascent of Wawayanda Mountain – 900 feet of elevation gain in a mere ¾ mile. As we started up the mountain on the trail known as the Stairway to Heaven, I had a feeling that apple cider was not a good choice of beverage for hiking and heavy exertion. About 2/3 of the way up the mountain, I was certain that the apple cider was a bad idea. I’ll omit the details but I had to make two emergency stops as a result. We passed on the Pinwheel Vista trail due to our unfinished miles and our waterlogged cameras. Tim kept pushing forward and I didn’t catch up to him until a stream crossing in a shady hollow. At the Barrett Rd. crossing, I stopped to address some blister pain on my right big toe. Dave and his crew arrived right after me and Dave & Stu walked south on Barrett Rd. to visit the Vernon Township Historical Museum. Gordon stayed with me while I wrapped moleskin around my waterlogged toe. This was the last time I saw them after flip-flopping the hiking lead all day.
When I finally arrived at Wawayanda Rd., Tim was waiting for me and was just about to leave a note explaining that he was pressing onward. I described my need for pit stops and blister care and we headed north together once again. It was getting later in the afternoon and Tim had studied the map and our pace while waiting for me. He had figured out the required times to reach significant landmarks and started pushing both of us to pick up the pace (a good move). The plan was to stop at the Wawayanda shelter and assess our progress before deciding if we could reach Greenwood Lake before dark. Somehow, we completely missed the shelter trail and found ourselves at the Warwick Turnpike crossing by 15:00. This was good news so we made the decision to keep pushing northward. I made the mistake of turning on the GPS to see how far we were from both the state line and my truck. The straight-line distance was very deceiving and did not fully account for all of the switchbacks and elevation changes we still faced. We seemed to be so close but still had miles of hiking left. By 18:50, we came across the junction of the State Line Trail and set off for the last challenge of the day.
State Line Trail Junction
Because the trip down to my truck was on the eastern side of the ridge, the woods got dark very quickly. The blazing for the trail wasn’t bad, but it was not marked as clearly as the AT. We stumbled into the parking area around 19:30 and found that a 10-pound block of ice had done an excellent job in keeping two bottles of Foster’s beer as cold as we had hoped. Sans boots & socks, we relaxed during the 50-minute drive back to High Point. By 20:30, we were both on I-84, heading home in opposite directions. I pulled into my driveway at 23:50, showered, and was asleep by 00:30. We had finished New Jersey with a little hell and a lot of high water.
Mileage Summary – 14.1 AT miles on Saturday, 1 mile round trip to Unionville for lunch. 15.9 AT miles on Sunday, 0.2 mile round trip to Heaven Hill farm store for lunch and 1.2 miles on State Line Trail. Total AT miles: 30. Total miles: 32.4. One state down, 13 to go. Cumulative Total: 72.5 miles
Trail Summary – Very rocky to the High Point shelter, then sections of smooth trail mixed with field walks and rock scrambles. And slippery puncheon. Lots of trail flooding due to the heavy rains. Blister count: Outside of left big toe, inside of right big toe and a large one on my right heel.
Lessons learned – 17-mile hikes on the last day do not leave much room for error. 1.4 miles / hour (including breaks and meals) seems to be our pace throughout the day. Take flash flood warnings seriously and bring extra socks and water shoes. Pick foods based on compatibility with high exertion (no more apple cider!). Don’t hike eastern slopes near sunset. Use the GPS only as a reference tool unless routes have been entered.