| July 29, 2005 |
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7:55am Leaving the camp center and have to
hike about a quarter of mile to get to the trail. A rocky
climb this morning headed north. Really pretty in this area.
Lot of blueberries, open woods, a lot of rocks, but mostly flat
rocks which makes it easier hiking. It looks like it's going
to be a pretty day, the sun is trying to shine. It was cooler
last night which make it good sleeping. I actually had a long
sleeve shirt on for a little while. |
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The section here is straight up and rocky
too. I must be getting near the top, I getting into some large
laurel bushes now. I can look down on the valleys and see the
clouds hovering in between the valleys and in between the mountains.
Hiking on top of flat rock interspersed with little dinky ones.
Yesterday and today I've been hiking on the Kittatinny Mountains.
Most the trees in this area are oak. |
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I right out on the edge of the rock cliff
looking over a small community. Some pink asters growing right
along the cliffs and some spearmint . I'm glad I started
hiking a little early this morning since this trail is right on the
edge of the cliff its more open and exposed to the sun. This
the first time I've seen a field of golden rods in bloom, absolutely
gorgeous. I can see 40 to 50 miles, and I can also see fluffy
clouds over the mountains. The sun is starting to really come
out. I wish everyone could see the size of these blueberries,
they are like miniature marbles, probably a half an inch in
diameter. No wonder NJ has so many bears. |
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I just passed Rattlesnake Swamp
trail, so I should be coming to Rattlesnake Springs before long.
Just saw some evidences of some foxes in the area. I can see
360 degrees from the Rattlesnake fire tower area. I am now hiking
down the fire tower road, a grassy covered road. Easy hiking
and able to look around and see what's around me, it's really pretty
up here! Turning left going down off the mountain towards
Rattlesnake Springs. Rattlesnake Springs was all dried up and
not very good. |
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I'm now at Millbrook Blares Town Road.
I on a very narrow laurel lined trail. Going up the hill
again, stony and had to cross over downed logs in the trail.
Off to my left there is a pond with white lily pads soon to bloom.
A swamp pond a lot of the trees have died and still standing.
Down to the pond now and the white lily pads are blooming, they are
just small. I also see some yellow lily pads just starting to
bloom. I'm making my way around the side of the pond and see
some beaver activity. |
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The wind must be blowing in the right
direction, I can smell the ferns. I'm back on top of
Kittatinny Mountain with a steep rocky incline. |
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I hear something cracking down in the woods
ahead of me. It must be coming up from the valley, It's sounds
line someone chopping wood. It really was someone target
practicing down in the valley. I saw some older bear scat in
the trail. I need to watch for bear activity in this area.
A couple of the shelters have been closed because of the bear
activity. Higher on up the trail has gotten weedier, grassier. and
lot of briars, but I have enjoyed the black berries coming through
here. I like the breeze I'm getting also. It's really
hot and humid today. |
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More bear scat and this one is fresh!
I see some locus, some white and brown birch along the trail now,
with a few pine trees mixed in here. I'm still hiking on what
appears to be on old homestead road way. Soon I'll be coming
into Blue Mountain Road. |
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I just passed the Blue Mountain Road YMCA.
That where I was going to stay the night, but I think I'll go on to
the next shelter. It's about 4 to 5 miles out. Going
through a pine, laurel forest, a really pretty area through here.
The trail went down over a solid rock area and on rock steps.
The trail becomes more undulating and very rocky in some places. |
 Bear
Bags, Amy, Shoo-out and his other friend helped me get Simon up over
the rock cliffs. There was a couple of places where he had to
jump and it was difficult for him to make the jump, so he had to get
on to another rock and the next higher one up and then had to
take his back pack off and give it to Bear Bags so he could squeeze
the rocks. Bear Bags took over his collar and I pushed him
from the back, he came on up through there then without any trouble.
This is about the 3rd area we've gotten into like that! I even
had trouble with my pack going through those narrow rocks like Simon
did. |
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I broke out on to a little bit of a road
with large boulders on both sides and now its more like a 3 or 4
foot over the road trail. Very pretty through here. I'm
hiking now through huge boulders that are diagonal, but flat enough
to hike on. A lot more pith pines in this area. |
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I just about stepped on the head of a big
old black snake. He scared me and I didn't have any idea that
he was laying in the lane sunning himself. Back into the woods
a very narrow trail. Came into a bid of a tricky rock area,
solid rock and you have to watch the pine to know which way the
trial goes. This Rattlesnake Mountain is sure a haven for
rattlesnakes with all the boulders and medium size rocks along the
trail as well as into the woods. Looks like a bear has been
digging in a rotten log right beside the trail. Amy said she
saw a bear about a mile out from Blue Mountain Road right they has
left me. I had stopped to eat some lunch. The bear stood
up on its hind legs and walked into the woods. |
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I am in a all hemlock and laurel forest.
Just climbed these huge boulder straight up for about a half a mile.
Standing out on this rock cliff I've got a 180 degree view.
The mountains in the distance look really hazy and blue in color.
Down below me it looks like a swamp area in there, a lot of dead
trees and some reeds. The wind is blowing here which makes me
feel better. Gonateboy just passed us and said he had a bear
sighting last night. |
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Going down hill on a washed out road and to
my left if open up into a big grassy bald. There's trees but
not very many. Another awesome view to the west. There's
some cleared areas, no farms, just woodland. Turning off the
At to go to the Brink Road Shelter. It's been a good day.
A challenging day because of all the rock sections and some steep
climbs. The views have been super. |
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Swing'n Jane and
Simon |
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