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Leader Rich Ehli ("Beegfut") along with Tim Murphy ("Von Beck"), Steve Zaino ("Tofu"), Ron & Cathy Marczyk and Rich Moore began their backpack on the Appalachian Trail from High Point State Park, NJ, at 10:30 Saturday morning shortly after the rain ended and blue skies swept in from the west. Temperatures ranged in the 40s-50s. The day's highlights included meeting a quail on the AT, a visit to a handicapped accessible privy at the Mashipacong Shelter (one complaint - it was out of hand sanitizer), the Pavilion at Sunrise Mtn., and many wonderful views in all directions.
The party reached the Gren Andersen shelter and camping area, a distance of over 11 miles, about six hours later. About 20 others were already camped there and more wandered in later. The Long Island contingent found a more secluded spot and set up tents and hammock. After dinner we shared stories and Yukon Jack. It turned out to be a bit cool overnight for those of us with 20D-rated sleeping bags. By early morning the temperature had fallen below 32D and Rich's acorn froze (the name for the do-hicky on the intake side of his Pur water filter.)
We were packed up and on the trail again by 8:15. Next stop was at the Culver Fire Tower where some of us climbed up for a more distant view on this second day of clear skies. By 9:30 we had reached Culver Gap and the Worthington Bakery, an institution to AT thru hikers. While ordering coffee and donuts, the proprietor asked us if we had encountered a bear that had crossed the road a short time earlier. We hadn't but Jersey is a good spot to have your first bear encounter - there are so many because the state hasn't had a bear hunt in many years. At Culver Gap we said goodbye to Ron, Cathy and Rich Moore, who had to return to workaday world.
Rich, Steve and Tim continued to a campsite south of Blue Mtn Lakes Rd - a 14 mile day. On the way we spotted a beaver. Our campsite rates a "10": open flat grassy plots and forever views to the east. A water pump and garbage can located at the road crossing are an extra bonus. Only one problem with this piece of paradise - deer ticks. They were also present at the Gren Anderson campsite. After another fine freeze-dried repast, we enjoyed the rest of Ron's Yukon Jack and views of the gathering darkness eastwards. Could that have been an eagle that flew past just as night closed in?
Overnight the temp froze a pane of ice a half inch thick in the water bag. Once again, not perfect hammock camping conditions but sort of bearable. By daybreak the air had begun to warm and we broke camp by 8, much less bundled up than the day before. A backpacker camped nearby mentioned that he had seen a large tom turkey pass by on the woods road a few minutes earlier but we never spotted the creature. Over alternating sections of rocky and flat trail, the group made its way 17 miles south to the Information Center at the Gap by 4:30 where we happily collapsed in Tim's car. The day was another copy of the two previous but warmer. The views were more frequent. Three highlights of many I could mention were the Catfish Fire Tower, the open grassy summit of Mt. Mohican and ridge leading up to it and Sunfish Pond, one of NJ's seven natural wonders.
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