NY-NJ AT solo section hike #2, day 5

May 5th, 2014

Start: Gren Anderson shelter
End: Delaware Water Gap (Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Hostel)
Mileage: 31.4

I started out my hike this morning at 6:25am. I would have been out even earlier but my feet needed to be bandaged. Throughout the course of the day, I climbed Rattlesnake Mountain (1,492') as well as up to the Catfish Fire Tower (1,565').

South on the AT - direction I went after the tower

North on the AT - direction I came from; you could just make out the NJ High Point Monument between the two power line poles in the distance.

Large portions of today's hike were pretty easy. Once you climbed to the ridge, it was mostly flat and made for good cruising.

I passed by Crater Lake and Sunfish Pond.

Sunfish Pond

I then hiked my way to the town of Delaware Water Gap and the hostel there, Presbyterian Church of the Mountain.

Originally,  the plan had been to stop for the night at Mohegan Outdoor Center at 20.9 miles and then hike an additional 10.9 miles tomorrow morning before catching a bus back to CT. The problem with this plan was two fold: 1) I'd have to be out hiking at 5:30am to make sure I got to the bus station on time;  2) My feet were not going to withstand another day of hiking. So I made the decision to hike through the MOC and hoof it into town. While painful,  I think it was the better choice. I clearly need to invest in some more (and better) socks.

On the trail today, I met two different hikers who are expecting to go through CT; "Bark" who is ending his section hike at the CT-MA border and Kelly from Staten Island who's hoping to hike through to Maine. I'm also sharing the hostel tonight with a recently retired thru-hiker from NY (Mike/"Cannonball" - #18 NOBO through Harpers Ferry).

After showering at the hostel and changing clothes, I headed to the Apple Bakery where I got a few snacks (I'll probably be back for breakfast tomorrow) and then headed to the Water Gap Diner next door. The food was standard diner food - cheap but lots of it.

 

I'm now bedded down on the couch for the night and will be taking a bus home in the morning!

View of George Washington Bridge in NYC out the bus window

Local post office on my morning walk to the bus station

NY-NJ AT solo section hike #2 - day 4

May 4th, 2014

Start: Jim Murray's property
End: Gren Anderson shelter
Mileage: 18.3 (+3)

After a refreshing evening at Jim Murray’s with good company and a hot shower, I felt much more prepared for today. Because of yesterday's long miles,  today was scheduled to be much shorter. Unfortunately, it only turned out to be partly true. 

View first thing in the morning

 

The largest climb of the day (and the hike) to High Point Monument (1500) wasn't too bad. The issue became a misunderstanding on my part; I thought the trail went to the monument (it does not). The trail markers were not clear and I got confused. I ended up following the wrong path almost 2 miles in the wrong direction. As I figured out that I was on the wrong path in the wrong place, I nearly had a panic attack. I managed to talk myself down and using two different maps and my phone's GPS, I was able to find my way back. But not until I'd wasted two hours.

View from Sunrise Mountain

None the less, I was able to finish my hike at the shelter today by 4pm. This allowed me time to soak my blistered feet in a sandy, ice cold spring and dry my clothes since there were a few rain showers this afternoon. This shelter also had the nicest privy I saw for my entire hike. Because of its proximity to a park road, there was a big bag of fresh pine shavings, smelled nice, and was very clean and new. The bear box was also beefy.

Around 6pm, another hiker, Irmin, joined me at the shelter. He's from Germany and is visiting for a few weeks to finish more of the AT. He did a section hike from GA to maybe Maryland in 2011. He's currently working his way north.

I'm glad tomorrow will be a shorter day with a hot shower waiting for me at the end. My feet are in pretty sorry shape but I'll make it through, one way or another. I can't wait to be home.