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Sourland Mountain Ridge Trail - 1 member in 3 triplogs has rated this an average 3 ( 1 to 5 best )
3 triplogs
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Nov 24 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Sourland Mountain Preserve TrailsNorth, NJ
North, NJ
Hiking avatar Nov 24 2024
JimTriplogs 2,324
Hiking9.27 Miles 1,616 AEG
Hiking9.27 Miles   3 Hrs   33 Mns   2.65 mph
1,616 ft AEG      3 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
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There was some snow up at the Water Gap and I had not been here for over 3 months, so I ended up coming back. It is a shorter drive than the Gap, but I remembered why I was so excited to be able to hike a real mountain (more or less) with some serious (kinda) AEG again. This is a much more local destination than the Gap.

NJ really looks the same to me everywhere I go. It is uncanny how it all looks so similar. Oh, well.

The Gas Line RoW has really been opened up with some brush hogging this fall. It's very nice and open. I went out to what I think is the highest point on the path, just past my usual turn around spot. No ticks, no poison ivy, and no over grown brush, today!

With the leaves off the trees, this place feels smaller than it was before. Again, I remember why I got super excited about Tammany and the Kittatiny Mountains.

Seems you can see NYC from some of the gas line. Looks like mid-town and lower Manhattan are visible. It wasn't distinctive to me since September of 2001's infamous urban remodeling event changed the skyline, but I think a very large building which is the replacement for the old twins is visible. I do believe this area is closer to Manhattan than 5024 is to central Phoenix.

Very little wildlife or birds seen or heard. However, I saw first and heard later, my first Pileated woodpecker in what is probably 2 decades, or since I left Florida.

dry Roaring Brook Dry Dry
Still dry for the fork that runs through the park, despite the recent 2"+ of rains.
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Aug 21 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Sourland Mountain Preserve TrailsNorth, NJ
North, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 21 2024
JimTriplogs 2,324
Hiking9.46 Miles 1,632 AEG
Hiking9.46 Miles   3 Hrs   55 Mns   2.55 mph
1,632 ft AEG      12 Mns Break
 
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Somewhat cool today so it was very nice for some laps. Still heard peewees, but the forest is nearly absent of bird calls and it feels very autumn like. Tons of late summer insect noises, but a bit more like September than August due to the cool weather. I didn't mind.


It clouded up while I was here and I checked the radar. Finding light and very unexpected rain moving my way I opted to call it a day at 4 laps. Naturally, it blew over with just some sprinkles and little more. Still, I was fine with 4 laps. 5 and especially 6 is kinda boring.

Sitting in the trailhead parking lot, I feel sort of like I am in Colorado. Clearly, these two states are worlds apart, but the temperatures, passing clouds, and a particular bird call I just heard but can not name remind me of that state. I haven't even been to Colorado in almost 11 years (as of late this September), so perhaps my "feels like" judgement is off.
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Aug 05 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Sourland Mountain Preserve TrailsNorth, NJ
North, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 05 2024
JimTriplogs 2,324
Hiking12.04 Miles 2,003 AEG
Hiking12.04 Miles   5 Hrs   17 Mns   2.46 mph
2,003 ft AEG      23 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
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Sandwiched in between some very nasty days was forecast to be one fairly decent late summer day of moderately high (low 90s) temperatures and supposedly tolerable humidity with dewpoints not in the upper 70s. You know people are used to insane humidity when a dewpoint of 71 degrees is considered to be drier, or tolerable, or not insane and oppressive. It still is! Even 65 is oppressive! Get it under 60, then we can talk about tolerable.

However, it isn't just extremes of airborne water, but also heavy rains and overcast thanks to another far east event, a decaying hurricane, which will ruin the week. So, today was to be the best of it.

Five laps was plenty, and if I listened to my body and my head, I would have stopped at four, and maybe at three laps if I really wanted to not feel wiped out. I'm either totally out of shape (possibly) for what I did, completely unacclimated to even mild heat (92 is mild heat, to me) or most probably unable to withstand 5+ hours of moderate exercise in extreme oriental humidity. Sorry, "tolerable", humidity. I consumed over 4 liters of water, which may have depleted my sodium levels, and by 8 PM I was out. Keeping in mind that the sun still sets after 8 PM here in the far east, so I consider that a very early bedtime.

Laps on the same path is getting really, really, really boring. This is no Piestewa or Sombrero. Apple Pie Hill was getting old, and it is, but even the much larger hill here has gotten tiresome. To help combat this, without a 3 hour drive to more interesting terrain, I start to explore some of the terrain for which this preserve is noted. Specifically, I hiked the actually fairly steep Ridge Trail to the Devils Half Acre. Not sure why a small boulder field caused people to associate the area with Satan, but I guess any land in 1750 that wasn't suited to the plow was the dominion of the Dark the Prince. The boulders are interesting, and the trail up to them is actually pretty steep in a few places. Perhaps Sombrero Peak steep, though not for anywhere near as long. It was wet post heavy rain the day before, so I would probably come back to the boulders after a dry period.
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average hiking speed 2.55 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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