NJ Hiking

One blog that I subscribe to that I would recommend is http://www.njhiking.com/njhiking_trailblog/.
It is a valuable resource along with posts on different hikes throughout New Jersey and beyond! Another great thing about this blog is that they provide a Google map of their location, and a nice picture within each post.  I use it to get ideas of where my next adventure should be and so should you!

Check out this video from one of their hikes!

It can also be found here.

Osprey Pack Review

Having a sufficient amount of water with you for any hike, regardless of the amount of time you'll be spending in the wilderness is important. For day hikes, you may not want to hold onto a water bottle for the duration of the hike, nor carry them in a large, cumbersome backpack. That's why Hannah and I recommended getting a hydration pack for those fun day hikes. Depending on the size of the pack, you can also carry extra things like snacks, sandwiches, a first aid kit, and a small poncho.

Osprey Packs have a a wide range of packs that are designed to suit your needs. They cater to day hikers, thru-hikers, overnight/extended hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners! These high quality packs will sustain abuse and deliver the hydration you need to keep going.

For day hiking, I went with their Syncro 15 because it was suitable for mountain biking, and day hikes and carries just the right amount of stuff. The rugged quality of the hydration bladder was something I was drawn to. There is nothing worse than a flimsy bladder made with low grade plastic.

Next up was the storage. I can get away with carrying a full three liters of water in the bladder, while having enough room for a sandwich, snacks, and a small first aid kit.

 

 Since we do a majority of our hiking in the summer, the back ventilation mesh is unbelievably comfortable.

Finally, the magnetic water hose lock on the chest strap is great! The hose stays in place, but simply pops off when you need it to.

Stokes State Forest Adventure #1

Stokes State Forest, in Branchville New Jersey was our next adventure destination. Stokes State Forest is located in Sussex County New Jersey off of route 206. We decided to make this our next hiking spot because Stokes features a range of diverse terrain, outstanding views from Sun Rise Mountain, and a trail map with a plethora of trails to choose from. If you're looking for a hike that will offer a tranquil setting but provide a work out, this hike is for you. However it's short in length, this loop is approximately 4 miles and features some of Stokes more difficult trails. The trails in the loop are Coursen, Stony Brook, AT, Tower, and ending back on Coursen.

From the parking area, we made our way to the Coursen trail. We headed east towards the Stony Brook trail and enjoyed the vibrant reddish brown color scheme of the forest. What's nice about taking Coursen first is it's calm, flat, and doesn't have a lot of rocks. After about a third of a mile, we had found the turn for Stony Brook not knowing the steady 0.7 mile climb we were in store for. The semi-rocky ascent to the AT on Stony Brook is masked by the peaceful flow of the brook that runs parallel.

Reaching the AT was a treat. The transition from Stony Brook to the AT was out of this world. Once we made it on the AT, the color schemes were much different compared to the bluish-green hue of the previous trail. More vibrant greens, and lighter grey from the rocks were prevalent. The terrain goes from being loose and rocky, to more compact with smoother rocks, mainly because the AT is hiked more frequently. About halfway through I found this little guy.

Munching on our excellent trail mix creation and loving life, we continued on. One thing you'll notice on this part of the AT is the way it fluctuates with density. There are times where the trail gets narrow, and the thickets on each side become denser, and your whole surrounding becomes slightly darker. I almost felt slightly claustrophobic! After about a mile we close Tower Trail, and stopped for lunch enjoying the wonderful view.

Excited to check out the Tower trail, we continued on. This is where the hike gets difficult. The initial descent down to Coursen is a rocky start. I had made the mistake of wearing these. It was a tad to rocky for being a novice in those shoes. Around a half mile down is where Tower starts getting darker, and returns to the bluish-green hues of the damp forest. I was intrigued by all of different types of mushrooms that grew along side the trail. Yellow ones, orange ones, red ones! I felt like I was in Super Mario World for a second!

 

We made the mile long trek down from the AT and knew that our adventure was over when we reached the Coursen junction.

"Monsoon Hike"

To capitalize on our new found obsession for hiking and being together, Hannah suggested a hike along the Mongaup River which flows from the Rio Reservoir and empties into the Delaware River. The drive alone to the parking area of this hike is always enjoyable (if heading Northwest on New York State  Route 97) because of the views from Hawk's Nest.

We arrived at the parking area and immediately headed for the trail. The weather was beautiful, and the sun was shining.We could not have asked for a more perfect day to enjoy the sun, trees, and the scenery. Hearing the river beside us made everything feel connected for some reason. I wandered off the trail to check out what the riverside had to offer. The water trickling from the earth off the rocks near the river caught my eye.

I snapped a few pictures because I'm a sucker for two things, water, and sun glare in pictures. I snapped this shot of us before we made our way back to the path. (We were so young back then, heh)

 

 

The gentle incline of the dirt path led us away from the river and the forest density increased.

Laughing and enjoying each others presence we continued on. One of the highlights of this hike is this eerie grave site.

After awhile we turned around because my stomach was giving me some issues. With about 45 minutes left or so to reach the car, the unexpected occurred. It down poured. Let me emphasize that. DOWN POURED! We were completely soaked within 30 seconds! It was kinda like that famous rain scene in that one movie without the overly dramatic kissing. 

We finally made it back to the car after speed walking our butts off, but it was an amazing time despite the rain. And that's how the title, Monsoon Hike, came to be!

The Genesis of Our Journey

Our first adventure (not to mention our first time hanging out) took place in one of New Jersey's finest state parks, Highpoint. After a wonderful bike ride on the road within the park, the natural wanderlust within us decided to keep our day going with a hike starting at the parking lot near the monument. Nervous as heck, I decided to take us on the High Point Monument Hike, which led us from warmth of the June sun, into the cool Cedar Swamp. It was definitely a nice transition from the heat of a Jersey summer day.

 Cedar Swamp Trail:

After completing the Cedar Swamp loop from the Monument Trail and time to spare, we headed back to the cars and decided to go on one more excursion.  Making our way down route 209 from the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge towards a lesser known hike (limited parking access right after Chestnut Hill Road) with calm waterfalls, I could feel the excitement build up the closer we got. Never having done this hike before, I knew this experience coupled with my curiosity for Hannah would be a day to remember. A few miles of gentle inclines led us this really tranquil spot:

It was that spot that I will never forget the sight of how beautiful Hannah looked as she cooled off in the stream. Trying not to stare like a creep, I caught short glimpses of her through my peripherals. Here is another angle facing downstream:

"Twitterpated" and slightly scatterbrained from Hannah's delightful presence, we made our way back down the trail. About a mile before reaching the car, we walked off the trail to this pool where the water had collected at one point in the stream that ran parallel. Through the trees the suns rays shone down upon a rock next to the still waters, so we laid there for quiet awhile. As simple as laying on a rock next to some water sounds, I could have stayed there all day with her if only I had known about this hike sooner. Unknowingly at the time that this day would be the first of many, we made our way back home.