Anyone up for a Batona Thru Hike the week of August 18th?

[NJHIKERADAM]

I had to reschedule twice this year and it looks like the 18th is the date.Anyone interested let me know.

[Frolickin]

One day or camping overnight?

50 miles . . . 3-4 miles/hour makes it 12.5-17 hours of hiking without breaks. I would love to do this, but do not know if I can.

I would like to hear more about what the plan is.

[NJHIKERADAM]

Camping one night at LowerForge . 25 miles a day.......If it was cooler I would go for it i one day.Probably start hiking Saturday Morning...

[Piney Boy]

Honestly, as much as I love the Pines I pretty much stay off the Batona in summer. Its just waaay to buggy for my taste. I'll be doing a 3 day Batona trip sometime in September, if you interested in coming out then drop a line.
I like doing 12-14 mile days, beyond that I find the fun drained away by the exertion of it. I have pumped out 20 mile days, but thats when I was hiking the AT for long strecthes of time. 25 without having it as a major everyday routine is very dangerous on the knees, for me anyway.

[NJHIKERADAM]

I will definately hit you up in Fall.....but I will be on this summer mission with a whole lot of DEET........I too logged some hefty miles on the AT, and recently hiked the D&R Main Feeder Trenton to New Brunswick in 10 hours... So I know I am up to this.....

Last month I was on the Batona from Pakim Pond to Apple Pie Hill and it was infested with vegetation overgrowth on the trail and ticks......I literally would stop every twenty feet or so and pick them off my legs......but damn I love the challenge.

Who could I contact about doing some volunteer trail maintenence?

[Piney Boy]

I will definately hit you up in Fall.....but I will be on this summer mission with a whole lot of DEET........I too logged some hefty miles on the AT, and recently hiked the D&R Main Feeder Trenton to New Brunswick in 10 hours... So I know I am up to this.....

Last month I was on the Batona from Pakim Pond to Apple Pie Hill and it was infested with vegetation overgrowth on the trail and ticks......I literally would stop every twenty feet or so and pick them off my legs......but damn I love the challenge.

Who could I contact about doing some volunteer trail maintenence?

If you are just looking for a nice long hike I would suggest the the West Rim Trail or Black Forest Trail's in PA. They both offer a real challenge, with awesome payoff views, and aren't near as buggy, but if you have your heart set on the Batona ROCK ON!! Wear some gaiters, it'll cut down on that low brush and be real careful of the ticks.
Contact the Batona Hiking Club or the Ranger Office at Batsto, I'm sure they could point you in the right direction.

[NJHIKERADAM]

Tomorrow I will be down camping in the pines in preparation for the Batona this weekend ,I am pysched........This will be my true test for chigger immunity................

[NJHIKERADAM]

Thought I would share some shots from my Batona Hike..The heat made it rough going and yes regardless of the chemicals I was saturated in I got ticked and chiggered but it was all worth it in the end.


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/3BridgeonStageRoad.jpg

Bridge on Stage road near the First Pink Blaze

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/12MarthaPond.jpg
Martha Pond

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/15.jpg
Pitch Pines and Blue Cloudy Skies

[NJHIKERADAM]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/22BatonaSign.jpg
Batona Trail sign no clue what road this was as I passed so many...

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/25Turtle.jpg
A little friend I met along the way...he was a bit shy.....

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/31Chiggered.jpg
This shot may seem like a couple downed trees but in actuality it was where I get chiggered....I looked at my trail map and it was absoulutely covered as well as my left hand....

[NJHIKERADAM]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/33MylarLove.jpg
If I had a dollar for every Mylar ballon I saw on the Batona I would be a rich man.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/35CoolBlaze.jpg
Blaze of happiness...One of the cooler blazes I saw........This was about a mile outside of Batsto


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/37BatonaMileMarker.jpg

17th mile marker this was at the splitoff for Batsto Visitor Center and a few minutes before I blacked out....

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/41MeTired.jpg
Me tired, hot recovering from a blackout but not beaten

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/42BatstoRiver.jpg
The Batso River........

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/43QuakerBridge.jpg
I believe this to be the Quaker Bridge but I could be wrong...

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/45MileMarkersign.jpg
Another Mile Marker

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/46LowerForgeSign.jpg
Lower Forge at last it was a long day

[NJHIKERADAM]

Day 2

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/45RailroadBlaze.jpg

Railroad Blaze .......

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/49CarranzaMemorial3.jpg

Carranza Memorial........I found 2 quarters walking back down the road to the trailhead...my lucky day

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/55WaterPump.jpg
It may just seem like a water pump but after not having water for a couple hours it was salvation........

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/58ApplePieHilFireTower.jpg

Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower....... I wanted a shot from the top but the person on fire watch just rolled in and said it would be a few minutes before I could...being impatient I took the following instead and headed out.....
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/59ApplePieHillView.jpg

At this point I had about 5 pictures left so I saved them for landmarks..


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/PakimPond.jpg
Pakim Pond


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/LebanonStateForestSign.jpg
Lebanon State Forest at last ......Interesting that the Ongs Hat parking area sign is nowhere to be found anymore.............

[TeeGate]

Sorry..it is not Quaker Bridge. It is made of steel. If I am correct on where you were I have a photo of the bridge that was there before that one that I took hiking the Batona in the 70's. I'll look for it.

Thanks for the nice photo's.


Guy

[NJHIKERADAM]

Is Quaker Bridge the bridge that leads to this sign??????


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/44MileMARKER.jpg

I wasn't sure .

[TeeGate]

I am not sure. But if your photo's are in order of when you took them, and the bridge was the first bridge you crossed after Batsto, I would say you were in this area. I believe it is called Penn Swamp Bridge.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=39.68393&lon=-74.64993&s=100&size=m&datum=nad83&layer=DRG

Quaker Bridge is N NW of that.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=39.70878&lon=-74.66474&s=100&size=m&datum=nad83&layer=DRG

I may be wrong on that bridge since it has been a long time since I hiked the Batona.

Guy

[BEHR655]

Is Quaker Bridge the bridge that leads to this sign??????


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c83/adamcguild/44MileMARKER.jpg

I wasn't sure .

Yes

[TeeGate]

Ok..I found a rare photo. This photo shows the person I hiked the Batona with in 1978. Check out our high tech equipment. The water pouch at the bottom had some green slime coming out when we tried to use it. It was a long thirsty hike! But we did have a hot meal of Campbell's soup of some sort :)

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1931-1/Batona1978.jpg

Now we hiked from Batsto to Carranza and I believe we only crossed one bridge which I assume would be the Penn Swamp Bridge, and this photo is I believe the bridge we crossed. I can't be sure without getting out my slides. The span seems smaller than the one in your photo, but I am sure this one is no longer there. Maybe it is not the correct one.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1936-1/IMAGE1978.jpg


Guy

[bobpbx]

Adam, did you really black out from the heat? You really have to be careful out there. I felt weak Sunday and had to get into the river. Even after a few minutes in the river, I was a little dizzy. Very close to heat stroke.

How are your chiggers today? Didn't think you'd get them?

[NJHIKERADAM]

For a brief moment yeah. I hiked into Batsto to get my Lower Forge camping permit.It was ice cold in there and while talking to the pretty young lady behind the counter I couldnt make out what she was saying. I blacked out went to the water fountain splashed my face and sorta faded back into reality. I went outside and bought a hotdog and a soda (high sodium) and took an hour break. After that I was feeling a lot better and decided to move on.

Chiggers on my hand I managed to take care of...I have a couple bites on my right foot but nothing to bad.All in all I had a great time and would definately do it again heat,chiggers and all.........

Guy I love those pictures.................................

[Piney Boy]

Fun pictoral, good time huh. Looks like you had great weather too. I'm planning on doing the Batona sometime in early October if your looking for a repeat. Probably gonna have 3 or 4 of my hiking posse as well. Was thinking of a non traditional start of Penn State Forest at the Plains down into Wharton from there.

[NJHIKERADAM]

That would be awesome.........I have never been to Penn State Forest yet, what is your proposed trail route? Is it possible to hook Double Trouble somehow into the hike as well??????

[Piney Boy]

That would be awesome.........I have never been to Penn State Forest yet, what is your proposed trail route? Is it possible to hook Double Trouble somehow into the hike as well??????

Well I was thinking starting around Bear Swamp Hill heading down around the Pine Plains and catching the Batona 3 or 4 miles south of there. Penn State is maybe my favorite Pines area with the Plains, nesting eagles, Lake Oswego, very cool swamps, and cranberry bogs. I'll see about sending you a map sometime soon. Double Trouble would double the distance, but for some trip I'm sure it could be attached to reach the Batona at Ongs Hat. It would be nice to add another hiker to my MadAtlantic Hiker Posse:jd:

[NJHIKERADAM]

Sounds like a good hike. What is the approximate mileage for this hike? I would be into it just give me as much notice as possible as I am planning a few hikes up north for September......

Also not Pine Barrens related but did you happen to see what Matt Hazley is planning? http://www.matthazley.com he is crazy......

[Piney Boy]

Sounds like a good hike. What is the approximate mileage for this hike? I would be into it just give me as much notice as possible as I am planning a few hikes up north for September......

Also not Pine Barrens related but did you happen to see what Matt Hazley is planning? http://www.matthazley.com he is crazy......

Your preaching to the choir there buddy:rolleyes: , I totally understand your time issues because of other trips, I am in the same boat myself. I'm figuring it to be aprox. 40-45 miles, with a possibilty of a light bushwhack included. My time guestimate will be early October as I already have trips to Catoctin in MD and a possible Dacks trip in September. I'll see about the map over the next few days.
Haven't heard of Matt Hazley, but from your tone I'm betting its some kind of crazy mileage bushwhack type thing with little to no resupply far, far from civilization. Am I close?
Guess not. I just went back to that link. I've personally never understood that kind of need for speed on the trail. The AT in 40 days, I mean you are missing the BIG picture with those kinds of attempts if you ask me. What about Clingmans Dome or the Tennessee Balds? What about VA's Dragoon Tooth or Maine's 100 mile wilderness or even NJ's Sunfish Pond? Reminds me of that movie vacation were Clark Griswold stands at the rim of the Grand Canyon for three seconds or so. At least its for a good cause, I wish him the best for that reason.

[NJHIKERADAM]

HEY!!!!!! Does this mean the hike for October is off?????? Let me know ,I may hit the Adirondacks if the Pine Barrens trip is off.....

[Piney Boy]

HEY!!!!!! Does this mean the hike for October is off?????? Let me know ,I may hit the Adirondacks if the Pine Barrens trip is off.....

No, no, this hike is definitely on for October. Its my favorite time of year for backpacking in the Pines, and I'm really looking forward to this hike.

[grendel]

sounds like a great hike.Do you have room for one more?