Batsto sunrise, Mullica Sunset

Jason Howell

Explorer
Nov 23, 2009
151
55
You can probably make it in your highlander but you might have to deflate down to 12 psi or so. Harbor Freight sells a cheap compressor with a cigarette lighter adapter. There is one section after Park Ave(D daves rd) and heading south, that has the thickest sugar sand you will ever encounter. You may have better luck coming in from Constable. During the wet season there are a few sections that fill with water and look intimidating, but it's not bad if you have the clearance.
 
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46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
A Toyota Highlander. It gets me most places, and seems to do well in dry white sand, but in wet soft mud, or wet soft sand, I'm toast.

Is it the AWD option? Do you air down the tires? What type of tires?

I have seen many AWD Highlanders driving the beach where you have dry and wet sand conditions. Most that get stuck do not air down, others just drive too fast. I've seen more Hummers than anything else get stuck. They offer classes for beach driving, very similar to the sand road driving. Some sand driving tips from the NJBBA;

  1. ALWAYS air down!Use caution not to get sand in stem or cap. Lowering your tire pressure is easier on your vehicle, on the beach and on the next person to come on the beach.

  2. Plan your movements. Try not to make last minute decisions. Cross ruts gradually and avoid hard turns. Use pre-existing ruts when possible.

  3. If you start to get stuck STOP! There is no hard bottom; you will just continue to dig a hole. The throttle is not the answer. Attempt to back up into your own ruts, air down, dig out or get help.

  4. If you need to be pulled out, always have the towed vehicle in gear if possible. Do not dead pull, a snatch strap and tension is usually all that is needed. Try to avoid 30mph jerk outs they are hard on all the equipment and very dangerous to those nearby.

  5. Always fill in the holes that are created when you get stuck; the next person will thank you!

  6. If your vehicle runs hot from beach driving, turn it into the wind and open the hood. Do not shut it down hot!
http://njbba.org/beach-driving.html
 

Jon Holcombe

Explorer
Dec 1, 2015
967
1,934
Medford
John,
What roads did you use to get to the Sleeper Branch Road? I was out that way last Friday and took Batsto-Fireline from 206 through to Constable Bridge and it was very dry? I didn't go down Sleeper Branch Rd so I cant comment there, Just curious where you saw flooding is all.
J

Joe, you were exactly right. Batsto Fireline Rd was drier than I've seen. I drove all the way down to the intersection, made a left and drove to the end of Sleeper Branch Rd without incident. Sand was pretty soft but the Highlander handled it well, the AWD is very good. I was impressed by all of the feeder streams and water in this area, and saw evidence of old bridges, large flat stone or concrete at the edge of streams, as if there were bridges or a structure there. The three logs were crossing a feeder stream that runs parallel to Sleeper Branch Rd that Google says IS the Mullica, but I don't believe it is. I am wondering if there is a definitive map or reference for these streams? Manumuskin described the Temawahocken to me, but I cannot find that term or many of the other small creeks running from Rt. 206 south, on the maps. The pics are roughly north to south along the Mullica, the last being at the end of Sleeper Branch Rd.
oct26_pond.jpg
oct26_meadow.jpg

oct26_feeder.jpg
oct26_close_to_mullica.jpg
 
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Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,178
Maybe you should think about buying a older 4x4 to take out in the woods. I have a 92 1500 Blazer with 196,000 miles on it, it's rusting out in
spots, the clear coat is peeling but I've never got it stuck in sand, mud or snow.


The reason I have not purchased a 4x4 is the amount of gas I would use would increase substantially. I travel long distances sometimes both days of every weekend and my gas consumption is fairly low in this car.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
The reason I have not purchased a 4x4 is the amount of gas I would use would increase substantially. I travel long distances sometimes both days of every weekend and my gas consumption is fairly low in this car.

Don't know if you've looked recently, but the mpg of some are pretty darn good. I regularly get 24-26 on the hiway. My best was 27.1, not bad for a 2 1/2 ton vehicle. With the new drive systems you rarely need to switch into full 4wd; I've only used it in deep snow. I use Fuelly to track my fuel usage and for 23,600 miles my avg fuel cost per mile is $0.099
 

Jon Holcombe

Explorer
Dec 1, 2015
967
1,934
Medford
The last photo looks like the Sleepy Creek millpond area.

Teegate, I saw a large flat stone or concrete about 15 yards downstream from the 3 logs photo so perhaps that's where the mill or a bridge was, and a prominent stone at the end of Sleeper Branch Rd at the Mullica. I didn't shoot it because I am sure that this area has been thoroughly explored and you have already shot it. I also saw concrete at this location where the creek widens as if there was a bridge there:

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.70589490906886&lng=-74.7012859582901&z=18&type=hybrid&gpx=

There are lots of creeks and streams with no apparent name (that I can see on the maps) that flow into the Mullica from this area, and I see lots of evidence of old bogs on that side of Batsto-Fireline Rd. I thought this area might be the Wescoat Bogs.
 
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