Wharton Wheeling

Oct 25, 2006
1,757
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73
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.728626961799186&lng=-74.7284460067749&z=16&type=h&gpx=

I was just scanning over the live map and i have three questions ?

I intend to go to Locke's Bridge in the future , it looks like a decent road, but can you drive all the way to the Bridge site ? Is it a real narrow road ?

Where i have the target marker, by the satellite view the road looks like wash out city ?

Also another road which i think that i will avoid is East Stokes ?

Thanks Jim
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,618
1,873
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
The Road to Locke's bridge is not a narrow road, but it's incredibly soft sand in parts, especially around the bridge site. You'll want to have 4WD on for that.

I went there in my old Grand Cherokee so you should not have a problem in your Libby.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
James,
Like Ben said, it is a 4x4 road but do-able for you now. I've taken that road many times without getting stuck. there are washouts. try to take the go arounds, but if you go straight through try to straddle where the ruts would normally be (as if you drove straight through) the bottom is softer where you straddle but the water is more shallow and you are less likely to get your axles hung up than if you took the ruts.

BTW, for safety reasons, I suggest getting a hand winch or come along and some chain or tow strap. It will give alot more confidence!

Jeff
 

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
Yeah, don't get hooks on the strap. I have a 20,000 lb strap with sewn eyes, and I carry two shackles (D-ring) for hooking up if I need to. These straps, and sometimes even the shackles, _will_ break if stressed. I saw a broken strap lying up at Old Halfway on Friday. Probably the guy doing the pulling was yanking on it trying to break someone out of the mud.

A winch is a great thing, because it means you can often get yourself out of trouble instead of waiting on someone else to happen by, or making a call to a friend. However winches and bumpers to mount them place a lot of stress on the front end of a vehicle, and I advise against them on anything that doesn't have full box-on-frame construction. Not sure about the Liberty, but I would check it, and check a few Jeep sites to see what people have done before.

Since you're not a bogger I think the chances of your needing a winch in the barrens are very small.
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,618
1,873
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
For a hand winch, just get the biggest rated one they have in Home Depot. Also, familiarize yourself with how it works before you need to use it.

As for tow hooks, you should get a set installed in the front, and either a single hook in the back or a receiver hitch. Personally, I'd get a nice class III hitch since you may want to tow a boat or camper at some point in time so it keeps your options open.

The Jeep dealer will have the right hooks. Usually installing them requires removing the front facia over the bumper, so unless you really want to take it off yourself you're best bet is to let the dealer so it.

Seriously, recovery points are the MOST important thing for your vehicle. Without it, if you get stuck, it becomes MUCH harder to get back out. They're like little insurance policies.

Edit: http://www.wyckoffchryslerparts.com/jeeplibfront.html Those are what you need. I've bought from there, and they were great.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
Seriously, recovery points are the MOST important thing for your vehicle. Without it, if you get stuck, it becomes MUCH harder to get back out. They're like little insurance policies.

Absolutely,

Just two other things:
1)I have had bad luck with chinese made come alongs. I actually use an old american made engine hoist. It is very high quality.
2)When ever you attempt questionable terrian, make sure there is a good sized tree nearby that you can use to winch yourself out. I suggest getting a tree saver strap, it distributes the tension more evenly and never cuts through the tree (I've had wire nearly slice a tree in half).

Jeff
 

piker56

Explorer
Jan 13, 2006
641
53
67
Winslow
Jim,
First, congrats on the jeep. Good luck with it. Second, in your picture of the mullica the water looked pretty low. Did you notice any other streams or ponds in your travels, and how was the water level? Around me in Winslow they seem ok (for now). And lastly, amen on the flies. Went fishing one night last week and on the dirt road in to the lake I fish, the flies were the worst I've seen in quit a while! As always, I enjoyed your report and pictures.
Greg
 
Oct 25, 2006
1,757
1
73
Jim,
First, congrats on the jeep. Good luck with it. Second, in your picture of the mullica the water looked pretty low. Did you notice any other streams or ponds in your travels, and how was the water level? Around me in Winslow they seem ok (for now). And lastly, amen on the flies. Went fishing one night last week and on the dirt road in to the lake I fish, the flies were the worst I've seen in quit a while! As always, I enjoyed your report and pictures.
Greg

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.70411613695518&lng=-74.70471382141113&z=15&type=topo&gpx=

Greg

Thanks.

The only problem that i encountered was at this intersection, i wanted to take the road going north east to go to a B/A marker, but at the beginning of the northern route there was a washout that just by the look of it looked deepish, there was a go-around but it was tight, i would have scratched the hell out of the vehicle.

Otherwise, i took the southern route to Constable Bridge first, i passed over some small sluices on the road and the streams below were fairly dry, no washouts were encountered on the southern route to Constable.

How did you do fishing ?

Jim
 

piker56

Explorer
Jan 13, 2006
641
53
67
Winslow
Fishing was good, once I got through the cloud of flies and got on the water. I fished until dark and caught 3 bass (small). I had a pickerel hit my worm, it was so small I think my worm may have been bigger than the fish:) The lake was a sheet of glass, I just sat and listened to the night sounds for a while. A really good night.
 

kingofthepines

Explorer
Sep 10, 2003
268
7
the final outpost
The only problem that i encountered was at this intersection, i wanted to take the road going north east to go to a B/A marker, but at the beginning of the northern route there was a washout that just by the look of it looked deepish, there was a go-around but it was tight, i would have scratched the hell out of the vehicle.
You are correct that the hole is deep.
22P1010341-med.jpg


Up ahead on the northeast trail lies the whale pond. You would have had to turn around anyway.
22bigpuddle.jpg
 

kingofthepines

Explorer
Sep 10, 2003
268
7
the final outpost
I haven't been thru in years but people go through it every weekend. If you try to follow someone like this the results are predictable. Thats me between the blonde and the brunette. :0

22The_Whale.jpg
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,341
327
Near Mt. Misery
I crossed that one on my motorcycle once. a honda xr400. But I took to the side as much as possible (which was still deep and swampy). I crossed along the side to the left of the first pic of the whale pond. I drained my crankcase once I got home.

Jeff
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,672
8,284
Jim,

Are you sure you posted the proper link? You can get to that location right off of 206.

Guy
 
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