Batsto sunrise, Mullica Sunset

[Jon Holcombe]

October 24 and 25. Thwarted trying to get to the end of Sleeper Branch Rd (at the Mullica), but I found these shots on the way. I don't think my all-wheel drive cuts it, but I am not sure a 4x4 could get there either. The roads in this area are so flooded it would be like driving through a river. Maybe a monster truck.

 

[noboat]

This will get you in there.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

The wheels are big enough, I'm not sure about the car.

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

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

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Joe,
I came down south from Rt 206 on Park Ave to approx the location shown (on thumbnail map) yesterday and encountered a huge hole with very soft mud go-around. This morning I came up from Batsto > Mullica River Rd > Batsto Fireline Rd and did not get very far because it was flooded. I did not try coming from Railroad Ave/Basto Fireline Rd from south from Rt 206 because I typically have not been able to go down there much past Locks Bridge, but maybe I should. I am not sure where Constable Bridge is. It sounds like you think I could get in from Rt 206 on Batsto Fireline Rd directly to Sleeper Branch Rd.

 

[noboat]

Joe,
I came down south from Rt 206 on Park Ave to approx the location shown (on thumbnail map) yesterday and encountered a huge hole with very soft mud go-around. This morning I came up from Batsto > Mullica River Rd > Batsto Fireline Rd and did not get very far because it was flooded. I did not try coming from Railroad Ave/Basto Fireline Rd from south from Rt 206 because I typically have not been able to go down there much past Locks Bridge, but maybe I should. I am not sure where Constable Bridge is. It sounds like you think I could get in from Rt 206 on Batsto Fireline Rd directly to Sleeper Branch Rd.
View attachment 8259

What are you driving?

 

[Jon Holcombe]

What are you driving?

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.

 

[noboat]

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.

OK..... if i were you i would stay out of there .



http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.69757225156426&lng=-74.69347972076417&z=15&type=terrain&gpx=

 

[Broke Jeep Joe]

Joe,
I came down south from Rt 206 on Park Ave to approx the location shown (on thumbnail map) yesterday and encountered a huge hole with very soft mud go-around. This morning I came up from Batsto > Mullica River Rd > Batsto Fireline Rd and did not get very far because it was flooded. I did not try coming from Railroad Ave/Basto Fireline Rd from south from Rt 206 because I typically have not been able to go down there much past Locks Bridge, but maybe I should. I am not sure where Constable Bridge is. It sounds like you think I could get in from Rt 206 on Batsto Fireline Rd directly to Sleeper Branch Rd.
View attachment 8259

John,
Often Batsto-Fireline is flooded a little ways past Locks, but the last few times I have been down there it has been dry all the way to the Park Ave intersection. This road can be very nasty at times as noboat warns. If you came up from Batsto on Mullica River road to get on Batsto-Fireline you had to have crossed a small wooden bridge? This would be Constable Bridge.

J

 

[noboat]

I am not sure where Constable Bridge is

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.65939033623443&lng=-74.65893286865236&z=15&type=terrain&gpx=

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Thanks Joe and noboat. I looked it up and realized that I crossed Constable bridge earlier today. If I can get down Batsto Fireline from Rt 206 to the intersection of Sleeper Branch Rd it would be a 20 minute pre-sunrise hike to the river (assuming I cannot drive it). I may try and pysch myself up to do it myself, or if I chicken out I'll get my son to go with me some weekend.

 

[noboat]

That intersection is some heavy sand

 

[manumuskin]

That I as a low swampy and very wild area.also a very photogenic one.be careful!

 

[Teegate]

I got stuck on that road in my car on 9/11/2004 between Constable Bridge and Wescoat Bog.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

I know that I've gotten past Sleepy Creek Rd in the past, but not much further. That would be close to a 2-1/2 mile hike each way. I'd have to park and start hiking around 5:45 AM in the dark to catch sunrise at the Mullica off Sleeper Branch Rd., and I don't even know what's there. No wonder everyone photographs Goshen Pond and Franklin Parker Preserve.

 

[Teegate]

I have been there in my car in the winter when the ground was frozen. The problem with that is when I hit the high spots in the frozen sand it sounds like I hit an iceberg.

 

[manumuskin]

I"m not a Baja man.I"m not mechanically inclined and I don't have the money to spare fixing my truck after breaking it every weekend so I have developed common sense and no when to get out and walk but the four wheel Nissan makes cake of the worst sand I"ve found in the Barrens or Menantico which happen to be about tie.The worst in the Barrens is the road Guy pictures above,I believe the same you were on Jon. I am always cautious of mud holes because you never know what someone has thrown into them and they change from visit to visit.A relatively benign mudhole today can be ripped up and rutted out by a mud slinging nitwit in five minutes and you will be swallowed the next time you go through that benign little hole.I walk anything that looks questionable first and if it's over knee deep and soupy.I park it and walk.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

I'm beginning to ponder trading in my 15 month of Highlander for a 4x4, but I've probably depreciated it an extra 4K by scratching the sides so badly. But the thing that really brings me up short is anticipating the look on my wife's face when I broach the subject of getting a 4x4 so I can take photographs in the woods. She'll say "Sure, go ahead and buy another car. And buy a tent too, because you'll be living in it."

 

[92 Blazer Jeff]

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.

 

[manumuskin]

You can either go with Guys approach.he has a low slung car with front wheel drive and with experienced woods driving He makes it through stuff i would never imagine a car could go through.he uses speed and tactical driving using humps and riding straddle to the ruts and such but it takes a toll from being banged around. I"ve seen Him knock a part off here and there.Or you can go the 4 by 4 approach and crawl through stuff.I use 4 by 4 and put it in low 4 by and in 1st gear.The truck winds out at a slow walk in this gear but it stops you from spinning.About the only thing that can stop me in this gear is just hitting mud so soft and deep that i bottom out on a ridge or getting stuck on a stump. I have very expensive all terrain tires though and I try not to savage them.I was with Guy a couple years ago and trashed a brand new tire on a deer leg bone lying in the middle of a dirt road.I snapped it as i went over it and it ripped a hole in the tire almost big enough to get a hand in.