Exploring a Different Area of Wharton

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
All,

For the second time in two weeks I took a Friday off from work and went hiking with Rob from work. I usually come up with a good tough one when this happens, and today was no exception :) So this morning long before the sun even started to awake, we were heading to the woods off of Jackson road along the Burlington/Camden County border. As we arrived daylight was occurring, and we were off to enjoy the pines.

Our first stop was to find 4 stone property markers for a small parcel of land described as:

Metes and Bounds From Adjoining Deeds. Last known owner by following deeds. Jesse S. Braddock to James A. Nale and Henry Phelps. Aug 25, 1873 Burlington Co. Acquisition No S-26 (3 Acres plus or minus) Approximate location only, not surveyed out.

Because it was not surveyed out, I could only guess where the stones may be, so I was uncertain if we would be close. As we arrived at 130 feet from our intended location, I noticed this.


IMG_0217.JPG




So we had found the first one but off by 130 feet, and we tried adjusting our search for the next 3 with that in mind. However, we did not have any luck. In the midst of this area we stopped to enjoy this little spot as the sun just started to show in the tree’s.


IMG_0219.JPG




IMG_0221.JPG



Our next stop was to visit the most southern tip of the private Dutchtown Bogs. While heading to this location I decided to break open a Granola Bar to eliminate some of the hunger that was becoming hard to ignore. The usual cumbersome removal of it from my bag while keeping track of my gloves and walking stick occurred, and we headed off while I munched away. A short time later I suddenly became aware that only my GPS and gloves were in my hand, and I was minus my walking stick. My mom paid $50 for it and I wanted it back. A quick retrace of our route of about 600 feet was in order, but after a half hour we had to move on. The end has most likely come for it.


Arriving at the bog we just broke through the woods, since it is private and we did not want to cause any problems. A few quick photo’s and we headed on to our next stop.

It was still early so the shadows were long.


IMG_0232.JPG



IMG_0233.JPG


A panoramic of two photo’s.

http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/11022007/Untitled.jpg


On our route we found this little gem.

IMG_0237.JPG



Our next stop was the 130 foot hill that in the past someone on this site said they drove on. Unfortunately, there is not a vehicle route to the top so that could not have happened. There is an old road around the base which we crossed on our way up. This hill at the top has depressions like cellar holes of old homes, but it most likely is another location in the pines were sandstone was mined for property stones and home foundations. There is no view since the surrounding woods are quite dense and hard to maneuver in, causing some slow going.


http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=39.8013&lon=-74.81122&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=m&s=25



Then to our next property stone where surveyor’s had been at in the past year and cut down massive pine tree’s for better satellite reception for their GPS equipment. These tree’s were huge and it is really quite troubling that they would take them down for more exact locations of these corners when I was able to find it with my handheld GPS. It had been surveyed in the 1950’s and it was obvious they could not find the survey monument, which I was able to find in less than a minute. Covered in moss and sticking up 3 inches, but unfound by them.


Here is the stone.


IMG_0240.JPG




At this point things become even more depressing after earlier misplacing my stick. I removed some of my paperwork from my bag and we discussed where to go next. We picked up and decided to change our route to get back to the car a little earlier. We had walk about 300 feet when Rob noticed my sandwich fall out of my bag. Alarmed at this, I removed everything from my bag and my cell phone was gone. We retraced our steps and returned again, but for the second time in almost as many hours I had lost something else. He did not have his phone or we could have called it, so we had no choice but to head on.

On our way back we discovered this property stone also.


IMG_0243.JPG




And after enduring a very long tough stretch of woods, we encountered this really nice old unused road that does not even show up on any aerial maps I have looked at. I will be returning to follow it on another visit there.


IMG_0247.JPG




And that visit will be quite soon, since tomorrow morning Jessica and I will be returning to give one last look for the 3 remaining property stones, my stick, and my phone. It will be a long tough road for her, but I am sure she will prevail. I have cuts all over my face and legs, and am hoping we don't acquire anymore.


Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
I have found on an aerial map a way to easily get there by car and then by foot. Ben and I was almost there about a month ago when we did some stone searching. If the phone is where I think it is we only have to bushwhack about 200 feet. No problem!

Guy
 

Lorun

Explorer
Apr 10, 2004
128
0
Woolwich
I made a few walking sticks and just recently attached a rather crude but effective tether to one using Velcro for a wristband. I have a long rope tied to the stick and the other end to the wristband. That way I can lay the stick down and will not forget it since it is attached to me. I keep the rope twisted around the stick when walking so it does not get tangled.
 

LongIslandPiney

Explorer
Jan 11, 2006
484
0
Wow, what a beautiful area. Judging by the last photo it looks like you found your phone and walking stick. I did lose a camera case on a trail in Peconic Bog County Park last year, it was a nice leather one too, retraced my steps the next day but never found it.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,195
4,293
Pines; Bamber area
Nice report Guy. Did you find your phone by dialing from another one Jess carried?

PS: I'm confused. Why is Dutchtown shown on 206, yet you called those bogs west of Jackson Road Dutchtown Bogs?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
Nice report Guy. Did you find your phone by dialing from another one Jess carried?

PS: I'm confused. Why is Dutchtown shown on 206, yet you called those bogs west of Jackson Road Dutchtown Bogs?

First, I don't know why it is called Dutchtown Bogs on Atsion Road, and Dutchtown is on 206. I have mentioned that before. There is a sign on Atsion Road that says Dutchtown Bog indicating that is what these bogs are named. Odd!

I found a way to drive and walk almost to the location of where I felt the phone was. It was a mile walk. When we arrived Jessica just kept calling the phone as we moved along our route. As you know my hearing is bad so she first heard it and directed me towards it until I also heard it. Took about 5 minutes to find. So yes Jessica's phone found it.

We then had to walk back to the car and drive to Jackson Road for another much more challenging hike to get to where the stick was at. I stopped along the way at every location where I pulled the maps out of my bag. Eventually, we came to the location just before where I felt it was, and as we were about to leave for the next spot I saw it. I called my mom right there and told her I had her $50 stick. She was happy.

It was in this general area.


http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.79...pn=0.011425,0.023196&t=k&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1


Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
While I was looking for my phone I stumbled on another area that was surveyed where they took several trees down for better satellite reception. And ironically it is a green acres acquisition that also ironically has a tree on the steel survey marker. I guess they feel they have to cut trees down to save them.


IMG_0256.JPG



IMG_0252.JPG



That reminds me of the news blurb I heard the other day where the oldest living creature was killed to find out how old it was.


I am glad you enjoyed my thread.


Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
I didn't say it wasn't. The cement monuments are already there, and have been for 50 years. Why is it so important to cut those tree's down to survey something that already has been? Maybe I could see this one with the steel piece because it appears that spot is new for some reason, but the others were old and just fine they way they were.


Guy
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
4,952
3,103
Pestletown, N.J.
While I was looking for my phone I stumbled on another area that was surveyed where they took several trees down for better satellite reception. And ironically it is a green acres acquisition that also ironically has a tree on the steel survey marker. I guess they feel they have to cut trees down to save them.


IMG_0256.JPG



IMG_0252.JPG



That reminds me of the news blurb I heard the other day where the oldest living creature was killed to find out how old it was.


I am glad you enjoyed my thread.


Guy

Hey Guy!
The guy whose license number appears on the disk is named Guy!
Isn't that ironic?
He is a good surveyor and his name is Guy DeFabrites, (lic. no. 34843)
Fralinger is a very reputable firm and does a lot of Green Acres work.
My lic. no. is 35403.
The numbers include Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors and are in series from 0 to over 46,000+ today.
We took our exams in 1990.
If you come across surveys and the N.J. Surveyor's lic. no. is in the 4 digit range, there is a very good chance he is dirt napping.
In the 5 digit range, they are probably retired if their number is under 17,500.
More tidbits from the wonderful world of land surveying.
Scott
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,627
8,228
Hey Guy!
The guy whose license number appears on the disk is named Guy!
Isn't that ironic?
He is a good surveyor and his name is Guy DeFabrites, (lic. no. 34843)
Fralinger is a very reputable firm and does a lot of Green Acres work.


Thanks for the info.

Fralinger did the Parker Preserve. For a while their website touted that but I think that page is gone now. I believe it mentioned they bought ATV's and did much of the surveying using them. It also said that using modern technology they were able to input the info from the old surveys and come up with the location of the corners.

Now who does that? :) :)


Guy
 
Top