I have never been in this southern section.There is a dirt road that crosses the swamp east to west and I"ve only been north of that road.Have wanted to check this southern section out
The Great Cedar Swamp Crossing, A PBX Hike
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
Yes, using lidar I can see at least two trails in on the north side. I'll bet though, they're overgrown now.
Yes, another member gave me coordinates. I'll look at it next season.
I have never been down this trail or into this corner of the swamp.I was intending on it either this winter or next spring
This is a trail into the heart of the swamp from the pond north of it but people live there so I went in the trail visible to the northwest of it and then cut cross country and hit this trail and turned sw into the heart of the swamp.It ends on a high beech island
This is a trail into the heart of the swamp from the pond north of it but people live there so I went in the trail visible to the northwest of it and then cut cross country and hit this trail and turned sw into the heart of the swamp.It ends on a high beech island
How are you now physically, after your time in the doctor shop.
I was pretty bad for the first two weeks back to work.Stamina is coming up a bit now.When I went back to work I couldn't walk a half mile without stopping.I havent tried since going back but I think I could do a mile now.Knee pain is way down but it's week and wears out after a bit.Doc told me it takes a year for full recovery.Thats June 25th.I need to start walking more when I can but shift work keeps me tired most of the time.I retire in June and am hoping to be in better shape by then.sat for four months and didn't do hardly anything other then therapy and short half mile walks and had to rest a couple times.
June oh yeah good for you Al keep moving
All,
We did it! The three of us returned today and made it across the Great Swamp in Cape May County. Bob reavaluated our route making a change, and we met up this morning at 9AM at the end point parking lot. However, when Bob arrived this morning he had changed the starting point again. We were now going to go into a new expensive development being built, and were going to walk right down the development road past the new homes that are occupied, and casually walk right across one of the unbuilt lots into the woods.
So we drive there and park in an area where homes had not been built yet, and instantly a vehicle pulls up and starts talking to us. What we didn't expect was to hear hunting stories from the mans adventures in various locations around the country. He was a contractor heading to one of the homes and saw our outfits and maybe assumed we were hunters at first.
After talking with him for 10 minutes we resumed our walk of shame down the street, past the new occupied homes and made a quick turn into the undeveloped lot and headed towards the woods. Just then a DEP truck pulls into the lot and we stop and turn around to face them. With a quick brushoff from the driver we turned around and entered the woods.
The most major stream we encountered the complete day. We never thought it would be this easy.
Bob loving this tree.
And another one.
Bob stalking John and me.
We encountered a large uprooted tree and Bob suspected we would find sand bees in the roots, and guess what we found?
We had made it mostly across the swamp and ran dead into this mess. My video below shows us going through it.
Some of the cedars were really tall.
And some areas were amazing to walk through.
And finally we made it to the end.
This was our route. It was for the most part a dream hike in regards to obsticals. I am not sure anyone had done this before. We started at 9AM and ended around 2:15. On the top right side of the photo you can see how far we made it the other day compared to fully crossing it today. In the end it was a very solid 10 when we rated it. I gave it a 10 plus. We only saw one, yes one piece of trash the complete day.
Click Here To See The "From Bad To Good" Video.
We did it! The three of us returned today and made it across the Great Swamp in Cape May County. Bob reavaluated our route making a change, and we met up this morning at 9AM at the end point parking lot. However, when Bob arrived this morning he had changed the starting point again. We were now going to go into a new expensive development being built, and were going to walk right down the development road past the new homes that are occupied, and casually walk right across one of the unbuilt lots into the woods.
So we drive there and park in an area where homes had not been built yet, and instantly a vehicle pulls up and starts talking to us. What we didn't expect was to hear hunting stories from the mans adventures in various locations around the country. He was a contractor heading to one of the homes and saw our outfits and maybe assumed we were hunters at first.
After talking with him for 10 minutes we resumed our walk of shame down the street, past the new occupied homes and made a quick turn into the undeveloped lot and headed towards the woods. Just then a DEP truck pulls into the lot and we stop and turn around to face them. With a quick brushoff from the driver we turned around and entered the woods.
The most major stream we encountered the complete day. We never thought it would be this easy.
Bob loving this tree.
And another one.
Bob stalking John and me.
We encountered a large uprooted tree and Bob suspected we would find sand bees in the roots, and guess what we found?
We had made it mostly across the swamp and ran dead into this mess. My video below shows us going through it.
Some of the cedars were really tall.
And some areas were amazing to walk through.
And finally we made it to the end.
This was our route. It was for the most part a dream hike in regards to obsticals. I am not sure anyone had done this before. We started at 9AM and ended around 2:15. On the top right side of the photo you can see how far we made it the other day compared to fully crossing it today. In the end it was a very solid 10 when we rated it. I gave it a 10 plus. We only saw one, yes one piece of trash the complete day.
Click Here To See The "From Bad To Good" Video.
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Congratulations! I figured you guys were going to come out to the sod farm. I am surprised you fought the swamp all the way south to Dennisville road.
Dennisville Road was our goal and not reaching it would have been unacceptable to all three of us. We just really were surprised how good our day went.
Very, very strenuous in the mountain laurel forest. And this was on the high ground on the margin of the swamp. This was the hardest part of all. It went on, and on. We finally had to move towards the cedar swamp to get out of it.
Guy relaxing on one of the trees.
John with one of the famous large Sassafras trees in Cape May County.
Guy, shooting a shot and contemplating negotiating the laurel. This is where we changed direction. Never seen anything like it, though I have seen tight very large ones too.
Guy relaxing on one of the trees.
John with one of the famous large Sassafras trees in Cape May County.
Guy, shooting a shot and contemplating negotiating the laurel. This is where we changed direction. Never seen anything like it, though I have seen tight very large ones too.
I crossed at your original route and hit the field visible above on right. Your trip today was much longer. You could have crossed 83 and continued across Timber Beaver Swamp. I take it the southern route bypassed the briar wall?
That laurel looks like something youd find in lawrence or fairfield twp.Laurel mixed with briars is atrocious.
Take a look at the waypoint "Bank Shot". I purposely laid it out because I could see mostly trees, unlike the ground cover to the east side. It looked like briar on one of Boyd's maps, so I avoided it like the plague.
Effort moderate. Probably to rank as highy strenuous, you'd have to carry a piano on your back 12 flights of stairs.My watch says it was 3.1 miles and the time was 4:32:18. My average heart rate was 115BPM and I burned 891 calories. It says the "effort" was moderate
The actual hike was from 9:33 to 2:05
What a day! Really beautiful, really challenging, really beyond my poor capacity to properly describe it. Thank you Bob and Guy for the opportunity to join you. My comment to you today, a play on words with one of the waypoints, is also the God's honest truth. Even just speaking metaphorically, it was an honor to share a FoxHole, and today's hike, with the two of you.
We enjoyed the bits of clearing, knowing they wouldn't last.
There were all sorts of interesting trees, some big and majestic, others, such as this one, more gnarled and twisted.
Last Tuesday, I thought there were eyes on us. Today, I thought something might have caught our scent.
A green stairway
Made it Ma! Top of the world!!
Easy peasy...
Bob and Guy praying that we can find our way out.
We enjoyed the bits of clearing, knowing they wouldn't last.
There were all sorts of interesting trees, some big and majestic, others, such as this one, more gnarled and twisted.
Last Tuesday, I thought there were eyes on us. Today, I thought something might have caught our scent.
A green stairway
Made it Ma! Top of the world!!
Easy peasy...
Bob and Guy praying that we can find our way out.