The Woods Of Atsion Meadow; a PBX Hike.

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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All,

After a few years of exploring the woods in the Atsion Meadow area looking for stones, I decided to plan a PBX hike there. Here is Bob's edited announcement of the hike that he sent out to all PBX members on January 10.


Boys, the title of this trip is “The Woods of Atsion Meadow”. We’ll meet at the bridge over the mighty Mullica river on Jackson Road near Atco at 8:45 AM on 6 February. From there we’ll consolidate some vehicles and head to the parking spot. We’ll leave a couple vehicles further up the road at the end location.

Guy created this trip, and he has some history he can relate as we move along. The trip length is 3.7 miles long as the crow flies, and we’ll get into some thick stuff. We will use a couple sand roads at the start so that we conserve our energy for the rugged bushwhack.


Happy trails to you


Participating in the hike:

Pinelandpaddler and his girlfriend Ann
Hewey
bobpbx
RednekF350 and his dog Murphy
TeeGate (myself)
smoke_jumper
Woodjin
Jessica



The woods of Atsion Meadow are located North of Jackson Road and west of Atsion Road in Medford and Shamong. The area has some history to it and we spent some time discussing it as we traveled. Along the way we visited this spung.

IMG_2372.JPG




While crossing one of the various cedar swamps we encountered this fairly large cedar that attracted our attention. Gabe and Chris checking it out.

IMG_2374.JPG



A hunter made a game camera lock box out of an ammunition case. He left the lock on it unlocked.

IMG_2375.JPG




Eventually we made it to Piney Island. A remote island where years ago there was at least one structure on it. The map I have from 1878 shows a square where the building was located. There are many bricks and stones in evidence there. A very nice and interesting place.

IMG_2376.JPG



IMG_2379.JPG



map.jpg




Bob and the others enjoying themselves. If you look in the distance along the tree line you can see where the deer were eating the trees. It is the dark band along the tree line.

IMG_2385.JPG



This is one of the largest property stones there is in the pines.

IMG_2388.JPG



Then to the ruins of Carlton Taylor's hunting cabin. He was the Section Forest Fire Warden of the area in the 1940s and had his own little piece of paradise here. It is small, but enough for what he wanted it for. Chris is walking up the steps to enter it. Notice the pipe by Jessica's leg. It apparently even had it's own well.

IMG_2391.JPG




Scott encountered this Wharton property monument.

IMG_2396.JPG




Jessica relaxing.

IMG_2401.JPG




Chris blends in next to this hunters blind that comes furnished with a padded chair and two 5 gallon containers of corn.

IMG_2403.JPG




Bob feeling his oats.

IMG_2404.JPG




And then it was over. A great day with interesting friends.

IMG_2406.JPG



Guy
 
Last edited:
All,

After a few years of exploring the woods in the Atsion Meadow area looking for stones, I decided to plan a PBX hike there. Here is Bob's edited announcement of the hike that he sent out to all PBX members on January 10.


Boys, the title of this trip is “The Woods of Atsion Meadow”. We’ll meet at the bridge over the mighty Mullica river on Jackson Road near Atco at 8:45 AM on 6 February. From there we’ll consolidate some vehicles and head to the parking spot. We’ll leave a couple vehicles further up the road at the end location.

Guy created this trip, and he has some history he can relate as we move along. The trip length is 3.7 miles long as the crow flies, and we’ll get into some thick stuff. We will use a couple sand roads at the start so that we conserve our energy for the rugged bushwhack.


Happy trails to you


Participating in the hike:

Pinelandpaddler and his girlfriend Ann
Hewey
bobpbx
RednekF350 and his dog Murphy
TeeGate (myself)
smoke_jumper
Woodjin
Jessica



The woods of Atsion Meadow are located North of Jackson Road and west of Atsion Road in Medford and Shamong. The area has some history to it and we spent some time discussing it as we traveled. Along the way we visited this spung.

IMG_2372.JPG




While crossing one of the various cedar swamps we encountered this fairly large cedar that attracted our attention. Gabe and Chris checking it out.

IMG_2374.JPG



A hunter made a game camera lock box out of an ammunition case. He left the lock on it unlocked.

IMG_2375.JPG




Eventually we made it to Piney Island. A remote island where years ago there was at least one structure on it. The map I have from 1878 shows a square where the building was located. There are many bricks and stones in evidence there. A very nice and interesting place.

IMG_2376.JPG



IMG_2379.JPG



map.jpg




Bob and the others enjoying themselves. If you look in the distance along the tree line you can see where the deer were eating the trees. It is the dark band along the tree line.

IMG_2385.JPG



This is one of the largest property stones there is in the pines.

IMG_2388.JPG



Then to the ruins of Carlton Taylor's hunting cabin. He was the Section Forest Fire Warden of the area in the 1940s and had his own little piece of paradise here. It is small, but enough for what he wanted it for. Chris is walking up the steps to enter it. Notice the pipe by Jessica's leg. It apparently even had it's own well.

IMG_2391.JPG




Scott encountered this Wharton property monument.

IMG_2396.JPG




Jessica relaxing.

IMG_2401.JPG




Chris blends in next to this hunters blind that comes furnished with a padded chair and two 5 gallon containers of corn.

IMG_2403.JPG




Bob feeling his oats.

IMG_2404.JPG




And then it was over. A great day with interesting friends.

IMG_2406.JPG



Guy
Glad you all had fun. Bob is part monkey I'm sure. Wish I could have stayed on with the hike but I'm sure I would have regretted it. Hopefully next time.
 
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Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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I did not have my tape measure because I needed the room in my bag for the hike.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
Guy put together a good one. Nice rolling country back there. We crossed about 4 cedar swamps. Thanks as always for the snacks and spo-de-do Mr. Old man O' the Woods!

scott tree.PNG

chris27.PNG
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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I know your about my size across the shoulders and chest and the tree looked slightly smaller then the state record with me against it. The camera in your photo may have been slightly further away.If your right that may ba about tie with the state record. I would say I"m a little bigger across the belly though:)
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,610
1,166
Atco, NJ
My best guess I would say the largest one was about 9'. Chris and I put our arms around it and counting our overlap and if our arms are roughly the same length it's right around that. There were almost a dozen trees around the 7 to 8 foot range there, and I'm sure there are probably more there and maybe even some larger ones. This is looking straight up between a pair of them.
image.jpg
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
I was glad we held to the intended date for the hike after Friday's snow squall. The weather for the hike was crisp and clear and I was impressed with the history and beauty that we were able to enjoy on this hike. I brought my Springer Murphy along again for this one and he was as enthused as we were, if not more so.

Guy had explored the area once before and he was able to lead us by the nose to numerous historic property corner markers and other points of interest. The Carlton Taylor cabin foundation spoke to me of good times deep in the woods many years ago. The Sharp's Stone Mountain was interesting with many overgrown pockets showing evidence of sandstone mining.

Some photos.
Murphy. a.k.a. "Killer"


A sharp browse line along the edge of a spong. Chris noticed a rub line first and then we noted the browse line.


Murph guarding Guy while he enjoys his can of beans.
 

Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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Murphy ... working hard to find the mouse that was a complete fabrication of all of us. Dogs are so easily fooled :)

IMG_2381.JPG
 
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Teegate

Administrator
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Sep 17, 2002
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Straight out of GQ magazine...our very own Woodjin does not even need to use a walking stick in the big woods ...... he carries it on his hat. Ladies...unfortunately he is taken. Sorry!

IMG_2373.jpg
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
After a rough couple of months it was great to be back out in the woods with my PBX brothers! We could have not asked for better weather for a excursion! It is definitely an interesting area of the pines. An area I have never been to in the past.

Unfortunately my camera did not come out of my pack as much as it should have. I was able to get a few pictures.

The first stone we came upon. The Shamong/Medford stone.


Guy informed us that a charcoal pit was once built around this stone in times past.


Part of the crew taking a break in a nice open area.


Chris
 
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Teegate

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Very nice Chris. It was nice to see you out and about again.


coal.jpg
 
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manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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Was the stone in the pit at the time of charcoaling? If so it should be red inside from the heat.I"ve cooked stones in sweat lodges and it always turns them pink or red inside and the color was visible on the outside as well.They usually ended up splitting after two or three heats,probably from the shock of cold water being thrown on them.I"ve been to this stone but never thought to check it's color:)
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,358
340
Near Mt. Misery
A big thanks to Guy for designing a great hike!! Just to keep things in perspective with the cedars that we found....which were exceptionally large. this is the mutha which measured 9'8.75" about 10 years ago.

Steve is about 6'5" and weighs about 26o lbs in this photo
24581089749_e4901b20ab.jpg


Here I am 5' 11" about 180lbs standing a few feet behind it.
24653223220_0cd8c354a1.jpg


This really was a great hike with lots of old ruins/disturbance from long ago. A little bit of everything.

Jeff
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
Yes, I do believe the Mutha was bigger at breast height.

Interesting thought: we only saw a portion of that swamp Saturday. We walked in almost single file. What else is out there?

Mutha's Father?
 
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