The Woods of Cave Cabin and Long Branch

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,693
4,864
Pines; Bamber area
Greetings! :cool:

The PBX crew performed one of our explorations yesterday. The trip was designed by Guy and was conducted deep in the woods near the Forked River Mountains.

This land is a mixture of high uplands interspersed with the ravines of several headwaters of the Forked River and Oyster Creek. The Cave Cabin Branch and Long Branch both run to the North Branch of the Forked River, while Cold Spring Branch runs to the Oyster Creek.

We had a plan. We were looking for the fabled black hamlet deep in these woods. We also wanted to hit some high spots, including 2 hills (1 as high as Forked River Mountain) as well as a visit to Chicken Bone ridge, which is a dividing ridge between the Forked River and Oyster Creek. Our final destination was the long-abandoned Albert Brothers Home-place, where many fox hunts began and many an evening was spent pickin and plucking on banjos.

This trip was strenuous. It ended up being 6.4 miles of grueling, difficult hiking through very dense huckleberry. I was amazed at the dense vegetation, even if it has been 18 years since the big fire of '95. The huckleberry were like constant straggly fingers trying to slow you down and trip you up. This trip, in all seriousness, was 85% difficult, 5% very difficult, 5% virtually impassable without a struggle, and 5% fairly easy going. We were in stuff so thick that a big buck refused to move himself until Chris (Hewey) stopped right next to it.

Here is the plan, and right below it the tracks from yesterday. The tracks were supplied by Guy. Also some photos to enjoy.

There were not a lot of photos because of the dense woods. We were in many desolate locations. The one hill we were on was marked 184 on the map, but my altimeter read 190 feet. These hills were not visited by off-road vehicles, which is very rare in the pines. Nor were there paths leading up them. The feeling of wild country was great, which is why I gave it a 9 out of 10. I love those wild spots. But overall the crew gave it a 7.9. It was a difficult slog.
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RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
After suffering the tragic loss of my son's 5 year old lab Hank (who lived with us) last week, I really needed this hike to help my healing.
Hank was the best dog, hunter and the gentlest soul I have ever known and he will never be replaced.

With that weighing on my mind, I wanted to bring my dog Murphy on the hike to enjoy his life in his prime. Murph is a 4 year old male springer with more energy than the sun and a love for the big woods and people. Other dogs, not so much.

The hike was very difficult, as Bob said, and the ground cover really took its toll toward the end. Murph started slowing in the last hour because he was bounding most of the day to get through. He started to sit and ponder obstacles before deciding whether to tunnel under or jump over.

It was a beautiful fall day to be alive in the biggest of the big woods and I thank Bob and Guy for putting it together.

My pics are very much dog related.

The Murph looking mean and lean in is Ne-O-Prene.


Protecting the undead.


Still energetic in the last hour.


Barely able to keep his eyes open.


Down for the count a few minutes later.


Woke up long enough for the parting photo.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,984
8,737
The view from behind.

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Looking uphill on one of the ridges.

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This hunter has a 6 volt battery wired to a cigarette lighter connector to add electricity for his creature comforts.

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Bob trying to get a better view.

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Wood sex.

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Taking a break in an area where someone partially cut down a bunch of trees and they continued to grow at odd angles. Chris called one a "piney goalpost" as the distorted trees looked like a goalpost.


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And in the distance Gabe noticed a wooden sign that I walked down to and checked out. How many of you know of this place? It is a really nice cedar swamp area.


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And finally, Chris informed us that this was the name of the Albert Brothers favorite dog and you can see his paw print and Joe Alberts initial somewhat below it. This was on the porch of his house.

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Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,984
8,737
Hector was at the Albert Brothers home place. That was his dog. The tracks are in Bob's post. There was no water in any of the ponds. Bone dry!
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,064
3,341
Pestletown, N.J.
I don't see the tracks?
Where is that purty blue pond? I don't see it on the plan.

Al,
It's a huge stormwater basin that collects surface water runoff from the base of the adjoining capped landfill.
Amazingly clean looking and I found some pickerel frames up in the woods picked clean by a critter of some denomination.
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
The day started out on the chilly side. A frosty spung towards the beginning of the hike.


An area with all young pine.


The Piney goal post tree.


Dry woods.


The only cedar swamp of the day.


Murph at the only water crossing of the day.


Chris
 
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