Three River Crossing, a PBX Hike.

[Teegate]

On February 7, of this year, all of the PBX (Pine Barren Explorers) members received this abbreviated letter from Bob Moyer (BobM).


******************
This is advance notice of an upcoming trip in May of this year. The name of the trip is “Three River Crossingâ€

This will be a unique and strenuous trip, our longest to date. Starting out from route 206 a mile or so south of Atsion Lake, we will cross the heart of the Pine Barrens. In doing so, we will have to cross 3 rivers: the Mullica, the Batsto, and the Wading.

We will not be using any man-made bridges. We have to rely only upon our wits and our swimming ability to get across. Total trip length about 10.5 miles (as the crow flies).

We’ll have to travel light and keep moving at a decent pace.

I am trying to arrange a quick cookout onsite after the trip. We will end up at Wading Pines campground. The trip will be officially completed when we cross the Wading and land on their property. Or, as an alternate, we can take a short break and continue on to 563, so that we can say we walked straight through the woods from route 206 to route 563. No minor feat.

I am announcing this trip early so those of you who are thinking of coming can get in better shape.

As we get closer, if anyone is foolish enough to join me, I will give exact coordinates and logistics for meeting times, car drop offs, and directions.

You may ask, how can we do this? I have to ask, how can we not? No one has ever done something like this, we’ll be the first, and probably the last.

Happy Trails...........Bob
**************


In the end 7 of us decided to attempt this trip, and over the next few months all of the logistics were discussed, and abandoned or approved, and a May 14th date was set. We decided we wanted to hike the complete route from 206 to 563, and the plans were put into place to accomplish this.

One of the ideas was to place water in advance at three locations along the route. So yesterday Bob and I took off from work, and along with Jessica and Ed (ecampbell) we accomplished that. We took GPS reading of the locations and send them to all who were going. Then we headed home for an early start this morning.

At 4AM this morning I awoke and prepared my gear, and at 5AM headed to the ending point of our hike on 563 to be there to drop off the vehicle we needed to drive us from the end of our hike back to the Wading Pines Campground where we were having a BBQ. But because of a situation beyond our control, we had to abandoned the last section of the hike to 563. We decided to end it at Wading Pines Campground instead of 563.

We all arrived at Wading Pines, suited up, and with Speed Racer Bob at the wheel, we heading through the woods to Atsion with all of us in Bob's truck. Bob's son came along to drive Bob's truck home after we arrived at 206.

So shortly at 7AM this morning, with high hopes, we began the hike we had been planning since February. Here is our motley crew.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/405-1/IMG_5385.jpg

There were 7 of us, which including Jeff (woodjin), Bob (BobM), Steve (Behr655), Ed (ecampbell), me, and two other members of our group.

The first portion of our hike took us directly through the Great Swamp. We had been expecting heavy water but the lack of rain lately eased that quite a bit. In less than two hours we had reached the Mullica, and had forged it by actually walking across in 3-4 feet of water.

From there we continued on to the Batsto River a few miles away, and crossed that which was much deeper.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/410-1/IMG_5394.jpg

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http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/416-1/IMG_5396.jpg

Shortly after Jeff found two Pines snakes trying to mate. The male would bite down around her neck to initiate this event. We disturbed them and took these, and they then returned to finish what they started.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/419-1/IMG_5398.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/422-1/IMG_5399.jpg

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http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/467-1/IMG_5405_001.jpg

A discussion at an intersection.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/440-1/IMG_5411.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/443-1/IMG_5412.jpg

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/446-1/IMG_5413.jpg

Our last break near the end.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/449-1/IMG_5416.jpg

Our final river crossing....the Wading.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/452-1/IMG_5418.jpg

And our well deserved dinner at the end. We arrived around 5:20 PM, almost to the minute I had guessed we would arrive. Remember, we had started at 7AM.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/455-1/IMG_5419.jpg

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http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/461-1/IMG_5424.jpg

In the end we had traveled over 12 miles from 206 South of Atsion, through the Great Swamp, across the Mullica just a few hundred yards from Quaker Bridge, across the Batsto River, and through the heart of the Wharton Forest to the Wading Pines Campground. To see our route check out these maps. The "Alt" written on them is an alternate route in the event of problems. We did not have to use it fortunately.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/Hike1.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/Hike2.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/Hike3.jpg

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/Hike4.jpg

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

How bad was the Great Swamp crossing?

 

[Teegate]

Not a problem. Very dry. A surprise for us!

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

Not a problem. Very dry. A surprise for us!

Guy

How is the vegitation? Wall to wall briars like I found in Colliers Mills? Or is it more or less "dodge the Cedar trees"?

 

[Teegate]

How is the vegitation? Wall to wall briars like I found in Colliers Mills? Or is it more or less "dodge the Cedar trees"?

It was mostly "dodge the cedar trees". We encountered in my opinion very few briars. We did avoid one section where there possibly may have been some by skirting it, so there may have been more if we had to go through that.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

Good report Guy. Great company and a very good trip. What did we rate it on the 10 scale, about 9.5? Only the afternoon heat made it "really" tough, other than that slog through the swamp on the other side of the Batsto River.

What I thought was pretty amazing was being able to wade across all three rivers, despite all the rumors about the depth of the Mullica and the Batsto.

This trip forced us all to get in good shape in preparation which is always a good side benefit.

I really liked the open areas in the Great Swamp with the Sand Myrtle. I also was impressed with the waypoint "seeing eye". A man could hide out there for quite awhile, away from society, without ever having to hear traffic or other noise. I'll be you could sink a small hand-well there and live like a "piney king" in the middle of the great megalopolis that is Philly and New York.

 

[BEHR655]

Yes it was a great trip. I would just like to point out to Bob that I met Paul at 6:00am and left the camp ground at 8:30pm......14.5 hours.
We were fortunate that the conditions were good, except for the heat, and we made much better time than I had anticipated.
Here is our track:

You can view some shots from the trip here:
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=317

Thanks Bob for a great trip and not believing my predictions.

Steve

 

[BEHR655]

I guess I didn't have enough yesterday. I ended up hiking approxamately another 7 to 8 miles today at Palmyra Cove, Amico Island and Rancocas Wildlife.

Steve

 

[Ben Ruset]

I guess the big question is "how sore is everybody?"

 

[bobpbx]

I guess the big question is "how sore is everybody?"

I am not sore at all. We all prepared as best we can. I was walking up to 7 miles every other day in the Forked River Mountains for 3 weeks prior to the walk. I am surprised to see that Bear did another 7 miles the following day. That is really good and shows he is in pretty good shape right now.

The trick is for all of us to not get too caught up in life and keep it up. But I realize I won't. I'll get caught up in summer, and working around the house, and the pine flies won't let me out there, and the humidity is defeating, etc, etc. But come next fall, I'll start walking again. I was pleasantly surprised to find I really do like walking on the sandy roads back in the mountains. I really thought I could only bushwack to find enjoyment. Now I hike and will bushwack if I see an interesting spot.

Say....maybe I'll do the Appalachian Trail next year

 

[ecampbell]

A few pictures

I wasn't sore at all and my feet held up better than I thought they would. I had 6 ticks on me but I got them before they dug in deep.

The bird house in the middle of the Great Swamp. It was on the ground, we put it in the tree to photograpg it.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=3

Snakes
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=4
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=309&pos=5

A great day!

Ed

 

[Rubibee]

B R A V O

Way to go guys!!!! That was quite a hike you guys did. I loved all the photos, especially the "skivvies" pics, ha ha ha. Just wanted to say congrats on making it out safely and no one got hurt. But what I really want to know: who got chiggers sitting on the ground at your "discussion at an intersection" picture.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I don't think chiggers are out yet.

 

[woodjin]

Not sore at all. I had prepared for the hike starting mid march, so I was physically ready well ahead of time.

Jeff