Date: 2019-07-03
From: Mohican Outdoor Center 

To: Buttermilk Falls Trail Campsite 
Miles today: 10.1

Very good night of sleep. Anticipated rain storm turned out to only be a few brief period of showers during the night. Tent was dry as bone in the morning. Good news because a wet tent would have sloed my start as I dried it first.Legacy and Death March Dan were at the Lodge leaving as I arrived to top off water. Because they¢ve been hiking so very long I guessed we wouldn¢t see each other again. They were planning on about 4 more miles today than me. That said, of course I caught up with them. We hiked together to my campsite. On climbs they¢d pull ahead but I caught up a bit after each. (Picture of them at one of the nice views along the trail today) Nearing the end of my day it became clearly evident my fitness was not nearly enough to press on with them. One last rock climb and the most arduous of the day, proved that. The plan was for them to take a long ¢pack off" break at my campsite before moving on. While there they demonstrated the PCT bear hanging method for me. NJ is known for the most active bear population along the whole of the AT. We also determined that my source of water was .8 of a mile downhill¢¦that would be a total of 1.6 more miles on my already exhausted legs/body. Decision time. How badly did I really need that water or did I have enough to cook dinner and make it to the next water about 1.4 miles up the trail. Probably could do that¢¦But. This had been s hot day. I was needing water and a lot of it if I was to recover for tomorrow. For me really no decision and I had previously on the AT done similar distances for water. I set up camp. Even hung my bear bag just in case of an unwanted visitor¢¦very unlikely in late afternoon. I loaded my little in-town pack with filter and dirty and clean water containers. Headed downhill. As I was leaving a group of day hikers from New York City we had seen earlier came by. They had come up this trail (Buttermilk Falls) and were heading back down to their car. They said there was not a spring or any water on the trail until at the actual falls about 2 miles. Trusting my Guthook guide, I figured and certainly hoped they just didn¢t see the spring. Much of the trail going down was steep¢¦I constantly prayed there was water source to be found¢¦and dreaded the hike back up¢¦especially if no water. In fact I would be in significant trouble if no water!!I did have to search. A large area of ferns in a very shaded area indicated that water had at least been there. About 50 to 75 feet off trail I spotted trickling water over a large mossy rock. Bushwhacking over I heard several frogs jump in and PTL there were pools and running water. Filled my bottles, drank about 1 liter to hopefully get me back up hill. Up was just dreadful. Dead legs, hot day, and stopping about every 200 yards¢¦. Finally got up but if I wasn¢t already totally exhausted, I was now. I must have just sat for another hour wiping sweat and sipping a little water to catch my breath before starting to filter and refill. The effort had sapped my appetite, which is not good when in need of recovery. Luckily we had arrived quite early in the so enough daylight yet still to gain my appetite. Don¢t know what time but as I was starting to cook, another hiker arrived. Shakera (?) a lady who just happened to be from Cincinnati. Go figure. Terrace Park to be exact. She was only going to be hiking a fee day. Having started very near, about 3 miles, she elected to conserve remaining water and get it up trail. No one else came in. For me it was recovery.. drink as much water as I could¢¦but sparing what I would need tomorrow and early to bed.Blessings,