Date: 2018-06-20
From: NJ 94 - Rickey Farms

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: clear sky

The day started with a climb up to Walawanda Mountain. The trail ascended out of the valley into an old growth forest with giant boulders strewn along the mountainside. A big black blob next to one of the boulders caused me to pause. Yep, it¢s a bear; and a big one at that. It was about 50 yards to my front and was casually moving across the trail. I talked to it some and clanged my hiking poles together to let it know I was in the area. It didn¢t seem to care. What¢s this? Another bear came trudging up the mountain, behind the boulder and across the trail. Then a third bear. It was then that I realized that it was a sow and her two full grown cubs. If I had seen either of the cubs alone, I would have assumed it was an adult bear. I wasn¢t sure what they are eating to get so big, so fast, but I hoped it wasn¢t hikers! After the bears moved a safe distance away, I continued on the path, now below them. A few minutes later I was climbing the steep part of the mountain, known as ¢The Stairway to Heaven¢. I had stopped to talk to a chipmunk (yes, I talk to the wildlife) when Iron Man came up behind me. We continued together to the top and took in an amazing view that spanned beyond High Point, all the way back to Delaware Water Gap. I descended a bit and then the trail surface became quite gentle. It remained that way for most of what was left of New Jersey. After several miles of ¢easy¢ hiking I took a side trail to the Wawayanda State Park HQs. I did some stretching and got water while my phone charged a bit. Soon after I started walking again I came across the frog-filled Kazmar Pond. The hiking remained easy until about 2:00, when I reached the New York State Line. The trail had been following the NJ/NY border since High Point, occasionally dipping into New York. The trail took a turn northeast and the marker signified that I was leaving New Jersey for the final time¢8 states down, 6 to go!I had heard that New York contained some pretty challenging obstacles. Well, the first three miles certainly confirmed that. I was almost immediately greeted by a rock scramble as I worked my way up the open rocky ridge leading to Prospect Rock, the highest point on the AT in New York. From there the trail hit a series of dips down and climbs up crags and huge slabs of granite with what looked like marble and some lava rock (giving it a purplish tint). There is a lot going on in these rocks from a geological point of view. This novice mind just knew that it looked cool and was fun to hike over. Several rock croppings also served as amazing vistas, with multiple views of Greenwood Lake and Sterling Ridge. There were several times during the hike where I was using my hands and feet to get over rock obstacles. One rock was so steep that climbing rungs were inserted into a rock wall to assist hikers. About three miles trail south of NY Route 17A the trail turned gentle again. It was a good thing because I was getting hungry and ready to make a beeline for the Bellvale Farms Creamery, located about a 1/4 mile down the highway. When I was about a half mile out I decided that ice cream alone would not make for a balanced meal, so I googled ¢pizza.¢ Franks Pizza got great reviews and they would deliver to the creamery. Forty minutes later I was demolishing a large salad and delicious New York style pizza. I washed it down with a cold soda made at the creamery. Then it was a large dip of some of the smoothest chocolate ice cream I have ever had. Now I was ready to hike the final 2.5 miles to the Wildcat Shelter. On the way to the shelter, I passed over the Eastern Pinnacles, with its open Rocky Crags and Cat Rocks, which were rocky ledges with huge crevices cut into the rocks. Both provided fun obstacles and good views. It was already dusk when I reached the shelter and dark soon after I got set up and climbed in my tent. No birds were chirping tonight. Instead, it was the droning buzz of swarming mosquitoes. It¢s okay, they are out there and I¢m in here, feeling happy, and full!Peace & Blessings - Next Stepp.s. More pics to follow...poor signal/low batteryElevation Data: n/aAscent - 3,080Descent - 2,480Grade - 6.2Weather:Day - 77 / Mostly CloudyNight - 58 / Rain Showers Over the Horizon: Bear Mountain, NY