Date: 2011-05-06
From: Rutherford Shelter, NJ

To: Jim Murray Property, NJ
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"Our hike today took us to the High Point State Park Headquarters. We were able to restock our 5 day food supply. Left knee was sore, but let an EMT check it out and I am free to continue hiking. We ended today's hike at the Jim Murray property."We awoke about 2 a.m. to find cool temperatures, but no rain. The top of our sleeping bag was again moist from condensation. We lifted the tarp to check on our backpack which we had hung just under the shelter roof in sight of our hammock. Panic! Nothing. All we saw was the black interior of the shelter, until we made out a small patch of blue near the roof line. Of course, the back of our pack is mostly black and black on black is invisible in low light. Whew! We also noted the shelter was conspicuously empty and there were no new tents about. IRover still had not made it to the shelter.We laid back down, but now fully awake from the sudden burst of adrenalin coursing through our veins. That gave us time to reconsider what to do concerning reporting IRover missing the next day. As IRover seemed well equipped and somewhat experienced the few times we met, we decided to not file any reports just yet, but to wait and see what information the day may reveal.We drifted back to sleep and arose around eight. We arose and took our sleeping bag over to the picnic table and spread it out for the sun to dry. On the way back from the privy, we emptied the bear box of our food stuffs and returned to the table and started breakfast. We still had very little appetite which concerned us as the previous year found our appetite suppressed the first few days and ravenous by the fifth day. We should have a case of the "hiker hungeries" starting. We ate some tuna and had some hot chocolate.After breakfast we broke camp, repacked our pack and took time to do some trail maintenance. We removed several bench support logs from the illegal fire pit and reassembled two benches. We also picked up most of the litter we found scattered about the picnic table area and added it to our growing trash bag.We started back up the blue blaze trail to the AT, pausing to gather a liter of fresh water at the swamp along the way. We carefully climbed the rock slab to regain the white blazed path along its top and set off north.Mid-morning we found ourselves at a lovely overlook above Sawmill Lake. We had spotted the radio tower beside the park HQ building just moments before. We were close to our main event of the day - picking up our maildrop! We quickly set off down the trail in front of the overlook, cursing the trail maintainers as we carefully descended several steep down climbs to another overlook below. It was then we noticed the lack of white blazes. Damn! Off trail again, except this time we were sure we couldn't safely climb back up to the last known blaze. I could see campers along the lake, yet would likely need to be "rescued". We took a moment to have a bit of candy and some water and think about our situation. We knew the trail ran along the radio tower to our right, so the trail had to be above us and to our right. We noted some game trails used by dear running to our right. Perhaps we could work ourselves right and then find a thin area of thicket and bushwack ourselves back onto the white blazes. We kept going right and finding the situation no better. Finally, we found an area that seems thin enough for us to fight our way back up at a diagonal. Ten or fifteen minutes later we found a worn path adorned with white blazes in both directions. Turning left we hustled north again.Due to our getting "lost" we didn't arrive at the park HQ until 1 p.m., an hour after our planned arrival time. We went to the visitor center and asked Renee if she might have a maildrop for "Timothy Lee." Renee checked under the counter and produced the very box we had mailed a week earlier. Renee said she had received the box on Monday, just 3 days after we mailed it. We inquired about a soda machine as we thought low blood sugar and/or low salt might be effecting our hiking. None, but Renee offered to have a ranger pick one up for us on the way back. Renee radioed Victor who informed Renee there was some soda upstairs. Renee returned with a 2 liter bottle and transferred some into one of our water bottles. We left $2 so they could restock for other hikers in need. We also asked about a Wilderness EMT who might could evaluate our sore knee. Renee said Victor was their EMT. WE said we'd wait for Victor's return and set about having lunch on one of the many large benches in the visitor center. We also availed ourselves of the large window sills above electrical outlets to recharge of phone. Victor arrived shortly and looked at the knee. He didn't see any trauma and could only offer an Ace wrap and ice pack. As we had an Ace wrap in our first aid kit we thanked Victor all the same. Victor discussed our loss of appetite and suggested we may have low potassium as we were not diabetic. Victor recommended apple juice instead of soda as a possible remedy. having lunched, recharged, diagnosed and filled our water bottles, we strapped our maildrop box atop our pack and set out north around 2:10 p.m..We quickly crossed the highway and found the trail, which just as quickly went from grass to troublesome rocks. About 3, we found ourselves below the viewing platform. We climbed up the platform and dropped our pack onto a convenient bench. We took a few photos of the monument and the surrounding terrain. We donned our pack, climbed down the staircase and resumed our travels along the path now going down. Just before we reached the road below we again realized there were no white blazes. We did it again! Twice on the same day within just hours. Really! We continued down to the road and turned towards the monument as we knew from our research that a blue blaze trail ran from the AT to the monument. Just up the hill and around the corner we spotted the blue blaze trail which actually was more green than blue. We descended the blue blaze trail and moments later found ourselves intersecting the white blazes again. We turned left and continued to descend, still over rocks and roots.About four o'clock we heard the sound of running water. High Point shelter was listed as having water, perhaps we were near. Moments later we saw a blue blaze trail to our right. Event though we were hours behind schedule, we would likely never pass this way again in our life, so we followed the trail south and discovered a very nice shelter just over the creek. We took a break, dropped our pack on the table and retrieved the shelter log book. There in the log was an entry by Irover. IRover was here about 1 p.m. and stated that he had left his food bag in the bear box at Mashipacong shelter and had to double back the previous evening. Seems IRover passed us when I was having fun bushwacking. We dated our log entry and quickly resumed our hike.The trail from the shelter south was much improved and was mostly clear of rocks. We were able to increase our speed and make up some lost time. Shortly after leaving the shelter we were overtaken by a soon to graduate engineer who planned to go into ministry instead of engineering. We hiked together exchanging ideas until we reached Route 419 about 4:45. Our minister to be remained behind and we crossed the busy highway and continued southeast, now following the New York border somewhere to our left. The trail kept losing altitude as we went over small rises and down longer sections. We crossed several rock walls, pastures, and fences. At one point, just below a farm pond we missed a left turn and found ourselves wandering in wet swampy goo. Backing up to the fence we had just crossed we found the turn and followed long the pond's earthen dam. Every twenty or thirty minutes we crossed a road. Knowing we were near the Jim Murray property we kept a keen eye out for a non-descript sign saying "water" that signaled and unmarked route to Jim's property and the so-called "secret" shelter. Finally, just before 7:30 as we were tiring we spotted a small white sign on a tree across a recently graded dirt road saying "water 100 yards" and an arrow pointing left. Where we here finally? WE turned left and walked up the road to find on our left a grassy hillside with a water faucet and several small buildings, one of which we recognized from other hiker's photos online. Beside the main building we saw a small green tent. "Hello in the tent!" we hailed. We were surprised when instead of the now familiar IRover we saw an older woman's face appear. Oops! We apologized and headed uphill away from the tent to another building with a raised front porch at sitting height. We dropped our pack and started making camp using two old fruit trees nearby. After we hung our hammock we, started dinner. As we were cooking an older male approached. Was this Jim? No. Our visitor identified himself as the husband of the earlier lady in the tent. They were section hikers from Orlando and were finishing New Jersey at High Point State Park. They had a camper awaiting and were driving to Connecticut to finish a section there. We exchanged information on trail conditions and water availability and then wished each other well on the trail.As night fell, we sat on the porch eating tuna, hot pork Ramen soup, hot chocolate, and some of the Pepsi we had saved for this very moment. The sky had cleared and we had a great seat there on the porch as the stars slowly appeared in the night sky.Thus ended the fifth day.