30.04.2012
Day 1 of the Slack Packing Extravaganza...High Point, NJ.
After a 4 hour drive through some of the most urban areas of NJ, we broke free of suburbia, and entered the wilderness of Northern Jersey. We decided to warm up a little bit before we went to setup camp at our lean-to in Stokes State Forest. Warm up we did as the trail climbs rapidly from the lower parking area up to the monument at the highest point in NJ. From there (after we soaked in the views for a bit) we tracked along the ridge looking out over NJ, NY and PA. To the south we could see the Lehigh Water Gap, and the ridge line we followed last spring while section hiking the AT. Also to the south, but hidden from view, lay the Delaware Water Gap, our destination along the AT both last fall, and for the following morning.
From the ridge we dropped into a cedar swamp...actually the highest white cedar swamp in the world...a common sight in the Pine Barrens, but very unusual at this elevation. We then climbed back up to the ridge that formed the opposite frame of the valley, and took in the expanse of the Water Gap Wilderness Area before finally looping back to our vehicles.
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