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ramapo

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Everything posted by ramapo

  1. I'm disappointed that I'm going to miss another Step Off but I'll be out in Chicago for my daughter's graduation. However I'm excited to see that there's a new cache awaiting me in Chicago so perhaps I'll have my own Sunrise Step Off out there. Enjoy the hike and watch out for rattlesnakes. Hope to make the next one...
  2. I was out exploring yesterday with Citicar up in the watershed. We were hunting for mine pits and I went up to the top of a hill to check out a clearing. I stopped on a large, flat rocky area to survey the area when I was startled (ok, scared) by a loud rattle. I jumped back and looked down to my left and there about 10-15 ft away was a very big and healthy-looking rattler. I'm not sure how close I had actually gotten to the snake but it was too close. We were able to observe him from a safe distance and got some pictures. He didn't budge as he was happily basking in the sun.
  3. Sorry I missed this one. Looks like it was a great but wet time. I guess the bears slept in today too...I had everything set to go this morning, thought I had set my alarm...but neglected to enable it after setting the time. Jumped out of bed at 6:45am with not a chance of making the step off. Couldn't even go back to sleep as I was so annoyed about missing the hike. Went exploring Federal Hill this afternoon as a consolation. Hope to make the next one....
  4. I also had a great time on Sunday. It was a fine hike with a fine group of fellow adventurers. The snow squall added a nice touch even though we were anticipating a sunny 40-degree morning. My thanks too to Chris for the coin. Our easy hike was treacherous enough with the ice hiding under the newly fallen snow. The trip up to Terrace Pond would've been unpleasant at best and quite possibly dangerous for young and old alike. Though I'm usually game for most any trek in the woods, after having gotten a look at the local conditions I was quite relieved at the change in destination. I've never gone out with crampons and I'm not sure that this would've been a good learning experience either. I'm looking forward to the next early morning outing. With the change to DST, we could get a very early start if we want to hold somewhat true to a Sunrise Step Off, though it might be somewhat painful to get up that early. However, we'd have more time out before turning into pumpkins and risking "the look" upon arriving home late from the hike. I'm not around for 3/18 as I'll be in Chicago to visit the kids but I'm good for 3/25. I think I've done all those caches but I'm more than happy to go along for the hike. The other possible venues sound good, especially the Meadowlands canoe trip. This is another one of those things that I've been meaning to do forever and just haven't gotten around to doing. Nothing like a group outing for inspiration.
  5. I haven't been racking up new cache finds as frequently simply because I've gotten to nearly all that are relatively close and convenient. It certainly isn't the weather, which up to two weeks ago was downright balmy. I don't mind the cold at all, although I'm less likely to make a long trek in this weather, and I do prefer it over the hot. Now to get a new cache I have to drive for a good 30-45 minutes, then make the hike and search, then the return drive, so it becomes more of a problem to find the time to go off for a hunt. The many personal safety comments are interesting. I do now make sure I have plenty of water, proper clothing, batteries, and my cell phone. Certainly I've gotten better from when I'd go off hiking sans even a map (I use to wind up in the strangest places). But I admit to not going out as thoroughly prepared as I might be, although I make more of an effort for longer hikes in the more isolated areas. I am now slightly more concerned about bears after seemingly having briefly been a person of interest to a bear up in Ringwood a couple of months ago. I now have a bear whistle and my common sense, which I hope is enough for any future encounters. Also, I'm more careful in regards to snakes. I try not to think about mountain lions, if there are really any of them out there looking for lone geocachers. I try not to do anything stupid or overextend myself but accidents can happen I'll continue hiking alone much of the time only because I'd not get out much if I waited for the far less frequent opportunities to go out with a buddy.
  6. Map heaven! I think I discovered this site awhile back and forgot about it. Someplace I have a link to a site with old topo maps which I find particulary fascinating. I also am fascinated by the railroad maps...if we only had soem of those rail lines in place today ...though we might be missing some fine railtrails. Thanks....I'm going to get mapped!
  7. I was up near Pierson Ridge in Ringwood State Park today in an aborted go at the new cache there but I just ran out of time. As I was following the carriage roads down to the white trail, I spooked a good-sized bear that was evidently not far off the trail, around a bend and up ahead of me. He ran off into the woods and then stopped to check me out. I had been thinking about bushwhacking down because, if you know the area, there are long switchbacks that really add to your mileage. Once I saw him, I figured I better stick to the trail and leave the rest of the woods to the bear. I continue on noisily, pick up the white trail and wind up cutting back in the direction towards where I passed the bear, but a good bit lower in elevation. So, who do I see off to my right but Mr Bear. He's thankfully still back in the woods a bit, but checking me out again. I step up my pace a bit and get louder. A few hundred feet ahead, I glance over my shoulder and guess who is now following me down the trail? This is where I begin to get more than just a little disconcerted. It looked as if the bear was just ambling along, but he was still going in my direction. I didn't really think he was following me, but it sure felt that way, enough to have thoughts about what to do if he really was following me! I moved along faster, as quickly as I could without drawing attention. I rounded a bend and lost sight of him. I guess he found something better to do with his afternoon since I didn't see him again. Not that I stopped to let him catch up! I was painfully aware that he could run a lot faster than me... A little scare for Friday the 13th.
  8. All are less than 10 miles from home. One requires a boat. Another requires a boat , waders, or a long dry spell. Five are in NY state! I just don't go in that direction much. One is new. One is unavailable due to bat season. One is in the swamp, maybe this winter.. The rest are scattered about in the woods. I'll get to them soon although one I might save one for a special occasion.
  9. Space Farms! Great memories...haven't been there in many, many years. Poor Goliath, the giant kodiak bear stuck in a cage. And you never forget Mr. Space going into the snakepit. Mr. Space, what a great name....
  10. Well I didn't have my camera or my snake ID book but it was either a rattlesnake or a very good facsimile... It had a diamond-shaped head and yellow and brownish/grayish bands. I didn't see the rattle itself as I had backed away and each time I moved towards it for a look, he rattled pretty loudly. The snake must've been on the young side, maybe 24-30" as a very rough guess (he stretched across a fairly wide trail). What was more obvious was that it wasn't that large in circumference. I've certainly seen bigger snakes. I didn't know that other snakes rattle. I can only hope that the local copperheads would be as obliging.... Finally... "and B, being aware that other snakes may make a rattling sound is a good thing for ANYBODY to know - especially since it may save the life of beneficial non-poisonous snakes. " I really hope that anybody out hiking has enough respect for wildlife to leave a snake alone, be it rattling or not, not to mention that rattlesnakes are a protected species.
  11. Wild turkeys and deer scare me all the time. On Sunday a large deer broke near the trail when I was almost back to the car. I must've jumped 10 feet, higher than from the snake. The rattlesnake just startled me (ok, I did jump back and probably even muttered something loudly). I too have sometimes been less than careful while geocaching. One thing I don't ever do is stick my hand where I can't see. I usually use a stick when checking spots, but not always as I'll sometimes move rocks by hand without really checking around them. I'm always careful hiking/climbing in rocky areas, especially sunny slopes but I do tromp places that I probably shouldn't, especially through high brush where you just can't see what you're stepping into. Probably a good rule of thumb is one the one used when driving at night. Don't go any faster than you can safely and clearly see ahead.
  12. Thanks for the comments...I've always had the same impression as you both in regards to snakebite kits but the one I came across was referenced on the California Poison Control website page regarding snakebites, so I gave it some credence. The Sawyer Extractor is a suction pump, there's no cutting of any kind required. Interesting how you find conflicting advice though. I've seen recommendations to keep the affected limb lower than the heart, you quote level with the heart. Some say tie something loosely above the bite to reduce the venom traveling through the lymphatic system. Never tie a tourniquet though. Your advice is sensible and likely the best route for all but the most serious of situations. I didn't think the snake was really chasing me, it was just funny that he decided to pick that route to get away. I'm sure he was as anxious to be left alone as I was.
  13. I was hiking in the Newark watershed yesterday and had my first snake encounter since I was about five years old when I almost stepped on a copperhead, back in the day when rattlesnakes and copperheads still called Hawthorne, NJ home. I was on the red trail headed towards Needful Things from the fire tower. I was moving at a good clip, and the trail was fairly open, although it was grassy. As often the case when hiking, I was kind of in a zone, thinking about stuff while enjoying the day, just like driving on autopilot. Now and then I'd make some noise to alert any bruins in the area. Suddenly I was jolted into awareness by a very loud rattle. Just ahead, not more than a handful of steps, was a good-sized rattlesnake lying in the grass in the middle of the trail. Had he not warned me, I would've been upon him in seconds. He was not visible to me when I heard the rattle. I backed off to a safe distance and watched to see what he was going to do. I took a step forward to get a better look and he rattled again. Then he started to move, not into the brush but down the trail towards me. So I backed down the trail searching for a detour. I found one and moved very carefully around his location and then back to the trail. What was a bit disconcerting was that when I got back to the trail, I couldn't see him any longer, so after a very careful look, I quickly moved out of the area. Of course I didn't have my camera with me, although I don't think I would've gotten much of a picture anyway. I certainly wouldn't have gone any closer to him to get a portrait. But he was a good-looking snake. Snakes were on my mind for the rest of the hike. I've been thinking about my situation had I been bitten. I was alone, and at least a good 30-minutes from my car, not that hiking out would've been a sensible option. I guess a call to 911 would've been first on the list, followed by remaining calm and still, while waiting for assistance. Some googling today brought me to a page for the Sawyer Extractor, which is a simple vacuum device that will remove up to half the venom. Might not be a bad idea to carry one, just in case. Although the chance of getting bitten is slim, I consider myself warned to be more aware. I always knew rattlers are out there but there's nothing like a face-to-face encounter to make you take them a bit more seriously. The problem is that snakes are made to blend into the environment so you're not supposed to see them. Also, I just read that the snake's rattles don't work when wet. I hope the snakes stay in their dens when it rains. So be careful out there, not just when searching rocks but along the trail at all times. It's not just the bears and mountain lions that you have to watch out for.
  14. Wow, that is the worst damage I've seen. Things were pretty bad around here a few years ago, especially in the Ramapo SF area but nothing like what this picture shows. I was hunting caches up above Monksville Reservoir a few weeks ago and there were a lot of caterpillers but not much damage yet. Don't know how it is now. I've seen little to no damage in Northern Bergen County. I was over at Mt. Beacon on Monday and there were just a few caterpillers.
  15. ramapo

    Routes

    I was wishing for this feature last September when I drove my son out to Chicago. I just now tried out a query on an Oakland-to-Chicago drive and I had caches on both ends of the trip show up that I've found plus plenty along the way that I haven't. When you get the directions from Google it gives you an estimated travel time. Now if we could get an estimated time that included stopping along the way for all the caches... This is great.
  16. Not to be an alarmist but mountain lions have eaten a couple of hikers out in California over the past few years.
  17. I like the Halifax route up from the Reservation to what was once the Yellow trail which heads right to Davidson. I've also followed some of the other unmarked trails through the area up to the old farm site. It is a good hike but not that difficult. You just need the time available for a nice, long walk. That said, I have to say that the area itself is kind of creepy...lots of shotgun shells and beer cans littering the area (not a good combination) and this was before the recent events up there. There are a number of rusted hulks of cars and other debris along the way for the amateur anthropologist to examine. The Davidson ruins are very interesting and I haven't fully explored that part of the park so I'll head back up there sometime. The problem with it being such a long walk is that each time that I've gotten there, it was time to head back so next time I will allocate plenty of time.
  18. Ticks are everywhere and unless I stay indoors it is not at all unlikely that I'll pick one up in the next week or two even if I don't go geocaching/hiking. I've gotten ticks in my yard and walking dogs at the local animal shelter (once in a small wooded area and a few times from sitting in the grass). I picked a tick off our indoor cat a few weeks ago, it must've hitched a ride home from the shelter. I now check carefully after leaving there. I've picked up ticks doing a simple lunchtime cache that just involved ducking through some bushes at a local park. This was my only tick bite. We all have to be very careful. I use spray, stop frequently while hiking to check for ticks and always right after going through brush. It is creepy to pick off 5-10 ticks at a time but it happens. It seems most ticks I pick up are dog ticks, not so bad since these don't carry Lyme. Deer ticks are smaller and I do worry that I've missed one. So far, so good. I've picked up ticks in the winter too so you just have to be careful out there. Stay indoors and you let the ticks win.
  19. I had my first bear encounter on Saturday after many years of hiking. I was in Norvin Green coming down from Assiniwikam Mt. and had just rejoined the red trail from the pink trail. I heard scampering off to my left and saw a very cute cub running around about 100-150ft from me. I froze as I realized that a little cub meant a big mom nearby. I spotted mom a few moments later and luckily she was a bit further into the woods and the cub was headed back to her and not towards me. It looked like she had spotted me also so I made a quick and noisy exit down the trail. I rate my encounter as about 50%, "Wow, there's a bear", and 50%, "Holy S**t, that's a pretty big bear, I hope she's in a good mood".
  20. I just read the news. Heartbreaking....my belated condolences to Helmut's family and all who knew him. I never met the man and knew him only as Scully & Mulder. But I had come across some of the many pictures of Helmut with his lovely girls and faithful dog while reading various cache logs. Without fail, there was always such joy and happiness in their faces. It was so plain to see that he was a fortunate man, enjoying such quality time with his family. It always reminded me of the good times that I had had with my kids on some of our hiking adventures. So sad..... ramapo
  21. The article should've included a GPS as a must have, especially when venturing out on your own. I bought a GPS precisely because I was tired of getting confused, well ok lost, in the woods because of outdated or forgotten maps. I didn't discover geocaching until I was learning how to use my GPS. Plus if something does happens, you can give Search & Rescue your exact location, assuming your communication device works. -ramapo
  22. I take my GPS almost everywhere, certainly on my bike rides. Having the maps on board is a great help when on the road, tracking your ride, etc. I don't ride that much off-road but have done a couple of Packanack caches by bike. I also did a number of "suburban" caches via early Sunday morning rides. Off the Velocipide Trail in Ramsey is a great one to do by bike, much better than driving from stage to stage.
  23. I just flew out to Chicago from Newark and tried my gps once personal electronics were allowed. Not unexpectedly, reception was pretty bad, with just one satellite popping in and out. I was in the middle seat. Perhaps I would've had better luck in the window seat. I played around for a bit then put it away.
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