Breakneck Challenge

[+jonboy]

There has been a cluster of caches on the north end of this reknowned ridge complex and a handful at the southern end. I have just put out five new caches along this ridge to link these two areas, three of which are pending approval. This makes possible a 14 cache end-to-end hike of the whole ridge, placing cars say at the Mt Beacon Trailhead (At the base of the old casino) and having the group start at the tunnel on 9D at the other end of the Breakneck Ridge trail.

 

The trail distance to the tower is about five miles, and it would be about two miles to get down from the tower via the red trail from North Beacon Mt. This would enable those who are not willing to do a marathon hike to hike the ridge and find the nearby caches yielding a hike of about 8-9 miles with about eight caches. To find all 14 caches would take a hike of about 13 miles, with some bushwacking.

 

I would be willing to lead the mad dog contingent if there are any cachers foolish enough to be interested. There are numerous ways to bail from the mad dog loop, using the many ATV trails. Is any one up for this? I can provide very detailed topo maps showing all the trails and ATV trails via e-mail attachment if needed.

[+briansnat]

Sounds very interesting.

[+Team DEMP]

Sounds absolutely great... just don't plan it while I'm on vacation the beginning thru middle of Nov

[+briansnat]

I may hit it tomorrow while the leaves are still on the trees.

[avroair]

with some bushwacking

 

More shortcuts, huh?

 

Sure I would love to go if I am available. If I hurt myself at least I will know that Jonboy won't leave me.

Edited October 29, 2004 by avroair

[+Perfect Tommy]

Depending on the date, I'm in. I'll bring my defibrillator along.

[+Squealy]

I am in - definitely let me know the date in advance - I have a bunch of nonsense coming up -

 

Veteran's Day?

 

And you said 2 miles coming down - oi, my knees - Alleve, lots of Alleve that day.

[+Quoddy]

Sounds great! I will probably have recovered and be ready for action of this type again in about 3 weeks.

[+briansnat]

Actually I may do part of this tomorrow. Are the new caches approved yet?

[+jonboy]

 

 

If I hurt myself at least I will know that Jonboy won't leave me. 

The trick is to make sure you are nowhere near when they get hurt.

 

You might have noticed the clocks go back on Sunday, which means we can expect darkness around 5:30 in early November. If one hopes to do the long version of this hike, you need to be on the trail early, say about 7 hours of hiking and two hours of hunting, logging and taking breaks. I would say an 8:00 am meet for a 8:30 start up Breakneck.

Edited October 30, 2004 by jonboy

[+jonboy]

The caches haven't been approved yet, based on past experience, I wouldn't expect approval before Monday. The gall of these approvers to try and carry on a personal life! Don't they know we have demons to feed.

[avroair]

Tell us where and when.

 

Parking coordinates are good.

[+Skully & Mulder et al.]

I'm in.

[+HartClimbs]

I'm really interested too. (just depends on the date).

 

The hike sounds terrific!

[+brian b]

I've never beem much for group hiking, but having jonboy lead an expedition might be well worth it. My longest hike to date is about 9 miles, so I hope you'll have some patience.

 

Keep me informed. . . .

[+Metaphor]

A weekend? Camping (or parking lot sleeping) for longer distance travelers? If the dates fit, I could use an excuse to burn some cholesterol out of the old pipes...

[+jonboy]

There is nearby camping in Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, about eight miles away, on Rt 301.

[+briansnat]

I may hit it tomorrow while the leaves are still on the trees.

Well I saved this for another day. Decided it wasn't worth the climb only to get to the top and see nothing thanks to the fog. How about next weekend. We should hit it before all the leaves are down. Should be a nice view.

[+Team Rampant Lion]

Depending on the date, I might be able to join. I haven't abused myself on one of the group hikes in some time. Sounds like a fun one.

[+Squealy]

Maybe brianb should just approve them already so people can find them...

 

why are NJ/NY Admin inburrito?

[avroair]

How about next weekend

 

Isn't there an event you signed up for?

[+jonboy]

All the caches I placed out are approved and posted. I think it is too late in the year for an organized group hike, it gets dark about 5:15. It is by no means impossible to do this whole group of caches in a single hike this late in the year, it is just the margin of error would be cut very slim. Haggeus did something very similar last year, when there weren't all these caches out there. Spotting two cars is the way to make it feasible. There are four different traiheads where cars could be left at the north end, the lot at the bottom of North Beacon Mt on Rt 9D, street parking on Mountain Ave to come out via the Fishkill Ridge trail, trailhead parking on Sunnyside Rd in Glenham for the Overlook trail and street parking at the east end of the Wilkinson trail on North Old Albany Post Road. In the event that darkness does catch a cacher up there, the best course would be to follow the dirt road down from the microwave towers on North Mt Beacon to Mountain Ave, next to the Fishkill Ridge trail. This would also be the easiest route down for anyone whose knees were feeling a little the worse for wear.

[+GeoKender]

How about next weekend

 

Isn't there an event you signed up for?

No hookey for you Mr. Snat!!

[avroair]

If we start at 8 a.m. we could park cars along the way or at the end. Sounds like a plan.

Date Jonboy?

[+macatac1961]

If we start at 8 a.m. we could park cars along the way or at the end. Sounds like a plan.

Date Jonboy?

I think he just told us to check the forum topic... "Suggested Group Hike" as opposed to 'Guided group hike'

[+jonboy]

Well, just as I was getting cold feet about setting this up for this fall, Walkin Ed walks the whole ridge, all the way to Grazing in the Grass and back. Congratulations Ed for showing the way! That's almost double the distance I was proposing as a"Death March", so I have to say he met the challenge and then some. Who's next?

[avroair]

  I think he just told us to check the forum topic... "Suggested Group Hike" as opposed to 'Guided group hike'

 

Yeah but Jonboy had shortcuts, he has already found all the caches AND he would stand by me if I broke my pelvis!

[+Squealy]

Uh, so that's like what...

 

72 miles between 8am and 4pm?

[avroair]

73.4 nautical miles (I hear part of it is underwater).

[+jonboy]

Walkin Ed didn't have to zigzag back and forth, he already had many of the caches. I would say he walked 15-16 miles with about 3000 feet of change in elevation. He also probably dropped down one of the valleys after Sunset Point on his way back, probably he picked up the yellow Wilkinson trail, bypassing Sugarloaf (That one needs a cache too!) and coming out in the big parking lot up the road.

Edited November 3, 2004 by jonboy

[+Firth of Forth]

Well, I wish I lived nearby to join an adventure like this. The outing sounds similar to the 'Scottish Geocachers' Days Out' that we have been organising this year in Scotland, although yours is perhaps a little more ambitious. Our first SGDO was climbing Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain at over 4,400 feet. The second took place along the 12 mile Water of Leith Walkway which runs from the Pentland Hills on the south side of Edinburgh, right through the city to the Firth of Forth. Our next outing is on this coming Sunday, and is another 12 mile return walk into the Angus Glens, along an old drovers road called Jocks's Road, bagging a Munro called Tomount. (A Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3,000 feet.). All of these events have been great fun, as well as good ways to bag some remote caches involving rather arduous walks. The meet up in the pubs afterwards is also good fun too, of course!