General and Off Topic

Forum for General and Off-topic Discussions

Try to pick a specific forum if possible, to post your comments. Otherwise post here.


 

Michael K7's picture

I was passing by Fingerboard last evening, and turned around to see a large bear watching me, way too close for my liking. As I started to slowly move away, the bear began to follow me, so I stopped, armed my bear spray, and spoke loudly to it, then started to move away. Thankfully the bear did not follow, but this bear had absolutely no fear of me whatsoever. I do not know if this is the same bear that Patrick mentioned a couple posts below, but if it is, this is a long time that this bear has been causing problems at Fingerboard. If it is a different bear, then there is a new problem, and hikers/campers need to be warned.
JPL69's picture

So My 19 going on 20yr. old daughter is thinking of doing the NJ/NY trail this summer alone (160 miles). She's done 100 miles starting in Georgia with her classmates 2yrs ago and she been going on local hikes to train. Is there anything her mother and I could do to ensure her saftey, to follow her location and maybe find somone she could team up with......or any other sugestions? I'm worried about this, but also want her meet this challenge. Any help is welcome.
PVPatrick's picture

I've heard from AT through hikers that there is a problem bear lurking about the Fingerboard Shelter above lake Tiorati. Apparently the park rangers have been trying to eliminate this bear for quite some time. As of today, the bear is still actively snatching food from even tree hung bear bags at this shelter.
hike_mania's picture

On Friday, after a day of hiking, I waited for the 7:43 Shortline Bus to go back to the city from Southfields. I was across the highway from the Red Apple Rest, which I was told was where the bus would stop. When the bus came (five minutes late, which is much more punctual then city-bound buses usually are), I waved at the bus, but it went by without stopping. Someone at the nearby gas station told me that the bus often doesn't stop there, but that it was more likely to stop in Tuxedo because it had a bus shelter. He gave me a lift there so that I could catch the next bus, which was two hours later. Someone at the Chinese food place where I went to eat and to fill up the time also mentioned that the bus often fails to stop for passengers. When the next bus came, and I complained to the driver, one of the passengers jumped in and said, "I feel your pain. It doesn't stop for me sometimes, and I have to get to work." Since failing to stop for passengers seems to be a common problem with Shortline, I'm curious to see if this has happened to other hikers. I live in the city and don't own a car. Some of the stops that I have used in the past, such as Arden for the AT or Mountainville for the Schunemunk trails, are isolated with no services around for miles. I hike all day long, so I usually catch the last bus before sundown. If the bus doesn't stop, then I'm stranded by a dark highway in the middle of the night. Fortunately, last Friday, the open gas station and the good samaritan were there. I can't count on that everytime. I'm wondering if Shortline has left other hikers stranded. If so, perhaps we can band together to complain as a group. I would hate to give up hiking on many of my favorite trails just to avoid the risk of being stranded.
mjockel's picture

I was on the RD last Sunday (2/5). The plaque is gone from the boulder, and there is a clean swath below the indentation. Stolen?
Daniel Chazin's picture

The Goldthwaite Memorial plaque was vandalized last March or April.  I took a photo of the plaque on March 1, 2016, and a few weeks later it was reported missing

PVPatrick's picture

Its impossible to see if there is a new comment in the forums without clicking on each topic. Buy shop join donate volunteer etc is a message that is easy to see.
Ed Zachary's picture

Thanks for the great job the trail conference has done with the website over the years. I've used this website quite extensively for the past 10+ years and have found it quite helpful for exploring the outdoors in NJ and NY. I noticed the website was updated to a format which seems more friendly for multiple platforms on various smart devices. However, I favor the old website's format for use on a PC. Is there any way for the viewer to revert the website to the old format in order to browse it that way?
Daniel Chazin's picture

As one who accesses the new website on a PC rather than a mobile device, I sympathize with your concerns.  It seems that the new website was primarily designed with mobile users in mind, and that the old website was friendlier for users with a traditional computer.  However, I should point out two features that hae been added to the new website in response to concerns expressed by users.  First, there is a "printer-friendly" view of a hike or park that is avaiable if you scroll down the page.  This view is more friendly to the user in general, even if you don't intend to print anything, as you see entire hike description and all the relevant information pertaining to the hike on the same page -- just as you used to see it on the old website.  Second, a chart view of hikes has been created that approximates the view you would get on the old website when you clicked on "Find Hikes."  It is more complicated to get to this view than it was on the old site, but the view does exist.  To get there, you have to click first on the "Menu" icon in the upper right-hand corner of the home paee. Then, you have to click on "Hiking Resources" in the "Get Outdoors" box in the upper left-hand corner of the Menu page.  Then, when the "Hiking Resources" page comes up, you have to scroll down some distance until a list of various options appears.  You then click on "List View of Hikes" or "List View of Parks."  This is much more complicated and much less intuitive than it was under the old site, but at least this option exists for those who know how to use it.

Ed Zachary's picture

Thanks, Daniel. The "List View of Hikes" page was the one I was missing the most--thanks for pointing out how to navigate to it. That page has now been bookmarked on my PC so I don't have to go through the convoluted navigation to get there from the NYNJTC homepage. Thanks again!
matthewcat's picture

For the West Hudson Map set, there is a marked trail not shown on the map. Right by Gonzaga Park, maybe 1/2 mile from the parking lot, there is White Trail that meets up with the Long Path. It is not shown on the map. I can get approximate coordinates from my GPS track if it would help so that it might be included in the next edition.
Jeremy Apgar's picture

Thank you for reaching out to us about a potential map addition.  Our volunteer Chair for the Long Path is familiar with this trail, having explored it this past April, and he has indicated it is an unofficial trail that is not regularly maintained.  Thank you for the offer to GPS this trail, but that won't be necessary at this time.  The next edition of this map is likely to come out later in 2018, so we will be sure to check the status of this trail then to see whether it should be added to the map in some way.

~Jeremy
TC Cartographer

tree188's picture

When will a new Kittatinny map set come out?  No more for sale on the web site and I'm not seeing them in the stores either.
Jeremy Apgar's picture

The Kittatinny Trails map set is officially at the printer and we expect print copies to be available in early- to mid-October.  We encountered a few delays with this map set, which we had planned to have available earlier in the summer; however, we were fortunately able to incorporate trail changes that just occurred late in the summer, including a new Red Maple Trail in southern Stokes State Forest that connects to the Tillman Ravine area.

Jeremy, TC Cartographer

tree188's picture

I was looking at the web site's join/renew page and have observed that the life membership category has been dropped for the past year or so.  Not enough interest?  Or some other reason?  Just curious..................
rsuntag's picture

We're looking to do a 2 day backpacking trip of the SBM trip traveling Northbound.  Is there any place in Suffern to park the car?  We'd either be starting Fri after 6PM or early Saturday AM and out by Sunday evening.   Thanks
rsuntag's picture

Thanks for the responses.   It looks like non-permit overnight parking is forbidden in the lots near the train station.  I think we'll take an alternate start - Seven Hills Trail from Reeves Meadow Visitors Center to  TMI to SBM.  It looks like it will be pretty scenic from the stars listed on the map.
banjolady's picture

i think the parking across from the trailhead should be ok for the weekend...you can check with the suffern village hall to make sure or the parking authority. if ur on facebook there is a suffern friends and neighbors group
Michael K7's picture

You could check with NJT and see if overnight parking is allowed at the train station on weekends. It's only a short walk from the station to the trailhead.
banjolady's picture

usually on weekends or nites its ok to park in lot across from the start of the SBM trail, SAT AM is farmers market so try to park as far north as u can