Saturday, 6 +3 people hiked the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap after a vigorous Boot Camp workout. We arrived at two adjacent parking lots at 11:35, and met on the trail at about 2:30pm. 6 slightly nervous people hiked up the Red Dot trail to the fire road to the turquoise trail to the Appalachian Trail(West).
We had great preparation from all of the stairs we had just run in Boot Camp. The views were lovely. There is nothing quite so magical as the startling green of moss in a winter gray hillside. Sunfish Pond was frozen over. There were few other adventurers. The two trail runners who passed us in the afternoon dusk running down the AT were marvelous. Surer foot than I am on rock and icy spring outflows. As the dusk settled on Mount Tammany, the Dunnfield Creek and the cascades of rhododendrons to our left gave us a fairy tale intimate good bye to the National Park. We got to reconnect in the parking lot with the 3 clockwise hikers. I was so relieved to know that they had made it all the way around the mountain. I did not know if they had maps or emergency supplies.
YJ capped the experience with an all inclusive email hug. Thank you so much. So many conversations, so many opportunities to pet two four footed friends. I hope people are excited enough to try some of my other favorite trails- Willowood to Cooper's Mill, High Point, Harriman State Park in NY, the Palisades, ... Spring flowers, summer sweats, fall leaves, and winter snows make each of these trails special.
Everyone who went was fantastically fit and up to the task. Thanks for the priviledge of being able to share these woods with you.
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