After all the rain we have had
for what seems like FOREVER...
We woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning.
(For the nutshell version of the adventure
skip to the section in italics below.)
The sun was shining
the leaves were burning brightly.
We (my husband and I) decided to take a hike
with our friend,
and expert on local trials, Marty.
We drove about 1 1/2hours to
Dunnfield, New Jersey
with plans to hike the
Appalachian Trail (AT) to Sunfish Pond.
Arriving at the Visitor Center
the first omen for the day was that
all the restrooms were closed
due to budget cuts.
:(
Oh well...
Instead of hiking the same path in and out,
we added a little blue blazed side loop
which hugs the picturesque Dunnfield Creek waterfalls
a little longer than the white blazed AT.
After hiking awhile
we found a portion of the blue blazed trail had
seriously washed away.
(Did I mention all the rain we've had?)
While Marty and my husband
consulted the trail map I slipped behind a tree.
I am not ashamed to admit it...
I peed in the woods.
Chalk it up to the budget cuts.
:)
Marty and my husband decided the
nearby green blazed trail
would take us back to the AT and on to Sunfish Pond.
But enroute to the pond,
a fellow hiker
advised us against the path he just came from.
The unusually high water levels
forced finding new creek crossings and lots or rough terrain.
Consulting the map again,
we saw that if we could get across the rushing stream and falls,
we could get back up a steep hill to the AT.
We ventured down to the creek
to find a place to cross.
My husband managed to jump
to a stoney island.
Marty walked across a fallen tree about 10'
over the water,
but advised me against doing the same.
So I found a narrow crossing upstream.
(Narrow = more water force.)
My sweet husband came back across to help me.
He jumped over.
I passed my camera backpack to him.
He started moving out of my way,
but the rock face he was on
was smooth, steep, covered with leaves and slippery.
He slipped...
and slipped some more
down the rock face and
into the flume of the waterfall.
He rode the water flume down to
a pool at the bottom of this section of falls.
He was SOAKED!
His backpack was soaked.
My camera backpack was soaked.
And his phone is now somewhere at the bottom of the falls.
FORTUNATELY....
since we planned to hike uphill
for 5 miles, I had packed lightly.
One camera and one lens
which were still around my neck!
Only my cell phone,
a bottle of water,
and a few misc items were in my camera backpack.
Everything inside of it was completely wet.
(My phone is now in rice hoping for a recovery.)
But everything in my husband's $29 JanSport backpack was dry!
Doesn't that seem backwards?
Being a former boy scout,
my husband had dressed appropriately.
His clothing dried out quickly
and we continued hiking for hours!
Finally, arriving at Sunfish Pond
I was a little disappointed
because at that elevation
we were about a week past peak
for leaf color.
Although we did meet some really nice people up there
who were also interested in photography.
After having lunch,
which was carried in the JanSport backpack
and therefore still dry,
we returned home.
Marty said the vision of my husband
falling into the waterfall
is forever burned into his memory.
And no, I did not get photos.
When your husband's life swooshes in front of you,
believe me, you are NOT thinking of photos.
Fortunately, we can laugh about it now.
Just don't try and call him on his cell.
If you go this fall....
If you plan to hike to the Pond from Dunnfield parking lot off Route 80,
The blue blazed trail is washed out,
we were told the green blazed trail has 6 difficult switchbacks
and you need to find your own creek crossings,
and the upper AT section before Sunfish Pond
you'll experience really loose rock.
It is hard to find a level place to put your foot.
I wore hiking shoes but would recommend boots for the ankle support.
Oh... and the bathrooms are CLOSED!
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