Any Info On Trail Conditions At PEEC/Stokes/Norvin & Or High Point?

[Linda Frank]

Wondering if anyone has any updated reports on snow/overall trail conditions at Pocono Environmental Education Center near The Delaware Water Gap or any of the upstate NJ parks/ forests like Stokes, Norvin or around High Point.  

 

Would love to do some more snowshoeing before total melt.  But if there's no snow - yet still frigid weather - was hoping to hike to some of the falls & water features that might still have winter interest.

Just need a heads up on trail conditions, i.e. snow covered, icy, slushy, wet & sloppy, etc. 

 

Thanks in advance.  Linda

[njHiking.com]

We've been sticking to hiking south (pine barrens) for several weeks, and while the snow depth map shows just a bit of snow north still... I am not sure. So I tweeted for conditions today, and this is what I got back:

 

"Last sunday, hiked the AT from Wawayanda towards/into Abram Hewitt. Snow and ice. Lots of postholing. Deep snow off trail."

 

"Last weekend (Saturday) Windbeam Mountain was Snowy & Icy on the northeastern side."

[Linda Frank]

"We've been sticking to hiking south (pine barrens) for several weeks,"

I hear you.  Last Sunday we did the Pakim Pond/Mt. Misery trails (as was written about here on NJH).  Started out kind of late in the day plus we got a little lost and wound up having to do some "speed hiking"  back to the parking lot before it got too dark.  

 

Thanks much for the update on Waywayanda & surrounding area.  After today's heavy rains throughout Jersey, however, I fear much of that snow/ice cover may have been washed away.  Guess it's time to hang up my snowshoes for the season and get back into my good old hiking shoes.  Even though I'll miss the snowshoeing, I admit I am looking forward to returning to some of the areas we hiked in the fall to experience them in the springtime.

[njHiking.com]

Oh you never know, we could still get snow in March... we're ready for spring at this point, though.

There's something really tricky about the trails at Brendan, so easy to get turned around.

After a late-start "speed hiking" close-call in Lake George many years ago, we started packing a flashlight. Now we pack those lightweight headlamps... just in case.

[Linda Frank]

I know those who are chomping a the bit for dryer hiking ground (or snow & ice free at least) will hate me for this, but I do keep hope out for that one last snowstorm of the season that enable us to strap on the snowshoes!

Lights are a must. We also have those strap on headlamps along with other small LED lights on our key chains, a couple we carry on our backpacks and last year we invested in caps that have three LED lights in the brim. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/63736?from=SR&feat=sr

 

They're proven invaluable in a variety of circumstances. Map reading in low light was just one of them. Finding our way back to our car well after sunset last fall after hiking and getting lost along Buttermilk Falls AT trail at Delaware Water Gap was another. (Don't ask.) :(