Mahlon Dickerson Reservation - 2/14/2010

[Daniela Wagstaff]

There was more snow than I thought there would be at Mahlon Dickerson Reservation so I figured it would be a very short hike since the snow was not very trampled down but I did end up hiking 5.9 miles.

There were maybe a half dozen maps in the kiosk. The online map is good. I took the teal Highlands trail, which starts by the porta-potty in the Saffin Pond parking, lot all the way through to Headley Overlook. Crossing creeks was challenging because you could not tell where rocks were to step on and what was ice under the snow. Probing with my trekking pole and trying to avoid holes in the ice where others had fallen through before me, I still succeeded in breaking through the ice twice myself. Amazingly, I did not get water in my shoes either time and I really haven't figured out how I avoided that. Someone had drawn a heart and arrow in the snow at Healey's Overlook - that was pretty cool to find on Valentine's Day! After Headley Overlook, descended still on the teal Highlands trail then turned left on an unmarked trail which met up with the yellow trail (right on yellow at fork) back to the parking lot.

[njHiking.com]

Really surprised to see so that much snow there; thought the north didn't get as much. This winter has been a real challenge so far.

[Daniela Wagstaff]

Yes, I had not expected to see that much snow there so I went north instead of south. Maybe I didn't go far enough north? Came home and ordered snowshoes - I think this stuff is going to be around for a while and more is coming.