Repeating Trails/Hikes. What's Your Opinion?

[Linda Frank]

Just wondering if and how often do you repeat a hike?  What criteria do you use?  Do you like to wait to repeat it until you've kind of forgotten the first time, so it'll feel almost 'brand new'?  Or is it just a seasonal-change thing.  Perhaps you did it last winter when the trees were bare or in the middle of a summer on a 90-degree day and now want to experience it in full-fall foliage glory or milder temps at least.

Also, when you do repeat a hike, do you make a point of doing it in reverse if that's doable, of course.  Because maybe you prefer to tackle the steeper incline as opposed to reversing it to a steep decline.  Or doesn't it matter?  **Personally I'm an "incliner" rather than a "decliner" fan.  I trust my quads, poles & upper body strength to make an easier go uphill than I do even the gnarliest of hiking boot lugs on slippery, gravel or acorn-laden steep grades going downhill**

Thanks for any input here. I always enjoy to read/hear what's on other hikers' minds or wishlists. :)

Linda

[njHiking.com]

We just did a repeat this past weekend of one of our favorites: Mt. Tammany to Sunfish Pond in the Water Gap. We've hiked that a bajillion times but it never disappoints, and sometimes it's nice to do a trail you know well... just hike, and not have to check your map, watch for blazes, etc.

With most revisits, it seems like it's always a few years before we get back to it - just because there are so many trails to do. If there is a network of trails, we'll try and change up the route some. Often we just wing our routes together as we go, at parks like Harriman or Ramapo that have so many trails to choose from. And reversing a route can make a old trail seem new again.

We will also revisit a trail to get photos of it in the spring or fall, if we've hiked it in the winter.

I prefer inclines, as my knees sometimes get cranky about downhills... but if you go up, you usually have to go down so.... I also find scrambling up rocks to be a lot of fun, but climbing down over steep rocks - not so much.

Dawn

[Linda Frank]

I'm totally w/you, Dawn, re the uphill preference over the downhills for the very same reason. :) We did Ramapo just last Saturday. Only scratched the surface because, as you said, so many different loops you can put together. Same thing for Washington Valley, which we did on Sunday. Only managed two loops and still missed out on at least two others due to darkness.

BTW: We're planning on doing Tammany to Sunfish (along w/Minsi and some other trails nearby as well Dingman's Falls and PEEC again) over a much-needed 3-day weekend vacation. Been reading about at least 4 or 5 different approaches to Tammany - Sunfish. Rather scary warnings re The Red Dot climb up Tammany. But if it's what I think it is, I've done worse. Recommendations we're considering so far are parking on NJ side in Worthington at Dunnfield. Going up Red Dot and coming down Blue Dot (maybe). Still figuring out about whether to take Tammany via Appalachian to Sunfish and (not sure yet) which way down to make a good, full-day, workout loop. Any suggestions? Corrections? Anything will be of help.

Also.....Can ANYONE recommend a good, clean, reliable motel/hotel/cottage/cabin in DWG area within no more than a 20-30 minute drive on the PA. side? So far, everything I've checked out is either way too expensive or in two words: A Dump!

TIA, Linda

[njHiking.com]

Hi Linda - I just saw these questions about Tam here just now, sorry about missing that, as I could have given you even more specifics than I did on the other post. Let me know how you made out on your hike.

As for hotels... ages ago there was an OK one that used for weekend stays but we didn't care for as much once it changed owners, or something, I don't recall... and then we just got used to driving home instead of staying over. But it's 1.75 hrs for us to the Dunnfield lot, so that gets annoying... if you stumble upon an ok place to stay, let us know!

[Jeffrey]

I hike atleast 1day (if not 2-3) a weekend, basically year round. Rain, Snow, Heat, Cold, Light, Dark, never really slow me down. If I don't have set plans to do something else, you can find me out in some remote(remote for NJ that is) spot with my dogs enjoying the fresh air. That said, I repeat trails frequently. I have many favorites and usually get out on them several times a year. The Terrace Pond hike is a favorite and I would estimate I do that one 10 times a summer at minimum(for very obvious reasons). However, Wildcat Ridge WMA, Newark Watershed WMA, and DGNP I frequent year round and enough that they all feel like my back yard. I also like to hike up to surprise lake a few times a year for the view overlooking Greenwood lake. The basic criteria I follow, is to hike in a place as remote and unhiked as possible. I very frequently bushwack or follow very old unmarked trails. This style of hiking means you need a compass or in the very least an excellent sense of direction and location. It also means, many more animal encounters and lots of ticks to pull off the dogs when back at the car. I do also hike many new spots as often as possible and my criteria for a hike I've never done before is usually some kind of natural feature or to look for any kind of former native american inhabitance or remnance. Steep uphills, or downhills, water, rocky terrain are all par for the course in northern NJ and I tend to think are fun and challenging. Other than being a tad bit sore after a days hike, I never really have any problems and Ive even hiked barefoot on occasion. My dream/goal is to one day quit my job and through hike the AT.

Linda - The Tammany/Sunfish Pond hike is a great one. My personal recommendation is to take the Douglas Garvey Trail up to Sunfish and then hike to the Tammany Overlook and then down the mountain to the parking lot before the RT 80 Bridge. The reason being is that the Douglas Garvey Trails is alittle less strenous and shorter up to the top then most of the other trails going up that way. Access to this trail is on old mine road in Worthington SP. Keep an eye out for bears and turkeys and hunters, they're all abundant this time of year in the area. And don't think that because an area is off limits to hunting, that no one is out there. Ive come across more hunters and deer stands in areas where hunting is prohibited than I have in areas OK to hunt in.

[Amanda Hinski]

I haven't repeated too many hikes, but it's not because I don't want to. I guess I just have that "wishlist" that's always growing and it's hard to justify doing something I've already done when there are so many places I still want to see. I forget who, but I read about an AT thru-hiker that's done the AT multiple times. He basically said that it's not like you eat chocolate ice cream for the first time and then decide never to eat it again- if you really love a place you'll go back. I guess I'm still searching for that place. :)