wilburdeb
New Member
I am unsure how to answer this but I would like to help on 10/29. My email is: wilburdeb at gmail.com
Wharton Conditions
- Thread starter moray42
- Start date
The current TWC forecast for 10/29 is rain all day. We are rescheduling for Sunday 11/5/17. We will meet in the Batsto lot at 9:00 and pedal up the east side to brush back some of the more brushier sections of the orange along the way. Thanks!
Rich_W
Member
Got 3 rides in at Batsto over the last week... I must say its a hit. The post-fire forest is really spectacular. Here's a pano of the hottest area on the Orange trail. About 10 o'clock on the trail map.
Untitled by rich_dub_u, on Flickr
Untitled by rich_dub_u, on Flickr
Rich_W
Member
Untitled
Untitled
Rich_W
Member
Noticed today the Red Trail not far from the blue trail is definitely the most burnt area of the fire. The dirt is so burnt in spots its hard to follow the singletrack line. All trees in this area are completely dead. Makes me wonder what that trail (and most of the trail system) will be like in coming months/years as those trees are gonna start to fall. Quite a bit of log jumping in the future I guess...
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just to note... the Wharton Batsto MTB Trails have survived bad windstorms that dropped trees, bad gypsy moth attacks that killed lots of trees and several other fires that did the same.
Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, the Batsto MTB trails have kept their beginner friendly *pedal, pedal, turn, turn* fun over the past ten years. If you ride the Batsto MTB trails, you are more then invited to join the fun on our JORBA volunteer trail work days.
Post fire update. All of the burned fiberglass marker posts have been replaced. More of those plastic marker disks were recently acquired and will be deployed in the coming months. We have a trail work day scheduled this Sunday, with plans to brush back the problem scrub oak sections on the east side of the PBT.
Again, many thanks to all of those that have helped and volunteered over the years. And big thanks to sj_john, moray42, and uncle pibbles for their many volunteer hours.
Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, the Batsto MTB trails have kept their beginner friendly *pedal, pedal, turn, turn* fun over the past ten years. If you ride the Batsto MTB trails, you are more then invited to join the fun on our JORBA volunteer trail work days.
Post fire update. All of the burned fiberglass marker posts have been replaced. More of those plastic marker disks were recently acquired and will be deployed in the coming months. We have a trail work day scheduled this Sunday, with plans to brush back the problem scrub oak sections on the east side of the PBT.
Again, many thanks to all of those that have helped and volunteered over the years. And big thanks to sj_john, moray42, and uncle pibbles for their many volunteer hours.
tunamikebike
Member
Would I be dodging bullets from deer hunters if I rode tomorrow?
moray42
Merman
I don’t think so yet. You can check to see if the park has the hunting dates up, but I’m pretty sure shotgun week is sometime in early December. @slingblade_uhhuh @theranch ?
NJ hunting regs here. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2017/regsets17-18.pdf
Wharton State Forest Batsto Office number is 609-561-0024
Six Day Firearm Season is 12/4/17 AM to 12/9/17 PM. Permit Shotgun Season is 12/13/17 - 12/15/17. Muzzle Loader Season is in there somewhere too.
Wharton State Forest Batsto Office number is 609-561-0024
Six Day Firearm Season is 12/4/17 AM to 12/9/17 PM. Permit Shotgun Season is 12/13/17 - 12/15/17. Muzzle Loader Season is in there somewhere too.
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tunamikebike
Member
Thanks
Kaleidopete
Well-Known Member
First Day Bike Rides and hikes hosted by New Jersey State Parks on January 1, 2018.
here is a link http://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/first_day_hikes.html
Batsto Mountain Bike Ride
Wharton State Forest
11:00 a.m.
Come join us on a guided 10-mile unpaved bike trail ride through the New Jersey Pinelands in Winter. Meet us at Batsto with your bike and be ready to go!
Bike Ride Info
Easy pace ~ 10 miles. All dirt trails. Minimum age: 13 yrs.
Bring your own bike – one that is good for dirt, sandy trails. Bring and wear a bicycle helmet, eye protection, weather-appropriate clothing for bicycle riding, bring water, snacks (and lunch if you plan to picnic at Batsto).
Meeting Location: Batsto Village Parking Lot
31 Batsto Rd. off of Hwy. Rt. 542, about 9 miles east of Hammonton
Registration & Cancellation
Registration is REQUIRED. To register and/or for more information: E-mail Gil Mika at Wharton.nature@comcast.net
Cancelled if there is a steady rain or there is accumulating or accumulated snowfall / ice of more than approximately a half of an inch. If cancelled, we’ll email registered participants.
here is a link http://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/first_day_hikes.html
Batsto Mountain Bike Ride
Wharton State Forest
11:00 a.m.
Come join us on a guided 10-mile unpaved bike trail ride through the New Jersey Pinelands in Winter. Meet us at Batsto with your bike and be ready to go!
Bike Ride Info
Easy pace ~ 10 miles. All dirt trails. Minimum age: 13 yrs.
Bring your own bike – one that is good for dirt, sandy trails. Bring and wear a bicycle helmet, eye protection, weather-appropriate clothing for bicycle riding, bring water, snacks (and lunch if you plan to picnic at Batsto).
Meeting Location: Batsto Village Parking Lot
31 Batsto Rd. off of Hwy. Rt. 542, about 9 miles east of Hammonton
Registration & Cancellation
Registration is REQUIRED. To register and/or for more information: E-mail Gil Mika at Wharton.nature@comcast.net
Cancelled if there is a steady rain or there is accumulating or accumulated snowfall / ice of more than approximately a half of an inch. If cancelled, we’ll email registered participants.
There's apprx. a foot of fresh powder in the area. Strong winds blew some areas clear, deep drifts in other areas. You can count on some trees and large limbs to be in the trail. Probly be a nice adventure if you ride fat.
If you find yourself riding in the soon-to-be big thaw, and notice that the singletrack trail tread is a soft sand slurry... Please be kind, jump off the trail and ride the sand roads instead. Doing that one thing helps keep the trail tread firm instead of turning it into sugar.
Sidebar conditions notation. There is now a third micro-brewer in downtown Hammonton.
If you find yourself riding in the soon-to-be big thaw, and notice that the singletrack trail tread is a soft sand slurry... Please be kind, jump off the trail and ride the sand roads instead. Doing that one thing helps keep the trail tread firm instead of turning it into sugar.
Sidebar conditions notation. There is now a third micro-brewer in downtown Hammonton.
TICS: Even though its mid-February, these crazy temperature swings are bringing the bugs out. Be tic aware, spray up and/or be careful with the brush and check yourself afterwards. Those disease riddled blood suckers are out there. Waiting for you. I pulled one off myself and three off my dogs today.
ROAD CROSSINGS: Please be careful when riding on/across the WSF sand roads. Most of the sand roads in WSF are public roads. There are no crossing guards. Please remember those elementary school safety lessons to LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing.
FREEZE/THAW SLURRY: A big thank you to those that have heeded the pleas to not ride the singletrack during agressive freeze/thaws and instead have been riding the sand roads during that wet-sand-slurry-time. Doing that one thing helps keep the trail tread firm, instead of turning it into soft sugar. BONUS: riding the sand roads during those wet slurry times opens up more of the forest to exploration and gives a different perspective to your ride. Ask around for GPXs to some gems.
ROAD CROSSINGS: Please be careful when riding on/across the WSF sand roads. Most of the sand roads in WSF are public roads. There are no crossing guards. Please remember those elementary school safety lessons to LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing.
FREEZE/THAW SLURRY: A big thank you to those that have heeded the pleas to not ride the singletrack during agressive freeze/thaws and instead have been riding the sand roads during that wet-sand-slurry-time. Doing that one thing helps keep the trail tread firm, instead of turning it into soft sugar. BONUS: riding the sand roads during those wet slurry times opens up more of the forest to exploration and gives a different perspective to your ride. Ask around for GPXs to some gems.
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from the WSF FB page, posted 1 hour ago (1:20pm 2/27/18).
*NJ Forest Fire Service is doing some controlled burning right outside of Batsto Village. There are some heavy smoke plumes.*
*NJ Forest Fire Service is doing some controlled burning right outside of Batsto Village. There are some heavy smoke plumes.*
moray42
Merman
Soggy with snow on the ground here this morning. All melted, but I expect it will still be damp. Drove by yesterday morning and the was a ton of standing water at the front side of the park and the drainage ditches were full/ overflowing. Multiple trees down out front that were being cleared by road crews. Trail conditions unknown (by me anyway).