Ramblings from Moe Mountain

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I started my ride today with a plan, I knew I’d come upon some trail icebergs but I had no idea they’d be so loooong, and so many.
It was worth it though to see all the great frozen streams. Then I came upon the large lake that they drained this last fall.
Ah, my opportunity to ride the frozen muddy lake bottom! Good idea, and bad idea. The frozen mud is a very strange texture.
There are many semi frozen winding streams throughout the drained lake, and pockets of ice. I found I could ride just fine until I
went over one six foot wide frozen pocket and my front wheel broke through up past the hub. Down I went and my right boot went
through too, so I fell to my right side to keep from sinking. That worked fine and I pulled my bike out with thick black mud dripping from
the handlebars and wheel. Man that mud stinks! So now I got wet mud up my right boot and leg to the knee. No problem, I’m out and get
back riding again watching out for those damn weak puddles. Those damn things are deep, I could see about ten inches of water below
the clear ice. Got back to the trail and continued my ride. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity to ride the lake bottom and
I’m not sorry I did. It was great fun.

The Lake
1_27 Lakebottom01.jpg


Riding the bottom
1_27 Lakebottom02.jpg


Trail Iceberg
1_27 IMR05.jpg


Nice stream by trail
1_27 IMR03.jpg


one more
1_27 IMR02.jpg


1_27 Lakebottom03.jpg
 

huffster

Well-Known Member
I had no idea they drained that lake. Any idea why? The warm weather yesterday/today probably played a part in your sinking. Do you think a few days of freezing temps might make a difference?
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I had no idea they drained that lake. Any idea why? The warm weather yesterday/today probably played a part in your sinking. Do you think a few days of freezing temps might make a difference?
@huffster
That lake has been drained since late fall, They say the dam is deteriorating and they don't have the funds to repair it, so they hired a crew to go in and demolish the dam. DUH. why not just let it deteriorate on it's own. Maybe even the Beaver would have helped reinforce it when it started to leak.
Anyway, it has been frozen all this winter, I don't think more cold will help the frozen pockets with streams running through anyway.
It's just a crap shoot where the weak spots are. Kind of cool riding out there though.

here is my older posting
http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/threads/ramblings-from-moe-mountain.40311/page-13#post-753043
 
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Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I went exploring the Terrace Pond Fire rd today. The forestry dept. did a lot of work on this trail this last fall and I wanted to check it out. I thought it was going to be an easy access to Terrace pond because they redid this trail so they can go up there and save people, which is a regular occurrence in the summer. As I rod the trail today I kept thinking it was going in the wrong direction, but I could tell by the improved trail I was going right. It has taken over the Yellow trail. The Yellow trail is one of those trails that splits to two trails, but remains Yellow, very confusing. As I got to the swampy area I could see they installed some new drainage pipes and improved the trail there. I contained on until it came to an intersection with the Red trail. So now I see white dots, Red dots, and Yellow dots with white around them. I was two miles in and getting out of my comfort zone as far as exploring so turned around and had a nice ride back.

Today's ride is the Orange line
Terrace pond.jpg


I had to clear some brush to continue riding
Terrace fire rd05.jpg


Drainage work
Terrace fire rd06.jpg


Trail example
Terrace fire rd08.jpg


Confusing markers, white, red, yellow
Terrace fire rd09.jpg
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
Thx Pete. Was the ground frozen hard enough? Or were there soft spots from the warmer weather earlier in the week?
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
That yellow split screwed me up once too.

So does this mean we don't have to do that awful hike-a-bike over the poison ivy covered rocks on yellow now? That was super annoying! I really like coming down red to yellow, and then staying right on yellow after the fire road split off all the way to P6. It gets a bit rough in a few places toward the end though.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I've never ridden up in there, I've only done like Stevens rd and a little exploring in there.
I didn't think they would make such a long way around to get to Terrace Pond, being as
it's a rescue mission road. I didn't have the map when I rode today so I had no idea where I was.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
As far as I can tell, you were on yellow, then yellow dot, and stopped where red meets yellow dot. If you didn't have to do any crazy hike-a-bike on yellow or yellow dot, then they must have fixed it. The old trail there was totally under water, and it was really annoying getting around it.

The time I went the wrong way on yellow I ended up on a section of red that was absolutely awful. I wanted to throw my bike in the woods and give up riding.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
As far as I can tell, you were on yellow, then yellow dot, and stopped where red meets yellow dot. If you didn't have to do any crazy hike-a-bike on yellow or yellow dot, then they must have fixed it. The old trail there was totally under water, and it was really annoying getting around it.

The time I went the wrong way on yellow I ended up on a section of red that was absolutely awful. I wanted to throw my bike in the woods and give up riding.
Yeah, I think that section is fixed now. I looks like it could have been real swampy.
 

huffster

Well-Known Member
I went up that way last summer and that new fire road is a much better option than the yellow trail from P7.

Its a beautiful pond in a remote spot, but its not much of a secret. It can get crowded up there in summer. I'm sure it makes for a challenge for rescuers. Even with that fire-road, a rescue mission is still going to be a ball-breaker to get the rest of the way to the Pond.

While we're discussing this area, anybody have an insight on the route up to the fire tower off Stephens? Looks steep to start, but its not like I've never HAB'd before. Of course, I don't want to HAB the entire time. So, I'm also interested in the various north-south routes from the Fire Tower toward Hanks Pond and P1N. The Fire Tower Ridge trail "sounds" nice as does Hanks West which seems to skirt the Pond. LMK.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I've ridden to the fire tower off Stevens, both from Clinton Rd and the other end of Stevens in West Milford.
That was years ago and it wasn't too tough. But that is only using Stevens rd.
The north-south routes, I think that's another story. I think @JimN is the expert here.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The Fire Tower Ridge trail "sounds" nice as does Hanks West which seems to skirt the Pond.

There are some awesome trails up by Hank's Pond! I'll PM you some info tomorrow when I have a few minutes. I can provide a GPX file, but you might need a guide the first time for the one trail.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I posted this in the BIYF thread, didn't want to put too many photos there.
Best snow in years! Riding was nice and grippy and the snow was anywhere from 4 inches to 7 inches. Some uphills were impossible to ride though, I just ran out of power. Slight uphill and flat was perfect riding. Some 7 inch deep spots made me fishtail, so you just have to hold a straight line and power through it. It looks like my GPS watch crapped out. It did record my ride today, but I can’t seem to get that information out of it and into the computer. It just says “syncing” and it doesn't do it.

Iron Mountain trail
Best snow08.jpg


Laurel Pond trail
Best snow01.jpg


uphill on Laurel, couldn't do it
Best snow04.jpg


Snowshoe'rs
Best snow06.jpg


by the lake
Best snow07.jpg
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
Same write up as on BIYF.
It was a beautiful morning in the park today. The trails were pretty good.
I rode out Pumphouse trail to the stone bridge and it is underwater.
I found a nice little trail off of Laurel trail that goes down to the lake,
very pretty. I also rode out my favorite trail Wingdam. 45° is perfect riding weather

Pumphouse bridge
LaurelPump08.jpg


LaurelPump07.jpg


Laurel off trail
LaurelPump05.jpg


Beaver work on Laurel off trail
LaurelPump04.jpg


Laurel off trail
LaurelPump03.jpg
 

huffster

Well-Known Member
I think I know the trail you are talking about off Laurel. If you are going up Laurel from Furnace, its on the right and you go down hill to the Pond. If I recall its steep enough that I walked it back up. If we are talking about the same trail, I agree, very pretty spot down there.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
I think I know the trail you are talking about off Laurel. If you are going up Laurel from Furnace, its on the right and you go down hill to the Pond. If I recall its steep enough that I walked it back up. If we are talking about the same trail, I agree, very pretty spot down there.
That's the one! There should be a new contest...try and stump huffster!
@huffster
 
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