Hasenclever Trail

huffster

Well-Known Member
Way to represent Pete!
Saturday was the dedication ceremony for the new bridge over the Wanaque river in the Longpond Ironworks state park.
It got destroyed seven years ago by hurricane Irene and it has taken this long to get it rebuilt. It is an important bridge
because it is part of the Highlands trail and also the trailhead for the multi-use Hasenclever Iron trail that runs from
Longpond Ironworks to Ringwood Manor, and the Sterling Ridge trail, and the Hewitt-Butler Trail,
Last year I called the NYNJTC to complain about how long it was taking to repair this bridge. I spoke to the director,
Peter Dolan, who informed me they were working on it this week and he asked if I would like to help. I had opened my big mouth,
and so I said sure, I would help. I worked with the crew for two days, lifting the side braces and getting them in place across the river.
There were only about six or seven of us working on it. Most workers were either paid, or NYNJTC people.
I arrived today wearing my JORBA shirt and introduced myself to Peter Dolen, who actually remembered me.
He in turn introduced me to Mark Texel, the Director of New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. And also to
Paul Frost, Longpond Ironworks coordinator, and also to Josh Osowski, Northern Regional Superintendent.
I was introduced as a volunteer that helped build the bridge and also as a member of JORBA and the mountain biking community.
I mentioned how great it is that all of us as trail users are coming together to build and maintain the local trails, including Sterling Forest
and Wawayanda. I thought it was kind of fun being there with these guys and showing support for their work as well as the mountain
biking community. I did mention the situation of accessing the Hasenclever Iron trailhead at the bridge, with the dilemma of not being
allowed to ride a bike in Longpond Ironworks state park. Hmmm, I said, is it OK to arrive at Longpond and walk the bike the 1/4 mile to
the trailhead. There wasn’t really a response other than “that might work”. We’ll have to look into that. I mentioned how even the Appellation
trail has multi-use sections. I had a great day and we all had good stories. One from Mark Texel was when he was hiking at Allamuchy with his
family he was slightly lost and looking over his map, when a mountain biker came by and offered his help. Mark was pleasantly surprised by
the courteous biker and thanked him and never told him that he was the Director New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Ha!

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Bleeder

JORBA:President
Yep, It's not a secret, but it's not approved yet either. Lot's of hurdles to jump first. Plan is to stay on existing trail. That's all well and good until we get to LPI when it's all existing woods roads.
 

huffster

Well-Known Member
10-4, so its all about that elusive "ideal connection between Ringwood and Jungle". I know you've been after that for a long time. You know better than anybody the possible routes today and you are right...lots of washed-out woods roads. Thanks for keeping after it.

Yep, It's not a secret, but it's not approved yet either. Lot's of hurdles to jump first. Plan is to stay on existing trail. That's all well and good until we get to LPI when it's all existing woods roads.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
The Summer 2018 Longpond Ironworks newsletter came out today with some nice photos of the dedication ceremony.
Here are three photos so you can see me in my JORBA shirt.
lpiw2.jpg

lpiw3.jpg

lpiw1.jpg
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
Did you ride it? Every time I drive by either the manor or Long Pond I see there's always some hikers/walkers but never mtbers...I always assumed it was hiking only, guess I was wrong!
That's the question! Trailforks says no mt bikes, state park website says multi use / mt bikes OK. When I talked to the boss at Long Pond iron works the answer was it was OK. I would like do it, hoping it's not too tough.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
That's the question! Trailforks says no mt bikes, state park website says multi use / mt bikes OK. When I talked to the boss at Long Pond iron works the answer was it was OK. I would like do it, hoping it's not too tough.

since TF is crowd sourced, just go in and edit it. Post where to found the “rule” and that you had a private convo.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
That's the question! Trailforks says no mt bikes, state park website says multi use / mt bikes OK. When I talked to the boss at Long Pond iron works the answer was it was OK. I would like do it, hoping it's not too tough.
It says moderate, but not accessible?!?! I may hike it with the wife first, it’s a little long for her standards though.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
It might be better to attack it from the Manor end if biking. because Longpond has a no bicycling rule in the park depending who you talk to, which they didn't seem to mind when I rode my Fatty in to help them install the new bridge. It was after we got the new bridge installed that I found out this rule though. I said to the boss there, if Hansenclever is multi use and I can bike it, how am I supposed to get to it? The answer was to walk my bike through the main entrance to get to the trail. But even then we built the new bridge narrow so as to deter quads and bicycles from using it, but I would need to use the bridge to get to the trailhead for Hansenclever. Thus the dilemma. There are other trails in close proximity that also say mt biking is OK, but they don't seem to have good access to them without using a trail that says hiking only. I think if you really ask someone it is easier for them to say no than to think about it or figure it out. I don't think these trails get much use anyway and I don't think it is a big concern.

Longpond multiuse OK.JPG

Hasenclever multi trail.jpg


Longpond usage2.jpg
Hasenclever multiuse.jpg
 
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serviceguy

Well-Known Member
It might be better to attack it from the Manor end if biking. because Longpond has a no bicycling rule in the park depending who you talk to, which they didn't seem to mind when I rode my Fatty in to help them install the new bridge. It was after we got the new bridge installed that I found out this rule though. I said to the boss there, if Hansenclever is multi use and I can bike it, how am I supposed to get to it? The answer was to walk my bike through the main entrance to get to the trail. But even then we built the new bridge narrow so as to deter quads and bicycles from using it, but I would need to use the bridge to get to the trailhead for Hansenclever. Thus the dilemma. There are other trails in close proximity that also say mt biking is OK, but they don't seem to have good access to them without using a trail that says hiking only. I think if you really ask someone it is easier for them to say no than to think about it or figure it out. I don't think these trails get much use anyway and I don't think it is a big concern.

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I got started at the manor earlier this afternoon, unfortunately my wife's knee decided not to cooperate so we headed back after just over half hour of hiking. My impression was that while doable on a bike it was definitely designed with hiking in mind and not much else. I may try sometime. I mean, it's not like there's nowhere else to ride around here, that may as well be where I go hiking instead.
 
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Cannonbill

Active Member
Entering in from the Manor is the best bike permitted route.It is tough to navigate, I had to piece together multiple maps to figure it out and trail markers barely exist. You also need to ride through a toxic waste dump. I wound up exiting by lake behind the JH Compound.
 

Kaleidopete

Well-Known Member
Entering in from the Manor is the best bike permitted route.It is tough to navigate, I had to piece together multiple maps to figure it out and trail markers barely exist. You also need to ride through a toxic waste dump. I wound up exiting by lake behind the JH Compound.
Recently? Because they just redid the route and I thought they would have marked it well with the new go a round the toxic area.
 

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