NJ Hang _ Hike of 100 puddles (lakes?)

[kayak karl]

We wanted to start early but Maple and i had to go to Batsto for permit. took the dirt roads past Speedwell and Hawkins Bridge. All went well and talked to friends for a bit. on the way back on Hawkins Bridge Road we passed a car who asked how to get the Batona camp. It was Skypainter lost in the Pines. he followed us back to camp and all was well. The group got together six of us Silversurfer, Sweetbabyd, Maple, Bob Mac, Kaia and myself. I flipped a coin and South won (i think they got a little worried at this point) so we set out on our hike.

We hiked past all the horses at Carranza then left turn on to Red Blaze Trail and ended up at the railroad tracks and we turned right and headed down the trail to High Hill Crossing. Which is 92 ft. above sea level



This is where the puddles started. There was no way around most of them except bushwhacking through the woods.





You get the idea


Kaia tried to let us know there was an easier way.




The puddles went on for about a mile or two. Most of them look more like lakes. We finally reached our destination Hampton furnace. I don't think the rest of the group realized I just had them hike to a pile of rocks, but they weren't upset with me. I think it's because it was a nice day and we were eating lunch.




We relooked at the map and Bob Mac suggested the best way to hike back was to cut to the right and walk the railroad tracks. And he was right we didn't see too many more puddles after this.




We missed the 2 PM train stopping by about 15 min and 100 years.




And had a nice hike back (photo is looking BACK down the trail)



This is the link of our trip. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/145766070

For you history buffs.
Information on the Hampton Furnace is very scarce, but from what I can tell
the furnace was opened in roughly 1795 and was in operation until about
1850. As other forms of producing Iron and later steel was becoming more
cost effective. The Hampton Furnace smelted Bog Iron found in near by
swamps and bogs. Bog Iron is carried to the surface in a solution form and
deposits in waterways as it oxidizes when in contact with oxygen. This site
may have also produced cannonballs and shot for the War of 1812. I also
believe that nails were also among one of the products produced there, as
you can find various nails of different size and shapes in and around the
furnace site. Slag which is a byproduct of the smelting process can also be
found in large amounts in and around the site. Foot Note

or read "Iron in the Pines" by Aurther D. Pierce

TY
KK, Maple & K

[Fronkey]

Man, those are some serious puddlea and really cool to see the old train tracks too. Glad everyone had a great time!

Fronkey

[Cranky Bear]

Awesome pic's thanks for posting!!

[G.L.P.]

great report KK ....

Fronkey ... you should comes next year it's a blast

[kayak karl]

we all averaged 2 mph over 8+ mi. maple was very very happy with her pace. im proud of her her did a full pack to Lower Forge once, but it killed her. I think she could do it now

[Syb]

Excellent report KK, thanks for the report. Bummed that I missed it but these reports are making me want to get out again very soon.

[Maple]

We wanted to start early but Maple and i had to go to Batsto for permit. took the dirt roads past Speedwell and Hawkins Bridge. All went well and talked to friends for a bit. on the way back on Hawkins Bridge Road we passed a car who asked how to get the Batona camp. It was Skypainter lost in the Pines. he followed us back to camp and all was well. The group got together six of us Silversurfer, Sweetbabyd, Maple, Bob Mac, Kaia and myself. I flipped a coin and South won (i think they got a little worried at this point) so we set out on our hike.




The puddles went on for about a mile or two. Most of them look more like lakes. We finally reached our destination Hampton furnace. I don't think the rest of the group realized I just had them hike to a pile of rocks, but they weren't upset with me. I think it's because it was a nice day and we were eating lunch.



This is the link of our trip. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/145766070

For you history buffs.
Information on the Hampton Furnace is very scarce, but from what I can tell
the furnace was opened in roughly 1795 and was in operation until about
1850. As other forms of producing Iron and later steel was becoming more
cost effective. The Hampton Furnace smelted Bog Iron found in near by
swamps and bogs. Bog Iron is carried to the surface in a solution form and
deposits in waterways as it oxidizes when in contact with oxygen. This site
may have also produced cannonballs and shot for the War of 1812. I also
believe that nails were also among one of the products produced there, as
you can find various nails of different size and shapes in and around the
furnace site. Slag which is a byproduct of the smelting process can also be
found in large amounts in and around the site. Foot Note

or read "Iron in the Pines" by Aurther D. Pierce

TY
KK, Maple & K

A Forgotten Place

Hidden away in the pinelands of southern New Jersey are numerous ruins of the bygone era of the bog iron industry. These were the days when bog iron was harvested from ruddy lakes and streams, to be converted to pig iron in primitive blast furnaces. Hampton Furnace is one such forgotten location along the famous Batsto River. Today there is little that remains of the bog iron industry. The cranberry industry later replaced the furnace and even it vanished once this land was claimed by the State.