PMIACW

Saturday, March 17, 2018

With the woods being in-between snowshoe and running shoe conditions, I figured I'd just head out to Skyline to attempt connecting to Rattlesnake Hill from Pine Mountain. This is the final piece of the old "Simons" runs, and thinking I'd be doing a lot of walking and hiking anyhow, exploring wouldn't be all that bad.

I made it over the Skyline Conservation Area just fine, crossed South Road, and headed east toward Pine. I knew from my visit on February 23rd that there was a trail heading south at the base of Pine.

Jumped three small deer, forcing them to climb up the steep south face of Pine Mountain, and then bent back due south from my northeast direction. Rambled on and it looked a bit familiar, and when I had a decision to head hard east uphill or stay more-or-less straight, I chose straight. As soon as I was a few minutes into this decision, and I turned west, I thought I remembered that turn from the old days. I lost a good amount of elevation, and didn't feel like turning back, and eventually I exited the woods into a large field with nearby homes.

I don't think this "new" development existed like this twenty or so years ago. I wandered through the cul-de-sac and found an old forest road that took me back to South Road, right across from the trail back up to Skyline. While climbing I jumped two more deer, so a great day for deer sightings.

Finished up with 5.8-miles, and a feeling of confidence regarding the last mile or two to get to Ayapo from Pine/Rattlesnake. The long-path is coming together.

Pine Mountain from the east-side of Skyline