Gregory Bubniak

Approached Rocky from the east after bagging Matty Price Hill (not on this list). Simple bushwhack, bushwhacked down the west face. With my son Patrick.

Approached using the trail running along the ridge after bagging Rocky. With my son Patrick.

Approached using gas line right of way. I forgot how nice the immediate summit area is for a snack break. With my son Patrick.

I went with my sons Thomas and Patrick on this beautiful December morning to finally summit the elusive Upper Pohatcong Mountain. This was my fourth attempt at Upper Pohatcong. We left the pheasant farm at 11:00 and began the ascent as we had the previous times. We took the same route everyone else used, which was the same way we approached in the past. We made it to the property line that we got stuck on several times before, and followed it directly towards the summit. We made it to the second power line and found posted signs off to the east all the way down the ridge. We went west and found the spot where we could access the summit without crossing any property lines. We got to the summit, and then found the ATV trail everyone else wrote about, too it south back towards the power lines, and found it was marked posted as we approached it from the opposite direction. We retraced our steps, and took 3 hours and 5.6 miles. It was great to finally get this peak, it was starting to look elusive again when we were at the second power lines. Doing this climb in late December kept the growth manageable.

With Thomas.

With Thomas.

Repeating my mistakes from the past, this time with Thomas and Patrick in tow. Ran out of time and had to return home. Did not go far enough north along private property line to make it to second power line. Still pulling ticks off of my legs and briars out of my fingers hours later.

Thomas, Patrick and I started at CO Johnson Park. We took woods road into the col between peak 1066 and Wright Pond Cliffs, and discovered how the latter was named. We crossed the woods road and headed up the south face, and found a recent woods road that took us right to the summit. We headed back down the south face and started towards Wright Pond Cliffs.

After descending down Westby Ridge, Thomas Patrick and I found the woods road that led us to Wright Pond Cliffs. Taking the right fork at the base of Wright Pond Cliffs, we followed the woods road to the summit area. We followed the road back down, and went through the col between pack 1066 and Wright Pond Cliffs, and closely followed our steps back to CO Johnson Park.

The staff at Hudson Farms couldn't be more cordial about allowing access!

As a warm-up for our trip up Westby Ridge and Wright Pond Cliffs, I took a small contingent from my Cub Scout Pack up Morris Lake Mountain. Beautiful day! We took the same way everyone else did; the trails are in decent shape.

Parked in Stuyvestant Road lot. Hiked up the 517/Waterloo Trail, bushwhacked the last few tenths. Took herd path back towards lot, wound up on Cardiac Ditch Trail for a little bit, then back to Waterloo/517. Pleasant walk, light bushwhack.

Parked on Mine Hill Rd and began ascent up old road grade. This time I stayed towards the south of the old road grade, and avoided any posted signs. Took roads along the saddle of the ridge, and made an easy approach to the summit. I saw the posted signs that I got caught on durin g my last attempt. Staying to the south will help avoid the private property on this approach.

Part of AT trip with Thomas Bubniak.

Took the same approach as many others: park at the park & ride on NJ 206, take the rail trail northwest, and take the green trail west to begin bushwhacking towards the summit. We saw the posted signs all around the summit, and at no point were able to find a route to the summit that did not cross a posted sign. This trip is similar to my County House Mountain summit in many ways.