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Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:20 am
by Sam
Well, my friend, his cousin, and myself spent the night near the headwaters of the Neversink River; beautiful primitive campsite right on the river. Plenty of bear signs scat, foraging marks, and tree-scratches. No visitors though.

The following morning, which was 5/31 we bushwhacked up to Friday Mountain, with views of Slide and Cornell, during some points of the hike. Once we were a little over a half mile from camp, we came to the first major ledge, which was somewhere around 50' high. Before going up a notch, one of us caught a peculiar sight by chance. Immediately to our left was a large structure composed of fallen timber from god knows how long ago, which was placed at the side of the mouth of a nicely sized cave with good exposure. This once extended all around the mouth of the cave. The structure itself topped out on the top of the ledge. That's not all. Inside the cave were implements for survival, which some poor soul or souls hauled up there on their backs. The main contrivances are as follows: wood burning stove, exhaust system, three hatchets with wooden handles, and three shovels, two large two person saws for falling trees, many cast iron skillets, pots, cast iron oil lantern, and some other odds and ends. All together the weight would've been very heavy for anyone to carry up to Friday.

I am going to post some pictures of this site, after work today. Considering the remoteness of this location it was an extraordinary find for us. In fact much more rewarding than reaching the canister on Friday was. Our imaginations wandered all across the board as to whom/why/ how this camp was set up. And of course when. But at the end of the day it was probably some hunters who used this location for hunting big game, but who knows? Pure speculation will not reward us with facts.

In any event the route we used to get to this point from the headwaters of the neversink had not been used for a long time. The only signs we saw on the way were that of bear. The going was tough and slow with many many many beech and hemlock saplings. The contents of the cave were not disturbed and I highly doubt that many others have come across this place before. I have come across the remains of prospectors out west and marveled at the sight, but here in New York? No way. Well for now that is all. I'll get the pictures up soon.

Happy Trails
Sam

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:31 pm
by Sam
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There are some other pictures of odds/ends that were scattered about the outside of the cave. Pots, pans, old tin cans, a few beer bottles, axe heads, and the like. The one thing that struck me as odd is the location of this camp. In front of the cave were some very large boulders that had huge drops in between them...in the middle of the night or whatever someone from the cave could potentially hurt themselves severely...Not to mention how hidden this spot is....I suppose someone from the moonhaw road side could have brought this stuff up a long time ago...Enjoy.

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Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:10 pm
by Jon
thats cool. Have coordinates?

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:19 pm
by mike
Wow Sam! That is quite a find! I have wondered around the ledges of Friday, but have never seen this cave before. I will have ask my friend Ralph about it. He know this area very well. I will have to check it out. It's nice that no one has removed any of the items.

Those beech saplings are a real pain. I hit quite a few of them coming down from Rocky a couple weeks ago. My legs were quite bloody from banging up against them. I bet you slowed you down quite a bit. I think it is easier to climb Friday and Balsam Cap from Moonhaw Road.

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:42 pm
by Sam
Jon- Sorry I don't have coordinates for this location.

Mike, the beech were very dense but at least some light filters through the canopy in those spots...The dense hemlock stands are dusky in the middle of the day. Very hard to discern what is around you in these spots.

We had no idea how close to the base of slide mountain we were camped, until we climbed out of the rivers ravine the next day. For sure the most remote spot I've been to in the Catskills.

Rocky and Balsam cap are my last two peaks, before I'm eligible for membership into the 3500 club...I'd like to climb them next week. After that I'm going to lay off of the bushwhacking for a while. Then start hiking the airy summits of the Adirondacks for the 46er club.

If you do find this cave it will be a freak accident as it was with us.

We spent a lot of time there in sheer disbelief, wonder, awe, and curiosity. A very lonely spot to live for x amount of time. Not a lot of game up there either. hmmmm?

I wonder if you're buddy has any notion of this places existence? If so I'd be interested to learn more...

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:26 pm
by dave
This is one of the best trail reports I have read in a long time. Thanks for sharing with us. It is greatly appreciated.

I understand that you had a hard time getting the trail report posted. On Thursday and Friday, hackers from China caused a major network connection to stop. This took down 300,000 web sites, including ours. We apologize for you having to type in the trip report twice.

I am going to keep the location on the cave up for a few days and them remove the information on the specific location of the cave (just the one paragraph in the above post). Unfortunately, someone will will see this and go find the cave and remove the artifacts. No problem posting it for the few of us that want to see the location for ourselves. So, if people want to visit the cave, I would suggest people print off the page in the next couple of days.

Congratulations on on your 3500 list, and you will like the 46 peaks in the ADK's.

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:39 pm
by Sam
To the ensuing adventurers who try to find this "site"

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”
Edward Abbey

And thank you! I'm sure the Adirondacks will be a blast! I have only been to the Lake George Area..lol. Not a good reference point for the High Peaks.

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:29 pm
by Sam
Mike I sent you a pm. Alrighty, take care.

Re: Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 12:32 am
by emerson
Back from the dead - anyone here wish to send along some specific info about this find?.... planning a late Feb.hike with my son before he moves and he would love to see this. PM me with info if you could.Thanks