Interesting Find while bushwhacking to friday from neversink
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:20 am
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
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