OT - Delaware Water Gap
- Thread starter S_Janowski
- Start date
This ursine fear is all pretty funny, no? At some point, you gotta believe the law of natural selection kicks in. You know: nature's way of eliminating the feeble-minded from the human gene pool and all, while feeding a deserving bear family at the same time. That's a joke. Mostly.
Not safe indoors either what with all the lead, asbestos, black mold, bedbugs, and radon gas.
It is called a river. You cross a river. The "water gap" between New Jersey and Pennsylvania is a river. Its name is the Delaware River. Why such a term as "water gap" would ever endure is a mystery. Perhaps the locals never wanted a bridge.
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A water gap is a geological feature where a river cuts through a mountain ridge. Google could have solved this "mystery" for you.
I was going to go camping this weekend in the Delaware Water Gap area, was able to leave Central Jersey by 2:30, traffic was rough, all the time I'm thinking about the weather. I make a pit stop once I get onto 80, decide I'm gong to bail (I was going to go for a while, and drive back, b/c of the weather, 100 heat index). So, later this evening I get a text message and picture - several bear cubs walked through the camp area exploring and sniffing, within 15 feet of everyone, and left, mama was in sight, didn't come by. Picture was of them walking away, maybe 100 feet away from the group. Sorry, not for me.
Definitely don't use a kayak. Bears eat them. Bring pepper spray and this woman with you. Turned out well for her, except she did not speak bear.
Decided to go with a canoe trip in the early afternoon followed by a stop a Bushkill Falls.
Went with a 6 mile canoe trip from Matamoras, PA down to River Beach, PA through Kittakinny Canoes as recommended by a poster. Trip down the Delaware took about 3.5 hours including a 1 hour stop in the shade for lunch. Perfect weather a perfect distance. Staff was real friendly and there was barely anybody on the river except for a few canoers and tubers so it felt like we had it to ourselves.
Bushkill was pretty neat. I can see why the avid hikers wouldn't like a private place like this but it was prefect for a 1-2 hour stop.
Didn't see any bears but I think I saw a bald headed eagle soaring above the Delaware right around the PA/NY/NJ border while on the canoe. If not a bald headed eagle it was a giant hawk that looked like one haha.
Went with a 6 mile canoe trip from Matamoras, PA down to River Beach, PA through Kittakinny Canoes as recommended by a poster. Trip down the Delaware took about 3.5 hours including a 1 hour stop in the shade for lunch. Perfect weather a perfect distance. Staff was real friendly and there was barely anybody on the river except for a few canoers and tubers so it felt like we had it to ourselves.
Bushkill was pretty neat. I can see why the avid hikers wouldn't like a private place like this but it was prefect for a 1-2 hour stop.
Didn't see any bears but I think I saw a bald headed eagle soaring above the Delaware right around the PA/NY/NJ border while on the canoe. If not a bald headed eagle it was a giant hawk that looked like one haha.
Is that really you? Or is it your buddy taking over your account because the bear won?
RIP, S Janowski, RIP.
RIP, S Janowski, RIP.
A woman was just attacked in Vernon, NJ 2 days ago by a bear while walking her dog. Luckily a by-stander was there to help and scare it away.
http://www.northjersey.com/communit...vernon-resident-out-walking-her-dog-1.1633547
It seems like many on here aren't phased by the sight of a bear but I'm right with you, this isn't for me. I was planning on doing the hike to Buttermilk Falls but the idea of seeing some cubs and Mama bear made me change plans to Bushkill Falls. The idea of what to do/not do when you see some cubs and Mama bear sounds easy enough in reality I bet half the people in this thread would also crap their pants just like me.
Also one radio of the stations on the ride up was promoting "bear week" so even more of a reason for me not to mess around.
Yeah, it’s me Stevie. Stevie Janowski… We went to high school together… I was the drum major.
I used to have bears walk down my yard and deck pretty regularly. Open the window to see them sniffing around the grill about a foot away, through the wall. Also walked outside to see a 120 lb coyote staring at me from about 7 feet away. All beautiful creatures and glad I had those opportunities. There are outlying situations, but common sense goes a long way.
I'm more worried about moose ... those big fkers are mean.
There have definitely been reports of 100+ lb coyotes. Whether theyre pure coyote or not, i dont know. It was large and full bodied, though, not like those short, scraggly ones. Thought it was a wolf, but the photos of coyotes looked more similar to his color and face.
Whatever the case, it was a large, unpredictable beast standing at the top of my deck stairs staring intently at me ... I decided maybe id spend a little more time inside.
Whatever the case, it was a large, unpredictable beast standing at the top of my deck stairs staring intently at me ... I decided maybe id spend a little more time inside.
Read my post 3 above this one, regarding bears.......if you're ok with the heat, you'll have the river to yourself on a day like today, glad you enjoyed.
Can we swim at either of these places? Bushkill or buttermilk? Also can I bring my dog?
I only made it to Bushkill and I did see a few dogs. I believe they are permitted as long as they are leashed. You can't swim within any of the designed trails but they may have another area of the campground where you can swim, not sure.
If I were at the camp site when the bears walked through (where my friends were Friday evening), and one of the cubs turned and came very close to any of us, I would be very, very concerned if mama got involved.
The black bears here are just big raccoons. Make some noise and they'll run. If you're worried about them, then put in for a permit and thin the population.
Sadly long time poster S_Janowiski was attacked and overcome by a bear when he visited the Delaware water gap. Janowiki's computer was not recovered and a witness claimed that the bear was "fooling around" with it. It is now believed that Janowiski's account has been taken over by the bear which apparently is no ordinary bear.
I guess he never heard of the Cumberland Gap in elementary school history either... or the Fulda Gap in Cold War era stuff.
A mountain gap is a mountain gap. The Delaware water gap is a river.
They don't call the Grand Canyon the Colorado Water Gap.
They don't call the Grand Canyon the Colorado Water Gap.
GeorgeStreet said "They don't call the Grand Canyon the Colorado Water Gap."
That's because they call it the Grand Canyon. They don't call the Grand Canyon the Colorado River either.
That's because they call it the Grand Canyon. They don't call the Grand Canyon the Colorado River either.
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It's not a "mystery" if you know anything about geology. "Water gap" and "wind gap" are geological terms.
