Eagleton Mine Camp Trail photos

[lawndart]

I rode this fantastic trail twice this week. These photos are from Thursday 6/14, when I went with Marty. On Saturday I went back up with fellow COTHer, Sonny’s Mom. I don’t have Saturday’s photos up yet, but there are plenty to gaggle at here:
http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6415800028/a=4058316028_4058316028/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

For those who care about such things, the EMCT is in the Sproul State Forest. It is a longggg drive on a dirt road, 4 miles of it uphill with a steep dropoff :eek: but oh so worth it!

Just FYI, this is not a trail for the green rider/green horse. There are some difficult spots on Shear Trap Trail. This trail has not been used much in the past couple of years because of gas drilling. We cleaned it twice, but it seriously needs some chainsaw work, especially at the huge tree SonnysMom ended up jumping over. On the side of a hill. In an English Saddle. I almost had a heart attack, but SM and Finnegan were cool about it.

[katyb]

It won’t let me past the album cover. Weird. That’s a pretty picture though!

[lawndart]

Katyb, can you try again? I re-posted the link after checking open access.

[katyb]

I think it wants me to register, before I can see your pics.

[lawndart]

I have no idea why it won’t give you access. ;-(

http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6415800028/a=4058316028_4058316028/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

[katyb]

I just had to log in (embarrassing - I already had an account, lol). Great pics! It is amazingly green.

[oldpony66]

where’s the pictures of you jumping :lol: ??
I had heard there were bridges on that trail… like five of them. Are there? And can you go through the water instead or are the bridges horse-friendly?
Looks like the mountain laurel was at peak bloom there when you went! Gorgeous!

[lawndart]

@oldpony66;6385479

where’s the pictures of you jumping :lol: ??
I had heard there were bridges on that trail… like five of them. Are there? And can you go through the water instead or are the bridges horse-friendly?
Looks like the mountain laurel was at peak bloom there when you went! Gorgeous!

If Fate is kind, there will NEVER be any photos of me jumping! :lol:

There are three bridges on Shear Trap trail, that would be very difficult to get around. One bridge where Slaughtering Ground trail meets Mill Run Road is easily bypassed, unless you are behind Finnegan, who loves to play in the water All bridges are wide enough, and have that black rubber footing for stability. My mare was very suspicious of that black footing at the first bridge, but she quickly got over it. :yes:

We did not even attempt to do the 22 mile loop, too much Gas Co activity on the main road, and there is a well pad right on the trail where you come back to the trailers. They are also digging out for the pipeline along Eagleton Road.

Shear Trap trail is rated difficult, and it is. But the awesome scenery makes it well worth it. If you are going to go, I’d go soon, as the Mt. Laurel are already past peak.

[SonnysMom]

We had a great time on the trail. Finnegan wanted no part of leading across the bridges but would follow another horse. He got better with each crossing.
I got to see my first bear paw prints near a puddle. I can be a little clueless, my first thought is that that is a really big dog paw print, hey wait, that isn’t a dog print…

Later Finnegan was leading back towards the trailers, the creek is burbling down in the ferns to the left, and here I am thinking that creek is making a really weird noise and from behind me lawndart yells, “Go Nikki, GO”. So I kick Finn up into a trot and we move on down the trail. That weird noise was a rattlesnake. Yup, clueless again. Apparently Finn doesnt know what a rattlesnake sounds like either. lawndart’s horse does and was getting outta Dodge and she didn’t care if Finn was in the way or not. lawndart’s horse is apparently smarter than mine.

The scenery was beautiful through the woods with the ferns and mountain laurel. We went through one area where there were pine trees. There were a few rough spots but for the most part it was pretty good.

Finnegan likes to jump so the log on the side of the hill was fun. It wasn’t too tall but you have to scramble up a sorta steep short hill and then make a hard turn to the log, slow up quickly, and go down the hill back to the trail.

[tabula_rashah]

Wow gorgeous! Looks like some place I’d love to ride. Actually I googled it and Sproul is where DH and I have planned our back pack trip for later this year

[lawndart]

@tabula rashah;6389353

Wow gorgeous! Looks like some place I’d love to ride. Actually I googled it and Sproul is where DH and I have planned our back pack trip for later this year

If you are hikers, check out this link for the Megatransect: https://ultrahike.com/About_the_Mega.html

It is full for this year (filled its quota of 800 hikers in 90 minutes!) which is near the area you will probably be hiking. Anyway, you could contact some of the people on that site, and they can tell you the best places to hike, camp, etc. I used to hike, but don’t camp much, because of the horses mostly. Too hard to get good help!

[HorsingRound]

What a beautiful place to ride!

[lawndart]

Refreshing this thread since I just rode this area again. The Eastern part of the EMCT is clear, but the DCNR (Thank you!) just cleared the Boiler Run section of the trail last month. We rode it the other day and it was awesome. Trees were still quite beautiful, the trail was challenging enough to not be boring, and the weather was perfect. :D:D I live for rides lie this!

The Gas companies have left this area for now, so we pretty much had the entire mountain to ourselves. I love riding during the week. I just hope the weather holds for the next few weeks, I have more trails I want to hit one more time, and one that I’ve never ridden.

[SonnysMom]

[QUOTE=lawndart;8385018]
Refreshing this thread since I just rode this area again. The Eastern part of the EMCT is clear, but the DCNR (Thank you!) just cleared the Boiler Run section of the trail last month. We rode it the other day and it was awesome. Trees were still quite beautiful, the trail was challenging enough to not be boring, and the weather was perfect. :D:D I live for rides lie this!

The Gas companies have left this area for now, so we pretty much had the entire mountain to ourselves. I love riding during the week. I just hope the weather holds for the next few weeks, I have more trails I want to hit one more time, and one that I’ve never ridden.[/QUOTE]

I am jealous. I sooo… need to win the lottery so I can ride during the week. I hope the weather holds out for you.

[lawndart]

[QUOTE=SonnysMom;8397356]
I am jealous. I sooo… need to win the lottery so I can ride during the week. I hope the weather holds out for you.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! We have gotten some nice rides in, and hope to do a few more before hunting season is in full swing.

I had years of only being able to ride on Sundays, and not for long at that. Between kids, jobs, and other commitments very little riding fun was had. Now that my kids are grown and horses are my job, it is a lot easier!

I think of you when I ride the Shear Trap trail, I’ve never seen it quite as beautiful as the year we rode it together. I keep hoping tho.

I think everyone dreams of winning the lottery so we can do nothing but ride. I do too! But I know I’m very lucky, and I am content with that.