Editorial note: While the Photo of the Week article is published on Mondays, the columns are written over the weekend. By now, the “impending” storm has arrived. Wishing all a safe snowy day.

INTRODUCTION:

Beginning a week ago, I (and I am assuming) you, have been bombarded by weather bulletins advising of a very large impending storm (now here)! ORLENA!  Please don’t think I’m an ingrate, but enough is enough!! 

My story begins about a week ago, watching TV news and the weather comes on.  Out of the blue, I am beginning to listen to some pretty hefty amounts of snow predictions, some pretty specific locations for snow, and the infamous, “but, if you are ten miles east, near the shore, it could be rain.”  This goes on and on, with very concerned voice inflections along with some serious facial expressions, advising of impending doom! 

I’m sitting there, asking myself, how did I miss all this!? Better check my food supply! Do I have enough cat food?  Then, this ten-minute broadcast ended, followed with the closing line, (this is what killed me!!) …

Now, let me set this up for you.  Remember the serious concerned voice and facial gestures I mentioned? They are GONE! He now continues his closing comments, in a straight nonchalant carefree demeanor, “This forecast may vary as the storm develops and when it is closer to us” followed by, “This storm is now just approaching the west coast!” 

Wait!  I just sat through ALL THAT and the storm is developing and approaching the west coast?! I just love the consistency, watching the weather.

Take this latest storm. At first it really looks big, up to 10 inches around here and it hasn’t even hit the west coast yet! Then they start to shave back the inches–it is going to move further south, Northwest New Jersey will get a light amount, south Jersey will get more!  It changes again, and now we are all in for a good amount!  Why don’t we just wait, look out the window after it begins and see how much ACTUALLY comes down? Then, we can all compare inches, REAL ON THE GROUND INCHES! 

Obviously this incessant doom and gloom scenario and forecast has affected others.  Went food shopping with my friend Saturday evening, and quite a few shelves were empty.  To add insult to injury, while eating at the diner, had a loud couple talking throughout the meal, reiterating to each other, “The weatherman said it will start at 1 p.m. Monday!” 

IT BETTER SNOW!

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Been out and about a little, but no photos to write home about!  What will I write for my Photo of the Week article? Then I started to connect some dots.  Been hearing about snow all week, why not make snow my subject? My Photo of the Week article is on Monday and the storm is predicted to begin sometime on Monday!!  (Noticed  I refused to predict 1 p.m. It can start whenever it wants!) 

I’ll look through my archives and see what I come across!?  Went through my archives and actually was beginning to have some nice memories along with some pretty pictures of snow, all in some places I really like!  SO, this is where the “different perspective” part kicks in. Or maybe transforms from negative suppositions of worry, doom etc. to pleasant memories and photos of PAST SNOWS (can’t hurt us – they are in the past!) forming a beautiful and different way to experience Our Beautiful Open Space and Park Lands!!  Kind of like this, I can show you some of my favorite places, giving you HINTS of what is out there along with nice places to visit!!

The Photo of the Week, Van Campens Lower Glen Falls was a truly special day for me.  Perfect conditions, snow had just stopped, sun was in and out, (creating wonderful ever changing highlighting of the glen) snow had coated all the branches turning the glen into a wonderland!! ADD a crisp breeze that periodically created miniature localized snow squalls in sunlight and you have some really interesting photos!!  NOTE:  This was not an easy trip, AND, after a certain point, the stone staircase, it was obvious I was not going to be able to safely return the way I came, had to scramble up the side wall to the road!!  This photo was taken from halfway up the stone stairway.  NOTE:  I did use ice spikes for my boots.

The Delaware Water Gap from I80 mp19east Scenic Overlook was another special day!  The storm had just ended and I immediately went to the Overlook which had been closed to vehicles.  Parked on the shoulder and hiked up to the overlook, another day of in and out sun highlighting the beautiful vista!!

Atop Mt Tammany was another special day, I was first and only person in the parking lot.  Fresh clean snow, took the Red Dot Trail which was quite challenging going through rocky sections, but again, the sun highlighting the snow was just spectacular.  My one regret on this trip was I ran out of batteries for my camera on my way back down!!  I returned via the blue trail which takes you down into and through Dunnfield Creek, just a wonderland there, with the stream and again in and out sun with snow and glistening ice on all the branches!!  NOTE:  Used ice spikes for my boots.

The Merrill Creek Reservoir photo was always one of my favorites with the bell shaped ice on the tree stumps in the water.  That is a beautiful site/sight to look across the water and seeing the distant mountains from this mountain top reservoir.

Columbia railroad Viaduct, I usually don’t consider I 80 and a RR bridge to be a photographic subject, HOWEVER, with I80 snow covered, a nice portrait of almost the entire bridge along with Mt Minsi in the backdrop, I like this photo.  This and the Hainesburg RR Viaduct were both part of the Lackawanna Cutoff and the largest poured concrete project in the world at the time ca 1911. 

Last but not least, Summit Trail, Jenny Jump State Forest.  Another visit where I was the first to hike that day and another special day of beautiful snow covered trees along with a breeze to periodically create some interesting photos.  This part of Summit Trail is unique, you look west and get this panorama and you look east you see the Pequest Valley all without leaving the trail.

I don’t expect to change some of your minds about Snow & Ice, however I hope you will find these photos enjoyable and nice to look at, thus creating that Different Perspective, a nice perspective that might give you some nice ideas about future Family visits!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Charlie Fineran is Allamuchy’s Director of Open Space, Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission Chairman and Allamuchy Historical Society President.