John S (above) refers to a views from the top thread on this subject, where i found a post by Will, as follows:
Appalachian Trail (AT)/ South Taconics Trail (STT) Jug End Connector v 0.1a
11/29/2009
The most challenging is right at the start, the old trail here is faint and
obscured for the first 100 yards or so. Spend a few minutes to get this right
and you'll be fine.
Going N the AT slabs across NE slope of Mt. Undine then passes the Elbow Trail
on the R. Then, just before taking a slight left to cross a leafy depression on
the trail (frequently a pool) and then immediately swinging R to climb a slight
rock outcropping, turn L (W) instead at N42 07 14.1, W73 25 54.0 and immediately
find yourself on top of a very low rocky knoll running S-N. About halfway across
the top of the knoll look W (a tiny bit S of W) and try to pick up the trail
traces/lines of least resistance for about 65 yards. Your target is N42 07 13.8,
W73 25 57.7, where the trail becomes more distinct.
Step down from the knoll and give it a shot. Go back to the knoll and re-sight
if needed. If you've gone anything like 100 yards west of the knoll without the
trail firming up, you've gone too far. Err to the right.
The now reasonably distinct trail swings NW for about 100 yards to a path
intersection. Bear R (N). The trail improves, though there are some blowdowns,
mostly just light branches, but in about 200 yards is the mother of all
blowdowns, which maybe is best crawled under.
You are now descending an old woods road, occasionally thinning to a path, NNW
to the Jug End Loop Trail and Fenton Brook.
A little less than 1/2 mile past the blowdown there is a tricky little section
at N42 07 37.6, W73 26 09.1. Trail seems to go left, and that's OK. but there
follows a confusing, torn up area it may be hard to pick up the track out of, on
the other side. Instead, look to the R and you'll see a path leading up and then
around that area. After tending R for a short while, more N than NNW, the trail
then resumes NNW.
SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH AND PICK UP WITH THE BRACKETED SECTION [ ] BELOW, IF YOU
DON'T WANT TO GO "OFF TRAIL" AT THIS POINT.
At any point you like from here, or even a little before, possibly as much as
1/4 mile earlier, you can leave the woods road L and go directly downhill West-
ish through open woods and easy walking for 180-400 yards (depending on where
you start, and how directly you take the slope) to reach another woods road I
call the Low Road. Take a R (N or NNW, depending on exactly where you hit it) on
the Low Road to reach the blue-blazed Jug End Loop Trail at its southernmost
point. Cross the Fenton Brook and reach an old furnace. This off-trail is much
more direct and is nicer and drier than the on-trail alternative that follows.
[[ THIS SECTION IS _ONLY_ IF YOU SKIPPED THE LAST PARAGRAPH.
In a little less than 1/2 mile trail swings L to descend along a stream bed.
Leave woods road at N42 07 56.9, W73 26 23.8 to take faint path L (W).
Intersect blue-blazed Jug End Loop Trail in about 130 yards at N42 07 57.3, W73
26 28.3. Turn L (S).
After about 300 yards turn R (W) to cross Fenton Brook. The Low Road enters from
the left just before the crossing.]]
Turn R (N) at old furnace to continue along blue-blazed Jug End Loop Trail for a
little more than a mile, crossing a feeder stream a couple of hundred yards from
the furnace.
Woods start to open up and you soon after emerge from the woods. Blue blazes
end. Bear left on grassy road through meadows.
Cross stream in about 250 yards, pass twin trees in meadow in another hundred
yards or so.
Bear L (W) onto another grassy road.
Reach dirt road at N42 08 44.3, W73 27 19.2. Turn R (N)
Follow this road about 300 yards N. A faint path to the L leads through the
beautiful meadows, to the northeast corner of the meadows at N42 09 0.1, W73 27
34.1, where a faint trail leads briefly due N, to a dry stream bed crossing,
then NNW 300-400 yards through flat and open woods to another dry stream bed
crossing and immediately a woods road running E-W at that point (N42 09 11.0,
W73 27 41.4). Turn L (W) up the slope of Mt. Whitbeck.
The road achieves a point high on the northern-descending ridge of Mt. Whitbeck
near a building to the left. From N42 09 11.7, W73 28 05.3 the route proceeds SW
along a maze of trails through mostly open woods, avoiding a climb to higher
ground on your right then climbing a knoll at the end of that high ground to its
top at N42 09 0.0, W73 28 17.4. Though this area is riddled with trails and
traces, it is best just to head SW from the building, using the trails when you
can, because especially high up there is some thickish shrubbery, but keeping to
the SW heading, climbing to the knoll to establish a known reference point. Nice
break spot. The route then descends from this knoll W and then SW, with
occasional trails, traces and dry stream beds through gently sloping ground with
excellent footing. The route reaches a S-N path along the high bank of Karner
Brook at N42 08 52.6, W73 28 42.8. Along this path you can choose your way down
the somewhat steep bank and up the opposing bank to Mt. Washington Rd. I prefer
a long gentle slab down to the left, and a shorter slab to the right on the
other side, to reach Mt Washington Rd at N42 08 53.1, W73 28 46.4.
Proceed approximately 250 yards north on Mt Washington Rd and turn left onto a
dirt road that we've been calling the Chip Woods Road, but I'm now renaming as
the Wood Chip Road because it sounds more rustic, at N42 09 0.3, W73 28 40.5.
This 250 yards of street walking can be eliminated by a steeper and more direct
crossing of Karner Brook to the R (N).
Follow the woods road up about 5/8 mile to reach the edge of a clearing
surrounding a structure at the top. A distinct trail leaves the woods road to
the L (W) and swings around R (N) to join the STT in a few hundred yards.
An alternative to the woods road is a path paralleling it on the other side (L)
(S) of the stream it follows uphill. Though a distinct trail, it is mostly quite
overgrown and there are blowdowns (just branches but frequent). I found it
unpleasant.
... so how crazy is trying this? i guess i'll need to figure out how to get gps coordinates from my droid...
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Originally Posted by 1azarus
It'll be some work (work that I want to do at some point anyway) because I've only done NY state maps so far, and the different states have different geodata.
. i think i need a wise-ass emoticon with a ski hat on. will be going Feb 28th thru March 3rd -- between trips to bradley airport! Now I have to try to understand all the stuff everyone has posted! always good to see other wb'ers out there. let me know if you're tempted.
