Highest point in Minisink Hills, PA

I decided to once again attempt to climb to the highest point in Minisink Hills, PA today. If it was true that early settler, George Zimmerman carved his initials into stone up there, I would find it. I approached the hill from behind the old Schmidling house across the street from where I live. It was a very steep slope to the top and the ground was very slippery so I slipped a lot. I found a thick three foot piece of wood that I used for balance. At the peek I found some names carved into the stones but I can't make out any kind of name and the only carving I was certain of said "56" which I am sure was put there by a hiker in 1956. From the peek I could see across the street from the elementary school, the paper mill, the Delaware Water Gap, the sewage treatment plant and Interstate 80. I think I am correct when I wrote in a previous post that the rock used for the nearby railroad crossing over the Brodhead Creek was taken from this hill.

George Zimmerman on the Rock

While out walking / exploring last week, I met Ed who was searching for the original location of a part of Seven Bridges Road. He told me that he had once hiked to the highest hill in Minisink Hills and saw a unique stone formation. Nearby, was a rock with the name George Zimmerman (early settler) carved upon it. Today, I tried to get to the top of that hill...and failed. About 5:30pm I walked up Hillside Drive to Route 209 to the Odd-Lot Outlet because I decided the best way to get up the hill would be to start behind Odd-Lot Outlet where people ride dirtbikes. The approach to the hill was covered with thick brush and steep. After five minutes I hit a steep slope which was very difficult to walk down so I crouched down to an almost-sitting position and kind of slid down. I could see the highest part of the hill but was so winded that I knew I didn't have it in me to make it up there. It was too late in the day to complete the hike and stupidly, I did not bring any water, a flashlight, a whistle, and I didn't tell anyone where I was going. To me, it looks like the stone used to build the nearby railroad crossing over the Broadhead Creek was taken from this hill. Hopefully, one day I will return to this hill and complete the hike and take photos of the rock with George Zimmerman's name carved upon it. George Zimmerman is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetary which is behind St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Minisink Hills.