What You Missed
Complete List
Summer 2010
From the top of Little Rocky we headed southeast but always stayed on top of the ridge. We descended into the col between Little Rocky and the next bump on the ridge and then climbed that bump. Both the descent and ascent were not always easy but the woods were mostly open without too many prickers or nettles. The woods were also VERY dry. The trip was only about .7 miles which we covered in 30 minutes. Somewhere on or before the bump we picked up a faint path that we were able to follow until the col with Mombaccus. At the top of the bump someone had begun to arrange stones into furniture and I wondered who would do this on such a sparsely traveled path. Now we headed almost due east to stay on the ridge and then southeast toward the Col. This required getting down some small rock outcroppings but we were able to follow the path to the col. Once in the col I decided that Mombaccus was calling from only .25 miles away and that we would go to the top and then descend from there. This was the most miserable part of the trip up to this point as we had to fight through thick laurel and blueberry. The top was open and quite pretty but every time I walked to where I thought there would be a lookout I was thwarted! The plan to get off Mombaccus was to head north or slightly northeast on the descent until we hit the Kanape Brook Trail. This descent was only slightly less steep than the ascent up Little Rocky. It was rocky and filled with areas of prickers and nettles. I always seem to gravitate toward drainage areas since they appear open and easier to negotiate. I always pat the price of unstable footing and nettles! After a long descent, we were on the flatter ground below but there was no sign of the trail I was looking for. I decided to keep heading northeast with the hope that I would run across the trail. With less than a quarter mile we were on the trail and headed back. As we were almost done, a group of four young people were headed up the trail. From their attire it was obvious they were going to one of the many "swimming holes" on the brook. We were back at the car just before 3:00 PM having taken 4.5 hours to cover the 6 miles!
From the top of Oxford I took a bearing east and just slightly north and headed down into Sykes Gap. The hillside I chose had enormous boulders with gaps and holes between them. All this was covered by dense vegetation including various SHARP plants. I though the trip Donw would never end. Once we got into the gap things did not immediately get better. It was wet in places, there were more rocks and blowdown to avoid and some dense brush to get through. At least ahead of us I could see the ascent that was County House. Soon we were on the hill but there was still a lot of rocky areas to work through. The hillside was steep but not very long and there seemed to be a few paths. I wondered if I was in the right place since I saw no POSTED signs on this side of the mountain. Soon I was near the top and I though I could see a clearing through the bushes. The clearing proved to be the backyard of the house at the top. I found a surprised homeowner who said "Hello" and graciously granted me permission to walk around on his land and then head down his private driveway. It was 2:25 PM and about 1.6 miles into the hike. It had taken us 1 hour and 15 minutes to traverse the difficult route to the top of County House. I was VERY grateful since I did not want to even try to head back nDow to Sykes Gap let alone retrace my route over Oxford. We walked down his driveway turned right onto Jost Road which IS also private. Jost Road took us to Tunnel Hill Road which we walked back to the car. The return trip to the car was also about 1.6 miles but took only 35 minutes. We finished the 3.2 mile trip in 1 hour and 45 minutes returning to the car at 3:00 PM. I was tired and wondered if I could handle Upper Pohatcong. Most of the trip reports seemed to indicate that there were woods roads and that the bushwhacking was through mostly "open" woods. This was NOT to be my experience!
The road took me to a power line right-of-way and then up along the right-of-way to its highest point. I crossed the power line and headed back into the woods on a road or trail. This road was posted on both sides but I continued on the theory that the road itself seemed to be OK. Soon the woods road joined a paved road so I turned left and continued up the hill. At 12:25 PM, after hiking 1.2 miles, we arrived at the old cell tower installation. The gates to the fence were unlocked and wide open. I walked around the buildings and stood on some rock outcroppings that seemed to be the highest point around. Back on the paved road we headed to the car on the same route we had taken up. I did stop to look at some of the buildings and wonder about the story of this area. On the way back we stayed on the road and it did take us back up the hill and avoided the second bushwhack. We were back at the car before 1:00 PM having covered the 2.4 miles in an hour! The next hike would be Oxford and County House which were nearby.
A blue trail leaves from the end of the parking area and is clearly marked. This trail proceeds along woods road lined with stone on both sides until it merges with a white trail and continues in the general direction of the peak. The trail climbs slightly and the starts a steady descent until about 1 mile into the hike. I don't like to go down when I know I have to go up but I knew the trail would be a lot easier to follow than trying to bushwhack a more direct route. At the one mile mark the trail ascends to a lookout but the views are non-existant now due to the vegetation. Just passed the overlook at about 1.45 miles we turned left off the trail to bushwhack to the high point of The Tornfell. I headed for a patch of ferns thinking this would mean fewer prickers and it worked as long as I avoided open, sunny areas. In a short distance a rock out cropping lay ahead and Sheba found an easy way up one end. We walked across this outcrop or ridge and quickly found the high point with a small cairn at about 10:45 AM. We headed back down the outcrop and then I decided to try a slightly different route back. This was not a good idea since we encountered a whole new batch of SHARP plants to battle. Just as we hit the trail, I heard voices and walked toward the viewpoint to meet a couple who were camping at Jenny Jump. They told me that the trail beyond the viewpoint had a lot of prickers and descended steeply. I thinkt this is the whiteh traila t comes up from near the Land of Make Believe but that will be another day's adventure. Sheba and I made short work of the hike back and were at the car by 11:20 AM having finished the 3.1 mile hike, including the bushwhack, in 1 hour and 15 minutes. This was peak two out of a planned six for the day and Fairway was next!
I used my rule that says head UP and in the general direction of the intended target and this is what we did. The walking was pretty easy as we headed generally east. We hit a woods road that went up the mountain but headed a little more south than I wanted to go. Still, some pretty impressive cliffs lay between the road and the high point so I decided to follow the road around the "back" of the mountain. Soon a "path" appeared on the right and we headed up again steeply through some ferns and blowdown. This put us on the summit plateau where we walked around for a while until I felt we had hit all the possible high points. There wasn't much to see so I decided to head back down by heading northwest and over some of the steep cliffs we had seen before. Going down wasn't too bad as we found some breaks in the cliffs and we soon hit another woods road. This one headed too much to the north so we crossed it and soon regained our path from earlier. We followed the same general route back down through the open forest and across the swamp. We were back by 9:15 covering about 1.5 miles in the hour. The next stop was Buck Mountain in Kinnelon.
On Monday, March 8th I got home from school rather early and asked Cindy if she wanted to go snowshoeing. She agreed and since we had a short time, we again headed for Round Top, the hill behind our church. We were surprised at how much snow had disappeared with the warm temperatures throughout the week! The hill up to the trail was almost completely clear and we almost turned back. Once we turned into the woods it was obvious that the more protected areas still had some snow! The air temperatures were warm so we were both dressed lightly. The snow was heavy and wet which made the going a little tough. We worked our way up to the very top of the hill and then decided to descend down to the trail that parallels the Quickway. I like descending on snowshoes. Cindy doesn't like it as much. Once we hit the path we continued in a loop until I found the woods road and we took that back toward town. Once we hit the look out over Exit 96, we turned uphill to complete the loop. Any tracks that we had made previously were gone but Sheba seemed to know where to go! wE COMPETED THE LOOP AND I DECIDED I WANTED A LITTLE MORE. Cindy decided to go home. Sheba and I turned around and reversed the loop to add another 45 minutes and a few more miles.
On Friday, February 26th school was closed for the third day in a row! When I tried to open the door in the morning, I had to force it open and then shovel some of the snow away. A lot more snow had fallen overnight AND the winds had caused drifting. I spent several hours shoveling around the house and clearing the walks at the church. I convinced Cindy to snowshoe with me and we again headed for Round Top. The snow was MUCH deeper starting in the field just across the road near the church. The dogs jumped the snow bank and all but disappeared in the new fallen snow. From that point on both of them followed in our snowshoe track. We made our way up the cemetery hill and into the woods. The track from the day before was gone with only a slight indentation to show the way. I took much the same route but the going was much slower. There was almost two feet of new snow as we approached the top of the hill. At some points I though my pole had collapsed but it was just that the snow was that deep. By the time we reached the top of the hill, Cindy was done so we turned around and retraced our path the way we had come. The mileage and time was short but it was long on effort.
On Thursday, February 25th school was AGAIN closed as ANOTHER 12 inches of snow fell overnight. I shoveled our sidewalks and parking area and then decided to hike. I would have loved to go somewhere like Frick Pond but thought that it would be irresponsible. My son Karl was up from Virginia and we decided to again hike up Round Top. The snow was still falling during our hike alternating from very light to heavier as we hiked up the hill at the cemetery. It was hard to see what town looked like as the snow obscured the view so we quickly turned into the woods trail and started the climb. I had not brought my pack or camera and so could concentrate on the effort and the pleasure of the exercise from snowshoeing. I hit a more direct line up the hill and we kept a good pace as we talked. I was surprised when I found we were at the top of the hill. We continued straight ahead to descend the first hill and then found the woods road that leads over the next hill. We climbed this one and then turned around to reverse our path. When we got back to the clearing with the pine tree, we turned down the hill and "skied" toward the Quickway. We had not intended to go out the cliff that overlooks the road but decided to do so anyway. I was surprised at how much snow was on the road and how little traffic was present. We climbed back up to the trail and followed my path from the day before back home.
On Tuesday, February 16th I had planned to meet friends somewhere to go for a snowshoeing expedition. The snow started falling on Monday night and became serious on Tuesday morning. Although the roads were passable there was no sense in chancing a mishap simply to meet and snowshoe. Cindy, Sheba and I went up on Round Top behind our church and snowshoed for about two hours. I didn't even take the pack so I didn't have to worry about the camera. The snow was thin near the bottom but there was plenty on top. We have a series of routes that we sue and, although, the hill isn't very high, there are some challenging parts. There was no trail broken and we actually took a new variation on and old route and found some new ledges. We went out to the "second' hill at which time the snow almost turned to a freezing rain. I found that my Mammut Ultimate Hoody IS DWR but will start to soak through as the snow falls and melts. The wet never got through to me but we decided to simply follow our path back. As we followed our tracks, we found that they were beginning to fill in as the snow fell. We had a great time on a short but challenging hike.
We left the parking area and headed for the Flynn Trail. I wanted to reverse the route we had done previously by climbing the 1.7 miles on the Flynn Trail to the junction with the Big Rock Trail. At this junction we had several options. The Flynn Trail had quite a bit of new fallen snow and even more drifting. Our tracks from two days before were obliterated in most places. It was a long slog through the snow but we were soon at the trail junction. Cindy wanted to cut down the Big Rock Trail which was alright with me since I though the steeper downhill might be fun. It was and soon we were at Times Square. My choice was to take the Logger's Loop to lengthen the hike but Cindy was a little more tired and cold so we went straight and around the back of Frick Pond. We did not stop to take pictures along the way as it was very cold and the blowing snow was not conducive to taking pictures. We hiked back to the parking area hitting a few spots of open water which made the snow start to stick to the shoes. We finished the 4 mile walk in around 2 hours. Cindy wore my Atlas 12 snowshoes and found them far superior to her Elektra 10s. I will be looking for a pair of the 12s for her in the near future.
On Monday, September 6th Cindy and I decided to explore the southern part of the Neversink Unique Area by starting a hike from Skinner Road near Westerbrookville
On Saturday, September 4th Karl was up from Virginia and wanted to hike at North South Lake since he had never been there.
On Friday, September 3rd I decided to visit the Neversink Gorge and the Neversink Unique Area. THis area has been around for a LONG time and has even had trails marked in some fashion by the DEC and local residents. The Sullivan Striders use it for trail running and I got one of the few available maps from their website. The New York New Jersey Trail Conference is working in this area now to upgrade the trails and blaze them all using the familiar red, blue and yellow discs. I knew that the trails offer several combinations to make loops with side trail to visit the Neversink River and the various tributary brooks. I decided to access the area by parking in the lot at the end of Katrina Falls Road in Rock Hill. After 9:00 Am cross country practice, I went home to pick up Sheba and my equipment. We left Livingston Manor on the Quickway and headed for Rock Hill. I got off at the Rock Hill exit and then clocked the mileage to make sure I could find the parking area. This was unnecessary since the parking area is at the end of Katrina Falls Road and a convenient yellow gate with a STOP sign lets you know you can go no farther. I parked the car just before noon, got my bearings and headed passed the gate on an old woods road with blue discs at a few minutes passed noon. The temperature was in the high 70's or low 80's but the high humidity made me start to sweat immediately. The skies were very overcast although there was no rain in the forecast. As we left, another hiker was coming up the road and asked me about the trails. I told him it was my first trip and we wished each other a good day. In the first .5 miles the trail loses 200 feet of elevation as it descends toward the river and a junction with a yellow trail. All the yellow trails lead to the Neversink or one of the tributary brooks. I decided to continue on the main blue trail since I was planning on returning to this junction on my way back to the car. At ,6 miles we crossed a "road" bridge over Wolf Brook. We stopped so that I could take some pictures since there was quite a lot of water flowing over the rocks and under the bridge. Just passed the bridge I began looking for the start of the red trail at Big Maple Junction. I intended to hike the loop in a clockwise direction. Just after the bridge the blue trail turned to the right and I saw no blazes to mark the red trail. I did find a big maple and a path which made me suspect that the junction was at that point but I decided to continue on the blue trail and hike the loop counterclockwise.
The blue trail is a wide open woods road which is relatively easy to walk and rolls only a little as it parallels the river. Views of the Neversink can be seen through the trees and there are many inviting areas to walk down the bank to the river. I decided to stay on the trails and in another .6 miles, about 1.2 miles into the hike a yellow trail appeared on the right and we turned to go down to the river to Denton Falls. The trail here was another woods road and was easy to follow despite the lack of any blazes. Down at the river the "falls' were little more than a small rapids in the river. It was a little disappointing but I took some pictures before we walked the .3 miles back up to the main blue trail. Sheba and I turned right and were soon walking up hill toward Mullet Brook. The trail took a sharp right and then crossed Mullet Brook on a bridge at about 1.9 miles. Just after this there was another yellow trail leading down toward the river and this one seemed to be marked with yellow discs and some old yellow on white blazes. I consulted my map and found THIS was the marked trail to Denton Falls. The previous trail was not marked on the map and led to a "swimmin' hole"! We turned on the blazed trail and started the .25 mile descent to the falls. This trail has been worked on recently and has the yellow discs from the trail conference along most of its length. In some places the discs are missing but the old blazes are present and the trail is easy to follow. It does get a little steep at times especially as it approaches the river. Denton Falls is a pleasant rapids on the river not that much more spectacular than the rapids at the swimming hole. There was quite a bit of water in the river but I could see evidence that there was much more at times. I got the camera out and started to take pictures as I worked my way downstream on the exposed rocks. I was able to get a view of the "front" of the falls from some rocks in the stream. After this, Sheba and I returned to the main blue trail to continue our loop hike. The trail continued uphill and became more narrow. Around 2.5 miles the blue trail continued south but we turned left or east on the red trail. Actually, I don't remember seeing any red blazes but the turn was obvious.
The red trail continued the climb and even got a little steeper as I began to look for the next yellow trail that would lead to the falls on Mullet Brook. We didn't have to wait long since this yellow trail to the left appeared only .1 miles passed the turn and about 2.6 miles into the hike. We turned and walked the .15 miles down to the falls. There was a limited amount of water passing over the falls but they were still pretty. I took a few pictures. It was obvious that there was a splash pool at the bottom when the water was higher. The fact that a larger volume of water is present at times was also indicated by the scattering of large rocks in the stream bed. We walked back up the hill to the main trail and continued the hike. The map indicated a 90 degree left turn ahead followed by another not far beyond that. The trail gained about 200 feet of elevation over the next .5 miles when the trail turned almost due north. There was no junction but just a pronounced change in direction. Just after this we crossed Mullet Brook on a bridge and then came to a junction with a yellow trail. We headed left to stay on the red trail east and then north as the trail descended over the next .9 miles. At this point the red trail met the blue trail at the big maple tree from earlier. We again crossed Wolf Brook but, instead of going directly back to the car, we turned left on the yellow trail to walk the .3 miles down to the river. The Neversink Gorge here almost lives up to its name with some high rocks on the other side. I stopped to take pictures but it wasn't until I was packing to leave that I saw another person on the far bank realxing near the river. Sheba and I hiked back up to the main trail and to the car. We covered a total of a 5.8 miles in 2.5 hours returning to the car by 2:30 PM. I hope the trail conference finishes blazing the trail and publishes some maps since there are definitely more areas to hike. At some point I will try parking in another area and hiking up the Lost Trail from Eden Brook or coming in from the "road to Nowhere" on the yellow trail.
On Thursday, September 2nd I decided to revisit Frick and Hodge Ponds after early cross country practice.
On Tuesday, August 31st the forecast called for hot, humid weather with temerarious in the high 80's. I had planned several hikes and, after finding Cindy had other things to do, I decided to go to southern Harriman to hike Almost Perpendicular, visit Claudius Smith's Den and perhaps find some new mines. I decided to take the Quickway to Route 6 and get on Seven Lakes Drive at the traffic circle. I was looking for a parking area near the end of Seven Lakes to access the trails I wanted. When I got to the Reeves Education center, I knew I had gone too far and turned around to look for the parking area on the west side of the road. I did "find" the parking area but it was on another side road. I could have parked at Reeves and walked up the road and over to the trailhead on the gas pipeline right-of-way but decided to drive to the parking area and park at the trailhead. Further down Seven Lakes Drive Johnsontown Road is a right hand turn and then another right hand turn. It is also posted as Rockland County 97. The "No Outlet" sign gave me an idea I was on the right track. I drove around the traffic circle at the end and pulled off to the side to park at about 10:00 AM. Two other cars were already parked as I got my equipment ready and Sheba and I started out. We walked back toward the road looking for the blue disc trail which was a theme that would be repeated throughout the day. I consulted the map and found that the blue disc trail actually turned up the hill to the northwest just before entering the traffic circle. the first part runs along the access road for maintenance of the gas pipeline. The trail then cuts into the woods and parallels the pipeline briefly before heading more northwest. We found that any area of the trails in this area that are readily accessible are covered in broken glass. Why people have to enjoy themselves by causing hazards for others is beyond me! What is missing in their lives that the sound of breaking glass is so satisfying? After about .85 miles and 20 minutes of hiking a high rock formation appeared on the left. It looked like it might be a good viewpoint and since I was not familiar with the area We went off the trail and up to the lookout. There were limited views but the lookout itself was interesting. The pictures I did take were hazy since the weather was warm and humid. I was not sure if this was the Almost Perpendicular viewpoint but I hoped there was more to come.
Back on the main trail Sheba and I continued to hike and almost immediately the trail hit a very steep little climb. It was steep but hardly perpendicular! The top was about 960 feet in elevation and only a mile from the start of the hike. It offered excellent views particularly to the south and east. I took some pictures but the views in the distance were still hazy. I decided to put this on the list of places to revisit when the weather was clearer and there was some color to the trees. We continued our hike down from the viewpoint into a little "valley" surrounded by several high rock formations. The trail then ascended Pound Mountain and then descended again as it approached Elbow Brush. We heard some voices up ahead at about 1.9 miles and we stopped at Elbow Brush where I took some pictures of a narrow passage between the bedrock and a piece that has pulled away over the years. This area can be avoided in one of several ways but it is interesting and not all that narrow. Just passed this point we met up with four other hikes, a group of men in their 70's, and stopped to chat with them. I am always glad to see that hiking is a form of exercise that can be enjoyed for many years! In this area was a jumble of rocks with some places to walk through. It wasn't exactly a cave but was interesting. I was pretty sure this was not the Claudius Smith Den and the others confirmed this. We said goodbye to the group and continued to hike to the junction with the Tuxedo Mount Ivy Trail. This trail runs roughly east-west and it took me a minute to find the blue disc trail which proceeds straight ahead and directly up the rock face to another viewpoint. We climbed up to the viewpoint at 2.3 miles and stopped so that I could take some shots. Just across on the next hill I could see Smith's Rock but it was hard to determine where the "den" was located. I continued on the blue disc trail but did not see the "cave". At this point I heard the other group approaching and decided to ask the "experts". They told me to go back to the trail junction and take the red Tuxedo Mt Ivy trail west to the base of the cliff where I would find the "den". I thanked them and Sheba and I headed off on the red trail.
It was less than a few hundred feet until an opening appeared on the right of the trail. We were able to walk into this "cave" and make our way to the other side. It was cool and I stopped to take some pictures from both entrances. Back on the trail we walked to the base of the cliff and found the rest of the den in the form of a rock overhang. There was a fire pit and chair set up and I imagined Claudius Smith and his men gathered around the fire. Smith was raised in Brookhaven on Long Island but his family moved to Smith' Clove (Monroe) in the early 1740's. His family was well-respected and when war broke out many became Loyalists. Claudius led a band of men who defended the Loyalists in Orange County and attacked the rebels. Eventually he became so notorious that Governor George Clinton offered a $1200 reward for his capture. Claudius Smith was hanged in Goshen, NY in 1179 as were two of his sons. After inspecting the den and several rocks and rock formations Sheba and I got ready to go back up to the blue disc trail. We passed a large rock that appeared to have primitive petroglyphs painted on it. The scene depicted hunters with weapons attacking some an8imal with a series of trees in the background. My impressions was that closer inspection would reveal a modern nature to the work. We regained the height of land on the blue disc, passed the other group where they had stopped for lunch and then tried to find the blue disc trail. We walked down a rock face without finding ant blazes and then wandered around bushwhacking near a small swampy area for some time until I decided to go back to the rock face and start over. Near the top I found where the blue disc trail headed off slightly to the right marked by a few faded blazes on the rock. The trail started to descend after crossing over another viewpoint and at about 3.4 miles I started to look for the junction with the Ramapo Dunderberg Trail that I wanted to use as part of the return route. I lost the blue discs again but continued in the general direction and found a trail marked with blue V's. This was the Victory trail and we turned left or west and soon found the trail junction.
The Ramapo Dunderberg Trail headed southwest and stayed relatively flat between hills on the east and a drop off to the west. I was looking for some evidence of the Black Ash mines but did not remember exactly what they were supposed to look like or where they were located. I looked up the mountain and saw some areas that looked interesting but I did not see the telltale tailings piles. At this point both Sheba and I were very hot and I was not sure how long the water supply would last. I decided to stay on the trail and leave exploring for another day. At about 4.0 miles I noticed a tailings pile to the left of the trail and decided to walk up to it. Just behind the pile was one of the openings for the Black Ash mine and we stopped so that I could take pictures of flooded adit and tailings pile. We walked down to the trail and continued south and I found the second adit to the Black Ash mine and took some more photographs. The trail continued to be open and easy to follow but began to descend as it approached the Tuxedo Park and the Thruway. Just after descending to a small parking area, Sheba and I turned left or south-southeast on the white Kakiat Trail that would help us complete our loop back to the blue disc trail and the car. We were both dragging a little from the heat as I considered whether or not to look for the Dater Mine near the trail junction with the blue disc trail. I decided to make this decision when we got closer. The Kakiat Trail followed a woods road and immediately began to ascend to an old telephone line right-of-way. The ascent was only about .3 miles and about 200 feet but I it was hot and very humid. As we neared the junction with the blue disc I could see various paths and roads leading up the mountain toward the direction of what I though might be the Dater Mine. I started to turn up the mountain but decided to leave this for another day when I was more informed and more rested. From here it was only .2 miles to the blue disc trail and .7 miles back to the car. We completed the 7.5 mile hike by 2:30 taking about 4.5 hours for this exploration!
On Thursday, August 26th I wanted to get a hike in between cross country practice in the morning and a meeting at night. It had been raining on and off for several days so I decided to go to Trout Pond to check out Russell Brook Falls. I had done this route in some time partly because we had hiked it so much in past years and because it is short. We arrived at the upper parking area on Morton Hill Road at about noon and started to walk down Russell Brook Road to the lower parking area. We always walk since I like the easy walk down the road which parallels Russell Brook. There was a slight breeze and the temperature was in the 70's with little humidity. The sound of the wind the trees and the occasional bird song was interrupted only by sound of Russell Brook. I could tell there was some water flow in the brook and as we hiked further I could look down to see that it was moderately full. At the parking area we found only one truck and we hiked down and across the bridge and headed over to the falls. I took some pictures of the falls from different angles and played with different camera settings. When we were done at the falls, we headed up the trail/road to Trout Pond. When we arrived I was surprised to find the water level quite low despite the recent rain. I took pictures toward the inlet of the lake. Some very dark clouds hung in the sky making for interesting photography. The clouds looked for all the world like they held rain but none developed. We walked to the other end of the lake and found the inlet stream almost dry and the lake very low. I took some more pictures. The lower lean-to seemed all set up as if someone was in residence but we did not see any people around. Sheba and I continued around the lake and on the trail over Cherry Ridge. The hike was a little longer than I though which was a good thing in this case. The back part of the loop went quickly and was rather dry except for a few low spots. Soon we were at the turn near Mud Pond and we headed left and back toward Russell Brook to complete the loop. Once we closed the loop it was back out to Russell Brook Road and up the hill to the car. The truck was gone and there were no vehicles in the upper lot so the lean-to remains a mystery! We covered about 5.5 mile sin around 2 hours arriving back at the car just after 2:00 pm.
On Saturday, August 21st Kurt and I wanted to do a longer, more challenging hike. My feet seemed to be OK after the ordeal of the previous day so I put on my Asolo TPS520 boots and we headed for New Jersey. I had read about a ruined mansion in the Ramapo State Forest that seemed interesting. Along this route was also Matapan Rock, Camp Glen Gray, the Millstones and a paleoIndian rock shelter. Kurt and I wanted to get an early start so we were on the road just after 7:00 AM and headed for the trailhead. I decided to try the main highways this time and took the Quickway to the Thruway and then I287 to exit 57. The trailhead is on Skyline Drive just off the exit on I287. It was a quick trip and we were hiking by 8:35 AM. The parking lot was very rough and only a few other cars were parked. Many trip reports warned that the parking lot fills quickly on weekends so I was glad we had started early. We started out on the blue MacEvoy Trail which gained some elevation as it paralleled what should have been a stream. The bed was dry but from the amount of debris in the bed and the width it was obvious the flow here would be impressive in the right season. The first .6 miles of the the trail was rocky with roots and a 200 foot elevation gain. We passed by trail junction with the white Todd Trail and the yellow Hoeferlin Memorial Trail. The trail then came to the shore of Ramapo Lake and joined a paved road and became completely flat. We stopped at the dam on the lake and at another place to take pictures since it was a perfect day. We noticed a sailboat on the lake which seemed unusual for a lake in the middle of a state forest. I checked my NYNJ Trail Conference map and found that there is a private inholding with lake rights in the middle of the state forest. As we walked by we saw the name "Bear Run" and the house and grounds were impressive! At the north end of the lake we came to the junction with the white blazed Castle Point Trail and the white on red C of the Cannonball trail. We turned north and stayed on the Castle point Trail when the two split almost immediately.
Over the next .3 miles the Castle Point Trail rose about 250 feet and several viewpoints off the trail gave excellent views of Ramapo Lake to the south and the Wanaque Reservoir to the west. We stopped so that I could take some pictures and then continued on the trail. There was a rock outcrop near the top of the trail and a stone wall with mortar. As we hopped up over this wall I knew we had found the VanSlyke Mansion! Several sites have the history of this mansion which is roughly contemporary with the Cornish estate near Beacon and the ORAK Mansion in Harriman Park. They are all evidence that there were always those who had more money than others and weren't afraid to spend it. A father and some young boys were at the site and I was impressed with his patience with them and their interesting questions. Kurt and I stooped for quite some time to walk in and around the stone wall. I took a lot of pictures of the various rooms from inside and outside. It is easy to imagine the original view unhindered by the current trees. A long road and driveway leads up to the mansion and is still in good shape. It is obvious that fire played a part in the demise of the estate as the remain woodwork shows signs as does some of the rock. There is a large brick Chimney, a few ceramic tiles and a covered buggy/car port. After walking around for some time, we got back on the main trail and started to look for the water tower which was supposed to be farther along the path. As we walked along the path I found what I though was another foundation. Kurt quickly pointed out the smooth side, pipes and stairs leading down into what was once the swimming pool! There was another viewpoint along the way but we didn't see any tower. Back on the trail we noticed pipes just below the surface with valves at intervals. After a short walk and a slight climb the tower came into view!
The tower seemed to be much more intact than the rest of the buildings and was impressive as we approached and as we drew near. At first I though there was no door but we found the entrance on the east side. Inside there is still some wooden supports and a wooden "ceiling". We speculated about what kind of tank might have been used and how the water got to the house. The tower is higher than the mansion so a partial gravity feed would have been possible. I noticed that there were several long iron "cables" lying on the ground and one that came down from the top of the tower. I believe these are "hoops" that may indicate that the tank was a wooden "barrel" filled by rain water. We took many pictures and then stared down off the ridge to join the coaligned Hoeferlin Memorial and Cannonball Trails as they crossed over Skyline Drive at 2,4 miles and headed north toward Matapan Rock. Like many of the trails in New Jersey, these trail are never very far from a road or at least the noise from a highway. In this case I didn't mind too much since I had Kurt to talk to. At one point the trails descended into an area where there were fences from a utility company. The blazes sort of disappeared but we found them again near the road and we continued the hike. In about a mile from crossing Skyline Drive we were walking through the woods and came across the red blazed matapan Rock Trail. We turned right or west and walked out to this open rock face. The view was extensive but took in mostly large houses on the opposing hills and in the valleys below. We took some pictures and then headed back on the Matapan Rock Trail. At this point we decided that we would cut out the upper loop of what I had planned since it did not have any special attraction and was just there to add some miles. We continued on the Matapan Rock Trail toward Camp Glen Gray and Lake Vreeland. This is where things became confusing!
When the red trail ended we should have run into an orange trail but instead found a woods road we turned right in the direction of the camp and soon found where the red trail ended. We had missed a small turn near the end. Soon out buildings of the Boy Scout camp began to show up and then we neared the shores of the lake. There were entirely too many people present as the lake is used by the boy scouts but is also open to the public. It is more a pond than a lake and Kurt and I quickly left following the organge trail that would take us east toward the Millstones or so we thought. As we climbed the trail, I checked the GPS and found we were going south and had turned the wrong way. We decided not to retreat but to push on south for a short distance and then turn east on the white Millstone Trail over Millstone Hill. The climb was interesting and passed several glacial erratics on the way to the summit just .7 miles from the lake. As we descended the next .3 miles we came to a trail junction and a sign that said "Millstones". I must admit I was a little disappointed. There were definitely stones that were worked and looked as if they might have been destined to be small millstones. What was not clear was why they were in this area, if any had been completed or where they were to be used. At this point Kurt and I made a ninety degree turn to the south on the Yellow blazed Yellow Trail. This trail moved up and down over some hills and had several switchbacks before taking us near Todd lake, another small pond with lily pads and frogs. When we arrived at the white Todd Trail we turned right or west to follow the Todd Trail to Skyline Drive and the junction with the yellow Hoeferlin Memorial Trail. This would be our way back to the MacEvoy Trail and the parking area but first we wanted to visit the Indian Rock shelter.
From the Millstones it was about a mile to Todd Lake and then another mile to Skyline Drive. There were some rolling hills as we approached Skyline Drive. I made the mistake of crossing the road and wandering around to look for the rock shelters. After consulting the map, I realized that the rock shelters were on the other side of the road, so we recrossed and started out on the trail. I had no idea how far to go and as I was about to suggest to Kurt that we give up a sign painted on the rocks pointed the way. Again, I was a little disappointed at what we found. I believe that some artifacts were found at this location and there is a rock overhand. This must have been a very temporary shelter as it is very exposed. We walked up the hill along the rock outcrop looking for other shelters but did not find any so we followed the yellow trail back to the road. We crossed Skyline Drive and continued to follow the trail until it ended at the blue MacEvoy Trail where we turned left or east and headed for the car. We met many groups of people. Some groups appeared to be hiking while most seemed to be headed to Ramapo Lake. For some the slight elevation change from parking lot to lake level seemed all they could handle! From the shelters it was about a mile south on the Hoers Trail and then another .miles to the car. The total distance was 9.7 miles and we arrived back at the car by 2:00 PM making it a 5 hour and 25 minute hike.
On Friday, August 20th summer school was over and our son, Kurt, was visiting from Florida. We decided to enjoy a hike together at Sam's Point. Kurt was not sure he had ever been there and if he had it was a long time ago. We decided to go to the Ice Caves and then perhaps to Indian Rock and High Point. We knew the falls would be dry and the 8+ mile loop was more than Cindy wanted to tackle. We didn't get an early start but arrived at about 10:30 AM to find only a few cars and a bus in the lot. I went inside to pay the $$0 for a parking pass good for one year which is well worth the price. At around 10:45 AM we started to walk up the left branch of the loop road toward Sam's Point. We met a few members of the group from the bus and some other people already coming down and we said "Good morning!" By 11:00 AM we had covered the short distance to Sam's Point and were enjoying the almost clear view. There were no other people on the Point at this time. After a few pictures, we headed back to the main loop road and walked to the right turn down to the Ice Caves. The turn is about .5 miles and the road down to the start of the Caves is another .4 miles for a total trip from Sam's Point of less than a mile. We did me a few groups coming up from the Caves and several had dogs with them. As we started down the rock steps toward the various clefts in the rock that make up the Ice Caves the cool air rolled over us. At several points along the way, we stopped to take a closer look at the rock formations and to take some pictures. After walking through the first big "canyon", we walked along the trail at the base of the rock cliffs, over some bridges and across some "streams". There actually was some water along the way which is a rare sight for this dry summer. Soon we were at the first wooden ladder which Sheba really hates. Kurt found her a way around and over some rocks and we headed for the old wooden door that marks the beginning of the Ice Caves,
As we passed through the door, the temperature dropped another few degrees and it was pitch dark. The Walkway is lit by lights controlled by motions detectors and if you move very slowly they don't light for some time. We worked our way through the caves but did not see any ice! At the end is another ladder but Sheba found her own way around this one! The open rock face at the end of the caves offers a nice view of the valley below. From it you can see much of the rest of the Shawangunks and Lake Awosting if you look carefully. If Verkeerderkill Falls has any volume of water going over it you can sometimes hear or see the falls. We didn't hear or see anything and decided we would not go down the trail to the falls. I took some pictures before we headed up the trail to the old parking area and then back up to the loop road. We turned right to continue on around Lake Maratanza thinking we might head to Indian Rock and High Point. It was about this time that I noticed the new Salomon Quest boots I was wearing were getting very uncomfortable! The other Salomon boots I have, Wings GTX and B52, both have roomy toe boxes. At first the more compact toe box in these boots felt secure but now it was just irritating my foot! I decided to "rough" it and continue to hike but it was darned annoying. We stopped at the shores of the lake to take pictures and then continued around and turned right to head fro Indian Rock. From the Ice Caves road to the lake is about .45 miles and the distance to the turn is another .35 miles. After about .4 miles, we turned left onto the wood plank puncheons that form the path through the bog toIndian Rock. This day the bog was completely dry but the path was well cut out. The walk from the main road out to Indian Rock on the trail is only about .5 miles and downhill most of the way but my feet felt every step. It was clear to me that I would not make it to High Point but would be just glad to get back to the car. Indian Rock is very interesting and I took pictures of the rock and from the open rock face on which it sits. I then got the idea that I would climb up onto the top of the rock which I had never done before. The view from the top was rather "awesome" and worth the climb up and down. We started back to the main trail and turned right to get back to the loop road. I stopped and put a bandage on each of my little toes which, surprisingly, did not help much at all. Back at the loop road we turned right to continue on around and back to the car. It was only 1.15 miles back to the car but I was very glad to get there. It was a nice 6.5 miles and 3 hours and 20 minutes with my wife, son and dog but I had trouble enjoying the last half. I hoped at that point that I could still hike on Saturday since I had something special planned for Kurt and myself in New Jeresy!
On Tuesday, August 17th I wanted to hike a challenging route route in the Catskills after doing the Burroughs Loop on Friday. Since I have done all the 3500 foot peaks in August, everything was up for grabs. I decided to hike the Blackhead Range as I had not been there for a while. I didn't really hurry to get up and son Sheba and I did not arrive at the trailhead at Batavia Kill until 10:05 AM. As it turned out, I could have arrived earlier and included Acra Point, Burnt Knob or Windham in my plans. When we did arrive there were a few cars already parked and a group of six younger people about to head out. I got my gear ready and Sheba and I got on the trail a little after the first group had left. My plan was to hike up the east (steep) side of Blackhead and then do Black Dome and Thomas Cole before returning to Lockwood Gap and following the Black Dome Trail back to the car. We caught the group at the register but they left a little before we did. We caught them again shortly before they had gone too far and passed several of them before I struck up a conversation. When I asked where they were headed, they said "Windham!" I explained that they could go the way hey were headed but that it was not the shortest way. I showed them on the map and they thabked me and turned back. I was a little disappointed since I thought I might have company for the second time in two hikes. Sheba and I walk up the trail and crossed the two bridges. They were hardly needed as the water was so low but at least there was some water. The recent all night rain had put some water into the small creeks but also made the rocks and roots slippery! Only 15 minutes into the hike we were at the trail junction and we stayed to the left to take the Batavia Kill Trail up to the Escarpment Trail to Blackhead. The walk along the Batavia Kill Trail was peaceful and the recent rain seemed to make everything greener - including the nettles! Parts of the trail were a little overgrown in places but nothing too serious. We stopped at the Batavia Kill leanto for a moment to take some pictures before resuming the hike. The leanto is sound but looks like it could use some "sprucing up". By 10:50 AM, just 45 minutes on the trail, we arrived at the end of the Batavia Kill Trail where it intersects the Escarpment Trail. We turned right and I knew the fun was just beginning.
The first part of the Escarpment Trail has some short but steep ascents to really warm up the legs. There is one viewpoint along the way which is Moe open when the leaves are off the trees. Eventually the trail starts to get much steeper and has some enticing views over your shoulder as you climb but better views are to come. Shortly we arrived at the best lookout and stopped a moment to get a drink and a snack. I took some pictures of the valley below and some of the hills. There was very little haze and the sky was very blue with a number of interesting clouds. After snapping some shots of Sheba, we continued the hike. As the trail approaches the summit it gets very steep with a few rock scrambles and areas where logs have been added to deter erosion and make climbing easier. This part of the trail becomes very "exciting" in the winter when it is covered with snow and ice! We arrived at the trail junction at the summit of Blackhead by 11:38 AM. I decided to investigate the viewpoint marked on the map which was a little further along the Escarpment Trail. We turned left and walked to an open clearing but I did not find much of a view. We continued but the trail started to drop off considerably so we headed back to the summit. At some point I want to hike up the Escarpment Trail from Colgate Lake or even over from North South Lake with a car spot! Back at the summit we stopped to take a few pictures and then walked along the relatively flat summit trail to the lookout on the west side of Blackhead. This viewpoint is a true gem as it gives an impressive view of Black Dome straight ahead. When I get views like this I always think the same thing 'That mountain is too high and too steep for anyone to climb!' I took my pack off as I gave Sheba a drink and ate lunch. I took a lot of pictures including two panoramas with my camera. The camera will take three pictures and stitch them together with only minimal effort and matching on my part. After the break, we headed down the steep and slippery path to Lockwood Gap. There were a lot of loose rocks so I took my time and started to wonder whether or not I really wanted to hike to Thomas Cole. I decided to get up Black Dome first and then make that decision. No one was in the Gap so we hit the junction and continued straight ahead up Black Dome
Again, the first part of the trail is rather gentle but then gets steeper as you get higher. Whoever maintains the trail had done an excellent job in cutting the weeds and brush that can obscure the path. This continued all the way to the summit. Parts of the trail were dry with loose gravel which made getting a good footing important. After edging along a fairly narrow part of the trail and hopping up a rock block, we were at the lookout toward Blackhead. The viewpoint right on the trail is not as good as the one as the one you can walk down to only a few feet up the trail. I walked own to the open rock outcrop and had an unobstructed view of Blackhead and the valley below. Colgate Lake and Lake Capra were both visible as were hints of the Hudson River in the distance. I took many pictures since the contrast of the deep blue sky and clouds with the green below pleased me. I knew there was still some steep sections to go so we got back on the trail and pushed to the top. The trail flattened near the summit and we arrived at the lookout to the north at 12:52 PM. Here there are many carvings on the rocks with one dated 1889. We stopped so that I could take some pictures but the sky did not appear as blue as before from here. Thomas Cole is only .8 miles from Black Dome which is a shorter hike than from Blackhead to Black Dome so I decided to head over to that summit. There is little to photograph on the way over or back. It was quiet and pretty with a few interesting spots to climb. There are limited views and all the way through the Col it is obvious that you are on a narrow ridge between the mountains. Close to the summit of Cole is an unmarked trail that leads north and own the mountain. I remember walking down it at one point but do not remember whether it ended or I just gave up! We headed back to Black Dome and passed the lookout only 50 minutes from when we ahd been there before. Then it was on to to Lockwood Gap. We turned left on the Black Dome Trail and started down the mountain. The first part of the trail down was overgrown and is getting very narrow in spots as it hugs the side of the mountain and is eroding. Below this the trail turns into a long descent of ankle turning rocks. Finally the trail widens and levels out some and becomes a nice woods walk. Soon we were back tat he trail junction and headed toward the car. We were back by 3:05 PM having covered the 8 miles in almost exactly 5 hours total time and 4 hours moving time.
On Friday, August 13th I wanted to hike a challenging route nearer to home than I had over the last few weeks. I wanted to compare the difficulty of the Stoentown Circular in New Jersey or the Mount Greylock loop in Massachusetts to a hike over some Catskill peaks. I decided to try the Burroughs loop from the Slide Mountain parking lot on Route 47 to Woodland Valley and over the three peals back to Route 47. This was slightly different than I had done before when I had always parked at the Panther Mountain lot. I decided to use the shortcut just passed Winnisook Lake as I could not see any reason to bypass it to hike down the road to the Panther lot. I figured it would cut a little distance and some vertical gain but I was Ok with that. The forecast for the day was for overcast weather with temperatures in the 70's. Sheba and I arrived at the Slide Mountain parking area at (;30 AM and were walking out onto the road at 9:37 AM. I had checked the west branch of the NeverSink River and it was still absolutely dry at the crossing. The ground WA wet from some brief showers the night before so I expected some slippery rocks and roots along the way. I was determined to take pictures at frequent intervals to try out the PhotoMapper program I had been playing with. This program matches the time on pictures with the time on your GPS route and geotags the pictures. It will then export a KMZ file which can be used in Google Earth. As we walked along the road I noticed a marker that I had not seen before that had Winnissok Club chiseled into it. I wanted to inspect the marker at closer range and stepped onto the side of the road. The paved ditch was damp and covered with small pebbles and I quickly found myself sitting in the ditch with bloodied knuckles. Sheba was very attentive in licking my face and then my hand and I congratulated myself for such an auspicious beginning to the hike. In less than a mile we were at Winnisook Lake and I took some pictures before walking to the end of the lake and starting to hike out on the shortcut trail which is an easement on club land.
The walk on the easement trail was almost flat but I surprised at the great shape the trail was in. The first hundred feet or so had some long grass but after that it was clear and open with only a few muddy places. Toward the end some bushes closed in a little but otherwise it was well maintained. I suspect the residents of the club have been using it and keeping it trimmed back. The walk to the trail junction with the Giant ledge - Panther Mountain Trail was about 1.5 miles. At the trail junction we stopped so that I could document the hike by taking some pictures. After only a brief pause, we were off again on the trail toward Woodland valley. As the miles began to add up, I realized that the hike was longer than I remembered and that I could have referred to my own summaries had thought about it! As we hiked I noted that this trail too was in better shape than I remembered. We crossed a damp place that usually has running water. The moss here was pretty but the dampness only allowed for some nettles to grow and there was no running water. We continued to descend as I was reminded that it is called Woodland Valley. The trail had been rerouted in at least one placed making it slightly longer but it was much better marked and easier to follow. At 4.3 miles we hit the lowest elevation up to that point and crossed another dry streambed. On the other side was the long staircase of stone steps that ascends a hill just before the drop to Woodland Valley. We climbed the stairs and started the long but gentle descent to the campgrounds. Along the way I took some pictures of a bright orange fungus on a rotting log. Nearer the campgrounds we met a group of three headed in the opposite direction. They said that they were headed for Giant Ledges and perhaps Panther and I wished them good luck. After about .9 miles and a descent of over 500 feet we were at the Woodland valley campgrounds and ready to start the ascent up Wittenberg. At 5.45 miles we stopped at the new bridge across the creek and I took a few pictures.
As we were about to leave the bridge and start the hike up the mountain, another hiker, Matt from Brooklyn, appeared and we started to walk up toward the register box together. I immediately like Matt and was hoping we could stay together for at least part of the hike. His plan was to go to Slide and then retrace his route back to the campgrounds were he was staying with his family. Although this would be less miles than I was hiking it would be equally challenging since it would include walking back over Cornell and Hunter. We signed in at the register box at about 12:15 PM and started the long climb up Wittenberg. In our conversation I found out that Matt had done the Appalachian and Colorado Trails and really liked long distance hiking. He also had climbed Kilamanjaro, one of my personal goals. He was obviously more accomplished than I but had never climbed these Catskill peaks. We seemed pretty evenly matched in ability and I was anxious to go at least as far as Slide together. Hiking with someone who has not seen the views from these peaks is exciting as it always rekindles in me an appreciation for their beauty. This route up Wittenberg is about 3.55 miles and has a vertical gain of over 2300 feet! I didn't take as many pictures along the way as I had planned but I was enjoying the conversation with my hiking partner immensely. For some reason, the hike up Wittenberg is one that I always think is shorter and I tend to forget the many and varied rock scrambles along the way that make it interesting. It didn't seem too long before we were passing the 3500 foot sign and then walking the final rocky approach to the summit. We had met only one group of young men descending as we were hiking up. We arrived at the summit and broke out onto the open rock outcrop at 2:25 PM. Matt was impressed by the view. There were three young men on the summit who were doing a car shuttle over the three peaks. They were very affable and we talked for some time. One was in the Catskills to hike Slide and Hunter, the two 4000 foot peaks, to add to his NE 115 list. We stayed on the summit for about 15 minutes for pictures and a snack before heading for Cornell at about 2:40 PM.
The trip to Cornell is short but very interesting as there several interesting scrambles. After climbing several scrambles, it was time to attempt the "Cornell crack". It had been over a year since I had done this and I was wondering how it would go for Sheba and I now that we were a little older. I need not have worried. Sheba made it up three-quarters of the way by herself and could have gone the distance but I gave her a little boost. I put my poles on the ledge above me and Matt handed me my pack which followed the poles. I jammed my foot in the crack and easily lifted myself to the top. Matt followed me without much trouble. The view from the outcrop back to Wittenberg was better than I remembered and required me to pull out the camera once again. Back on the trail we headed over the top of Cornell with the obligatory stop at the clearing most consider the summit. Again, the view was worth a picture or two before we headed down the other side of Cornell toward Slide. The distance between Wittenberg and Cornell is only about .75 miles but the trip is interesting. We stopped on the way down Cornell to take some pictures of Slide. On this day the view was clear and quite stunning and the pictures were perfect. We continued on the main trail by descending several rock hops on the west side of Cornell and then continuing on a fairly damp trail past large rock outcrops and to the Col between Cornell and Slide. After another 1.3 miles from Cornell and 11.1 miles into my hike we were at the Col and ready to start the climb up Slide. This part of the hike starts out gently an increases in difficulty as you reach the slope of Slide. There is one steep ascent that require pulling yourself up using tree branches and rock handholds. Another is a nearly vertical wall of rock which leads you up to a narrow ledge to walk along and then scramble to the top. It amazes me that when I look for Sheba she is usually above me looking down - all this without opposable thumbs!
At the top of these scrambles we continued passed a large outcrops with a deep cleft and then walked the steep slope up to the spring. This is the first time I can remember the spring being completely dry! There was only a small amount of dampness but no running water. Next we climbed the ladders and stopped near the top to take pictures back to Cornell. The sky had actually cleared some and the sun was out as we worked our way up through the rock scrambles toward the summit of Slide. We were on the top at about 5:05 PM and paused briefly to take in the experience and snap a few pictures. Sheba posed politely as both Matt and I took pictures. At some point along the way I had suggested to Matt that he continue on down Slide with me and I would give him a ride back to the campsites. He had agreed and we started down Slide toward my car. We stopped at the lookout below the summit of Slide which gave us a nice view of Giant ledges and Panther. This was a brief stop as I really needed to get home. I had underestimated the time for the hike and Cindy would be expecting me far earlier than I would arrive. The trip down Slide is always "brutal" since there are few views and just a lot of "rolly rocks" to hike over. Having someone to talk to helped and we soon made the right onto the Phoenecia-West Branch Trail with about .7 miles to got to the car. As we walked I noted that the spring on this trail was dry and there were only a few areas of standing surface water. We walked out to the parking area cross the bone dry West Branch and hit the car at 6:46 PM! I had hiked 14.6 miles and 4860 feet on elevation gain in just over 9 hours. This is slower than normal but my GPS actually said I had only 7 hours and 20 minutes of moving time with almost 2 hours of stopping which gave me my usual average of about 2.0 mph. I drove Matt back to Woodland Valley and arrived home at about 8:30 PM. Thanks Matt!
On Sunday, August 8th I wanted to hike somewhere with Cindy and had thought about something in the DWG including places like Walpack Ridge and Tillman's Ravine. We got out of church a little later than anticipated so we decided to only go as far as Port Jervis and hike the Lenape Ridge Trail and maybe the SRT to the Graham Fire Tower. We were in Port Jervis before 1:00 PM and started up Route 6 looking for the parking area and the trailhead. Once we reached the power lines on Route 6, we knew we had gone too far and we turned around and looked for the trail on the way back down the mountain. We didn't see anything and decided to look for the other trailhead on Minisink Avenue. No luck there either. I began to wonder who in the trail conference had marked this trail and why they wanted to keep it a secret. Back up the mountain we went! I parked at a pulloff that would barely hold to cars near the Town of Deerpark sign. When I walked across the road, I finally spotted the three red squares marking the beginning of the trail. No one could ever see this from the road and I would suggest to the Trail Conference that they should find a better way to mark this tralhead or remove it from their maps! We were out of the car and on the trail by 1:15 PM. Just after getting on the trail and through some open woods we entered a small, sunny clearing. I immediately noticed a snake across the trail. It was all black and about 2 to 3 feet long. As I approached it began to "rattle" and then quickly moved off into the taller grass and was gone! I thought it might be another snake mincing rattlesnake behavior but now am convinced it was a immature black form of the eastern timber rattlesnake. We continued our hike on the wide open woods road that descended and crossed some dry streambeds. The trail turned several different ways but the red markers were easy to follow. At .4 mile we made a hard left onto another woods road and continued to follow the trail markers until .7 miles at a trail junction. Here a set of white markers continued straight ahead but were not on the map. Red and white markers turned left into the forest and we followed them. At 1.15 miles we crossed a power line right of way and I remarked about the interesting rock formation farther up the power line.
At about 1.55 miles, we had ascended a short hill and were on a nice lookout across the valley. The views were beautiful and below us was a rock cut for the Conrail tracks. After taking some pictures here and at another, higher lookout we got back on the trail and started to walk up along a rocky spine. At 1.65 miles we were at the "interesting rock formation" we had seen from further down the right of way. By 1.7 miles there was trail junction with the red trail going down and to the right and the white trail continuing ahead. We decided to make a loop by heading out on the red and back on the white trails. As we ascended a hill between 1.8 and 2.2 miles, we entered an area that had been burned over by fire. It appeared that it had been intense as all the underbrush was gone and there were thick ashes everywhere. The tracks of the machinery used to create a firebreak were clear to see so I assumed that the fire was relatively recent as the tracks would have washed away if it had occurred last year. There were views along this escarpment to the north and west and the sky was clear. I took quite a few pictures before we moved on down the trail. Just before starting down on the trail a newly flagged route appeared on the right. It looked as if it was a new trail being constructed but the top part ran down across and almost vertical slab! The next part of the trail had crosses marked on the red trail markers and it was obvious somebody was working on the trail as the surface had been dug up. We descended on a smooth carpet of pine needles passed a large bedrock outcrop on the left. The day was beginning to get hot and the breeze we had enjoyed seemed to die out. The trail continued to roll up and own and sidehilled some areas until at 3.55 miles we hit the end of the red trail at the junction with the white trail. We turned left here to begin our trip back.
From the trail junction the first thing the trail did was to climb back up to the ridge. There didn't seem to be many views but there did seem to be evidence of much ATV activity. At 4.2 miles we were at the highest point on the ridge and viewpoints to the south and east came into view. Most of these were featureless but Memorial Tower at High point was clear as were I84 and Port Jervis. We began a slight descent off the ridge and then walked back up for some even ebtters views including down the cliff to the pond below. From there we walked downhill for about .5 miles until we were back at the trail junction and just had to follow our previous route back to the car. On the way out I had not noticed that we were walking downhill quite a bit. I certainly noticed the uphill nature of the trail on the way back. From the junction it was about 1.7 miles back and a 250 foot gain. We were back at the car by 5:10 PM covering 7.2 miles in just under 4 hours.
On Friday, August 6th we were finished with the Taconic Crest Trail from Petersburg Pass by 2:00 PM. I decided that 6 hours of driving required a little more hiking so I headed for the Mount Greylock Reservation to hike Jones Nose and Saddleball Mountain. I though that if time allowed we might finally get to the March cataract and maybe even Stony Ledge. From Willimastown I headed south on Route 7 looking for signs for the Visitors Center and North Main Street. I had the feeling we had gone too far but then noticed North Main Street in a town called Lanesboro. As I made the left I noticed the sign for the Visitor's Center which as only noticeable going north on Route 7! From here I made a right and then made a mistake. Instead on bearing left on Rockwell Road and going toward the Visitor's Center, I stayed on Quarry Road. Do NOT do this as the road is in VERY poor shape. We finally made it back and turned on Rockwell road. We passed the Visitor's Center and as we drove some distance I began to wonder how I would recognize the parking area. Soon we passed a lot clearly marked for Round's Rock and just a little ways up the road was another well-marked lot for Jones Nose. We arrived to find a few other cars in the lot and some other people ready to hike. Sheba and I got on the trail just before 3:00 PM, passed a few slower hikers and were off. As we climbed through a field with pink and purple and yellow flowers, I turn ed to look over my shoulder and found astunni8ng view down the mountain into the valley and over the hills beyond. I didn't know if there would be better views so I stopped to take some pictures. The temperature was still in the mid-70's and a brisk breeze was blowing. Despite this there was still some haze and the far mountains were hard to photograph. After I took these pictures, we were back on the trail and entering some brush and then trees which obscured the view. As we continued on the trail, I was glad that I* had stopped to take pictures in the field since I could not find other viewpoints. In a little less than .5 miles the trail became less steep and at .6 we had a choice of bearing left on the CCC dynamite Trail or right and ascending to the At. We bore right and started another steep climb to the At which runs across Saddleball Mountain. At about .8 miles a spur trail labeled "view of the Catskills" turned to the left. We walked out to a rock outcrop and I took some pictures before returning to the main trail. Just passed 1 mile the Jones Nose Trail ended and we turned left on the AT.
There is something distinctive about the AT, at least everywhere I have hiked it on the northeast. Most times the AT runs high along a ridge, when available, usually undulates over a certain kind of rock and runs through pine forests. The AT ran across the Saddleball Mountain Ridge although not always on top. As we hiked the long ridge, I was thinking about what time we should be back at the car and whether or not we should do the Cataract or not. After about 1.6 miles, we were back at Rockwell Road and I decided to walk down the road and take the Hopper Trail to the Sperry Road Campgrounds. The walk down the road went quickly but I began to consider the time and the fact that I did not want to feel pressed at the Cataract or Stony Ledge. I decided to walk the .7 miles down to Sperry Road and pick up the CCC Dynamite Trail back to Jones Nose and then use that trail to retrace our path to the car. As we walked quickly down Rockwell Road we found a nice viewpoint to the west and stopped so that I could take some pictures. We were soon at Sperry Road and turned left to pick up the CCC Trail. This trail stretched about 1.35 miles from Rockwell Road to Jones Nose and was slightly uphill all the way. This trail was the wettest we had been on lately as evidenced by the functional puncheons and plentiful nettles. Once on the Jones Nose Trail we turned right and walked back to the car. In the open field the wind had picked up to gust that would blow me first left and then right. We were back at the car by 5:45 PM having covered the 6 miles hike in 2 hours 45 minutes. The March Cataract would have to wait for the FOURTH time I visit Greylock!
On Friday, August 6th I planned to go to hike Berlin Mountain, the highest point in New York outside the Catskills and Adirondacks. I read some trip reports about parking a the base of the mountain and hiking up but they seemed a little confusing. I also read about the Snow Hole north of Berlin Mountain. I decided to park at Petersburg Pass on Route 2 and hike south on the Taconic Crest Trail to Berlin Mountain, return the same way, hike to the Snow Hole on the Taconic Crest Trail and then, finally, return to the car. Sheba and I were in the car and on the road by 5:45 AM and arrived at the pass at about 8:50 AM. The parking area is very large but only one other car was in the lot. I signed in on the trail register and we immediately headed out on the trail. The first part of the trail was pretty overgrown with weeds and I hoped this would not continue. Shortly the narrow trail gave way to a wider trail and woods road and started a short but steep ascent part way up Raimer Mountain. The ground was only a little damp but the rocks were some of the "greasiest" I had come across. Once on the crest the trail flattened a little before rising to around 2450 feet. The trail then descended toward Berlin Pass. Just before the descent, views of Berlin Mountain could be seen through the trees. We dropped more than 200 feet to 2230 feet at Berlin Pass before starting up Berlin Mountain. It had taken just a little more than 30 minutes for us to get to the pass. About every 20 feet there were signs prohibiting ATV and about every 20 feet there were signs of ATV tracks and mud bogs created by their use. We arrived at the flat, open top of Berlin Mountain by 10:05 AM which was just a little over 1 hour of hiking time. I had anticipated good views and the were nice. The problem was that most of the views were distant and a haze still hung on the hills. The skies were cloudy and some of the clouds were dark and threatening but no rain was forecast for the day. There was a constant breeze at about 10 mph but some gusts were well over 290 mph. To the west it was easy to spot Mount Greylock with its two towers. It was nice to get a profile of Mount Williaams and Mount Fitch to the north of Greylock to see what I had hiked several weeks before. Views in the other directions were and least partly blocked by the trees. After taking some pictures and getting a drink and snack, it was time to head back. I had contemplated using a different trail to return but had left my map in the car. There are a myriad of trails so I decided to take the same route back. The return trip went even quicker since there were fewer pictures to take and we knew exactly where we were going. We were back at the car by 11;20 AM and crossed the road to hike north to the Snow Hole.
The first few hundred feet of the hike north were very steep with some steps to make the climb easier. Near the top of the climb there was a trail register and a sign explaining that the area was part of the 2500 acre Hopkins Forest which is owned and maintained by Williams College. There were even extra trail maps in the bin by the sign! As we started up the trail another spur trail led off to the left and I though it might offer some views. We walked down the trail which opened up onto what looked like an old ski slope. There were great views back to Raimer Mountain and To the east and south. These were some of the nicest views so far on the hike. After taking pictures, we returned to the Taconic Crest Trail to continue on our way. This part of the trail was all trail and was very well maintained. At about .6 miles from the Pass, the Shepard's Well Trail came in from the right. The trail continued to rise although gently in most cases. We came across one area where trail maintanance was taking place with new water bars being created. The construction was new and, in fact, the tools had been left on the trail! In another .6 miles the Birch Brook Trail joined from the right. After this the trail ascended and there were some excellent views to the west. Again these views were better than anything we had seen to the south. Another .5 miles saw us briefly cross into Vermont and then back into New York. At 2.5 miles from the Pass we started to descend on the trail. In another .25 miles a red spur trail turned off to the right. We took this trail which leads to the Snow Hole after a short descent. The Snow Hole is supposed to have snow and ice in it until mid-July. Since it was now early August and the weather had been very warm, I wasn't outing on any snow! When we arrived a family group of four was already checking out the deep cleft in the rocks. They were the first people we had seen all day. They told me there was no snow but that it was cool. After they exited, Sheba and I walked down and they were right. It was cool and damp and dark. Taking pictures was difficult but I tried. After spending some time there, we headed back the way we had come. On the way back we met three or four small group of people. One pair were the trail maintainers who were students and Williams College and members of the Williams Outing Club. We arrived back at the Pass at 2:00 PM having covered 11.5 Niles in 5 hours including the time for picture taking. I decided that six hours of driving deserved more than 5 hours of hiking so we headed for the Mount Greylock Reservation to hike Jones Nose and Saddleball Mountain.
On Sunday, August 1st I planned to go to Salisbury, Connecticut to hike the At over the Lion's Head and Bear Mt. Bear Mt. Is the highest peak in the state but the highest point is further north and west on the shoulder of Mount Frisell which is mostly in Massachusetts. I had hesitated to do the hike with Sheba as there were varying reports of rattlesnake sightings in the area. In the end I decided that the sightings were few and far between and Sheba obeys particularly well on the trail. We left Livingston Manor early in the morning and arrived in Salisbury just before 8:00 AM. I drove north on Route 41 trying to find the At parking area. I passed it THREE times before noticing it as I headed south! The entrance is VERY narrow, without any real signage and is easy to miss. The parking area will accommodate 8 to 10 cars and a half dozen were already parked. After parking, I noticed that I had pulled into a spot that had a large amount of broken window glass. I reparked the car and hoped I would have four inflated tires when getting back to the car. The trailhead had a large signboard and a privy maintained by the AMC. We were hiking by 8:10 Am in weather that was a little cooler, about 72 degrees, but just as humid as it had been. The first part of the trail to the Lion's Head is wide and pretty smooth and the elevation gain is minimal. Several turns make the climb even easier. The woods were still dry but at about 1.4 miles we crossed a running stream with cool, clear water. Sheba got a good drink before we went on. At just over 2.0 miles the Lion's Head Trail joined from the left coming in from Bunker Hill Road. I had considered this option but wanted to hike the AT and also wanted the extra mileage and elevation. From this junction the trail became rockier and harder to walk. It also became much steeper as it ascended the Lion's Head WI the very last part being an open rock outcrop. After another .25 miles, at about 2.3 miles into the hike, we arrived at the viewpoint known as the Lion's Head. The views from here were expansive but the day was a little hazy. As I took some pictures a couple arrived from the Bald Peak Trail, another easier way to get to the Lion's Head.
We left the Lion's head and continued on the At north toward Bear Mt. At 2.64 miles the Bald peak trail joined the AT from the left. I had thought the AT in this area would be more exposed but instead it ran under a leafy canopy most of the way. This was nice since it decreased the temperatures but was a disadvantage since there were no views! Along the way to Bear Mt. Therwe ere several places to camp and a few water sources. The Riga Lean-to came up at 3.0 miles into the hike, followed by the Ball Brook campsite at 3.5 miles and the Brassie Brook Lean-to at 4.25 miles. Ion another .6 miles we came to the Riga Junction where the Undermountain Trail comes in from Route 41. This was another route some guide books ahd suggested. We continued on the AT to the junction with Bear Mt. Road at 5.0 miles. From here the trail became much rockier and steeper. The AT wound up and over many rocky outcrops offering some limited viewpoints. We met a group returning from the top of the mountain and then we were finally there. We ahd hiked 5.55 miles and were at an elevation of 2330 feet. At the top of the mountain is a stone pyramid more than large enough to accommodate 20 people. We arrived ahead of another small group and I was able to take some pictures before it was "occupied". We walked to the top of the pyramid and I took some picture. The views to the north and east are wide open but the views west and south are limited. I regretted not stopping on the way to the top to take some pictures but I recalled that these views were not spectacular. As more people arrived Sheba and I took our leave. I had to decided whether to return along the AT or to make a loop using the Paradise Lane Trail and the Undermountain Trail back to the AT. I decided on the loop so we headed down the north side of Bear Mt. on the AT.
The AT down Bear Mt. To the north was very steep. Most northern sides of mountain sin this area are steeper than their southern counterparts due to the way glaciation eroded the rock. On the way down I met a couple and their dog and talked to them briefly about the trail ahead. They had just come from Sage's Ravine and I briefly thought about going there. At a little more than 6.0 miles we crossed the border into Massachusetts and then arrived at the trail junction. Straight ahead the AT leads to Sage's and I was drawn to go there. I decided that I did not know exactly how far the return trip would be or how difficult and that I would leave the Ravine for another day. We turned right on the Paradise Lane Trail which immediately began to gain some elevation. At 6.5 miles we passed the Paradise Lane Group Campsite. From here the trail was flat or slightly downhill for the next 1.15 miles until we reached the junction with the Undermountain Trail at 7.6 miles. The Paradise Lane trail was fine but it was a lot like the AT above it; pleasant but without any views or other interesting fea tures. We turned right on the Undermountain Trail and started toward the AT at the Riga Junction. At 7.9 miles we passed a bog that was almost completely dried up. At 8.6 miles we were back on the AT. At the junction we again met up with the couple and there dog that we had met on Bear Mt. We turned left on the AT to head back to the Lion's Head and eventually the car.
A long 2.4 mile stretch of the At put us back at the Lion's Head. At this time a large family group of about a dozen people had spread themselves out over the entire viewpoint. They did not seem to be inclined to give me even and inch and I felt off intruding but I did! The views were not much different than earlier except for being a little brighter. The haze still hung over the mountains making distance shots difficult. I picked my way over and around the members of the group who seemed oblivious to my presence. Normally I would tell Sheba to stay put or leash her but I decided to let her forage among the members of the group. As I packed up to leave one of the women gave me a half-hearted apology saying 'I am sorry you hiked up here and we are spread out in your way.' I felt like saying 'But not sorry enough to move!' but I did not and we left. The hike back to the car was downhill and seemed pretty short. On the way back I thought about how many people I had met hiking who seemed only concerned about themselves and ignored other hikers. I decided these people were the few and that the many were eager to help, offer advice and allow others to enjoy the views that should be open to all. We were back at the car by 2:15 PM having covered 13.5 miles in just over 6 hours.
On Friday, July 30th we arrived at Rickett's Glen and parked on the north side of Rt 118 in the main lot. Since earlier in the morning the number of cars had swelled from one to more than a dozen but I decided to hike anyway. We got started at about 1:15 PM with Sheba on her leash and me following closely behind. The initial walk is flat along Kitchen Creek and has no falls. Soon, after crossing the first bridge, Murray Reynolds Falls comes into view with two more falls before the junction of Ganoga Glen and Glen Leigh and about 1.6 miles. Like the falls on the other two creeks these were reduced in volume but most showed an adequate volume. At Waters Meet I had intended to go right but decided to go up Ganoga Glen first. I took the lower trail which has some really slippery rock even when dry. This trail goes down into the stream bed and then climbs the banks and can be dangerous when the water is higher. Each of the falls used to have a small yellow on brown sign giving its name. Now many of these signs are hidden or are not present at all. Each falls has it own character and is interesting in its own right. Some people prefer high drops while others like wider falls with greater volume. Part way up Ganoga Glen is Ganoga Falls which is the highest falls at 94 feet and perhaps the most dramatic. Some of the falls have trails down to the creek bed at the base of the falls while others have paths. Both the trails and the paths can be steep but the vie of the falls is almost always better at the bottom. By 3:30 PM we were at the top of Ganoga Glen and ready to traverse to Glen Leigh.
At 3.4 miles into the hike, about .57 miles from the top of Ganoga Glen, the trail runs between several large boulders. This is Midway Crevasse. In another .5 miles or about 4.0 miles into the hike the trail forks and we took the right branch to go down Glen Leigh. The falls in Ganoga sometimes get more mention than the falls in Leigh but the later has has great cascades including Ozone, one of my favorites. We worked our way down the glen which initially has some very steep rock steps. Despite the time, I made an effort to set up some shots. I am a hiker who takes pictures but sometimes I think I might like to learn more about the cameras and be a photographer who hikes to take great pictures. Glen Leigh has a few more bridges than Ganoga and some of these offer interesting views of the falls. Soon we were at the last falls, Wyandot and then back at Waters Meet by 4:35 PM. At this point I put my camera away and Sheba and I jogged the rest of the way out to the parking area. We were done at 5:05 PM taking 3 hours and 20 minutes for the 7.5 mile hike. Pennsylvania has very good maps for the trails in its state parks and the one for Rickett's Glen has an overview of the entire park on one side and a close up of the falls on the other.
On Friday, July 30th We left Heberly Run and started back toward Jamison City. I took the left onto the Sullivan Falls Road which seemed a good bet to get us to Sullivan Falls! The problem with the roads and the maps is that the names seldom agree and some of the roads are not marked. I stopped at one pulloff but decided I needed to go a little farther. The road is dirt and is somewhat washed out in places. It is passable but I drove very slowly. At about 1.2 miles and 15 minutes from the turn there was a parking area on the left as t he road began to ascend. From the parking area I could see a distinct trail leaving toward the stream. We parked and started to walk on the trail arriving at Sullivan Falls within minutes. The trail took us to the top of the falls where the stream has cut an impressive channel and flume through the bedrock. Looking down over the falls I could see the deep green of the plunge pool below. I took pictures of the rock formations and the top and some pictures of the water going over the falls into the pool below. We walked back out the path but this time we walked down toward the base of the falls and the pool. The path was obvious but quite steep. Once at the base of the falls, I took a lot of shots of the falls and the pool which was a deep, emrerald green color. I walked across the stream to take some pictures from the other bank to get a different angle on the falls. The lighting was not ideal as it was coming from behind and above the falls. It was a beautiful sunny day which is not always the best time for photography. After finishing the shots, we headed back up the bank and I decided we would walk the stream and the bank up to Pigeon Run which was the next falls on the list.
The walk along Sullivan Run was not too much fun! There were swarms of small insects along the way. The run was clog by blowdown for a good part of its length requiring use to move to the banks which were also covered with downed trees and brush. The ground was damp and soft and the streambed full of large cobbles. Once passed Big Run this improved some and with .6 miles we were near Pigeon Run. The falls are actually on Pigeon Run in a narrow slot and so are different than most of the other falls. When we got to Pigeon Run, I found it wasn't running much at all! In fact, there was barely a trickle going over the falls. I took a few pictures and then decided not to go nay further up the run. I felt that coming back when there was some water and doing the whole loop might be the best idea! We walked back downstream and up the steep bank several hundred feet to an old haul road, The road was easy to follow and in pretty good shape. We followed it all the way back to the road where we were only a few hundred feet from the car. The 1.6 mile diversion had only taken an hour. It was at this point that I decided to check out Rockett's Glen. I did not want to drive 5 hours to hike only 6 miles. There had been no cars at the parking area in the morning so I decided to head up the road to the intersection with Rt 487. This proved to be an adventure in itself as the bad road got worse. Driving so slowly seemed to take forever but soon the intersection appeared. I turned right to head to Rt 118 and the main parking area for Rickett's Glen. Rt 487 has a two mile stretch of steep downhill with many warnings to trucks about using low gear. I got behind one that was moving very slowly down the grade and watched several other trucks coming up the hill very slowly. The drive went quickly and we were soon in the parking area which now had 20 or more cars. I decided we would still try the hike since there are about 7.5 miles to spread out the visitors.
On Friday, July 30th I decided that I wanted to try a hike in Pennsylvania that I had though about for some time. To the west of Rickett's Glen lie Pennsylvania State Game Commission Lands #13. This is a remote a wild area with no designated trail and only a few old haul roads. What is does have is Heberly Run and the Sullivan Branch of East Fishing Creek. These streams are reported to have some very nice waterfalls rivaling Rickett's Glen but without the crowds. The lack of trails means following the informal paths along the streams and being willing to walk in the streams when needed. It also means finding your way up and out of the deep ravines that enclose many of the waterfalls. As I left home I was not sure whether I would do a circular route or treat each hike separately. The trip reports I had read said that the route in the north between the two was difficult and that descending Sullivan Branch could be dangerous. Sheba and I got an early start leaving Livingston Manor at 6:45 AM. After a little over 2 hours we passed by Rickett's Glen and I began to look for Either Stephen's Hill Road or Comstock Road to turn north off Rt 118 to head for Jamison City and Heberly Run. None of the roads were marked and I eventually came to a four corners with a sign for Center. I turned north here and followed the signs to Center and made the turn to take me to Jamison City. I went straight through Jamison City making notes of Sullivan Falls Road on the right. The paved road turned into dirt but was in pretty good shape. I passed a large brick smokestack in the woods on the left and the the game commission buildings. There was a large parking lot on the left but I did not see the gate mentioned in the trip reports of any evidence of a stream. I continued a little farther on the road and it ended at a large parking area with a yellow gate and a stream. Sheba and I started our hike at about 9:15 AM by walking over to the stream. One look at the stream reminded me of how dry it has been and I wondered if there would be any waterfalls to see! I had just bought a pair of waters hoes and was pretty sure I would not be needing them!
We walked along the side of the creek or in the creek bed when we needed to. Sometimes we would cross and then recross the stream as needed. At times there is an informal path that reminded me of the Fisherman's Path along the Nerversink. The ground was damp and soft and there were huge "sand" deposits in places indicating the stream at times carries a much larger volume of water. At about 1.2 miles into the hike the banks of the stream began to rise high around us and we arrived at Big Falls. The falls were beautiful and I took pictures but I was left wondering how much more awesome they would be after a good rain! I could see how a higher volume of water could be a good and a bad thing. Higher water volumes would make the falls more interesting but would make the walk much harder and more dangerous. After taking pictures, we looked for a way out of the gorge and found one on the left bank. Sheba led the way up the steep bank with loose soil and leaves. There was a path of sorts and we followed it up and then parallel to the stream until we could safely walk back down to the stream level. Many times as we were walking along the stream bed I was impressed by the number of cobblestones we passed over. We continued up the stream until I could hear the sound of another falls and the banks again began to rise around us. At about 1.94 miles we arrived at the lower cascade of Twin Falls. This was a smaller falls than the first both in volume and drop but it was still pretty. I took pictures and then Se found a way to work up the steep bank on the right. Had the banks been any wetter the path might have been almost impossible to negotiate or at least much more difficult. Once at the top we immediately descended to the streambed and walked to the upper drop of Twin Falls. Here I took pictures before crossing the stream. On the far bank I took a few more shots and then we worked our way up the left bank, walked along the stream and then went back down to the stream bed.
We continued our walk upstream repeating the same theme of walking wherever seemed most appropriate. There were several more spots where it would have been very difficult to find a route if the water had been high. At about 2.7 miles and 2 hours into the hike I began to hear another falls and the banks on either side rose to the highest they had been so far! Shortly after we arrived at Lewis Falls which had less water than I had hoped but was still pretty. The fact that the banks rose so high around the falls added to its beauty. I took pictures and then we walked back downstream to get away from the high banks and ledges. We found a steep ascent on the right side of the stream and were able to work our way up and around the top of the falls. At this point I had to make a decision. The loop route runs farther up Heberly run and then follows Shanty Run until it cuts across the top of the plateau. I have to admit that I was just not in the mood on this day to fight through a bushwhack that might have little reward at the end. I decided to cross the stream and follow Grassy Hollow Road back to the car. We would approach Sullivan Branch in another way. The road has a grass and dirt surface but is in good shape. There are parking areas along the way and the road is open during the spring and fall hunting seasons. As we walked down the road I could hear the various falls and see them at times. I though that it might be possible to walk the road during high water and descend to the falls from the road to get some pictures. Of course, descending and then ascending the steep bank would be a challenge. We arrived back at the car at about noon having taken around 2.5 hours to cover the 4.6 mile trip. It was time to head for Sullivan Falls and the Sullivan Branch to see what the falls there had to offer.
On Sunday, July 25th I decided that despite the forecast of thunderstorms I would hike the Stonetown Circular Trail. Part of the trail is in Norvin Green State Forest and the rest is in The North Jersey Watershed. The 10 mile loop features Signal Rock and Tory Rocks on the western half and Board, Bear and Windbeam Mountains on the eastern half. To try to avoid the showers in the forecast for 1"00 PM, Sheba and I left home at 5:45 AM and arrived at our destination at 7:20 AM. I decided to hike the western half first and leave the mountains for last. I parked at the Stonetown Recreation Area off Stonetown Road near the intersection with West Brook Road. To actually get to the trail required going back out to Stonetown Road and walking a little over .25 miles north. At this point Magee Road bears to the left near the firehouse. We walked down Magee Road until it makes a sharp left and crosses a stream on a bridge. At this point the red triangle on white blaze of the Stonetown Circular indicate a turn into the woods on a woods road. Unfortunately, after this blaze on the road there are no more blazes until AFTER the first fork in the trail. This problem was to be repeated MANY times throughout the hike where the trail was poorly marked and blazes too far apart to help a first time hiker. At the first fork we went left and were soon climbing to our first viewpoint at Signal Rock, about 1.5 miles into the hike. The view of Windbeam from here was good but the sun to the east made the photography difficult. We then climbed up to the to pof Signal rock and descended down the other side to head for Tory Rocks at 2.0 miles into the hike. After Tory Rocks the trail descended to a junction with the orange Sonoma Trail on the left. Here again the problem was that the Stonetown Circular blazes were nowhere to be seen. I made a ninety degree turn to the right and headed down the road and across a bridge over a small stream. It was here that I again picked up the red triangles and headed back into the woods.
We were soon ascending Harrison Mountain and at about 3.85 miles a woods road ran off to the right and up to what looked like a promising lookout. We walked up to this area and found and excellent viewpoint to the north and east. Back on the main trail we crossed a power line right of way and were soon a the junction with the Horse Pond Mountain Trail. This junction also brought us to the section of the Stonetown Circular that is coaligned with the Highlands Trail. From this point on the trail is well marked both by the red triangles and the aqua blazes of the Highlands Trail. From the top of Harrison Mountain we began a 500 foot descent over the next .6 miles. Along the way we again crossed the power line. From this crossing there were good views Down to the Monksville Reservoir marred only by the power line itself. We continued on the flat part of the trail the edge of the reservoir until we crossed Stonetown Road and started back over the three mountains. The next 1.25 miles were pretty flat to the base of Board Mountain. There was a nice lookout with a view down to the Monksville Dam. The woods were very dry despite the rain for several days. It was also quite hot and very humid. At 6.7 miles we began to climb Board Mountain and I found out that biking 30 miles the day before ahd taken a toll. The vertical gain was only 350 feet but it was over only .4 miles! The view from the to of Board Mountain was goof and we stopped so that I could take pictures and we could share a snack and drink.
The descent of Board Mountain was gentle at the start but soon became very steep. After dropping 200 feet, we ascended another 300 feet to the top of Bear Mountain. Near the summit I found a high rock that gave some good views. As I was taking pictures, I heard voices further up the trail. We came down off the rock and continued on the trail and promptly ran into a group of ten hikers, the first we had seen that day. They were hiking from Stonetown Road over Horse Pond Mountain and were using a car shuttle to get back. They mentioned they had seen a bear on the trail about .5 miles further on. Sheba and I said goodbye and walked to a very nice viewpoint a little further on just before the descent into the col between Bear and Windbeam. We dropped 400 feet over the next .7 miles into the col and I kept Sheba with me and made noise just in case the bear was back on the trail. From the col we started up Windbeam and met three more young hikers headed toward us. From the col the ascent up Windbeam, the highest of the three and a peak on the NJ1K list, was .6 miles and 540 feet. The highest point has no views but there are excellent views to both the east and west a little further along the ridge. The trail dips and then ascends several times and we stopped so that I could take pictures. The reservoirs were low and islands had appeared that I had not seen before. After descending into the col between Windbeam and Little Windbeam, the Highlands Trail and the Stonetown Circular separate. We stayed on the red blazes and descended the steep trail to Stonetown Road. Once on Stonetown road, we turned right and walked up the road about .3 miles to Mary Roth Drive where the car was parked. We covered the 10.4 mile hike in 5.5 hours with PLENTY of time for photography. When we got to the car at 12:35 PM, the temperature display read 98 degrees. Once we got underway this dipped to 88 degrees. The rain started just as predicted at 1:00 PM.
On Sunday, July 18th Cindy and I decided to hike after church. We wanted someplace that would have some views but wasn't too far away from home. I suggested hiking from Route 23 to Lake Rutherford along the AT. Cindy thought this sounded like a good idea so we headed toward Port Jervis and up Route 23 to High Point. Just passed the main park entrance on the right is the park office and a little further on the maintenance buildings. Just passed the maintenance buildings is a sign for AT Parking. We turned left and found a large lot with no cars. At 12:20 PM we were on the blue trail out of the parking lot trying to find the AT. At .2 miles the Iris Trail came in from the left and we turned right not knowing exactly where we we were going. IN a few hundred feet signs for the AT appeared and the trail turned left to run along the ridge. Just passed 1.0 miles, a spur trail led to Sawmill Pond and we turned here and walked down to an open rock outcrop that offered nice views of the pond and the surrounding landscape. We decided not to walk down the steep trail to the pond but did take many pictures before walking back up to the main trail to continue the hike. The trail continued to roll up and down as it descended to an area between two ridges and then gained the next ridge. At 1.75 miles the AT came up to a nice viewpoint over Lake Rutherford and we stopped to take some pictures. The At continued to descend and at 2/65 miles we passed Dutch Shoe Rock on a ridge to our right. This is a huge glacila erratic shaped a little like a wooden shoe. We passed the spur trail to the shelter at 3.1 miles and the map seemed to indicated an unmaintained trail led from the shelter to the lake. We decided to stay on the main trails and started to look for the Iris Trail on the left. At 3.3 miles the AT made a sharp right just as shown on the map and at 3.5 miles an unmarked road or trail went off to the left. Since the trail was not marked we decided to continue on the AT to find the Iris Trail back to the car. When we arrived at the next trail junction, it was obvious that the one we had passed with the unmarked trail had been the correct one so we turned around, took the unmarked trail and soon found the red dot blazes that told us we were on the Iris Trail. Marking this trail at the junction would be a GREAT idea!
The Iris Trail continued to descend until at 4.4 miles it abruptly turned north toward the Lake Rutherford. At this turn we could see signs ahead asking hikers to KEEP OUT. The lake is part of the Sussex water supply and the shores are off limits. The trail now started to ascend slightly and crossed a small stream on a bridge as it hugged the shore of the lake. Views on the lake began to appear and we stopped and took some pictures of a tall rock cairn which seemed to be in an area that would usually be under water. At 5.15 miles there was a path to the right to a spot that the map indicated was a viewpoint but the views were block by the leaves on the trees. From here the trail started a long but gentle ascent until at 6.64 miles we were back at the blue connector trail to the parking lot. On our way up this trail we met several groups of people headed down toward the lake. I wondered why they were going to the lake since the shores are off limits and wading or swimming in the water is prohibited! We were back at the car by 4:05 PM having covered the 7 miles hike in around 3 hours and 45 minutes.
On Friday, July 16th I decided to go back to Mount Greylock to hike a long loop to the top and back. Since hiking the Hopper Trail to the top of Massachusetts' highest mountain several weeks ago, I had been looking at some guidebooks and trail reports and planning a BIG loop hike. My plan was to park on Pattison Road in Williamstown and hike the AT over the Greylock Range including Mt. Williams, Mt. Fitch and Mt. Greylock. On the the way back I planned to descend the Hopper Trail to the Money Brook Trail and the take the Mt. Prospect Trail up and over Mt. Prospect and back to the AT. I was interested in the last part since many books said it was the strabismus and most difference trail in the Greylock Reservation. I got up at 5:00 AM and was on the road by 5:30 AM having gotten my gear together the night before. My concern was that thunderstorms were forecast for the late afternoon nut, of course, forecasts can be wrong! Getting wet after a long hike isn't really and issue since most of the times I am drenched in sweat and the cool rain feels good. Lightening storms on a mountain are an entirely different story! After driving on obscure back roads last time, I decided to try a more direct route. I drove to Kingston on Route 209 and then took the Thruway north to Albany. If I had been paying attention, I would have gotten off at the exit for 787 North but the toll booth agent at the next exit told me to take I90 East to I787 and this worked well. I got off I787 in Troy and followed the signs for Route 2. Route 2 goes through a small part of Troy and then directly to Williamstown! Once in Willimastown, I remembered many of the landmarks since I had been there for a college cross country race many years ago. After passing through Williams College, I turned right on Luce Street which turns into Pattison Road. This road passes the Willamstown Reservoir on the right and then the treatment plant on the left. Parking for the AT is just passed the treatment plant on both sides of the road but the parking areas are small. We arrived at 9:!0 AM and were out and on the trail 5 minutes later.
Although the Mt. Prospect Trail was supposed to be the steep trail the first part of the AT was also a challenge. Walking into the woods at the start of the trail was flat but that was only for a few hundred feet. After that, the trail started to ascend and got steeper as we went. Along the way, I heard a voice and looked ahead. Seeing no one I turned around to find a young hiker who had caught up with us. We stopped and had a talk. He was an AT through hiker from Scotland who had dropped his pack and gotten a ride to hike the section we were on and then pick up his pack and continue the journey. I encountered about a twenty people on this hike from start to end and about half were AT through hikers! The young man pushed on and after an hour, a mile and a half and a vertical gain of 1450 feet we were at a trail junction. A small viewpoint opened here. Below I could almost make out Williamstown but the haze was so thick I didn't bother and try to take a picture. We continued staright ahead but I quickly realized that we were headed for Mt. Prospect. We turned around and went back to the trail junction to find where the AT turned off. Back on the AT, we began a descent toward the Wilbur Clearing Lean-to. I began to wonder if the descent was necessary since my GPS showed a more direct trail to the top of Mt. Williams, our first destination. The map I had also showed this trail so we hiked back up the AT toward the trail junction. I found what appeared to be the trail on the map but it was overgrown and LONG unused. I decided to follow the AT down toward the lean-to and see what would happen. Just short of the lean-to the trail turned to the left, crossed some elevated walkways and started to ascend again. The first part to the crossing of Mitch Road was gentle but the last section to the top of Mt. Williams was rocky and steeper. From the lowest point near the lean-to this was about a 600 foot ascent to the summit. Along the way I found a very interesting outcrop of quartz and took a few pictures. I was hoping for a view from the summit but there was still a lot of haze and the viewpoint was pretty grown in. The first 3 Niles of the hike had taken about 2 hours.
The walk along the At from Mt. Williams toMt. Fitch was almost flat with a slight descent to a col and then the ascent up Mt. Fitch which has an elevation of 3100 feet. We made good time here since we covered the mile between these two peaks in about 25 minutes. The AT skirts the summit of Fitch so we bushwhacked to the top. There was no view so we just came back down to the AT to continue on toward Greylock. The first part of this section was almost flat with a slight incline. As we approached Mt. Greylock, we passed the Bellows Pipe Trail and then the Thunderbolt Trail. At this point we were on an area that had been cleared for access to these old ski slopes. The trail was wide and almost a road but it got steeper and was strewn with rocks. At the end a set of steps took us up and across the road to the summit. After a short, steep section we arrived at the Thunderbolt Shelter which is for day use only. I took a few pictures from here before continuing on to the tower at the summit. We walked over to the lookout but the haze was still thick so we just walked down to Bascom Lodge to refill our water. It was 12:45 PM and we had covered the first 6 miles of the hike in about 3.5 hours. Sheba and I both drank a lot of water and then I refilled the Camelbak and the bottle. We ate lunch and then started down the Hopper Trail the way we had during the previous visit. The descent passed the pond and across the summit road went quickly and we arrived at Sperry Road by 1:25 PM. A quick walk down Sperry Road brought us to the right turn to continue our descent on the Hopper Trail. By 2:15 PM we were at the junction with the cutoff trail that would take us down to Money Brook and the Money Brook Trail. We crossed Money Brook on a bridge and turned right toward Mt. Prospect on the Money Brook Trail. At this point I consulted the GPS to find we were at and elevation of around 1360 feet having lost over 2100 feet since Mt. Greylock. The GPS indicated the turn for the Mt. Prospect Trail was about .5 miles ahead.
The Money Brook Trail began to gain some elevation and crossed back and forth over the brook in several places. Just before the Mt. Prospect Trail junction the Money Brook Trail began a steep ascent. I have to admit that 9.5 miles and over 5 hours into the hike I was hot and tired. In addition, the skies were growing darker and I was beginning to hear thunder far off. I knew we could continue on the Money Brook Trail to the Wilbur Clearing Lean-to and then follow the AT back the way we had come. This would be the shorter and flatter route so I chose...to turn left and head UP Mt. Prospect. Again, the trail I was on did not seem to match my GPS or the trail map exactly but the sign ahd said Mt. Prospect so I continued. The trail certainly was going up but it wasn't that steep...yet. After about .25 miles this changed and the trail started a brutal ascent up the mountain. It was not well marked at first and hard to follow as it wound its ay up over and through a rocky area. Shortly after this the trail turned due north and kept a continuous ascent to the summit. Near the top the trail leveled a little and then rose over one more bump to the top. There was one viewpoint along the way. I stopped to try to get some pictures through the haze and take a break before continuing ever upwards. At least at this point there was no doubt we were on the right trail. After over 1100 feet of vertical gain over in a mile and an hour of hiking, we arrived at the summit cairn. We stopped to take some pictures but the thunder was growing louder so we didn't take too long. We were over 10 miles and 5 hours into the hike.
We now started down the other side of Mt. Prospect but the descent was very gentle, quite pleasant and quick. We arrived at the trail junction and viewpoint from earlier in the morning but quickly walked by as the storm clouds gathered. It was obvious that the storm was moving in from the west and although I saw no lightening I heard the thunder! Down was certainly cooler and easier than up but by this time my feet were hot and tired. Sheba trotted along ahead and only her panting gave me any indication she was hot. We both continued to drink. I mat have finally learned my lesson from previous encounters with severe cramping from dehydration! The return trip seemed long in both time and distance since I was tired and was trying to beat the rain. The trip back may me appreciate how steep the trail was and how long the climb up had been. We finally crossed the woods road near the bottom and hiked out to Pattison Road just as a few drops began to fall. I changed clothing in the car since everything I had on was soaked with sweat. As I did this, it began to pour but the deluge lasted only 5 or 10 minutes. I checked the GPS and found we had hiked exactly 13 miles in 7 hours and 20 minutes! What was even more impressive was that we had gained 4673 feet over the hike! Next time in the area I want to get to the March Cataract, Jones Nose and maybe hike the Thunderbolt and Bellows Pipe trails.
On Sunday, July 11th I wanted to get in a hike after church despite the weather prediction of thunderstorms. I knew I didn't want to drive too far and I did not want to fight through a bushwhack. I decided to go up Slide on the Step Trail since I like the views and I knew there would be almost no one else on that trail.
I drove to the main parking area for Slide on Route 47 and Sheba and I were on the trail by 12:20 PM. I knew that the woods had been dry but I expected that the recent rains might have supplied some water. To my surprise the Neversink was dry. I spent a moment looking for signs of some water but there was none. The second much smaller stream had some water in OT but nowhere near the amount that is usually flowing. We continued to walk up the trail until we got to the woods road. We did meet a group of four coming down and two more young men later on. On the woods road we turned left and walked to the cable that separates sate land from Winisook Club property. We turned right into the woods and immediately found the Step Trail. I don't know whether this trail is easier to find now since I have been there many times or whether more people are using it. We stopped at the first viewpoint and I took some pictures. The conditions looked good in this direction but the sky was beginning to darken. I gave Sheba a drink and got out a sandwich before we started up again. By the time we are moving again there was an almost continuous roll of thunder and rain drops were falling. The trail was nearly dry but the vegetation in most areas was incredibly green. As we worked high and higher the mosses were a vibrant green that I do remember seeing before. The long stretches of steps in some areas are really interesting and I began to think of how long ago these were created and the history of the area. As we approached the second viewpoint, we walked through a "tunnel;" with a large boulder on one side and evergreen trees on the other. The climb up here requires a firm grip on an well-placed root to get up to the next level. The view from this lookout is much the same as the one below only higher. What had changed was the sky! To the south it was still sunny but huge, dark clouds were rolling in from the north. After taking some pictures, we continued on the trail through the pine forest. One section of the upper part of the trail was particularly stunning with large rocks covered in moss. I tried taking pictures here bu t the light was not ideal. Shortly we were approaching the main trail.
When we reached the main trail, we turned left toward the summit of Slide. There was still about .75 miles to go and the weather was uncertain at best. We met a family of four descending and then another group of four who were also headed down. We continued up and as we walked I was trying to decide whether we would head for Cornell. This stretch of the trail always seems long to me but eventually we were at the viewpoint toward Panther. Another couple was already there with their dog but Sheba made "friends" quickly. I took pictures and then talked to the two hikers. I found out that they had hiked the Burroughs Range using several different trails in different seasons. The weather did not seem to be improving so Sheba and I continued on to the summit. There was no one at the Slide saummit. As usual the views were non-existent. One look at the sky convinced me that I did not want to take the chance of getting caught on the peaks in a thunderstorm. I have done this several times before and have no desire to do it again. We turned around and headed back with me thinking about hiking the other two mountains from Woodland Valley in the near future. I detest the trip down the main Slide trail because of the many rocks which always seem to try to roll my ankles. This time the trip seems to go more quickly with Sheba venturing far out ahead of me. We were back a the car by 3:20 PM having covered the 5.5 mile trip in 3 hours.
On Friday, July 9th I was free to hike the whole day since summer school is not in session on Friday. I had started biking again and I enjoyed it! What I did find out was that hiking shape and biking shape are two different things. I knew my legs were sore in places that hiking does not touch. I decided to head for Bearpen and Vly since I needed them for July and I thought I might get some views even though the day was humid. Sheba and I left the house in no big hurry and headed up to Roscoe and out the Rockland flats on Route 206. I was surprised when I got to the end of the flats and found the road CLOSED. Apparently the storms the night before had dumped a lot of rain in a short period if time and caused extensive damage to the roads. I decided to go back to the Quickway and head to East Branch and take Route 30 to Downsville. From here it is Route 30 to Route 28 east to Fleischmans and then Breezy Hill Road to the Fleiscman-Halcott Center Road to CR 3. This road has a lot of branches to the right since you go passed Elk Creek, Turk Hollow and Meade Roads. The last fork has Johnson Hollow Rd to the left and CR 3 to the right. I took the left fork and drove to the end of the paved road and parked in the snowplow turnaround. I often park just below the private property signs but I determined that no snowplows would be turning n this day. We were the only car in the parking lot when we arrived at 10:25 AM and we were on the trail almost immediately. It was slightly cooler with temperatures in the low 80's but I was surprised to note that the humidity seemed high. The first .9 miles of the hike is up a woods road used by hunters. The road is kept cleared but it is very rocky and I find it hard to walk. After a little more than 15 minutes it was time to decide which way to go first. I had though we would do Vly first and Sheba headed that way and we were off.
The forest was very dry indicating the area had not gotten any rain. The herd path was very prominent and so were the blue and yellow paint markings. It appeared someone had slapped some more blue paint on the trees. We ascended for about a quarter mile until the trail leveled some and I was reminded that this was one of those hikes that I always underestimate. The trail remains level through an often swampy area for about .2 miles before starting up again. It seems that I always get "lost" in this area and this day was no exception. We quickly rejoined the herd path and headed up. My legs were tired from biking and by now my clothes were soaked with sweat. We climbed up the last .3 miles to the top and found the canister with no problem by 11:25. I signed in and we had a drink and snack. Before starting back down we walked over to a viewpoint and I was able to take some pictures despite the vegetation and the haze. Going back down went much more quickly especially with Sheba in the lead. We were back at the road in the col between the two mountains by 12:05 PM cutting 20 minutes off the ascent time. It was now time to do Bearpen and we started by following the roads north and up. There are several steep areas on the roads and they always seem to be covered by loose rock and the dry weather didn't help this any! At least we weren't walking through mud pits! After the last ascent on a road we turned right on a faint herd path and the fun began.
The last people to sign into the canister on Vly did so on July 3 almost a week early. Although I could see the herd path to Bearpen, it was overgrown with some rather large briars. I was glad to See at least there weren't many nettles! Sheba took the lead and never gave it up following the path exactly. The prickers were think near the start of the path, thinned some and then got thicker again as the path flattened. We continued to follow the path until it met the woods road and then turned right toward the ski slopes and the summit. We were on top by 12:52 PM and had covered 1.5 miles of bushwhack in 45 minutes! I took some pictures of the valley and the mountains to the north. There was a lot of haze but I got some good shots including pictures of the Schoharie Reservoir. We walked back to the lower viewpoint which gives a different angle. We got a drink and ate some lunch before starting back. I tried another road on the way back but it looked like it was going in the wrong direction so we just headed up to regain the way we had come. We were back at the col in 40 minutes and returned to the car by 2:00 PM. Walking down the road with all the loose stones proved to be the most annoying part of the hike. We covered the 6.5 mile hike in 3 hours and 40 minutes. An occasional breeze eased the temperatures but the humidity stayed up and I was soaked by the time we finished. I decided to come home by way of Big Indian and Frost Valley and this was a quicker way to.
On Monday, July 5th I was almost headed out the door to go to Kaaterskill High Peak when I stopped to ask Cindy if she would like to come along. I wanted to bushwhack up to the snowmobile trail, find the lower plane crash, search for the cairn that marks the "other" way up to the High Peak and get some views from Hurricane Ledge. When we left Livingston Manor the temperatures were barely in the 70's and I didn't expect temperatures much above 80 for the day! We left just after 9:15 AM and arrived a the trail head in Platte Clove at 10:45 AM. I was worried from some trip reports for the weekend that the parking lot would be full but there were only two other cars when we arrived. We got right on the trail walking through the open gate and up the road. The temperatures already seemed high and the humidity was up there also. We moved along at a good pace over the very dry trails. Places that are usually pools of water or small streams were totally dry. Only two places had any significant water along the way. We did meet a couple and their dog and another woman near the Huckleberry Point Trail but there equipment suggested that was as far as they went.We made the 1.3 miles to the Huckleberry Point Trail in about 40 minutes and continued from here on the main trail. In another half hour or less we hiked the .7 miles to the cairn that marks the herd path that many hikers use to get up to the snowmobile trail around Kaaterskill. We decided to take this "shortcut" which disappeared shortly after we got on it. I wasn't worried since I had my compass and a map but Cindy seemed to doubt my navigational skills. After short and easy bushwhack, we found ourselves on the snowmobile trail.
At this point I was not sure which way to go but turned left to go around the south side of the mountain. Cindy took a rest while I explored. I almost immediately ran into the wreckage from the lower crash and continued on for a distance but did not find the cairn I was looking for. Of course, I had not read the trip reports carefully enough to know that the "other" path was a good way around to the south side of the mountain and actually come up and over Hurricane Ledge. Oh well, maybe next time. I returned to Cindy and we began to walk around to the north side of the peak where I knew we could catch the "main" herd path to the summit. This walk seemed long but this was because I had never done it before. Eventually, the snowmobile trail came up from below on the right and then the herd path with its cairn appeared on the left. At this point Cindy was pretty tired and the temperatures were pushing 90! She didn't want to give up and I think in my enthusiasm to summit I forgot how difficult the final assault can be. We slowly made our way to the top but once at the summit Cindy Seemed spent. She sat down to drink, eat and rest while I went out to Hurricane Ledge. The views were nice but the humidity meant that they were hazy. Sheba and I walked back to Cindy who looked a little more "refreshed" until I informed her that we had to go back down what we had ascended. I guess this was another detail I failed to mention. I shouldered my pack and Cindy's fanny pack and we started out.
We made the descent slowly and deliberately and as Cindy said "I'll take going down over going up any day." We had no mishaps on the way down to the main snowmobile trail. From there we walked back to the junction with the snowmobile trail that comes up from the blue trail and walked down that. We turned right on the blue hiking trail and headed back toward the car. Once Cindy was back on flatter terrain her pace picked up and we soon passed by the cairn where we had started the "shortcut". As soon as the trail started down I had to pick up my pace to stay ahead of my wife. Along the ay we met a young couple looking for Hurricane Ledge. I explained the turns in detail and suggested that it was not an easy climb in the heat. A little passed the cairn, we were surprised from some rapid fire rifle shots. I could see to the right a hunters camp and I knew someone was just sighting in or target practicing but it was still disconcerting. We move quickly through the area and increased our pace when we got on the woods road. We were back at the car by 3:45 PM having taken about 5 hours to cover the difficult 8.5 mile route. We enjoyed the air conditioning in the car for a moment before heading off for a meal at Pancho Villas in tannersville.
On Saturday, July 3rd I asked Cindy if she would like to try a hike I had wanted to do for some time. I have been wanting to go to Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts, and climb it using the Hopper Trail route. The peak is only 3491 feet in elevation but the Hopper Trail starts in the valley at about 1060 feet of elevation. This means the gain is about 2430 feet which is significant. I knew that The July 4th weekend might not be the best time to go but though that The Hopper might be less traveled than some other routes. I wanted to get a REALLY early start but settled for getting out of the house before 6:30 PM. I made the mistake of trusting Google Maps for directions and this was a mistake. We were fine going to Kingston on Route 209 and picking up the Thruway (I87) north to the Berkshire extension and the I90. After that, we had an agonizing tome on some smaller two lane highways! Eventually we crossed into Massachusetts and took Route 7 North toward Williamstown. I was looking for Potter Road to Hopper Road but couldn't find it. I stopped at a store and a VERY helpful young lady who was also a hiker pointed us in the right direction. I also bought a trail guide published by the Williams Outing Club with hikes in the northern Berkshires and the Mount Greylock Reservation. From Route 7 we took Route 43 to Mount Hope and turned right into Mount Hope Park and directly onto Hopper Road. Where Hopper Road met Potter Road we turned left to stay on Hopper and were soon at the end. The parking area only had a few cars and we were ready to get on the trail by 10:15 AM. The weather was already in the 80's with bright sun and high humidity although there had not been rain for over a week.
The very first part of the trail is an old farm road which runs through...a farm. This part is flat and the Haley Farm trail leaves to the right and then the Money Brook Trail branches to the left. We stayed on the Hopper Trail marked mostly by fading blue blazes. The first mile of the trail nearly parallels the contour lines but constantly and gradually gains elevation. The trail is rooted and rocky in places. Some very large blowdown has simply been left in place and "steps" have been cut through it. Around 1 mile the trail turns more to the south and starts to gain elevation toward the Greylock ridge. Over the next mile there is a gain of over 900 vertical feet. There are no rock scrambles or anything really steep but the climb is relentless. At 2.0 miles the trail levels some and meet Sperry Road at 2.3 miles. We turned left to hike up Sperry road passed the campground office where a man offered us assistance and a map. We talked a minute before continuing on up the road and turning left at 2.6 miles to get back on the Hopper Trail. This part of the trail started innocently enough but then began to gain elevation again quickly. At about 3.3 miles the Overlook Trail branched to the left but we stayed on the Hopper Trail which begins to roughly parallel Rockwell Road. At 3.8 miles we crossed Rockwell and North Adams Roads and stayed on the trail but now the markings indicated that the Appalachian Trail had joined the Hopper Trail. From here it is only about .3 miles to the summit. There were a few more short sections to climb and just before the radio tower we stopped by Gore Pond, the highest body of water in the state. After this we pressed on to the summit passing the radio tower and crossing the road. We went by the stone inscribed with a quote from Thoreau and then crossed the road again. There is a metal sculpture that shows all of the Greylock Reservation and the hiking trails. Behind this on the very summit is the War Memorial Tower and to the right is Bascom Lodge. We stopped to take some pictures here. I was surprised there were relatively few people at the top since the summit can be driven on the newly paved roads.
We walked passed the tower and to the viewpoints on the other side. There were nice views to the east and I walked down the slope some to get better angles for pictures. After this we walked over to Bascom Lodge to see the views from there. From here we could look to the west to see the Catskills! I replenished our water and took some pictures, We sat for a while to eat before gathering ourselves for the trip back down the mountain. The way back seemed long but that often happens when you have reached your goal and are just trying to get back to the car. We started back at 1:00 PM and stopped only briefly on the way down. We decided we were too tired to go to the March Cataract which probably would have disappointed due to the lack of rainfall. We were back at the car by 3:00 PM. We covered the entire 8.5 mile hike in 4 hours and 45 minutes with PLENTY of time for pictures and breaks. After looking at the trail maps and the Northern Berkshire Trail guide, I am anxious to return to see some of the things we missed. One adventure would be to start in Williamstown and hike over Mount Williams, Mount Fitch, Mount Greylock and Mount Prospect in one day. The trail up Mount Prospect is supposed to be the hardest in the Reservation! It would be nice to include Saddle Ball Mountain also!
On Friday, July 2nd I was looking for a new experience somewhat closer to home and one that, preferably, would be lacking in SNAKES! I decided to try Little Rocky since I had been meaning to do it for some time and it was still on my CHH "To Do" list. I had read all the trip reports about the steep descent after summating and wanted to avoid this if possible. I thought there might be two ways to do this. One would be to walk out the Ashokan HP Trail and then up to the ridge and then return the same way. This would be incredibly long. The other way would be to ascend the steep part first and then walk the ridge to Mombaccus or the Col before that peak and then descend to the Ashokan HP Trail. This would be a brutal ascent by all accounts but it is the route I chose. I knew I would have to try to avoid the strip of private land at the top but thought I could do this. Sheba and I arrived at about 10:20 AM in the parking lot and were on the trail 5 minutes later. We crossed the road and step across the nearly dry brook. I took a SSW bearing with the compass and did not vary much at all from this heading using the sun as a guide. The initial walk was easy with only slight elevation gains and some paths to follow. One problem I had was that I could in no way get a visual on what I was climbing. Soon the terrain grew steeper and much rockier and then the real fun began. We ran into at least three major cliff bands on the way up. From afar they looked almost impossible to negotiate and some even looked that way close up. We were able to work our way through all of them with some detours but the going was SLOW. At about 1.2 miles up we ran into a woods road which I followed briefly. The road seemed to go in the wrong direction and was very overgrown so I abandoned it for a more direct route. After 1.5 miles and 1.5 hours, we were wandering around on the top looking for the highest spot. I walked to the given GPS coordinates but also walked to what looked like higher ground to me and claimed success. It was now time to head off Little Rocky. I did not see any POSTED signs as I walked but my GPS track shows I may have briefly been on private land.
On Wednesday, June 30th I wanted to do the hike from Mount Tammany to Sunfish Pond that I had planned. I always get a later start than I plan but Sheba and I got on the road and headed for Port Jervis and Milford to take Route 209 all the way to Delaware Water Gap. The last time I was at Tammany I had some problems finding the Dunnfield Creek parking area and some more problems finding my way back from the trails to the parking area at the end of the hike. This time we got right on the Red Dot Trail up Tammany as soon as we arrived at 9:30 Am. I had never gone up this trail and was expecting it to be much hard than it was. I guess I would always rather climb steep than descend steep! We stopped at the viewpoints along the trail and it was obvious the day would be perfect for taking pictures. I also noticed that I was warm from climbing but hat I cooled off as soon as I stopped. We continued on up the trail meeting several hikers already on the way down! As we arrived at the open rock face at the top that acts as a lookout we met two more hikers. It was not yet 10:30 Am and we were making good time. I walked out onto the rock face and took some pictures before going back to get my pack and starting off after the two hikers that had gone before us. We continued behind them until they turned on the Blue Dot Trail and we continued across the ridge on the Tammany Fire Road. This unmarked path stays largely on top of the ridge as it meanders for about 3 miles until it meets the Turquoise Trail to Sunfish Pond. The walk was cool under the trees and only warm in the sun. The path was relatively easy to follow but there were no markings of any kind. Many of these trails and paths have a lot of sharp rocks which makes them hard on the feet. The walk didn't have many "features" but at one point a sign appeared. From our direction it was blank but on the other side was inscribed NJFFS Helispot 2.
We continued on and picked up the Turquoise Trail where I expected it to be. The turn was marked by a cairn but little else and the blazes are few and far between. Whoever began the practice of marking blazes on the rocks on the trail had a bad idea. They are barely visible when the leaves are not out and completely invisible in winter! After about .8 miles or so on the trail it meets and starts to follow a woods road around the pond. I was not paying attention to the trail or to Sheba who clearly wanted to make a turn. After a hundred feet, I saw no more blazes and went back to turn where Sheba had indicated. Only a little further on we came to a high point overlooking Sunfish Pond. It was obvious someone else was there since there was a camera on a tripod. The owner came up from below and some other people arrived. I took some pictures although the trees obscured some of the pond. There seemed to be many rocky areas along the shore but there was a large group of people at the opposite end. After a snack, we got back on the trail and headed out on the Turquoise Trail which soon ended at the Appalachian Trail. We turned left to go around the pond. This part of the trail was EXTREMELY rocky and hard to walk. At one point a side trail led down to the water and we walked across the rocks to get near the water so that I could take some pictures. As we approached the shore I looked up to see...a full-sized blimp in the sky. I took pictures of the blimp, the pond and the blimp and the pond before going back to my pack. Under a rock just next to my pack was a pretty good sized snake. The snake was small for a copperhead but I gave it a wide berth. The snake apparently felt the same way about be as it slithered away under the rocks. We continued on around the lake on the AT and encountered several groups of people enjoying the water and the sun. I discovered in conversation that there was a road coming up from Old Mine Road that came almost all the way up to the pond! At the southwest end of the lake we picked up the green Dunnfield Creek Trail and started to climb a little up to a small ridge.
We were walking along the trail in our normal formation when I happened to look down to see a snake across the path. I stopped in mid-step since I was familiar with...rattlesnakes. I ahd encountered them before but seldom this close or this suddenly! I immediately told Sheba to stay since she was coming back to investigate why I had stopped. I am glad she obeys my commands. My first thought was that she had walked right over this snake without disturbing it and how bad this situation could have! I kept my distance and took out my camera. The snake obligingly stayed put so that I could take some pictures. Its head was hidden in the brush but its body and signature tail were fully exposed. He was sunny himself but was otherwise very well camouflaged. After the pictures I contemplated the best way to go around the snake. I allowed for the fact that there might be another in the brush nearby and so using the trail was the best option. I used by poles to try to move the snake a little and encourage him to leave. This made the snake rattle and coil which really put me on edge. After this encounter, I made Sheba walk behind me for most of the rest of the hike! The trail did not climb the ridge but stayed close to the creek as it headed southwest toward the Delaware River. The trail was very rocky and uneven for the first mile but began to get smoother the further we went. I kept watching for snake but the cool areas near the creek and under the trees were not the places they prefer. The trail followed most of the twists and turns in the shallow creek and I gave up counting the number we crossed back and forth t0 avoid the steep banks on one side or the other. In about 3 miles form the pond, we were at the trail junction with the Blue Dot Trail up Tammany. A bridge here crossed the creek near what is sometimes called Dunnfield Falls. There wasn't much water in the creek but I took my last pictures anyway. We continued on the AT back to the parking area. We were back by 2:30 PM covering about 11 miles in 5 hours with plenty of time for pictures and wildlife encounters!
On Tuesday, June 29th we finished Buttermilk Falls by 2:20 PM and drove to Enfield Glen at Robert H. Tremain State Park. The parks are so close together that we were out of the car and ready to hike by 2:30 PM! The guidebooks and trip reports I had read all "warned" that the first part of the hike had a steep ascent to the gorge rim and did not have many points of interest for over a half mile! They were right on both accounts! Enfield Glen was the least developed of the three areas we visited which means there are fewer people but also that the trails are more rugged with fewer defined viewpoints. In some cases there were nice water falls that were hard to photograph because of the light or vegetation obscuring a goof shot. In some places I walked down to the stream and was able to take pictures from the bank or, in others, to walked out into the stream bed to photograph. In other spots I tried to take the best photographs I could through the shrubbery since there were no safe options available. In one place a nice falls came into view with a group of teenagers wading in the water. They seemed oblivious to the fact that others were present and were only concerned with impressing each other! More falls and more rock formations later we passed a bridge that crossed to the rim trail on the south side of the glen. We had not yet seen Lucifer Falls so we bypassed this bridge and continued climbing up the path and various stairs toward the head of the glen.
Soon we were walking next to a railing and a high rock wall. As we rounded a corner, Lucifer Falls came into view. It is truly impressive even with low water levels. This is another falls I want to come back to when the water level is higher! I took MANY different pictures of the falls which has an impressive drop. It was hard to get any detail and keep the whole falls in the frame. I even tried a panorama. We eventually walked passed this viewing area and another falls came into view. This one had much less height but was still very beautiful. Around another corner was a stone bridge which led to the path on the other side. Beneath the bridge was a narrow slot which channeled the water into another falls. I stood on the bridge and took pictures both ways in the gorge and then took some looking almost straight down from the bridge. We continued on up the trail with me taking a few pictures of the bridge. Eventually we arrived at the upper parking are and it was time to head back. Before turning around we visited an old mill and I took pictures of the falls that helped power it. By this time all of us were tired so we headed back to the beginning of the rim trail and climbed UP to the rim of the gorge. The trail flattened at the top but still had its downs and subsequent ups. In one place the trail dropped down an impressive set of stone steps to the level of the stream. We walked along the stream briefly and then had to climb back up to the rim. There were several viewpoints along the way with one offering a nice view down to Lucifer Falls. Other lookouts we too oobscured to use a camera. Signs along the way kept us posted on the way out and back of the distance yet to go. Eventually the signs were for .5 miles had then .25 miles. Near the end of the trail we could see down to the gorge and another falls that I was sure we had NOT visited. This was the Lower Falls that the Gorge Trail on the other side misses. It is also the site of the swimming area for the park. Since dogs are not allowed Sheba stayed with Cindy while I took a moment to go down and take pictures of the Lower Falls. Below the Lower falls a small dam holds back some water to form a pool for swimming. The gorge below this is not as high as further up but has some nice features. On the other side is some artificial stonework and a stone building. I rejoined Cindy and Sheba and we walked through an area with some cabins until we found the road that goes back to the parking area just across the stream. There is a walkway for hikers but the cars have to drive through several inches of water and ford the stream to cross! We were thankful to be back at the car at around 5:00 PM having take 2.5 hours to finish the 5 miles hike.
On Tuesday, June 29th we finished Taughannock Falls by 1:00 Pm and headed back to Ithaca on Route 89 to pick up Route 96 south. Once on this road it was a very short drive to Buttermilk Falls State Park. We were parked and on the trail by 1:20 PM. I was a little disappointed at first since the main falls simply has water that passes over a wide expanse of harder bedrock and does not really "fall. In addition, the natural beauty of the area is "spoiled" by a swimming area complete with concrete and lifeguards. I took some quick sots and then we proceeded up the stone steps to the right of the falls to walk the Gorge Trail. As we ascended the steps, I was able to take some more shots of the falls that minimum the swimming area. The way the stream cut through the rock to form the gorge was interesting and soon we were at another falls and stopped to take pictures. This falls also did not have a sheer drop but was narrower and, therefore, seemed to be faster flowing with a greater volume of water. As we continued along the path, we could see how it meandered along the gorge and how many interesting formations ahd been created. Another falls appeared as the water passed through a narrow slot in the rocks. In several places the swirling water had cut circular "pools" in the rock which were deep with rather large diameters.
More falls and more interesting formations appeared as the path continued climbing up the gorge. At the top of one set of steps a nice three-tiered cascade could be seen. A leanto appeared on the right of the trail and we both thought it would be a GREAT place to stay! We passed by a bridge that crossed the stream and led to the rim trail but I wanted to make sure we saw the whole gorge so we continued on. We passed several more falls and interesting rock formations before coming to Pinnacle Rock. Here a spire of rock has either pulled away from the gorge wall or, more likely, is of greater hardness than the surrounding stone. In any case, it was quite impressive standing tall right next to the path. As we continued up the gorge the pattern of falls, plunge pools, slots continued but became less frequent as the stream volume deceased. We crossed a bridge to get to the Rim Trail on the east side of the gorge. This trail led down most of the way but had at least one are that dropped to the gorge before climbing again to the rim. In several places the trail met a service road and the path was not well marked. As we headed back down to the parking area, we noted the many vines that covered the trees in this area. We arrived at the car by 2:20 PM taking just over an hour to cover the 2 mile hike. I was a little tired and I knew Cindy might not want to continue on to Robert J. Tremain State Park to do Enfield Glen. I was a little surprised but very happy when she said she would go so it was off to our last and LONGEST adventure!
On Tuesday, June 29th Cindy was off from work and ready to do some hiking. I wanted to hike from Tammany to Sunfish Pond but she was worried it would be too long and too hot. She proposed heading north where it would be cooler. She suggested Watkins Glen but the website said "No dogs!" I don't like to change plans but began to formulate a route that would take us to visit several of the parks near Ithaca that have waterfalls. My plans included Potter's Falls in Ithaca, Taughannock FAlls near Trumansburg, Buttermilk Falls and Enfield Glen south of Ithaca. We got started relatively early for us. I had checked the state parks website and all four of these allowed dogs if they are leashed. This is not Sheba's favorite sort of trip but it was better than leaving her home. We headed up Route 17 to Binghamton and then north on I81 to Whitney Point. From there we took Route 79 to Ithaca and then Route 89 north to Trumansburg. All went well and we arrived at the park at about 10:15. We paid the day use fee and found that it was good all day at any state park! We were on the trail before 10:30 AM. We decided to walk into the gorge and do that trail first since it was short and led right to the base of the 215 foot main falls. As we walked this trail several smaller falls appeared along the way and we stopped to take pictures. We were both impressed by the canyon that the stream had cut over the years. Equally interesting was the layer that acted as the stream bed. The rock layer showed :waves" in many places and in some Ares we were walking on this layer as well. In many areas the different hardness of the rock layers was evident in their erosion patterns. The walk was pleasant and the air temperature was cool and we arrived tat he bridge over the stream at the base of the falls by 11:00 AM. The main falls are certainly high and there was enough water to make them interesting. I would like to return after a heavy rain or in early spring! We stopped to take MANY pictures and then returned to the parking area
Back near the beginning of the Gorge Trail, we started UP to the south rim trail. Getting up to the rim required quite a climb, of course and there were MANY stone steps along the way. Once we were up on the rim, the trail leveled out and passed through shaded groves of the hardwood and some evergreen trees. Along the way a few lookouts gave interesting views of the canyon below and, eventually, of the falls itself. Soon we were nearing the upper reaches of the gorge and a new falls came into view. Here the gorge widened considerably and the different layers of rock were even more obvious. We were wondering how we would cross the gorge to get to the north rim but soon a bridge cam into view. It looked a old and from the side it was clear that it had seen better days. Once we were on the bridge another falls, as impressive as the main falls in many ways appeared on the left or southwest of the bridge. This falls also fell a long distance and the volume appeared to be as great as the main falls. A little further upstream we could see another bridge that routed traffic over the stream. We continued on the trail with a side trip that took us to the road bridge and back before continuing on the main trail. As we walked along the main trail an occasional view of the gorge would appear but none that were really unobtainable.
As we continued our walk, a nice view of the falls appeared through the trees so I took some pictures. The trail wound along the gorge and even joined the road for a brief time. Soon we approached the upper access to the park and the gorge. Here, those who wanted a quick view of the falls could simply park and walk down a flight of stone steps. I wanted to tell them what they were missing! This view of the falls was nice and was from a much greater distance than the Gorge Trail that we had done earlier. I took many photographs before we started back down the North Rim Trail to the car. Along the way I kept looking for a view down the gorge and out to Cayuga Lake. All the viewpoints were overgrown and the views obscured by trees and bushes, Finally a nice lookout offered a clear view of the lake, At another point we were able to look down to the bed of the stream at the bottom of the gorge and see people walking along the stream bed. They appeared very small even with the zoom. We continued down the trail stopping at several more viewpoints before descending the steps to the road a little north of the parking are. We walked the road back to the car. I stopped on the small road bridge to take some final pictures, We were back at the car just before 1:00 PM having taken 2.5 hours to do the 6 mile hike. It was now off to Buttermilk Falls.
On Friday, June 25th we finished Oxford and County House by 3:00 PM. I drove out Tunnel Hill Road to Jackson Valley Road and then picked up Karrsville Road to Rockport Road. This was easier than I though and I parked at the State pheasant farm at 3:15 PM. As I started to get out of the car, my leg cramped which is, for me, a sign of fatigue AND dehydration. I massaged the cramp out and drank the rest of a bottle of water before getting the gear on and walking across the road with Sheba. We walked up the hill following the signs for the overlook. This "trail" was mowed and we were soon looking out over the farms in this valley. The views from the overlook were spotty because of the lush plant life spring up. We continued up the hill on a woods road and found another which turned toward Upper Pohatcong. We crossed the first power line at about .6 miles without much problem and I was beginning to think this one was "in the bag". How wrong could I be? At just over 1 mile, we came upon a woods road and the POSTED signs began. I wanted to walk straight ahead to bushwhack to the peak but I did not want to walk across more private property. I chose to turn up the road to avoid the POSTED land and this is where the fun REALLY began. At first I hit and open space where there were SHARP plants and vines so thick it was impossible to pass. We backtracked and tried to stay in the shade as much as possible. It was NOT possible to stay away from open areas so we ended up really whacking bushes through some of the MOST MISERABLE terrain I have crossed in a long time. The thorns were big and brutal, vines grabbed at your legs and blowdown rerouted us.
We continued to work further north than I had wanted to avoid posted land. At some point I caught another trail which turned into a road and ended at the second power line. We walked across the right-of-way and tried to find a good place to enter the woods beyond. We found a place although not a good one. We were about 1.7 miles and one hour into the hike at this point. I figured with only .4 miles to go to the high point it couldn't be all that bad. What was I thinking? More open spots with more plant attacks! Swampy areas with the true nature of the footing underneath hidden by dense growth. Finally we started to pick up some paths as we neared the high point. It was discouraging to think we would have to fight our way back over the same route! The terrain began to flatten and the woods did open up as we approached the summit. We were about 2 miles into the hike and it was 4:40 PM meaning we had taken almost and hour and a half to get to the high point. I didn't see any POSTED signs nearby but I did see hunters shack so we turned around to follow our path back. I was exhilarated at this point and about as scratched up as I have ever been. These factors combined with the fact that I had already beaten down a lot of the plants that barred the way meant that the return trip seemed much faster. We stopped at the overlook for me to take some pictures and then headed back down to the road. At the gate was a sign that told the story of the Morris Canal and pointed out that the swampy area was actually the old boat basin. We crossed the road and went to the car. It was 5:50 PM and we had finished the grueling 4.4 mile hike in just over 2.5 hours. The return trip had taken about an hour. I stopped to take some pictures on the pheasants and then got in the car and headed home as the first New Yorker to conquer New Jersey's peaks!
On Friday, June 25th I was done with Fairway by 1:00 PM and turned by attention to Oxford and County House. I drove back to Route 31 and headed south to Tunnel Hill Road which I thought I would check out. I made a left onto Tunnel Hill and shortly found a pulloff on` the right side. I decided to park and start the hike from there. It was 1:10 PM when we entered the woods and began to bushwhack up the steep hillside. The hillside had some rather large rocks inconveniently hidden under ferns and other plants. It was here that we began to run into SHARP plants of different types. I am accustomed to the prickers in the Catskills which are mostly raspberry and blackberry canes. New Jersey seems to have these but also possess another array of barberry and what seems to be wild roses. The thorns and these are HUGE and the plants actively reach out and grab you as you pass by. The route I took skirted the bump dubbed Hill 888 and tuned to sidehill a lot but the walking wasn't hard because of this. We kept running into patches of rocky, blowdown and the ever present SHARP pants. After only .82 miles and half and hour we found the high point on Oxford but it seemed much longer than that. What I didn't know at this point was that the fun was just beginning!
On Friday, June 25th I was finished The Tornfell by 11:20 AM so it was on to Fairway. I drove back out to the Hope Great Meadows Road and south on this to Route 46 and turned west. I picked up Route 31 south toward Oxford. I was looking for Mine Hill Road but had a little trouble finding it since the turn is not right off the main road and I did not know the street or route number. After one false start and some lucky turns, I was on Mine Hill Road and found the pulloff on the right just as the road starts to descend. I could even see a woods road! We were on the trail just before noon. I entered the woods road from where I parked and then immediately found another that headed UP and to the southwest. We stayed on this road for a while until it seemed to turn in the wrong direction and we began to bushwhack up the hill through the woods passed several fenced in mine adits. I walked over to take a look and two seemed to be just shallow pits. One did have a significant tailing pile so they may have been deeper than they appeared. As we walked through the woods we again joined up with a road and stayed on it until about .4 miles when it seemed to be headed in the wrong direction. I headed out on a trail that I hoped would go in the right direction but after a few hundred feet it was clear that it would not so I backtracked and bushwhacked down a hill and picked up a road which I suspected was the same road I had been on. At this point there were several building with mining equipment and drill cores. There was also a large tank but the area was posted so I headed across an open area and back onto another road.
On Friday, June 25th I was finished with Whitehall Hill by 9:15 AM and was ready to head to The Tornfell. I took Route 206 south the I80 and then drove west to the exit for the Hope-Blairstown Road. I took this south and turned onto the Hope-Great Meadows Road which after a few miscues. Many of the buildings in Hope were beautiful constructed of quarried stone. I made a note to return to the town at a later date since this day was dedicated to peak bagging! I passed the Land of Make Believe which was packed with school children and head up the hill. At the top of the hill was a pulloff on the right. I was looking for the area Bill Maurer had described where a white trail started just below the pulloff. I saw no trail near the top so I drove back down the hill looking for another place to park. I didn't find any and had a bad feeling that hiking from the top parking area could possibly take me across private property AND it was VERY steep by the road. I decided to go to the Jenny Jump picnic area on Fairview Road and hike from there. We were in the parking area by 10:00 AM were on the trail not long after.
On Friday, June 25th my plan was to finish the NJ1K list if at all possible. I thought it would be hard but possible. I had no idea! I had 6 peaks to go and carefully planned a strategy to reduce the time to drive between them and maximize the time for hiking. The order I planned was Whitehall, Tornfell, Fairway, Oxford and County House and Upper Pohatcong. I read all the trip reports of the other members, printed maps of the areas and wrote down the GPS coordinates and elevations. I thought I was ready. I was out the door and on the road before 7:00 AM and headed to Milford and then south on Route 206 the Andover to take on Whitehall Hill first. I turned right onto North Shore Road and parked a the small pulloff on the right side just after the turn. It was just after 8:30 AM when we walked back out to Route 206 and took a left into the multi-use trail that parallels the road. After about .2 miles a blazed green trail appeared on the left and we turned onto it. The trail was easy to follow and well kept as it headed toward Whitehall Hill. At .55 miles into the hike it was obvious the trail would by pass the peak so we turned right and up into the woods. In only a short distance we found another woods road which we followed until .67 miles when it started to descend and head away from the peak. We bushwhacked up a steep, rocky hillside and headed for the high point. I knew that this might be private land so I was prepared to stop if I saw POSTED signs. As I neared the picnic table at the viewpoint, I heard voices. One of the property owners and a friend were at the lookout. He told me that I must have missed the {OSTED signs and I apologized. He was very gracious and allowed me to walk to the high point AND take pictures from the viewpoint. To get to the top took only half and hour and was less than a mile. We returned the same way and were back at the car by 9:15 covering the 1.7 mile round trip in 45 minutes. The Tornfell would be next!
Spring 2010
On Sunday, June 20th we finished Pyramid Mountain and were ready to try another Morris County Park, Schooley's Mountain. We are getting so that we know many of the roads in New Jersey so finding this park was easier than we thought. Soon we were headed south on Route 206 toward Chester and Route 513 west. We arrived in Long Valley to find a beautiful small town. Aright onto Route 517 and a QUICK left onto Fairview Avenue put us minutes away from the Langdon Palmer Fishing Area parking and the trailhead for our next hike. We arrived at 2:15 PM and got ready to hike. By now the temperature was in the mid-90's with a humidity level approaching 80%! Occasionally a breeze would blow and cold things off just a little! As we entered the woods we immediately had to choose left or right. Most of the marked trail led to the left but we would return that way. We continued to the right on the unblazed Beeline Trail which made a gentle but steady ascent. Several woods roads and paths cut across the trail but we continued on the Beeline until the Grand Loop Trail. We continued straight ahead on this trail and continued to climb through green hardwood forest When we got to the Highland Cut Trail we turned left and headed southwest still climbing slightly until at about 1.3 miles into the hike we started to descend to the picnic area at George Lake.
There were quite a few people at the picnic area and we headed toward the lake until we spotted the beach area which was closed. Perhaps cost cutting had something to do with the closure or maybe it was the goose population. From just left of the beach area a floating bridge crossed George Lake and we stopped to take pictures of the lake, the bridge and some wildlife before crossing. We walked south on the other side of the lake and back to the other side on the bridge over the dam. The Falling Water Trail paralleled Electric Brook and we stopped several times to take pictures until the trail descended steeply at the main falls. A family was already there and we stopped to talk. They asked questions about the trails and mentioned they had been in the Catskills several times. We wished each other a good day and went in opposite directions. We stopped to take many pictures of the falls which had an upper and lower half before continuing on to the south and west. The trail ascended a short hill and I knew we had arrived at the rock quarry. The area was larger than I thought it would be with many of the rocks showing drill holes and angles typical of quarried stone. I took some pictures before we descended the hill to pick up the Patriot's Path west back to the car. We were back at about 4:15 PM having taken 2 hours to cover the 3.2 miles with MANY stops for pictures.
On Sunday, June 20th Cindy wanted to do some hiking and Sheba was ready to go. Cindy is not thrilled with bushwhacking or high temperatures and humidity so the remaining NJ1K were out of the question! We decided to go to New Jersey to hike two of the excellent parks in the Morris County system. I am VERY impressed with what Morris County has done in creating a number of parks with something for everyone and then maintaining them. Our first stop was Pyramid Mountain Natural Historical Area near Boonton. We headed for Port Jervis again and picked up Route 23 over High Point and stayed on this road for the LONG trip to Route 511 south just after Kinnelon. This road is also Known as Boonton Avenue and it wasn't too long until we were at the parking area for the hike. When we arrived at 10:20 AM there were quite a few cars in the lot and I remembered this was supposed to be a popular destination. There weren't too many views but there were many interesting glacial formation with the most prominent being some glacial erratics. The temperatures were already in the high 80's with a humidity top match! As we started there were a few other people headed out on the blue Mennen Trail. These people quickly thinned out as they took paths to the lake or for a shorter hike. We crossed over Stony Brook on a bridge and immediately after bypassed a turn onto a yellow trail on the right. Further along a white trail came in from the left but we stayed on the blue trail. This trail followed alongside a power line right-of-way but stayed in the woods. We stopped at the junction of the Red Trail and Blue trail to adjust equipment before starting down the Red Trail. A hiker passed us and ask if we needed help but we thanked her and said "No".
After a short distance we crossed over Bear house Brook on a couple of planks and were at the junction with the White Trail. There are construction materials piled there for a new bridge but they seem to have been there for some time. We walked to the left on the White Trail and woods road looking for the ruins of the Morgan Place. We did find some foundations but not much else and the road seemed to be headed to the power line. We turned around and headed north on the White Trail looking for Bear Rock. As we approached the appointed place, only a few small erratics were present and we were disappointed. We walked a little further and found Bear Rock (bare Roak). It was right at the junction of the White Trail that we were on and the Blue/White and Yellow trail on the right. It was truly huge and we stopped to take some shots before continuing on the Blue Trail again. This trail started by paralleling the brook and some low swampy areas and I have the insect bites to prove it. After walking north for a while we were at the junction with the Red Trail and turned right to head south almost 80 degrees from our previous heading. The trail parallel the base of a ridge with a lot of talus before turning east and climbing up to the top of that ridge! As the trail flattened we came across Whale Head, another glacial erratic. It was precariously perched or balanced and a diagonal crack at the top did make it look a little like a whale's head breaching the waves. We stopped and took pictures and got a drink before continuing the hike. Along the way we found an interesting rock that had fractured in a curve making it look manmade. After this point the trail rolled some but mostly descended to another formation.
Tripod Rock is a large erratic perched on top of three smaller stones. I had read descriptions and seen pictures but it was much more impressive in "person". Nearby are two other erratics that people have placed smaller rocks under to mimic Tripod Rock. There were a few people in the area and a few more arrived as we were taking pictures. All seemed to know something about the formation and all had a hard time believing it was all natural. After Tripod Rock it was mostly downhill as the trail went downhill AND there weren't many more formations. We passed trail coming in from the right. I walked up the path to what I thought was Lucy's Overlook. Either I had the wrong place or it, like many other viewpoints, has grown in. We were now back on the blue trail hiking along the shoulder of Pyramid Mountain. To the right was the summit but there didn't seem much reason to go up there. To the left there seemed to be some light indicating a viewpoint but one never seemed to open up. Soon we were at the southwestern end of Pyramid Mountain where the trail make a sharp right to descend steeply. Here a path led straight ahead and we took it to a limited viewpoint. As we walked back up the trail I noticed another viewpoint on the right just before the trail turned down the mountain. I walked out to this area and got some different and better pictures. From here we descended the mountain, steeply at times, and followed our original path back top the car. We were back just after 1:00 PM with the 5 mile hiking taking about 3 hours. After a brief rest, we consulted our maps for the best route to Schooley's Mountain County Park near Long Valley.
On Saturday, June 19th the son on one of our friends was marrying the daughter of another friend at the Frost Valley YMCA camp. One of the activities before the wedding was a hike to High Falls on the Frost Valley property on Saturday morning at 9:45 AM. I left Sheba home since I did not know if her presence would be appreciated. Cindy does not ride well on the winding back roads so I was the only one going on the hike from our family. By 9:45 Am a few people had shown up and our guide, Eric, arrived. He were off just before 10:00 AM on what was billed as the long hike. I knew it would NOT be long so I asked if I could hike to High Falls with the group and then continue on my own. Eric said he didn't see why not and I was satisfied. We walked from the pavilion out passed the lake on the road side on the Lake Cole Trail and then around then end of the lake and over the bridge at the dam. Here we started to walk on the actual trail dubbed the Deer Run Trail. These trails are all well maintained and groomed with most debris removed. WE crossed the Line Shack Trail and continued on the yellow blazed High Falls Trail. Once we got to the blue Spring Ridge Trail, we followed an unmarked path down to the falls. We were there by about 10:35 AM. There is a nice wooden deck that offers a good view of the falls and I took some pictures before excusing myself to continue the hike on my own.
I walked back up the hill to the trail and took the blue Spring Ridge Trail northeast. When I reached the yellow Panhandle Trail, I took it to extend my hike as far as possible. I intended to take the trail furthest away from the main complex to do a complete perimeter hike of the upper trail system. All along the Spring Ridge and Panhandle Trail I could hear and usually see the High Falls Brook as it made its way to the falls. The Panhandle Trail climbed quite a bit and was much rougher than the well maintained trails nearer the main complex. It was mostly woods road but showed little maintenance or use. It was very wet in places and overgrown with ferns and grasses. At the Line Shack trail I turned left and then left again on the yellow Sunrise Trail. When the yellow trail met the blue Rocky Road Trail, I continued on blue. Somewhere along the way I came upon the Line Shack erected by a group in the late 20's! The Rocky Road was rocky and wet in many places. I continued to descend on it and got some nice views of the Wildcat Range across the river. Eventually the Rocky Road Trail met the red Perimeter Trail which I followed passed some yurts and the climbing tower and zip lines. This lead me back to the parking area by 11:45. I covered just under 5 miles in under 2 hours!
On Wednesday, June 16th I drove out West Brook to Stonetown Road and then to the Greenwood Lake Turnpike. Just passed the Long Pond Ironworks I turned right onto East Shore Road. I was looking for a pronounced turn to the left of the road and a yellow gate on the right with a pull off across the road. This was much easier to find than I thought it would be. I pulled over and parked at about 2:15 PM. There was still some thunder but no rain so I decided to chance it. The bridge over the creek has seen better days but it supported us just fine. Just after crossing the bridge there seemed to be a path up through the woods so started climbing the rather steep hill heading north. Immediately some cliffs appeared in the direction I was going and it did not look like they would be easily scaled. We ran across a road up but more to the northwest. I decided to follow this and it led to a gentler ascent. After gaining quite a bit of elevation I turned northeast and began to encounter some high spots. Each time I found a high spot there was another higher one just ahead of me. There did seem to be a path and I followed this as I climbed over and then up to another high spot.
Eventually I saw ahead a large cairn and I knew we had arrived. We stopped briefly to take a few pictures and then several peals of thunder made me look for the best way back. I decided that going down steep ground is easier than going up and that most cliffs have some way down. I used my compass to get a roughly southeastern bearing and headed down in that direction. The lay of the land kept pushing me south but I figured that was OK. There were some very steep areas but each seemed to have a way down through them. Soon, I could see light ahead which I judged to be the swampy area that runs between Jennings and Big Beach. I knew that if this was true there would be a trail or road just at the base of the descent. It turned out I was correct and we turned right to head southwest back to the car. I think next time I will hike in from the Jennings Hollow trail or at least go up through the cliffs the way I came down. I stopped on the bridge to take a few pictures and then walked across the road to the car. It was right around 3:15 PM and the 1.5 mile hike had taken almost exactly one hour.
On Wednesday, June 16th we parked along West Brook Road at about 11:45 AM and started out on a hike we had started before. The last time Cindy, Sheba and I hiked this I made the mistake of taking the wrong trail to the wrong summit of Long Hill near the northern end. It was a nice hike that day but long for Cindy. This time I was only interested in getting the peak so Sheba and I moved quickly without stopping. The thunder in the distance helped spur us along! Crossing the brook near the beginning of the trail was an adventure since it was a little high due to the recent rain. There was still some blowdown blocking the trail on the other side but we knew how to work around it. We went over Manaticut Point without stopping and stayed on the Hewitt Butler Trail when we got to the trail junction at 1.2 miles. This trail was not as nice as the trail we took before but at least I knew I was now headed in the right direction. After another mile I could see the power line right-of-way and soon the trail met and followed it to the highest point on Long Hill. I walked a little further looking for higher ground but the trail started to descend so we turned around and hurried back the way we came. Sheba and I can really move on trails when we aren't stopping for pictures so we finished the 5 mile hike in 2 hours, returning to the car 1:45 PM. It hadn't started to rain yet so I decided to drive the East Shore Road to at least find the parking spot for Jennings Mountain.
On Wednesday, June 16th we left Pochuck and headed south on Rt 565 to Rt 23. Route 23 is becoming very familiar to me and I knew just where we wanted to turn to go to Buck Mountain. The turn was right across from Echo Lake Road which heads north. I turned right and started to look for Winnebago Road. My intent was to drive down the road and park on the side to hike up Buck Mountain. When I got to the turn, the road was gated and the property posted as Property of the City of Newark. I didn't know if my watershed permit would allow me to hike here. I drove down the road and found an employee at one of the pumping stations who said he didn't think anyone would care or bother me. I decided to take a chance but asked the lady at the house across the road if I could park in her driveway. The gave me permission and we started at about 10:00 AM. We walked down the paved road and crossed the Pequannock River on a nice road bridge. The river has quite a gorge far below. As we walked up the road on some gravel another dog joined us. He and Sheba seemed to tolerate each other and he seemed to know where he was going. We continued on the road passed the Charlottesburg Reservoir Dam for a little bit. The road seemed to be heading too far to the south so I turned left into the woods and started climbing up. Headed roughly east. We gained some elevation and I kept seeing rock outcroppings ahead of me with each being higher than the other. I am used to having my GPS to pinpoint the exact location of the high points so I felt a little lost! After walking around on these rock outcroppings, I was ready to head back until I a view of some MUCH higher ground to the east. We descended a little, crossed a trail or road and then started steeply up through some pretty thick brush. Soon we were at the top on the north end of the ridge with some views to the north. After taking some pictures, I turned around and headed south on the ridge since I remembered that the high pint was in that direction. My choice was reinforced by the fact that I could see higher ground and there were some paths that led to what I eventually claimed as the summit.
To return I decided that I did not want to try to retrace my route up but would use a northwest compass bearing to guide me. We headed in that direction and DOWN whenever we could. At one point I ran into a road and I decided to walk that for a while. It seemed to be heading to much toward the north and I was about abandon it when I heard the roar of the water over the dam. A little to the west I could see the reservoir so I headed in that direction and walked down the hill to the dam. I took a few pictures and then returned to the bridge over the river where I took Some more. From there it was back to the car. The route was about 2.5 miles as close as I could figure and we were back at about 11:15 AM so it took only and hour and 15 minutes. I headed back to Route 23 and crossed it to take Echo Lake Road north to Macopin Road and then to West Brook Road to rehike Long Hill
On Wednesday, June 16th I took a day off from work since I had no assignment and headed to New Jersey to get some more NJ1K peaks. I had only 10 left and wanted to get the "north" done before planning a long day in the "south". I carefully planned a driving route to include Pochuck, Buck in Kinnelon, Long Hill and Jennings. I doubted I could get all of these in since I had been warned the first two could be problematic and the forecast was for thunderstorms. I had learned my lesson on Saturday and will, in the future, avoid torrential downpours as much as possible. I got an early start and headed down the Quickway to the Florida exit. Just before Florida I headed for Pine Island and from here took the proper roads to get to the intersection of Ft 65 and Tall Timbers Road. We arrived at about 8:15 AM which was when I found out I had left my GPS unit home. I use the GPS to help navigate and to record Mt routes to publish later. I was annoyed at myself but figured I could navigate with map and compass and then approximate my routes when I got home. Sheba and I headed off into the swampy area that lies between the parking area and the drier and open forest on the other side. At least one report warned about how thick this area was and how it might be nearly impassable given the rain we had over the previous few days. We found a pretty good route through the swampy area which was actually just damp and soon were on the other side in the forest.
On Sunday, June 13th I wanted to hike after church. I looked at the weather forecasts and south seemed the best direction so I looked at the area around the Delaware Water Gap. The forecast for Dingman's Ferry was for thunderstorms LATE in the afternoon. Cindy looked at the radar and confidently stated that we WOULD get wet. I chose to believe the professional forecasters instead of my wife. Boy was I wrong! We headed for Port Jervis, took I84 to Milford and the caught Route 6 to Milford and Route 209 to the Water Gap. We crossed the Dingman's Ferry bridge under cloudy, dark skies. On the other side we made all the turns necessary to get on the NPS road through the Water Gap. At first it was just sprinkling and then the rain came in buckets. I was still optimistic as we headed toward Millbrook Village since it hadn't rained in that area and the skies seemed brighter or so I thought. We parked at Mill brook Village and I enquired about the Orchard Trail. It starts right across the road from the parking area and we were out on the trail by 1:15 PM. The skies were dark and Cindy seemed resigned to getting drenched but I was still hoping for the best! We started up the Orchard Trail which is blazed in orange and is a little more of a climb than I thought it would be. Near the top are some open clearings but after a little more than a half mile the Orchard Trail ends and we started walking on a paved road designated the Hamilton Ridge Trail.
As we made the turn onto the road, we heard some thunder and a few raindrops began to fall. Cindy must have known what was coming since she stopped to put on her rain jacket AND pants. We continued along the Hamilton Ridge Trail for another .7 miles until the orange blazed Pioneer Trail appeared on the right. I stopped to put on my rain jacket (I did NOT bring pants.) and stowed the electronics in plastic bags. We headed down the Pioneer Trail as the rain increased. The trail headed down toward the river and after only about .2 miles it turned sharply left. A road led off to the right but I ignored it thinking a better view of the river might be ahead. This WAS the place to walk down to the bluffs overlooking the river and I may return when the weather is more friendly. The trail continued to twist and turn and came pretty close to the river over the next 1.25 miles. In places it looked like no one had been over the trail in some time as the grass was high and the bushes encroached on the it. In several places it was obvious that the land had been cleared but we did not investigate for old foundation or ruins. We crossed a power line right-of-way and then the rain started to come down in buckets. Just after the right-of-way the trail intersected another road and we walked right on the road toward the river. The road actually intercepted the power line and we decided to go no further. Back at the junction we headed the other way on the road with the rain still pouring down. At some point it is not possible to become wetter and I just walk through puddles and running water that I normally would avoid! After another mile on the trail/road we crossed Old Mine Road and walked over to the VanCampen's Glen Parking Area.
The rain had nearly stopped as we entered the glen and I tried to clean my camera lens of raindrops and condensation. I took some pictures before getting the lens completely dry and some had interesting effects. A little further up the glen we stopped at a waterfall less than a half mile along the stream and I took some more pictures before climbing a steep bank and continuing the hike. The trail runs very close to the stream in some places and many areas were wet and slippery from the rain. After crossing abridge we approached another falls where some people had gathered to swim. A set of stairs took the trail to the area above the falls where the trail continued. The stream has cut deeply into the rock above this waterfall and we took a few picture and then headed up the bank on the trail. By this time my feet were thoroughly soaked and becoming uncomfortable. The trail intersected a road but signs pointed out the trail. At another road crossing there were no signs or blazes and the way ahead did not look traveled. We did go straight ahead and crossed the same power line as before. The trail became less distinct as the bushes closed in but someone had put down logs to help get through the swampy area and we soon found a bridge over the stream. The trail led through the Watergate Recreation Area which has a lake and a few ponds. As we waked out the access road, we picked up the path back to Millbrook Village and passed by the old Millbrook School No. 82. More buildings soon appeared and we walked out to the road and across it to the parking area. We finished at $;28 PM covering the 7.1 miles in 3 hours and 10 minutes. I was glad I had brought a change of clothes and that the restrooms at the Village were still unlocked!
On Saturday, June 5th we headed back north on Millbrook Avenue to Route 10 after hiking the Geurin Benchmark. I took Route 10 west and picked up I80 west and then Route 206 North. I wanted to check out the parking spot for Whitehall before heading east on Tamarack Road to Roseville Road and the Hudson Farms hike. I had to pass North Shore Road and turn around to come back. Just after turning onto North Shore off Route 2006 there was a small parking are on the right. A sign on a tree mentioned state forests so I gathered this would be the place to park for Whitehall. I knew I didn't have enough time before the group hike but knew that I would return later. I turned south of 206 and the left or east on Tamarack. Where Tamarack merged with Roseville, I turned left and soon began to notice the posted signs and fencing for the Hudson farms game preserve. At one of the small pull offs I noticed movements and saw a doe jump the fence. Her fawn could not get over the fence and was too big to get through it! I stopped to investigate and quickly took some pictures. The fawn was making a pitiful bleating sound and the doe was not happy either. I knew trying to pick up the fawn was a bad idea for many reasons. I was able to lift the fence in one spot and the fawn quickly darted right passed me and under the fence. I was happy that it had ended well. A little further down the road was a sign for Hudson Farms at Westby so I pulled into the driveway. It was just passed noon and no one else was around. A quick cell phone call to Jeff confirmed I was in the right spot and after only 5 minutes the rest of the group arrived. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bill Maurer (Hoosier) was one of the hikers as I had not seen him for some time. After introductions we drove down one of the estate roads to the end by "wood Operations to park and begin our hike at about 12:20 PM.
From looking at my GPS it seemed clear that a woods road ran right to the top of Wright Pond Cliffs. Although this was not the shortest way, I was sure it would be the quickest. We set out on the road which ran through some very green and open hardwood forest. On one side rose some cliffs that make up part of Westby Ridge which we would climb after Wright Pond. At one point we rounded a turn in the trail at watched at least tow bears running away and up through the woods. This is the picture of bears I like to see. We continued on the road taking the appropriate turns as they came. We headed south for about a mile and then east for another .3 miles before turning south again climbing gently as we went. The final .3 miles to the summit was somewhat steeper and, although the road meander, to the south. When we got near the summit, we had to step off the trail to the right to find the highest point. From here we actual continued south for about .15 miles to an open viewpoint over Wright Pond and Whitehall Hill. The far hills and valleys were hazy but Wright Pond could be seen easily. I took some pictures from the viewpoint and then worked my way down and to the left to another, more open lookout. Wright Pond is small but there is a large mansion or clubhouse on one shore with a small "marina" in front. It is a truly beautiful setting. After a short break, we retraced our path down Wright Ponds Cliffs to the col with Westby Ridge and started our bushwhack to the top.
Climbing Westby Ridge was quite different but he woods were open and there seemed to be a path to follow. The bushwhack was rocky and had several short but steep climbs. After climbing one, we descended into a small ravine before the next climb. There was another "false summit" near the top on the left and before we made the final hike to the top. We looked for the highest point and the one we found seemed to match the GPS coordinates. It was only .4 miles and 15 minutes from the col. We talked about the route back. One choice was to retrace the path to the Col and take the woods road back. The other choice was to head directly northwest and hit the woods road closer to where we parked. The contour lines on the GPS seemed to indicate this way was steep and we wondered if that meant e would have to descend the cliffs we saw on the way in. In the end we decided on the shorter path and headed northwest. It was a steeper descent than the way up but there were no cliffs to be seen. Instead we crossed a small stream at the bottom and hit the woods road in 20 minutes and less than half a mile. From here it was only .2 miles to the cars. We did see two more fawns on the way out! We arrived back at the cars at 2:15 PM covering the 3.2 miles in about 2 hours with plenty of time for pictures. I thought about doing another peak but decided to wait for another time.
On Saturday, June 5th after finishing Arlington, I drove back to Berkshire Valley Road and then to Route 15. I took 15 south to Dover and then tried to find Millbrook Avenue south to Randolph and Freedom Park to hike the Guerin Benchmark. I had some trouble finding then correct streets but soon found Route 10 and took it west until a sign for Millbrook Avenue appeared. Once on Millbrook it was easy to find Freedom Park. The small gravel parking area was filled as baseball and softball games were already being played at the large park across the street. I pulled into the larger parking area wondering if that was where I belonged. I found a parking spot right next to the sign that said Randolph Trails and we got going at about 10:20 AM. I followed the trail uphill and was looking for a fork to the right. I kept going until it was obvious I had somehow passed the turnoff. We turned back and I found the fork virtually at the beginning of the trail. DO NOT head uphill to the left. Enter the trails and then take the FIRST right up the hill on the gravel trail and toward the power line right-of-way. Just passed the right-of-way in the woods will be a path lined one each side with stones. It does not seem to be much used and could be missed so watch on your left. We turned here and walked through the woods to the rock outcropping with the USGS benchmark on it. We also walked to several other places that might be about the same height before turning around and following the same path back to the car. We were back by 10:50 AM with the 1 mile hike taking only 20 minutes after subtracting time for the initial detour.
On Saturday, June 5th Jeff Bennett and Eric Koppel had secured permission to have an NJ1K hike on the land owned by Hudson Farms. Hudson Farms is a private game preserve and on their lands are Wright Pond Cliffs and Westby Ridge. Unfortunately, they were not enthusiastic about having Sheba come along. I almost decided not to go but relented since the opportunity only come a few times each year. The hike would be at 12:15 PM so I decided to get in a few peaks before then. I don't have too many peaks remaining and two groups are southwest of Hudson Farms and to the northeast. These would be too far away so I decided on something closer. Arlington, Guerin Benchmark and Whitehall all qualified. When I left Livingston Manor at 6:45 Am I was still undecided about the order but chose Arlington first since most people have made Guerin sound so easy! I again chose to take 206 south from Port Jervis but this time thought I would avoid the Matamoras and Milford traffic by taking 84 West. This worked out well as I took 206 South and the 15 South to catch Berkshire Valley Road. Once on this road I was looking for Gordon Lane. I kept looking for this small side street but knew I had missed it when I went under Route 80 and came to the end of Berkshire Valley Road. Fortunately, when I turned around I immediately found it next to the Berkshire Valley Fire Station. I drove to the end of the road and parked in a small lot at 8:40 Am. After getting my bearings, we headed out of the parking area on a woods road. It didn't seem that this road was headed in the right direction but I have learned to walk the trails and roads and bushwhack at the last possible moment.
We hiked passed a small pond with a beaver dam and lily pads and stuck to the road as it north and east AWAY from the summit of Arlington. At about a half mile into the hike, when I was about to start directly for the peak, the road turned toward the west and we continued to follow it. At about .75 miles, we walk up a little hill and found a clear cut area on the left. The sign explained that the trees were cut in an attempt to limit some of the pests destroying forests. At this point I probably should have just gone into the woods and headed up and north since the summit was in that direction. Instead, we stuck to the road as it went further west and away from the peak. At about 1.25 miles I Had had enough and went off the trail bushwhacking northeast toward the summit. It wasn't long before we came across a trail that headed for the summit don't know whether this trail branched off the road we had been on or not. We stayed on this road until about 1.6 miles where the road continued north and west away from the peak. We turned into the woods to the east and hit the high point in a matter of minutes. From the summit, I decided NOT to return the way we came but to head southeast to intercept our route near the clear cut area. There were no views along the way so we headed down although I was a little worried about the steepness of the topography as shown on the GPS. The route was actually quite easy and we were soon back on our original path. We followed the trail back to the pond were we stopped so I could take some pictures before going back to the car. We were back at the car by 9:45 AM having taken just about an hour to cover the 2.75 miles. I decided to head south to the Guerin Benchmark before meeting the group to hike.
On Monday, May 31st after finishing our first four peaks Sheba and I headed from Cobb Hill to Clinton Road and the P7 parking area to hike Boulder Pine Mountain. I was feel good since I had managed to buy a permit for the Pequannock Watershed the week before and knew I wouldn't be hassled with warning notices on my windshield. I parked at P7 near the northern end of Clinton Road at about 2:15 PM and went to look for the red blazed Old Coal Trail that would take us close to the summit of Boulder Pine. There were no blazes on any of the paths leading away from the lot so Sheba and I headed out on one that went straight out to Bearfort Waters. Bearfort Waters is a lake or pond or swamp depending on the water level and which area you are in. The path turned left at the water and headed along the shore which I knew was the right way to go. As we walked the trail grew less and less distinct and then ended near a swampy area. I looked across this area and saw three red blazes on the other side near Clinton Road. At that point the descriptions of the hike came back to me and I knew what we had to do. We walked back out to the car and south on Clinton Road for a few hundred feet before turning right on the access road for Project USE. This is also where the red blazes for the Old Coal Trail start. After a short walk we came to the Project USE buildings and the zip lines and high bridges they use for their activities. At this point the trail was poorly marked with only faint red paint blazes on a few trees. As we continued on the trail it narrowed in one area and then opened up. Somewhere in this area the blazes changed to placards with a red diamond on a white background and the label Old Coal Trail.
The skies continued to darken and I even heard some thunder. I wasn't going to give up at this point but I did increase the pace. The trail seemed to wander a lot in the general direction of the destination but I was wondering exactly when I would have to start to bushwhack. At one point the trail began to ascend but I noticed higher ground to the right. At the point where the "Thirsty Dog" signed appeared on the left, I checked the GPS and it seemed that we were going away from the highest ground. It was then that I decided to turn right and start to go overland and toward the high ground. We pushed through some laurel and descended a small hill and started up the other side. I ran across a path and turned right. We walked over some open rock with a few cairns to an open area that was quite flat. Ahead of us I saw a boulder and a pine and concluded we were in the right place. I took some pictures in the area and then started to return as rain again threatened. When we were back to the point we had come across the trail from the bushwhack, I decided to continue to follow the path. It crossed a small chasm on a interesting bridge made out of log and wire mesh and then forked just after that. We took the left fork and ended up on the main trail. The junction was labeled with a sign that said Split Rock.
We turned left on the main trail and then came to the Thirsty Dog sign. Here we turned and walked down the path a little way top see wheer it went. The path stretched out into the distance and the skies were still dark so we headed back to the main trail and back to the car. We made the trip back very quickly. I stopped at the Project USE buildings to take some pictures of the cabins and the zip lines. I also walked off the trail to a clearing to take some shots of Bearfort Waters. As I was using the camera, a large bird that I thought to be a blue heron flew from one area to another making quite a racket. I took some pictures of the bird and then went back to the car. We were back at about 3:30 PM covering the 3.5 miles in 1 hour and 20 minutes.
On Monday, May 31st after finishing our first three peaks Sheba and I headed from the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation to Cobb Hill. Finding the route to Cobb Hill proved to be the second most challenging aspect of the hike. After a few questionable turns, I found Berkshire Valley Road which led to Oak Ridge Road to Route 23. Once on Route 23 it was easy to find Green Pond Road and head south. What I wasn't sure of was how far I had to go. Eventually I saw signs for Marcella and then Timberbrook Road appeared on the left. A short distance up the road I found the chapel and cemetery and pull in to park. The GPS told me Cobb Hill was nearly due east of the car and we headed behind the church in that direction. As we skirted the church and crossed a dirt road, I looked up to see a black bear in the woods about 40 meters ahead. It looked at us and I made some noise. Other bears usually amble away but this one started to come toward us. I decided that returning to the car was the best choice. We turned around and started toward the car. I took a look behind and the bear was following, slow but sure! I put Sheba in the car and I jumped in only to have the bear come to within a few meters of the car before the horn convinced him to wander off. Apparently people in the area have been leaving garbage out and the bears have grown accustomed to people and the "food". I decided to try to drive around the Durham Road and climb Cobb Hill from the other side. As we drove in Durham Road I saw posted signs on the left side but none on the right. I tuned around and parked on the side of the road northeast of the hill. Sheba and I quickly entered the woods and almost ran up and then down the hill. We didn't see any bears at the top but there also wasn't much else to see so we hurried back and drove off. The 1 mile jaunt took less than 20 minutes. At 1:45 we headed for Route 23 to Clinton Road and P7 to hike Boulder Pine for the last peak of the day.
On Monday, May 31st Sheba and I finished Bowling Green Mountain and returned to the junction with the Pine Swamp Trail. The trail network in the reservation is confusing even with the map provided at the kiosk. I debated walking the Cascades Trail just to see how it got its name but knew I was pressed for time. I decided to take the Pine Swamp Trail but to stay as far away from the swamps as possible since the insects were already biting! I tried following the trails and map as best as possible but became tired of checking the GPS so often and just kept walking. When I did check the GPS, I found I was headed in a direction that would not get me to the high point unless I made a turn. Fortunately, I was able to make that turn and ascend the trail to the high point. A sign on the trail marks the high point but the actual highest point is off the trail in the woods. Sheba and I did the usual wandering around to hit the highest point before returning to the trail and retracing our path back. When we got to the sign that said "RV Area" we headed in that direction. From the "RV Area" we bushwhacked over a small hill and back to the car. We covered a total of 6.8 miles for the entire hike in about 3 hours arriving back a the car by 12:35 PM. It was time to head to Cobb Hill.
On Monday, May 31st Sheba and I finished Morris Lake Mountain by 9:00 AM and then headed for the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation on Weldon Road. This was easy to find but harder to know where to park. I finally pulled into the picnic area just before the road went downhill passed the Snow Bowl. The parking area had only a few cars and I went to the kiosk to get a map. I had brought several maps with me and I figured that I was well prepared. We took the Highlands Trail and crossed Weldon Road to head for the Headley Overlook. This was a short walk and was easy to find. The views from the lookout were adequate but hazy. Lake Hopatcong could be seen in the distance. We returned to the car and took the Highlands Trail in the other direction through the picnic areas and passed the ball field. It was early but there didn't seem to be anyone using the park except for a few walkers and bikers. Soon we came to the junction with the Pine Swamp Trail which I intended to follow to the Morris County High Point. First, however, I wanted to do Bowling Green Mountain. We took a side trail to the right which led out to Weldon Road. We crossed and started along the dirt and gravel road that acts as an access road for the communications tower on Bowling green. Part of the Snow Bowl now has a dirt bike track which was quite active on this day.
At the base of the mountain a gravel and dirt road begins and runs to the communications tower. Next to the road is a trail that seems to be used by hikers and bikers. Both of these are steep but the trail is under cover offering some protection from the sun. We started walking on the trail. A little more than half way up the road switchbacks to the right but the trail turns left and offers a quicker way to the top. We walked the trail coming out opposite the tower. We took a right on the access road and then walked by the tower to the highest point. We walked around a little to get the summit and then turned right a little on the road. There was the remains of a foundation which may have been for a tower. I decided to walk a little farther on the road to see if it might lead to the fire tower. The road seemed to run across the long, flat summit of Bowling Green and was headed in the correct direction for the tower. I could see on the GPS that a road ran up to the northeast end of the ridge and I thought this might be the access for the tower. As we reached the end of the ridge the trail met a road and I turned right. The Milton Fire Tower is one of the tallest in New Jersey but no one was manning the tower. I took some pictures of the tower and then climb all the way to the top to take some pictures from the tower. The views were good but there was a lot of green without many features to break it up. After taking some pictures, I climbed back down the tower and we retraced our route back to the communications tower and then back down the trail to the base of the mountain. From there we walked back across the Snow Bowl, crossed Weldon Road and walked back to the junction with the Pine Swamp Trail. Now it was on to the Morris County High Point.
On Monday, May 31st I wanted to go to New Jersey and get an early start on some more NJ1K peaks. Yes, I am "hooked"! I got up and 6:00 AM and got my equipment together. Once Sheba was in the car we headed to Port Jervis and then To Milford to take Route 206 south to Route 15. I wanted to hike Morris Lake Mountain first. I knew that many towns would have Memorial Day parades and wanted to avoid them as much as possible. I got off Route 15 in Sparta and promptly went the wrong way before turning around and heading into town. After a couple of turns, I was on Main Street and I knew the turn for glen Road would be a right. To make sure that I was correct I stopped at the local police station where they told me to go down one light and make a right. Less than a mile on Glen Road brought us to a sign for Sparta Glen Park and I turned left onto the park road. the park is indeed a small glen formed by a stream that meanders through it. It was already warm and humid as I drove to the third and last parking area on the paved road. I parked next to some picnic tables in a space big enough for tow or three cars and we started our bushwhack at about 8:15 AM. We whacked up the hill through some pretty thick blowdown until I saw a woman higher up on the hill looking down at us. She was walking quickly and I figured she must be on a trail. After bushwhacking just a little more, we ran across a nicely maintained trail.
The trail ran both north and south and I knew we wanted to head south. I turned right and headed north since the trail seemed to be going UP in that direction. After only a short distance, a spur trail turned to the left and headed south toward the high point. This trail was a little more rugged but still easy to follow. Along the way to the high point were several interesting rock scrambles. There was also a nice viewpoint near the top with views of Lake Mohawk below. We continued on a wide woods road toward the high point which is on a rather flat summit plateau. I walked to the GPS coordinates and then walked around a little to make sure I hit the highest point. We turned around and retraced our route back to where we had started the bushwhack. We continued on the trail until a spur branched off to the left and led down to the road. We ended up just across from the second parking area on the right side of the road. We walked back up the road to the car and were there by 9:00 AM covering the 1.5 miles hike is about 45 minutes. It was time to move onto the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation and two more NJ1K peaks.
On Friday, May 28th Karl and I had done Kanouse Mountain and were looking to put another peak or two under our belts. We decided that Newfoundland and Green Pond looked like a good pair to tackle. As we drove down Route 23 from Echo Lake Road and approached Green Pond Road Karl could see the three white blazes indicating the beginning of the Four Birds Trail across the railroad tracks but we could not find anywhere to park. We turned around and tried gain and this time turned into Green Pond Road and took the first right on Bigelow Road. The trailhead was at the end of the road with a small parking space for two or three cars. We parked and I changed into short sleeves after which we got started on the trail at just after 11:00 AM. The first part of the trail was refreshingly steep as we climbed to the ridge that makes up Newfoundland. In less than a mile we were passing by what appeared to be higher land on the right and we started to bushwhack to our right in a westerly direction. Soon we were at the highest point and the assigned GPS coordinates. From here we bushwhacked back down to the trail. We wanted to continue on until we were at the viewpoint know at White Pine Bluff since it was said to have the best views. Our intention was to go back to the car and drive to the next parking area to do Green Pond Mountain.
Within a very short amount of time we came upon a viewpoint that I recognized from other hiker's pictures as White Pine Bluff. Although the day was hazy, the views were beautiful and quite varied. Below was a large swampy area with many dead trees. Across the way on the next ridge were some structures but we could not figure out what they were. Several houses dotted the opposing ridge and we remarked about the views they must enjoy! Below the bluffs was a large amount of talus. I worked my way Down to a completely unobstructed viewpoint and took more pictures. There were some very interesting small pine trees growing out of cracks in the rock. Some laurel had also taken hold in this marginal environment. Above us we could hear the call of several different raptors and while we were there several large vultures took flight and land in the trees above. After taking many pictures, we discussed our options. Although Green Pond was at least two miles away and the last part was a bushwhack neither of us felt like going back to the car. We decided to stay on the Four Birds Trail as long as possible and the bushwhack to Green pond when we had to. Just after White Pine Bluffs the trail descended sharply. We knew we were looking for a sharp right hand turn to signal the beginning of our bushwhack but we were not sure how far we had to go.
We walked the Four Birds Trail down through a low area and then began an ascent to another ridge which we reached after less than a mile. Along the way we crossed one small stream and many crisscrossing paths and roads. The Four Birds Trail in this area is "rugged". Karl described it as not so much a trail as some blazes somebody decided to put on a few trees! We hiked for about .5 miles along the ridge and had some nice but obstructed views as we went. At this point the trail started to descend and met a small power line right-of-way. We figured this was the sharp left turn that we did NOT want to take so we turned to our right and went up the right-of-way to the north. Just short of the height of land we turned southwest into the woods and began our bushwhack. At least we bushwhacked for several hundred feet to a wide woods road! The road took us right along the ridge for about a mile almost to the highest point. We stepped off the road and wandered around to find the GPS coordinates of the highest point and then we found what looked to us like the highest point! There was no view and after returning to the road we continued southwest until the land began to drop away and posted signs appeared. At this point we turned around and followed our route back to the car. On the return trip we stopped to talk to a hiker, the only person we had seen all day. We arrived at the car by 3:00 Pm. The seven mile hike had taken 4 hours with a LOT of time reserved for photography. This may not be the quickest way to do these two peaks but we certainly enjoyed it!
On Friday, May 28th my son Karl was up from Virginia and we decided to again head for New Jersey to take on some NJ1K peaks. I also wanted to get a permit for the Pequannock Watershed since there were several peaks I still needed to hike in that area. We decided to go to Port Jervis to catch Route 23 and then head north on Echo Lake Road to the NWCDC office. We arrived at about 9:30 AM and I immediately went to the office to get the $12 permit. Things went smoothly and we decided as long as we were parked that we should take on Kanouse Mountain since it is so close to the NWCDC Headquarters. We were on the trail by 9:40 AM. The first part of the hike goes down the access road to the dam for Echo Lake and follows the Highlands Trail. Echo Lake is very beautiful and has an interesting stone "house" near the dam. I assume this structure built in 1926 controls the water flow and monitors water condition. There is a small picnic and camping area here and on the far shore two large yurts were set up. The day was warm and humid and the weather forecast include a chance of showers for the afternoon. Just after crossing the dam we decided to start our bushwhack by walking along the stream and then heading slightly south and west. We immediately ran into the boulder field described by others but it was easy to climb up through it and sidehill along it until we were near the col between Kanouse Mountain and the bump just north of it.
As we worked our way uphill to the col we ran into a wide woods road and turned south onto it. Along the way the road broke out into the open and allowed some nice views of the surrounding hills before heading back under cover. We continued on the road until a check of the GPS and the surrounding terrain indicated we were near the top of the hill. We turned off the road and walking through some brush to a rocky ridge that corresponded to the assigned GPS coordinates and appeared to be the highest land around. After hitting the high point, we came back down to the trail and headed south a little bit. Since the trail fell away, we reversed our course and headed back. I forgot that the southern end of Kanouse is said to have the best views and the metal star! Oh well, that will have to wait for next time. We followed the road back to where we came up to the Col and then went a little further. I didn't know where the road might go or if it would ever intersect the Highlands Trail. We bushwhacked down from the road and crossed over our original route to get down to flatter ground quicker. From that point we walked along the stream until we got back t o Echo Lake. I took some pictures at this point and we were back at the car by 10:45 AM covering the 2 mile route in an hour. It was time to head to Green Pond Road to hike Newfoundland.
On Sunday, May 23rd we left Dunker Mountain and headed toward Buck Mountain in the Wyanokies. My lack of an adequate New Jersey map really hurt this time as I ended up much too far east on Route 23. I turned around and was ready to just headed home when I came upon Echo Lake Road. I headed north on this and then took Macopin Road to Weaver Road to Otterhole Road. I parked at the main Otterhole parking area and got on the trail at about 2:35 PM. We took the blue Hewitt Butler Trail to the Otterhole where we crossed the brook on stones. Despite the name I have never seen an otter at this hole and the water is usually murky which does not make for pretty pictures. After crossing the stream, we headed north on the green Otterhole Trail and then took a left on the yellow Wyanokie Crest Trail. I had never been on this trail before and was surprised at the steepness of the trail. At first the trail was protected by trees but soon it broke out into an open area which offered some great views. This open rock face was steep with only a narrow ledge to help in the ascent and a crack to use to wedge your foot. At one point we stopped so that I could take pictures before we continued on. We ascended some more and stopped again so that I could use the camera from the higher viewpoint before diving back into the woods.
As we continued on the trail we again walked out onto an open rock ledge with some nice views. A young couple occupied the rock above us but they were too busy to say hello. After taking some pictures, we followed the trail as it descended slightly from the viewpoint and then began to climb again. Somewhere around 3:15 PM we were on the summit plateau. We had passed by some interesting rock formations along the way including one that appeared to offer shelter. We continued on the trail across the top until the trail started to descend. At this point I decided to turn back and we wandered around in the woods until we found the highest point which also roughly matched the GPS coordinates. We turned around and spent as little time as possible retracing the trail back to the parking area. We were back by 4:05 PM having taken about 1.5 hours to cover the 3 mile trek. We were ready to return home after putting five more NJ1K peaks under our belts for the day.
On Sunday, May 23rd we left Mount Stockholm and headed north again on Route 23 to find the parking area for Dunker Mountain. After a little driving around, I realized that the parking area was right on the corner of Canistear Road near the railroad trestle. We parked at about 12:50 PM and immediately headed out on the Highlands Trail. I was not sure how close to the summit the Highlands Trail would take us but we continued to follow it up to a high point. I checked the GPS and found we were only on the first "bump". Another check showed that the coordinates that I had written down for Dunker were over a mile to the west! I quickly concluded that I had made a transcription error and that Dunker was actually slightly north and east of the hump we were on. We continued on the Highlands Trail down the other side and further north. When it was clear that we were too far north and the trail was not turning, we started our bushwhack to the east and up. Within a quarter of a mile of relatively easy bushwhacking we were wandering around at the top to find the highest spot. At about 1:15 PM or so I had enough so we started back bearing a little more south to hit the Highlands Trail nearer the bump. We were back at the car by 1:45 PM Vail covered a little over 1.5 miles in less than an hour. I decided there was still time to head for Buck Mountain in the Wyanokies.
On Sunday, May 23rd we left the pull off by the side of Route 23 and headed just 1.5 miles north on Route 23 before heading east on Holland Mountain Road. A short way up the road I turned right on Rock Ledge Road and followed it through a confusing maze of streets until I came to a turn around in front of a house. The road continued as a dirt track and I could see the aqua blazes of the Highlands Trail ahead. I parked the car and knocked on the door of the house to ask if it was okay to park. The woman at the house said that it was okay so I got Sheba and started out on the dirt road following the blazes. A quick compass and GPS check showed that we needed to make a quick turn south and east. We headed into the woods and started a gentle climb to the high point on Mount Stockholm. I was careful to respect the privacy of the people whose backyards were adjacent to the public lands. The woods were fairly open and I found a couple of paths to follow. It was only a little more than .25 to the "summit" and it took us under 15 minutes. We did walk out to the clearing at the top before heading back to the car. Quick with no views r any remarkable features. Our next stop was also just down the road; Dunker Mountain.
On Sunday, May 23rd we left the Hamburg high point on Sand Pond Road and drove south on Route 23 to Mount Gerard. When I got close to the area of Gerard, I pulled over near a large stone arch on a side road to look at the maps of the area. My maps were limited and I again resolved to buy a New Jersey road map. I got back on Route 23 and drove a little too far. I narrowed down where I should park and parked at a small pull off on the east shoulder of Route 23. I immediately noticed a well defined path into the woods. When I turned on the GPS, it confirmed that we were indeed in the correct location. We parked at 1;20 AM and were on our way immediately. There was a path almost all the way to the summit plateau which we reached at 11:40 after a little more than a half mile walk. We wandered around until I was convinced we had hit the highest spot and then turned around to follow the same route back. We did pick up an even better path on the way back and were at the car by noon. It took only 40 minutes to cover the 1.1 mile distance. Unfortunately, no photographic opportunities presented themselves. Now it was off to Mount Stockholm.
On Sunday, May 23rd I decided I needed a day to get away so I left early for New Jersey with Sheba. My initial plan was to rehike Long Hill to get the high point but I decided it was too soon. I wrote down the GPS coordinates for many of the peaks in north central New Jersey and concluded I should head for the Hamburg HP first. There were at least three other peaks in that area that we could visit although they would require a hike and a drive and then a hike and a drive. We got an early start and arrived at the described parking area on Sand Pond Road at about 8:30 AM. We headed east from the car through the woods and down a small embankment to cross the stream that is the outlet from Wildwood Lake. On the other side I found a woods road that headed east and slightly north. I kept the POSTED signs on my left to try to avoid private property and to stay in the state game management area. The road began to head too much to the east so we dropped off it and started to bushwhack through mostly open woods. After dropping down into a small swail we began to climb a slight rise. All along we could see Wildwood Lake to the left as we sidehilled to keep from climbing up and over a knob.
As we began our ascent there was a lot of blowdown to work over and through and the wet vegetation grew thicker. I was getting totally soak and my feet were beginning to feel wet. At the top of the rise we gain caught another woods road and followed it until beginning another walk through the woods. I thought we might me on the highest point but a quick check of the GPS showed we needed to get to the top of the next hill. We descended the hill we were on, walked through a low area and then up the hill. There were several elevated areas on the summit plateau but I knew there was a rather larger cairn somewhere on the top. Sheba and I continued to search around. We finally found the cairn and then headed back. My goal was to avoid the thick stuff we had walked through before so we headed a little more south than our original route. After avoiding a swampy area, we walked over the rise we had avoided before and hit our path from earlier. We followed this route back to the car. We had covered 2.7 miles in two hours since we were back to the car by 10:15 AM. Mount Gerard was waiting just down Route 23.
On Sunday, May 16th I convinced Cindy to come with me to New Jersey after church to hike Long Hill. The late start would be offset by the increasing length of the days. We started right after church and drove through Warwick and picked up the Warwick-Greenwood Lake Turnpike into Jersey. We have traveled this route MANY times. We took Stonetown Road to West Brook Road and drove pas the turn to Norvin Green State Forest on Snake Den Road. We parked near the Eagle's Nest hunting Camp at a small pull off on the side of the road at 12:40 PM. We immediately crossed the road and went over/under the guard rail to pick up the Hewitt Butler Trail. The trail led down to a creek and the crossing there was the first obstacle. The water was a little high, the stone were slippery and there was no bridge. The climb on the other side was steep with a couple of interesting scrambles over open rock faces. Soon we were at Manaticut Point which offered excellent views in several directions. The New York City skyline was visible but most distant views were very hazy. I took some pictures and we continued on. At some point I realized I had not brought my card with the GPS coordinates of Long Hill but one look at the map was enough to help me decide on our route. I though taking the Overlook Rock Trail would be best since it would give us views from West Brook Mountain and Overlook Rock.
After we were passed Manaticut Point the trail leveled a little and we walked passed a small, unnamed pond. This was clearly private property but it was beautiful and quite isolated. I caught a glimpse of something orange in the water and thought it was a buoy until it moved. The pond had several large koi in it but taking pictures without trespassing proved fruitless. As we hiked several unmarked paths and woods roads cut across the trail. There was one yellow blazed trail that was not on the map and it was hard to determine where it might go. The trail rolled some unto we got to the white blazed Overlook Rock Trail where we turned north and began to climb again. First it was the climb up West Brook Mountain where we got some good views. We walked along the ridge to Overlook Rock where the views were even better. From here the trail descended some and we crossed a small stream with a wet and swampy area to the right. We again ascended for another view before dropping down and then heading toward the power line right-of-way. We could hear ATVs on the right-of-way and it wasn't too far away. Soon we were crossing the power line and turning north on the Hewitt Butler Trail again. Cindy was getting tired so she turned around and took Sheba back toward the car while I headed for the high point!
After leaving Cindy, I picked up the pace and almost jogged the trail. The trail turned into a wide woods road which made travel even easier. Soon the power line turned east and I continued north through some rocky areas. The trail became more of a trail and I hit a high point with a limited view. I continued down the other side but the trail dropped away so I turned around and declared victory. I hurried back along the trail to meet up with Cindy and Sheba who were waiting near the power line. The trip back seemed long especially since it was getting warmer and Cindy was getting more tired. We headed back to the car making the return crossing of the stream. We completed the 8.1 miles hike at 5:15 PM having spent about 4.5 hours hiking. We headed home tired but satisfied that one more NJ1K peak was out of the way. When I put the GPS track on Google maps, I was surprised and disappointed to find that the REAL high point of Long Hill was one the southern end of the ridge on the Hewitt Butler Trail. I had NOT come close to the high point of Long Hill at all! I would have to go back and get this one at some other time. I learned and important lesson and will never leave home with just a vague picture in my head. Maps, compass bearing and GPS coordinates are a must!
On Friday, May 14th I had several late morning and afternoon appointments that necessitated taking a day off from work. I decided to get in some early morning exercise and took Sheba to Frick Pond to hike. We parked at the main parking area and I decided to hike up the Flynn Trail to Hodge as I had not been that way recently. The morning was foggy with a lot of moisture in the air and the threat of rain. Hiking up the Flynn Trail to Hodge was certainly different in the spring conditions compared to the last hike I had done in several feet of snow. It didn't take too long for us to get to Hodge and I was surprised that the water level was fairly low and that crossing the outlet would not be a problem. I decided to add a little length by hiking around Hodge and picking up the Flynn Trail on the other side. This part of the hike went quickly and we were soon around the other side of the pond and on the Flynn Trail to Junkyard Junction. Here we took the Quick Lake trail to the left and walked down to Iron Wheel Junction. I decided not to take the Logger's Loop to Times Square but continued on the Quick Lake Trail back to Frick Pond. There is still a lot of blowdown on this trail which requires some walkarounds. Soon we were at the outlet of Frick and I stopped to take a few pictures before heading back to the car. The trail back to the parking lot was, as usual, wet in many places with standing or running water. It was a fast hike and we avoided any rain.
On Saturday, May 8th after finishing Allamuchy and Allamuchy North, Cindy and I drove south on Route 517 to get on I80 east to Route 206 and Waterloo Road. We followed the sign s for Waterloo Village and stopped by a trailhead for the Sussex Branch Trail to get a map of the Allamuchy Park. These maps are colorful but not very useful for hiking. We went south and west on Waterloo Road, passed the sign for the village and pulled off on the left side. We parked in a small field and crossed the road where we saw blazes for the Highlands Trail. We walked in a road and found another area suitable for parking but decided to leave the car where it was. Near the back right corner of the parking area we found the blazes fro the Highlands Trail and we headed off on this trail. The first part was very flat as it wound its way over a few small streams and skirted some high outcrops. Eventually it began to climb and we hit steeper slopes than we had seen all day. After about .8 miles it seemed to me that we were passing by the high point and that the Highlands Trail would not pass over the top. I decided to bushwhack northeast toward the high point. In less than .2 miles we hit the yellow trail and followed it to a point near the high point. From here we bushwhacked into the woods and wandered around until we were at the appointed coordinates with no higher spots to be seen.
After taking a few pictures. we returned to the yellow trail. I knew that right would take us northwest AWAY from the car so we headed east and slightly south to see if the yellow trail would meet up with the Highlands Trail which would lead us back to the car. After a short walk the yellow trail made a sharp left while and unmarked trail continued straight ahead. We continued on the unmarked trail and walked up a small hill and found the Highlands Trail. A short distance down this trail brought us to the only viewpoint we had all day! It was a good one! The view point was cliff that looked out over the valley to the next ridge. Below were the small lakes and swamps that make up Waterloo Lakes. We took pictures and then returned to the Highlands Trail which we took back to the car. We were back as the wind began to blow even harder. The 2.5 mile hike had taken about 1.5 hours!
On Saturday, May 8th it was raining hard in Livingston Manor. The forecast for north central New Jersey was for early thunderstorms and then clearing. We decided to take the chance so Cindy and I took Sheba and headed for Allamuchy State Park to climb Allamuchy, Allamuchy North and Waterloo. We went through Port Jervis, Matamoras and Milford and picked up Route 206 south into New Jersey. It is a long drive and I didn't really have a map. I had written some directions on a card. Somehow I missed Route 606 in Newton but found Route 603 in Andover. We headed south on 603 and picked up Route 517. We were looking for Stuyvestant Road in Allamuchy State Park. I had been warned it was hard to find but I wasn't prepared for the fact that there was NO road sign. Eventually we turned left on a dirt road and drove in. We ended up by a kiosk and sign that said Waterloo/517 Trail which is just what we were looking for. There were no maps at the kiosk and I had nothing else to go on except some trail reports from the NJ1K site. We took the white blazed Waterloo/517 trail from the parking area as it ascended along a woods road next to a small stream. Even at this level there were many unmarked trails and paths that branched off the main trail. Near the beginning the marked Switchback Trail went off to the right in a southerly direction. Without maps it was hard to tell where all the trails would lead!
After about .8 miles the white trail turned to the left and the Ditch/cardiac trail marked in faded purple appeared on the right. I knew from the trail reports that we were on the right route. We turned on the purple trail and walked through some pleasant woods with MANY side trails and paths. Signs declaring "posted" and "Private Property, Patrolled" began to appear as the land to the left of the trail is part of a scout reservation. After about 1.2 miles the purple trail turns right off the woods road and starts to ascend Allamuchy Mountain. No parts of the trail are very steep but they may seem that way after the flat walk to get there. As we neared the top of the trail higher ground was on the right and I though I would have to bushwhack up to it to find the high point. We decided to stay on the trail and soon it began to climb to higher ground. When it leveled off a short path led to the right to a large, jagged boulder. The GPS coordinates seemed to match and there was no higher point around so we claimed the summit. There was no view from the top and did not appear to be any nearby. We could hear the traffic below on I80 but could not see it. After a few pictures, we turned around and headed back down the trail turning left on the woods road at the bottom.
On the way out on the trail I had noticed an unmarked but well used trail that headed northeast and though it might be a way to get to Allamuchy North. On our way back down the trail, we met a mountain biker who tried to be helpful and thought that this might be a good way to go. We took the right across a small stream and continued on this trail to the east and north for a little over half a mile. At this point we were due west of the GPS coordinates fro the high point and I did not want to go nay farther north. Another unmarked trail turned to the right (east) and we started out on it only to find it led south. I decided it was time to bushwhack and I took a compass bearing for the summit. The walk was not difficult as we gained the ridge and as we walked we came across another trail marked in white. I was in favor of continuing the bushwhack but my wife though we should use the trail. We got on the trail which initially led down and east of the summit but soon climbed up and passed right by the high point. We climbed onto a rocky outcrop which matched the coordinates, looked around, saw no other high points and declared success. On the way back we followed the trail and then took another that I thought might head more directly for the car. This trail started to head too far north so we backtracked and followed Sheba back to the place we had originally started the bushwhack. From here we walked the trails back to the car. On the way we met the mountain biker again and then two young men on dirt bikes who had run out of gas. We suggested they try to get down 517 since there would probably be a gas station near I80. We were back at the car before 2:30 PM having covered over 6 miles in under 3 hours.
On Friday, April 30th a family commitment I thought I had fell through. I decided to get to northern New Jersey to hike the four peaks in the Ramapos; Bald Mountain, Ilgenstein Rock, Rocky Mountain and Drag Hill. This seemed like a task I could accomplish given that the bushwhacks were short and the areas were connected by trails. I had Bill Maurer's trip reports and decided to "go for it". What I didn't pay attention to was any estimate of mileage for the complete loop. Sheba and I got an early start and took the easiest and quickest route; the Quickway to the Thruway to Route 17S and then 202. We parked in the parking area for the Ramapo Reservation at about 8:40 AM and, after I got my bearings, we headed out through the park at 8:45 AM. There were quite a few people walking in the park and quite a few of those had dogs. It was obvious these people were just out for a stroll on the beautiful grounds of the park. I wondered if it was obvious to them that I was ready for something more! We walked over the river on a bridge and then passed by Scarlet Oak Pond. The pond was very nice and to the west I could see the ridge we would soon be climbing. I decided to wait to take pictures until the return trip. I was anxious to get off the wide carriage road and onto the trails. At the end of the road around the pond we turned right and started to walk on the green Halifax Trail.
The first part of the Halifax Trail was on a woods road but it was far less populated than the roads around the pond. Soon we were on trail and climbing up the ridge. Not too far along is a nice, open viewpoint onto Scarlet Oak Pond and Lake Henry below. I stopped to take some pictures of these and the surrounding hills. The trail rises some more and at a little less than a mile it turns sharply left. If you walk straight ahead here, you can walk out to Hawk Rock. I decided that I already had some nice pictures and that this was close enough to the trailhead that I could visit it another time. The Halifax Trail then drops some before starting a long gentle climb. At around 3 miles there is an intersection with several woods roads and one that is paved. We took the first woods road even though I wasn't sure which one was correct. I knew we wanted to go north to Bald Mountain and the first road seemed correct. Soon we were walking along the road trying to avoid the large puddles that covered frequently on the trail. At one point a puddle had turned into a small pond and, at first, I wondered if we would get around it easily. We walked to the left of the puddle and soon found a damp but acceptable way to skirt the water. We passed by the Pierson Exploration where I found what looked like a few trenches but I was not sure whether or not this was the area of the mine. The trail turned right or east and I wondered if we were on the right path. Checking the map showed that this is what we were supposed to do and I was convinced we were OK. After another 1.3 miles I could see Bald Mountain rising to the left and there were several woods roads that appeared to offer access. Ahead I saw some ruins as marked on the map and went to investigate them. There were two large sets of stone walls built with rounded stones and mortar. Next to them was what appeared to be a grave site. I resolved to investigate the story of the ruins and the grace as soon as possible! Sheba and I walked up toward the second set of walls and then began to bushwhack up the mountain. We hit a woods road and followed it until we got to the access road for the transmission tower on the top of the mountain. It was only a short distance to the top and once there we wandered around until I was convinced we had hit all the highest spots. We started back down the road and I had intended to walk this back down to the ruins but Sheba had other ideas. She veered off the road and followed the path we had taken to the top. Somewhere along the way she caught the woods road I had intended to take back down and followed it back to the woods road. Returning to the Halifax Trail seemed to be much faster than the trip out and we were soon turning right of the Halifax Trail. It was here I remember looking at the GPS which read 6.5 miles and thinking this was going to be rather longer than I had thought.
In less than half a mile the green trail made a hard right and headed north and west. We stayed on the blue trail and walked along the northern shore of Bear Swamp Lake. In a very short distance, we got on the yellow Hoeferlin Trail and immediately started to ascend the ridge in a northwest direction. Once on the ridge we walked south on the trail. I watched for the white trail on the right since it marked the area of the Butler Mine. When the trail appeared, we made the right and walked along it for a short distance. I found a path on the right down to some trenches but did not find much else. Back on the main trail we started to walk along the ridge toward the lookout at the other end marked as Ilgenstein Rock on my map. For some reason I checked my GPS and found we had already passed the designated coordinates fro the highest spot but not by much. We backtracked a small amount and then turned left or west into the woods. We got to the coordinates but I though I saw a higher spot and wander over to hit that spot also. There was absolutely no view from the top! Back on the trail we headed south for the lookout. After descending briefly into a col, we hiked up to an open rock ledge and I knew we had arrived. The open rock face offered good views to the east. Rocky Mountain and Drag Hill were clearly visible with the pipeline right-of-way splitting them. Below was Bear Swamp Lake. To the south I could see the distinctive outline of New York City. We stopped and I took pictures while Sheba rested in the shade. After a snack and a drink we headed down a white trail to the red Cannonball Trail marked with a white C on a red background. We turned left here and walked a short distance to the blue Shore Trail which crosses the dam at the outlet end of Bear Swamp Lake. We stopped at the dam and I took pictures of the lake with its deep blue waters and the surrounding green trees. Once across the dam we walked off into the woods and simply started to bushwhack up Rocky Mountain. Near the base of the mountain were some "ruins" with the accompanying junk. Shortly we were at the pipeline right-of-way. We crossed this and continued up toward the top of the mountain. We worked our way through some rocky ledges and to the rather flat summit. I found what I though might be a cairn, wandered around to hit a few other high spots and then walked to a rock ledge to the east. This ledge had few views now that the leaves are back on the trees. We returned to the high spots and walk a little north and west to hit the highest point of the pipeline on Rocky.
Walking the pipeline was not that much fun! It was open and easy to navigate but being open means that it was also open to the sun. The sun was bright and beating down and the air temperature was in the 80's. The rocks on the right-of-way were large and jagged and made the walking tough. We walked down Rocky into the col with Drag Hill. Near the bottom was a monitoring station for the pipeline. Ahead lay a short but steep and very rocky section of the pipeline that ascended Drag Hill. After taking some pictures, we went into full assault mode. I felt a continuous climb with no stops was the best idea and that's what we did. At the top of the pipeline we turned right or east and scrambled up some rocks looking for the highest spot. We wandered around to get the summit and then again headed north to get back on the open right of way. As we descended Drag Hill a larger monitoring station came into view. When we got to this station a road crossed the pipeline and headed east. The maps seemed to indicate that the road would intersect the White Trail in a short distance so we turned right and headed down the road. After an appropriate time I began to look for trail markers but did not see any. We walked out into the woods a little north of the trail and immediately found the trail. As we walked along the trail the blue and white Havemeyer Hollow Trail came in from the left. We continued on a made a right on the blue white Havemeyer Hollow Trail which headed a little southwest. When we crossed a woods road and descended to the blue Ridge trail we turned left. This was the area marked as a nickel mine on my maps. I saw little or no evidence of mining so we continued on the ridge trail looking for a path to the right which was supposed to lead to a viewpoint.
We arrived at the side trail and walked up to the rocky outcrop that acted as a lookout. There was not much to see since the leaves had come and the viewpoint was a little disappointing. Back on the blue trail we continued to descend back toward the parking area at the Ramapo Reservation. Once on the Silver Trail we I knew we were almost there. The outlet stream from Macmillan Reservoir had some since little cascades and falls but they were down in a ravine. Some side paths led to areas near the stream but I decided to leave that for another day! Back at Scarlet Oak Pond we ran into more people and lots of dogs! I stopped to take some pictures of the pond and then hurried back to the care. I was tired and my feet were hot. Sheba and I were both dry despite our efforts to keep drinking. We were back just before 3:00 PM logging 13.5 miles in 6 hours and 15 minutes. On the drive back I missed a turn onto 17 North and had to pull into a parking lot to turn around. One of the signs said "New York-New Jersey Trail Conference"! I stopped and talked to a very nice volunteer and bought the new Catskill map set!
On Friday, April 23rd I wanted to get in at least one more hike in the Kittatinies before heading home. I had decided to hike to the Catfish Fire Tower but had not decided on the route I would take. My first plan was to hike the Coppermines Trail to the Tower and then hike back along the AT to Sunfish Pond and then back to the car. This was a rather long route that I had not hiked before and I was not sure how long it would take. I decided on a shorter route to Catfish starting where the AT crosses the Millbrook Road. I would hike the AT to the tower and then continue out along the ridge. At some point I would pick up the Rattlesnake Swamp Trail to make a loop. If I had time left after this I would use the Garvey Springs Trail to go to Sunfish Pond. After finishing the trip to Paradise Mountain, I drove to the small parking area for the hike to Catfish. We left the car at about 11:15 and followed the AT as it followed a wide woods road. At some point the AT leaves the road and begins to climb up to the ridge. It regains the road at least once and then leaves it for the final ascent to the top. It never gets very steep and it took us only about 20 minutes to reach the fire tower.
When we got to the fire tower there were two people on the bench near the tower. One of them greeted me by name. It was a track official that I had worked with the Saturday before. He was section hiking the AT with his son. We chatted for a while and then I started to climb the tower. The skies were sunny but there were enough clouds for contrast. The other two hikers departed leaving Sheba and I and the person in the tower as the only people left on top. I took pictures from several different heights and at many different angles. The wind was minimal and certainly not as strong as the gust that nearly tore me loose from the Culver Lake Tower! The views back toward Paradise were nice as were those further to the south. Some haze hung on the far peaks but it was otherwise a beautiful day. After I came down the tower, I walked around to make sure I had hit the summit and then continued south on the AT. There were several nice viewpoints along the way but none were more revealing than those from the tower. The ridge walk was easy and very relaxing. Soon we arrived at an open rock ledge that had an even better view to the south. The valley below seemed very close. We stopped and I took pictures. I was about to continue on to pick up the Rattlesnake Swamp Trail when I spotted a sign further up on the rock. I wanted to read the sign so I climbed up the rock. The sign said Rattlesnake Swamp Trail!
The trail started out by ascending over the ridge and then it started to drop down the other side. It was a pleasant walk without many views as we continued along. Soon the trail met an old woods road and seemed to follow it. We turn left or south but the blazes disappeared and it seemed south was the wrong way to go. I decided to give it a little more time and soon I saw the signs to turn right off the road and toward Catfish Pond. It seemed the trail would come close to the pond but I could never get a completely clear view from the trail. We bushwhacked down to the shoreline. The pond was a deep blue and was surrounded by very green trees and a few talus slopes. There was a small boat on the pond and what looked like several beaver homes. The scene was ideal and I took some pictures before going back up to the trail and continuing on. The trail ran beside a small stream and crossed it several times. None of the crossings were wide. In places the trail was damp and several spots were muddy. The further we went the large the swamp on the left became. Soon the trail ended as it intersected a woods road and we turned left. A few hundred feet down the road we were back at the junction with the AT. We walked the AT back to the car. The 5.1 mile hike had lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes with plenty of time for pictures! We had a very nice hike and I had a little time left before I had to head home but not enough time for the hike to Sunfish Pond. I decided to check out the Coppermines Trail.
On Friday, April 23rd I wanted to head to the Kittatinies to Mount Paradise near Buttermilk Falls. Cindy and I had hiked this route last summer but it was clear to me that we had NOT hit the high point. We were close and I guess I could have claimed it but that really didn't suit me. My plan was to park at Buttermilk Falls and use the Buttermilk Falls Trail to go straight up the mountain to near the top and then bushwhack to the highest point. After a little trouble finding Mountain Road off the NPS Road, we arrived at the parking area for Buttermilk Falls and were on the trail by 8:55 AM. Mountain Road from the more southern end is unpaved and full of pot holes. I was glad I had the SUV since my car would have bottomed out several times! Buttermilk Falls had a little more water than last time and the light was better for photographs. There were also no other people present! I stopped and took several pictures before climbing the steps to the upper lookout. From the little bridge above the lookout the trail climbs sharply but then levels out a little while continuing to ascend. The weather was getting warmer and I got pretty warm especially when we broke out of the trees into an open clearing. I stopped to take my jacket off and then continued on the trail to the point where it reenters the trees and crosses a wide woods Road. We had followed the road to Hemlock Pond and Crater Lake last time but today I was just interested in getting to the high point of the mountain. We took a left off the road and continued on the blue Buttermilk Falls Trail.
The trail from the woods road up is rather steep at times and passes over some open rock faces. There is one spot along the way that has a limited view but that's about it. When we hit the AT, we turned right and then almost immediately started to bushwhack east as the AT made a hard right turn. After a little rise, I could easily see higher ground ahead and a tower. Next to the transmission tower was a small building and, as we got closer, I could see there was a pickup truck next to it! I headed for an area just south of the tower and climbed to the top of a rocky spine. From here I could see a slightly higher point slightly north of the tower and we headed in that direction. When we arrived, there seemed to be a marker and the GPS coordinates and elevation matched. We were at the high point at 9:55 AM taking about an hour from parking to summit. To get back I used CPS and followed Sheba back to the AT and then the falls trail. We were back in the lot by 10:45 AM and ready to tackle Catfish Mountain next.
On Sunday, April 18th I drove out of the parking area for Jenny Jump State Forest after finishing Jenny Jump #1 had #2. I passed the office to Fairview Road and turned right. At the T where Fairview ended I turned left onto Hope Road and began to watch for Mountain Lake Road on the right. I turned onto Mountain Lake Road and began to follow several cars that appeared to be together and headed in the same direction I was going. I though this just coincidence until they turned right on Lakeside just ahead of me and almost filled the parking lot where I was headed. The drive had taken less than 20 minutes! There was just enough room for me to park. They were obviously together and I wanted to get ahead of them on the trail. I said "hello" and then Sheba and I walked up the road slightly and off into the woods. I had no maps of this area except the one from the park office which was better than none but far frOM informative! The Mountain Lake Trail was in yellow on the map but some of the blazes on trees were blue. The trail headed north and then northwest and I knew I wanted to go southwest. I was tempted several times to just start to bushwhack but I knew that staying on the trail would be quicker. The map showed the trail passing over the summit but I suspected this was not correct. Soon the trail turned southwest and I began to see high ground on the left. My GPS confirmed I should go off the trail and I did. I thought I had found the highest point when I got to the top of a rocky out crop but then spotted another a few hundred feet away. I found this spot was slightly higher and I claimed the summit. From this point I knew it would be a bushwhack most of the way to the last peak. This area was crisscrossed by a network of paths, unblazed trails and woods roads. When we started down from the third summit an started for Jenny Jump #4, I had no idea how far exactly we had to go or how difficult it would be!
After coming off the summit of Jenny Jump #3, we headed in a generally west to southwest direction. One problem was the fact that I could not visualize the last summit and had to rely on compass bearings and GPS readings. We descended some and then ascended to a higher ridge slightly to the south but I could see higher ground ahead. We came down off the ridge and climbed as mall hill to a fire circle. It was clear this was NOT the summit which according to my GPS readings was quite a bit farther ahead. So we descended the hill, crossed a woods road and ran into a rather deep stream surrounded by a very swampy area. I knew I wasn't going to let this stop us but I didn't want to get wet and/or muddy if I could help it. We walked to the left along the stream and found a narrow area without the mud surrounding it and crossed easily. There was another ridge in front of us so we started to climb and ran into a woods road. We walked along the road for a while but it was going the wrong way and didn't show any signs of turning. We turned right and struck off into the woods and hit another road that seemed to lead to the high ground ahead. It did indeed take us to the top of a ridge where I spotted some higher ground just ahead off the road. Here there was collection of sticks on an old stump and the GPS coordinates matched exactly. There was no view so I told Sheba "Back" and followed here down to the stream where she picked the exact spot that we crossed and then avoided the swamp on the other side. I wanted to see if I could pick up the trail that had gone passed Jenny Jump #3 but turned to early and had to backtrack. Sheba was patient and guided me back to the area of the first peak where I found the trail. Soon we were back on the trail to the car. As we descended the Mountain Lake Trail, we ran into the group that had parked just before us. They seemed to be having a nature lesson. We were back at the car by 1:35 PM having covered the 5.2 miles of this hike in 2 hours and 45 minutes.
On Sunday, April 18th I wanted to get in some exercise after a long track meet on Saturday. I was planning on hiking Catfish but decided to leave early and try to get all four peaks on Jenny Jump Ridge. I was out of the house by 6:50 AM and headed toward Port Jervis. The weather was cool, about 37 when I left home, and there was a threat of showers. I wore wool leggings and my new Cabela's Goretex Paclite rain jacket. I also packed several different layers n my packet and took some in the car. Google maps said the trip to Jenny Jump State Forest would take over 2 hours but we arrived in under two hours. I wasn't clear on exactly where to park but stopped at the office for a map. I couldn't find any one around, so I drove up the hill passed the office to the bathrooms. I parked in the small parking area and immediately saw the sign for the Summit Trail. I got my equipment ready and Sheba and I started up the trail.
The first part of the trail was relatively flat but then began to gain some elevation as we neared the ridge. On the way up a view point opened on the right side of the trail but I decided to save that for the return trip. Further along on the flat top of the ridge, there was another viewpoint. The day was a little hazy but the views were good. It was starting to get much warmer and I took off my light jacket at this point before continuing along the ridge and dropping into a small depression or cal before hiking up to the highest point at the end of the ridge. It was hard to find the correct spot and when I started back down the other side I retraced my steps and walked off the trail to find the high point. A pile of rocks (cairn) seemed to indicate that spot so I was satisfied I had found it and started back. I planned to return to the viewpoint I had bypassed before and bushwhack off that spot toward the second high point on the ridge. As I got nearer to this viewpoint, I noticed a nice view from the right side of the trail and walked across the ridge to find a nice lookout and a bench. The views from this side of the ridge were equally beautiful and I spent some time here taking pictures before continuing on to the next viewpoint.
The lookout that I bypassed gave a nice view of Jenny Jump #2 which is a complete bushwhack. I took pictures and then started down the right side of the rocks that made up the viewpoint. It appeared that a few others had done the same as a small path wound its way down to the end of a woods road. From here Sheba and I headed UP the mountain looking for a natural pathway. It was steep and covered in blowdown but we kept finding ways to ascend. Near the top another view opened up to show the valley below and an operation processing either sawdust or sand. After a few pictures, I continued on up to the high point. The ground elevated some as we continued but the brush became harder to get through. I continued to consult my GPS and we were headed in the right direction. On the way to the high point we passed another hiker and his two dogs. I said "Hello" but he didn't seem to interested in conversation. It wasn't long before we tagged the high point and then started down. I decided to take a slightly different angle back to the car. We ran into some thick blowdown and several cliffs that were impossible to negotiate. ALong the way I ALMOST ducked under a branch but hit my head. After a few more steps I felt something trickling down my scalp. I ran my hand through my hair and came back with quite a bit of blood. Within a little more than a minute this had stopped and we continued. Soon we were back down to the woods road which led us back to the parking area and the car. The 3 miles hike had lasted an hour and 45 minutes. It was time to drive to Lakeside Drive near Mountain Lake to hike Jenny Jump #3 and #4.
On Saturday, April 10th I was pretty tired after our 10 mile 4 hour hike of Sunrise but it was only 2:15 PM. I decided to head over to High Point just to check out the trailheads and get ready to hike it next time. I though that I MIGHT be able to get it in this day but I would make that decision when I got there. I headed north on Route 206 looking for the High Point sign I had seen before or Clove Road which seemed the fastest way to get there. It turned out that both of these things occurred at the same time as the sign was pointing to Clove Road. I drove along Clove Road for a few miles and then turned right when it met Route 23. This road ascends High Point going over the top and down the other side. I thought I might go over the top and then turn left on Route 519, park where the AT crosses the road and then hike up the ridge from there. As I drove up the ridge on Route 23 a sign for the Steeny Kill boat launch area appeared on the left. I couldn't resist this so I pulled into the small parking lot to check it out. The trail crossed the launch area and passed by the lake. The lake was very beautiful with a cabin on the opposite shore. What attracted me most was that higher on the ridge I could see the High Point Monument. It didn't look that far away either horizontally or vertically and that was good enough for me! I went back to the car, let Sheba out and got my gear. We were hiking along the edge of the lake by 3:00 PM. My plan was to take the Steeny Kill Trail to the Monument Trail and follow that in a loop back to Steeny Kill. I took some pictures at the shore of the lake and then crossed the outlet on some large slabs of stone. Toward the end of the Steeny Kill Trail it began to ascend the ridge. After about .75 miles, we hit the Monument Trail and turned right to ascend the first part of the ridge. There were several switchbacks and some "stairs" along the way. The hardwood gave way to the typical scrub pine. Near the top of the ridge the monument came into view again and the trail flattened some. In .35 miles we were on the shores of Lake Marcia.
We stopped at the shore of the lake so that I could take some pictures and then I tried to determine where the trail was. I found that it followed the lake shore for a bit and then turned left and ascended. It then crossed and recrossed the road before heading UP to the monument. After only another .4 miles we were at the base of the monument and climbed the steps to get the best view. Below us Matamoras and Port Jervis were clearly visible on either side of the river. I took pictures and then walked to the other side of the monument where the countryside spread out for ever. The brown and gray of late winter and early spring was giving way to bright greens! I took pictures of the landscape and a few of the monument before we headed down to the rocky outcrop below the monument. I took more pictures from here before we got back on the trail. High Point is easily accessible by car and there were too many people around to really enjoy the view. We headed down the Monument Trail and passed the parking area. At the far end of the parking area we hopped back on the trail across the ridge. The trail at this point is marked for the Long Path and the Shawangunk Ridge Trail as well as the "local" Monument Trail. As we walked along the ridge I took several side paths to various lookouts but none were better than the views from the monument. This was a pretty walk with a constant descent. It was especially nice near the end of the ridge just before the trail turns to the left and starts to descend.
In about 1.5 miles from the monument the trail split with the SRT following a route through the Cedar Swamp and the monument trail crossing a bridge and skirting the swamp. I decided to continue on the Monument Trail since I had no idea whether or not the SRT was supported by boardwalks or bridges through the swamp. Due to the recent rains I thought the water in the swamp might be high and I did not want to have to backtrack. We were soon at the trail junction where the SRT came back out of the swamp and then where it continued down off the ridge and headed north away from the car. We continued on the Monument Trail and ran into several nice lookouts along the way. We met two hikers occupying one rock and had a brief conversation as I took a few shots. We continued on and ran into the Steeny Kill Trail and took it back to the car passing two more hikers by the lake. We were back at the car by 5:10 PM having covered 5.o miles in just over 2 hours including several stops for pictures.
On Saturday, April 10th I planned to head back to northern New Jersey to hike Ilgenstein Rock, Rocky and Drag Hill. These seemed like a good combination since they are close together. The last two are bushwhacks but they looked pretty straightforward. As I was getting ready Saturday morning I began to have second thoughts since I had been in this area so much recently. I changed plans and decided to try the two highest peaks in New Jersey, Sunrise and High point, in one day. This seemed ambitious but I though it was possible if I hiked quickly and didn't spend too much time in one spot. This would be my last Saturday for some time since invitational track meets start next Saturday! I had a few things to do in the morning so Sheba and I got a later start than I wanted but I knew it would be light until at least 7:00 Pm. We started for the Delaware Water Gap to hike Sunrise from Stony Lake. This was easier to find than I though it might be and the trip was quicker than I remembered. On the way south on Route 206 I also saw a sign for High Point. We arrived at the main gate for Stokes State Forest and parked by Stony Lake at 10:15 AM. I had looked at all the different routes and trip reports on www.nj1k.org and decided to take the Tower Trail to Normanook Fire Tower and then hike the AT to the summit of Sunrise. The trails at the beginning were a little confusing since they all start at the parking area but soon we I had them sorted out and we were on the trail to the tower. It was still in the 40's when we started and I had put on light tights and two light layers of wool under a softshell jacket. It was cool enough at the start of the hike to wear a hat and light gloves. Once into the hike I removed the hat and gloves and began to open my jacket especially on the climb to the tower!
The Tower Trail crosses Sunrise Mountain Road at about 1.25 miles which we reached in under 30 minutes. This road passes across the top of the ridge and is one way to the north. There are several parking areas with the largest being less than a quarter mile from the summit of Sunrise. This makes the summit one of the most visited in New Jersey. From here the trail really starts to climb with several tricky rock scrambles over some VERY smooth boulders in places. On the way up I looked over my shoulder and saw some beautiful views. I was tempted to take some pictures but I knew the shots from the top would be better. On the way Up we met a man with his poodle coming down. Both our dogs behaved themselves and the other hiker said the views from the top were great but it was a little windy! We reached the 1572 foot summit at about 45 minutes into the hike which I thought was good for 1.65 miles. The views from the base of the tower were good and there was little haze. I could see Kittatiny Lake to the south. The wind was blowing making it colder than the actual air temperature. I decided to climb the tower to get the best views. There was a truck at the tower which led me to believe there was someone in the cab. I was not sure whether or not the tower was open to visitors but I wanted to take some pictures. As I climbed the tower the views became more and more spectacular. Kittatiny Lake was even more prominent as was Culver Lake on the west side of the ridge. I took pictures as I ascended. To the north I could clearly see the outline of Sunrise Mountain which looked HIGH and pretty far off! The wind was blowing and as I reached a certain level just below the cab a VERY strong gust came along. I had not noticed that I was now above the trees. I grabbed onto the tower which I believe prevented me from being blown down the stairs! By handing onto a tower support I was able to get a few more shots before realizing that my fingers were freezing! I CAREFULLY worked my way down the tower and back to Sheba waiting impatiently at the base. After a few more pictures and a quick snack we worked our way back to the AT and started north toward Sunrise Mountain.
The Hike along the AT from Normanook to Sunrise is not flat but it is pretty close. The change in elevation between the two summits is only 61 feet with Sunrise being higher. At one point I dipped to 200 feet below Normanook but there was higher ground to the east. There are several brief rises along the way and a few limited views but none better than from the tower and the summit of Sunrise as I eventually found out. Sheba and I kept up a good pace and passed very close to the road at a couple of points. Soon we had covered the 3.4 miles between the peaks in only and hour and 15 minutes! As we climbed up to the summit, we discovered a group of about a dozen people already there. We talked a little but they were more interested in Sheba! I got the feeling they had driven to the top since someone made the comment that they were off to see High Point! Except for the pavilion at the top, the summit of Sunrise is very open with views in all directions. They day was very clear with some haze in the far distance. I took pictures in all directions including south toward Normanook, Kittatiny Lake and Culver Lake. Before leaving, we had a snack and I ditched the jacket in favor of a light Mountain Hardware long sleeved Wicked T over my Icebreaker 150 undershirt. I was a little cool in the wind at the top but knew I would warm up as we started to hike and descend out of the breeze.
From the pavilion at the summit we continued on the At to the parking area which is on a spur road off of the "main" Sunrise Mountain Road. I got a little confused here but walking through the parking lot to the opposite end by the bathrooms allowed us to pick up the AT again. In less than a half mile from the summit the brown red blazes of the Cartwright trail appeared on the left and we followed them down the ridge. Actually the trail rolled a little and descended sharply over some open rock faces in one place. Within another half mile we were again crossing the Sunrise Mountain Road to pick up the trail. In a little less than a mile we were at the end of the Cartwright Trail and turned left onto the red blazed Swenson Trail. This trail was very wet in spot with mostly running water down the trail and, in places, streams to cross. None of this was much trouble, What was troublesome was the lack of sufficient blazes. In an area with so many crisscrossing trail, paths and roads, a few more blazes would be welcome. More than once I found myself questioning which way I should turn or if I should go straight ahead. The Swenson Trail was longer than I though but headed back south to our car at Stony Lake. It was about 3 miles back to the parking area and we arrived at 2:15 PM. I was pleased that we had covered a total of 9.8 miles in 4 hours with plenty of time for pictures along the way!
On Saturday, April 3rd I headed from Hewitt to Ringwood to hike Mount Defiance. The Botanical Gardens were easier to find than I thought. As I drove up the hill to the first parking lot, PA, I was a little worried that someone would hassle me about bringing Sheba along. I parked at the end of the lot at about 12:30 PM and immediately saw a variety of people with a variety of dogs. I got out my equipment, put Sheba on her leash and started out. The "trail" through the botanical gardens was clearly marked with white blazes and followed some of the paved walkways in the gardens before turning left onto a dirt road. Soon the green blazes for the Halifax Trail up Mount Defiance appeared on the left and we started up. I was thinking about trying for Ilgenstein Rock, Rocky Mountain and Drag Hill if I had time. As we started up the trail a couple dressed in casual clothes was coming down the trail. They had made it halfway up and asked if I had ever climbed Defiance before. I said "No" and we continued on our separate ways. The Halifax Trail switches back and forth several times on the way up. The climb without the twists would not be steep but I believe the designers wanted as many people to be able to climb it as possible. I stopped once at a lookout and took a few shots before continuing on up. Near the top the green trail turned right but the high ground seemed to be on the left. From this point a red trail seemed to curl around the back of the mountain so I followed it. A high rocky cliff or prominence was on the left and on it sat two of the largest vultures I have ever seen.
I followed Sheba as she stayed on the red trail which soon started to ascend the more shallow northeast side of the mount. Soon we were at the top and a climbed onto a rocky outcropping and looked around. Since I saw no other higher points, I felt I had gained the top and started to think about my next move. There was no real view from here so I wanted to see if there was another lookout. We descended the way we came and walked around the top of the plateau. Toward the southwest end there did seem to be a viewpoint So we headed that way. Two young men with their dogs were already there so I leashed Sheba as they did the same. I hooked Sheba's leash to a tree and she sat politely while I walked to the rocky shelf which was the viewpoint to take pictures. Soon the other hikers left and I took a few more pictures. It was not late but I was tired from my third day of hiking in a row. I knew that hiking the other hills would be at least two hours and perhaps more. Two were short bushwhacks but I had never attempted them. I decided to return to the gardens and inspect them before returning home. The other three could wait until another day!
The New Jersey Botanical Gardens was once the private estate of Clarence McKenzie Lewis and has an extensive history. The Tudor style buildings were designed by American architect John Russell Pope. We ended up at the gatehouse and so started our "tour" from there. I took pictures of several smaller outbuildings but then came within site of the magnificent Skylands Manor. We walked around to the back of the building as I took pictures of the structure and the surrounding trees. The gardens would be worth a trip all by themselves especially when there are tours of the house! The flowering trees were in bloom and a koi pond was stocked just out side a beautiful, manicured lawn. There are other buildings and extensive grounds. The daffodils and forsythia were in full bloom but a few weeks should allow many more of the flowers to come into bloom. At this point I was tired and decided to go back to the car and head home. The TOTAl walk was about 3.1 miles and took only and hour and a half!
On Saturday, April 3rd I drove back to northern New Jersey to grab a few more NJ1K peaks. This list is turning out to be very attractive but not as easy as it might sound to some. My plan was to hike Big Beach using the Sterling Ridge trail and then head over to Mount Defiance. Mount Defiance is in the Ringwood State Forest and one trailhead is at the New Jersey Botanical Gardens. Eric mentioned that these were worth a look. We arrived at Long Pond Ironworks at about 9:50 AM and were ready to go right away. I learned my lesson from previous hikes and wore short sleeves from the start. I didn't even bring a jacket with me. We headed out passed the furnaces at stayed on the Sterling Ridge and Highlands Trails instead of turning to the right on the yellow trail. The trail was in good shape at this point with only a little water. It starts fairly smooth nut then gets rocky further along. The trail parallels the Wanaque River for some time and I could hear the water as the river was VERY full. Soon the trail got wetter with pools of standing water in some places and swampy areas in others. I made a note where the yellow Jennings Hollow Trail branched off. Eric had mentioned hiking Jennings Mountain and the idea that I might do that mountain began to creep in.
The trail began to climb a little more which was good since the flatter parts were pretty wet. Soon we were climbing Big Beach and I was looking for viewpoints. We worked our way up through some rocks and onto a rocky outcropping which had some views of the Wanaque Reservoir and Greenwood Lake in the opposite direction. I made note of this spot for pictures but I knew it would be hard for the camera to see much. The trail actually descended off this outcropping and then was flat for a little while before the last climb. Soon we were on the plateau that is the summit of Big Beach. It was 10;55 AM and I was surprised that it had taken only a little over an hour! I decided to walk to the state line which as about a quarter mile away. On the way back I walked over to several high rock outcrops and climbed each one to make sure I hit the highest point. On the way back I didn't follow the trail all the way but walked near the edge of the mountain looking for a viewpoint. I was actually trying to find the rocky cliffs that we had seen from Hasenclever the day before. I did find some limited views with the best ones being back at the southern end of the ridge as marked on the trail maps. I stopped to take some pictures at these places and then we continued back. I decided that I did not want to bushwhack Jennings on this day as the approach from the Jennings Hollow Trail on the east is very steep. I may try this sometime or approach from the south which is shorter and not as steep. We were back at the car before 12:15 PM completing the 5.5 mile hike in about 2.5 hours.
On Friday, April 2nd I was in northern Jersey again to bushwhack Hope Mountain and Hasenclever Hill with Eric Koppel. Eric is the co-founder of the NJ1K club. Eric is a very fit, young hiker and I was a little wary of hiking with him especially after my long journey the previous day. I almost called to cancel but my feet felt a little better after resting overnight. Our plan was to park at the Long Pond Ironworks in Hewitt and bushwhack Hope Mountain and Hasenclever Hill with a possible trip up Big beach. I needed to leave no later than 3:00 PM due to a previous commitment. Eric was running a little late so I went across the road and did a short loop to the Whritenour Mine on the shores of the Wanaque Reservoir. Like many of the small iron mines in the area this one is not very impressive. I found three shallow pits with some tailings piles. Near the water was an indentation in the shore very near one of the pits. I do not know enough about the mine to speculate about this. The hike was a very short loop and soon I was back at the Long Pond Iron Works. Eric showed up and the adventure began. My job was to follow Eric as closely as possible. His plan was to follow the yellow Iron Trail until it passed near Hope Mountain and then bushwhack to the top of Hope. From Hope we would bushwhack to Hasenclever and then reevaluate our situation at that time.
We found that many places along the trail were flooded with rather larger puddles of water and other places were simply muddy. A good part of the trail follows old woods roads but it turns off in places and it is important to pay attention. Eric is, I found, not only a hiker but a great source of information about the area and a keen observer of nature. While he was waiting for me to catch up, he had time to find snakes and amphibians and to discover many different plants. When it came time, we jumped off the trail and started the steep but short climb up Hope. After crossing a small stream, we walked up the side of the hill to a flat rock that acted as a decent lookout. I could see the Wanaque Reservoir and some interesting old buildings below. After taking some pictures, it was off to the summit. As we approach the summit, we heard a noise almost like a pig or bear grunting. It turned out to be a turkey but neither of us had heard a turkey make that kind of noise before! In a couple hundred feet we were at the top of Hope. The views were limited but Eric was able to point out the "Black Rock" viewpoint on Hasenclever Hill. The descent off the north side of Hope was a little steep and this bothered my feet much more than the climb up. Eric was ahead picking his way quickly down the slope. At the bottom, we hit an old woods road, walked on that briefly before starting the climb up Hasenclever.
The initial part of the climb wasn't too steep and shortly Eric stopped at the biggest glacial erratic I had ever seen. We stopped to take some picture and for Eric to climb a tree to get a look a the top. The climb began to get steep but was pretty short. Near the summit there was another large erratic. The views from the top weren't very spectacular. We walked passed the signs indicating we were crossing into New York and continued to walk along the plateau. We descended some and then started the climb to the Black Rock viewpoint. The rock itself was interesting and had "carvings" going back to 1876. The views were nice although there was quite a bit of haze in the distance. Eric pointed out some of the hills and ridges around us including Big Beach to the west. There was quite a bit of garbage at the top and we picked up most of it. I commented to Eric about people hiking this far to litter. It was then that Eric chose to inform me that our route was the LONGEST one could take. A road on the New York side leads to very near the summit making this a popular spot. I decided that going for Big Beach would have to wait for another day. Eric chose a route along the state lines which would lead to Big Beach Road and then back to the yellow trail. On the way down we encountered two large black rat snakes. One slithered off rather quickly but the other stayed around for pictures. Eventually we worked our way down to the road through some swampy areas. As we walked a long the road, we came to an intersection. We chose right and walked only a short distance before finding the road impassable due to flooding. We started to return to the intersection and I consulted my GPS. It showed that continuing on the road would allow us to hit our path from earlier. Once we were back on the yellow trail we followed it back to the parking area. I'll admit I was tired! I had anticipated about a 6 mile walk. The GPS said that we had covered over 9.5 miles in just under 5 hours including the stops!
On Thursday, April 1st my plans were to hike to the South Beacon fire tower from Breakneck Ridge. This is one of my favorite hikes on the east side of the Hudson River. I wanted to go to the fire tower since several postings of the ADKHighPeaks forum indicated that there might be new steps and landing on the tower! Wednesday night I began to think that I had done this hike several times and a different route might be more interesting. I decided to park in Beacon and hike to the site of the old casino and then to the fire tower. I then planned to hike Scofield Ridge and find the highest point in Putnam County. We parked at the parking area just off Route 9D in Beacon at about 9:30 AM with only one other car in the lot. The temperature was already almost 60 with predictions for highs in th mid 70's. I got my gear and we immediately started to walk up the road that leads into the small park by the lot. After a short walk, a long set of steep metal steps appear that lead up the steepest, lower part of North Beacon Mountain. As I was looking at the steps a woman walked by and we had a nice conversation about hiking poles. Next to the stairs are the remains of the incline railway that took passengers to the top of the mountain to the casino. Rusted steel rails and heavy cables are evidence of the railway and the ruins of a building near the base also indicate what was once there. I took some pictures and then we started up the mountain. We avoided the steps and hike the trail next to them. At the top of the steps, we stopped so that I could take some more pictures as the views were good. We didn't stay too long since I knew there would be better views from the top.
The "trail" now follows a series of woods roads that cut back and forth up the mountain to make the climb a little less steep. The markers on the trail are few and far between either because not many are placed or, more likely, because people remove them! As we neared the top a path led to the right and looked like it might offer some views. We walked down the path and found some views of the river and the city of Beacon. I took some shots but knew that the views from the top would surpass these. Near the top of the mountain the trail ahead was blocked by some blowdown but the building housing the machinery for the railway was easy to spot. I walked to the right of the trail and around to the front of the building. The brick building had several large wheels with cables attached and machinery inside which would pull the cars up the mountain. I took pictures of everything and then continued around the front of the building to the site of the casino. The casino site is now nothing more than a slab of concrete with a few signs of the foundation. This site does offer a wide open and unimpeded view of the City of Beacon and Newburgh on the other side of the river with the bridge between them. There was some haze hanging over the river but the views were nice and the temperatures were increasing. After some time to take in the views and shoot some pictures, we walked along the edge of the site and to the road that skirted the summit of North Beacon Mountain and headed for the ridge.
The walk to the ridge was only about .6 miles and on top we turned right toward the fire tower. The tower was in full view at this point and I stopped to take a picture. We continued on the trail which dropped a little and then started to ascend. I was not sure how well the trail to the tower would me marked but, after several false starts, I found the trail and started the climb. Soon we were on the last part of the trail and just over a ridge of rock the tower came into view. It was clear that some restoration had been done. It was also clear by the amount of broken glass and graffitti that this was still a popular place with the local riffraff. I took some pictures from the summit as the views were good and then decided to test the tower. The steps and landings were in place but were open metal grates which are not my favorites! In addition, the supports are still very rusty. I was sure they would support me but I found the experience disconcerting. I stopped just short of the cab which is nonexistent and looked around. The views were fantastic in all directions. I had not expected how much better the landscape looked from the tower as compared to the summit. I too a lot of pictures including one of Sheba far below and then got down off the tower. We spent a few more minutes on the summit and then headed back to the main trail where we continued toward Scofield Ridge.
Somewhere on this ridge is the highest point in Putnam County. I spent some time walking the trail and bushwhacking to higher spots along the way. From what the "middle" bump on the ridge the Beacon Reservoir sparkled below. We continued to walk along the trail going up and down over the various high spots. Someone decided to mark the bumps with yellow X's although these marks are not always on the highest ground around. After walking 1.6 miles along the ridge, I am still not sure of the highest point. My GPS seemed to indicate that it was on the final, northern bump but I did have fun trying to find the highest spot. We descended the ridge and could take the trail over Lamb's hill and back to the car. After over 3 hours and over 5 miles of hiking this seemed like a good idea since it would take some time to get back to the car. Instead I decided to hike out along Fishkill Ridge and then back to the parking area. I did not realize at the time just how far this would be but I knew we had plenty of time and the weather was beautiful. As we started on the trail it was very wet and descended quite a bit. Fishkill Ridge rose sharply to the left and on the right was the shoulder of Scofield Ridge forming a deep ravine. In a few places the trail was narrow and required a short scramble over the rocks. Soon the trail widened and followed some old woods roads. There weren't many views but the walk was pleasant. In many areas elaborate stone walls paid homage to settlements now long gone. After a little more than a mile the trail began to ascend to the top of the ridge. We ran into some water on the trail but began to get some views although most were still blocked. Ahead I could see two other hikers on the trail and decided to try to catch up.
When Sheba and I caught the other two hikers we talked to them for some time. They had been on the ridge before and I asked about the views. They said that the views were yet to come from the top of the ridge. We started out ahead of them and stayed ahead until I stopped to take a few pictures. We traded spots with them on the trail until we got to a big rock that had a nice view of the valley below. We all stopped and I took some pictures and then started out. The other two stayed to rest and I never saw them again. They were right though about the views from the top of the ridge. For over a mile along the ridge there were outstanding views of the valleys below. There is a very interesting sand and gravel quarry on the east side of the ridge and all the details were visible form the top. Eventually we dropped down off the ridge and dropped down to Dozer Junction. At this trail junction there is a bulldozer a reminder of things past. We continued on the white Fishkill Ridge Trail to climb Lamb's Hill. At the top I stopped to take some pictures and then walked down the other side. Here was a viewpoint much better than the one at the top with good views of the river and the cities below. The descent down Lamb's Hill was steep and difficult but short. By this time my feet were pretty tired and descending is always harder for me than climbing.
After climbing another, unnamed hill we began the descent in earnest. From this small hill it was almost 1200 vertical feet down to the car. At times the trail was very poorly marked. At one point we came to a road and saw some people walking up ahead. The trail blazes seemed to disappear completely and I searched for them until I saw a hiker coming through the woods and I spotted the blazes. He confirmed that we were on the right trail and we headed down toward a small stream. There was quite a bit of running water from the recent rains. We finally got to a small water fall formed by the outflow from the Beacon Reservoir. I took some pictures and we continued down until we had to cross the stream. At this point the trail ascended some and we followed it over a small hill. The blazes became less and less frequent but I finally found them as the trail ascended once again! The trail we were on finally merged with the trail from earlier that morning just above the steps down to the parking area. Back at the car I checked the GPS which showed a vertical gain of over 3600 feet! We had hiked almost 11 miles in 6.5 hours including all the stops!
On Saturday, March 27th Cindy and I headed for Waywayanda Mountain. We parked where the AT crosses Route 94 just south of the New York-New Jersey border. With features like "Stairway to Heaven" and "Pinwheel Vista", we expected and interesting hike. We were not disappointed. We arrived at the parking area at about 1:15 PM to find the AT lot full and quite a few cars parked in the "overflow" spaces nearby. We parked at got started right away. The first part of the hike runs over some well-worn rocks and heads toward a field. A short distance ahead an impressive ridge rises from the flat ground. It is just short of 1500 feet at its highest point but the starting elevation is under 500 feet! A rocky outcropping on the side of the ridge marks, I believe, the Pinwheel Vista, one of our objectives.The trail winds its way briefly through some trees at the base of the ridges. As we approached the ridge we could see an enormous jumble of rocks, some big and some small, at the base of the ridge. We took some pictures and then followed the At as it wound through the rocks at the base of the ridge before starting to ascend up the ridge. Climbing straight up might be impossible but the trail has many switchbacks and several areas where stone steps have been placed to make the going easier. We passed several sets of hikers going down and several going up. Sheba greeted some of the groups especially those with other dogs but mostly wanted to continue hiking. A little way up the trail is a ledge that gives a small taste of the views from the viewpoint near the top.
We continued on up the trail slowing at times and then picking up the pace. Near the top there was along switchback leading to some steeper stone stairs, the "stairway to Heaven". Once up this we walked a short distance and found a blue trail on the left which was not marked on the map so we went passed it! After another short climb, we were at a trail junction marked by a mailbox and a sign that said "Old AT Vista". We were still looking for the Pinwheel Vista so we continued on the AT. After a short walk, we started to descend. This didn't seem right so I pulled out the map. It was clear that the blue trail was the trail to the Pinwheel Vista and that the mailbox marked the path to the highest point on the ridge which I wanted to visit. We backtracked to the mailbox and turned south on a path marked faintly by blue blazes. We wandered along for some time until we saw higher ground to the right. We walked up to this area which opened into a flat clearing which appeared to be the highest point around. I was having trouble reconciling my GPS lat-long readings with those posted on the NJ1K site but the elevation was 1445 feet which was close to the posted 460. (later I solved the mystery! The posting were in straight decimal degrees and the GPS was set for degrees and decimal minutes! Close enough to seem correct but.. I don't think we were at the highest point so I will be going back soon. Important lesson learned!) We turned around and walked back to the trail junction, turned left an walked down to the blue trail. We turned right and were soon sharing the Pinwheel Vista with a few other hikers.
Is New Jersey ALWAYS hazy? The views from the lookout were nice but anything in the distance was obscured by haze! To the left we could see the still snowy slopes of the ski area once known as Vernon Valley/Great Gorge. The landscape this time of year is a little drab since, even in New Jersey, few trees or shrubs have started to bloom. I walked around the vista and took pictures from any angles before going back to Sheba and Cindy to snap their picture. We did walk a little further along the path that paralleled the vista but found no more views. Back on the main trail we started our descent. The hike down over the rocky trail was not easy. The rocks have little cushioning and the knowledge that a slip would be costly slowed us down some. We did meet several groups going up the trail to the vista and wished them a good day. Soon we were on the lower part of the trail and then among the rocks a the base of the ridge. The walk out to the car went quickly. The AT lot now had only a few cars. We were back just before 4:00 PM having covered 4 miles out hours and 45 minutes.
On Saturday, March 27th Cindy and I again headed for northern New Jersey to work on the NJ1K list. The conditions when we arrived at 10:20 AM at the P4 parking area on Clinton Road were a little different than the week before. Instead of the low 70's the air temperatures were in the high 30's. This was a drop of 30+ degrees and it felt like it! There was no one else parked in the area which was good since the recent rains had left it soft and muddy and it is small to begin with. The signs said that we needed a permit which I did not know. I figured no one would bother us since we were hiking on the Highlands Trail. We got on our gear and headed out to Clinton Road where we turned left and walked up the road, walked over the road bridge, crossed the road and started our adventure on the aqua blazed Highlands Trail. The trail begins through some large hemlock trees and parallels Mossman's Brook for a distance. The trail begins to ascend to a ridge and along the way there were several large trees down across the trail. We walked over one ridge only to find another. This pattern would repeat several times along the hike. I could see that we were headed for a rather wide stream as we descended the small ridge and I did not see abridge. We could have made it across but fortunately the trail turned to parallel the stream and then crossed it on a very nice foot bridge. The are on the other side of the stream was very flat and showed obvious signs of recent flooding. I was glad the ground was relatively dry for our hike. Upstream was a small rapids so I took some pictures before we continued on.
The trail wound its way through some woods and then seemed to follow a woods road for a short distance. We went up over another ridge and walked along it for a short distance before the trail went down the other side. This time the descent was along a rock wall and the trail narrowed considerably. The stream at the bottom was narrow but deep and fast-flowing and there was no bridge. When I got to the stream, I could see that it would be possible to cross by "rock-hopping" carefully. We did this and then continued on the trail as it ascended the nest ridge. Near the top of this ridge a blue trail headed off to the right. This trail cut across the ridge and went down the other side. It looked interesting and I thought we might come back that way. We stayed on the Highlands Tail and followed its aqua blazes as well as some new yellow blazes. There was no sign of a tower but we were walking through forest and could not see too much ahead. As we walked it became obvious that we were headed toward the end of the ridge we were on. The trail started to cut to the right and ascend a little. It was then that I saw a clearing ahead and the fire tower. The tower is painted red and white and stand on the highest point of the ridge in a clearing. We noticed a reflective "cross" on the ground that looked like it marked a helicopter landing zone! We took pictures of the tower and then walked over to see if we could walk up the steps.
The tower is all metal and looks to be in good shape. The open metal grating that makes up the steps affords an almost unobstructed view to the ground! I was soon just below the cab and able to start taking pictures. There was some haze and the surrounding hills and valleys were somewhat drab. Cedar Pond to the west made the best subject so I took some pictures before climbing back down. Cindy made it up part way while Sheba stayed on the ground and waited impatiently for us. We ate a snack and the decided to return by a red/white blazed trail that went more along the top of the ridge. We stayed on this trail for a while until it met the blue trail from earlier. I turned left to check out the views from the ridge but there really weren't any. We headed down the blue trail to the Highlands Trail and back toward the parking area, As we approached the first stream crossing, Cindy took a rather bad fall on some slippery rocks. She banged up here left knee but we were able to repair the damage. We were back at the car by 12:40 PM having covered the 4.2 miles in 2.5 hours with time for the fire tower and photography. On our car I found a warning about parking and hiking without a permit. I will call for the permit regulations but I found the warning odd. There was no area code with the telephone number. I also thought to myself that the City of Newark has every right to require permits but that they might have better ways to spend their money!
Winter 2009-2010
On Sunday, March 21st I wanted to hike a 3500 as my last official hike of Winter 2010. After church, Sheba and I jumped in the car and headed for Westkill. I was ready for conditions to be different than the day before in Northern New Jersey but the complete contrast was striking! The Spruceton Road was clear and there appeared to be only a little snow in the valley. A quick glance at the peaks didn't seem to indicate too much snow there either. I followed a parade of VERY slow moving cars along the road. I wondered why these hikers were moving so slowly to the trailhead especially since it was late in the day. These cars turned off the road BEFIRE the trailhead at a local maple syrup producer who was boiling that day. My next surprise was that the main parking area on Spruceton, the one most use for Hunter, was NOT plowed. There were cars parked on the road which made me think that the other lots would also be unplowed. I was wrong on this account as both of the others lots were clear and had only one car each. Maybe hikers should be careful NOT to park on the roads as it makes them narrow and may prevent plows from getting into the lots! I parked at the trailhead at 12:35 PM and immediately got to hiking. There was at least 18 inches along the first part of the trail to the falls! I stopped at the falls to take a few pictures but then got going. I was glad I did.
There was a trail on the other side of the bridge but it was hard for me to tell how old it was. The air temperature was warmer than I though it would be and was probably around 40. I noticed that the trail did not exactly follow the markers but I decided to stay on the packed trail. This decision was made when I stepped off the packed trail and immediately sank above my knees. The higher we climbed the deeper the snow got. This was obvious since the trail markers kept getting lower and lower. In addition, the trail was less distinct and I kept having to push my way through tree branches. It finally dawned on me that I was walking through the tree TOPS and tripping over branches! Westkill always fools me since I think of it as an easy up and back and it is never that easy. Under these conditions it was even more challenging. I did meet three hikers coming down and stopped to talk to them for a minute. At least one was from New Jersey and said he had considered leaving the snowshoes home. He was glad he brought them. We continued in our own directions. I felt a little pressured since I knew that it was getting later all the time and my progress was slowed. In several areas the climbing was difficult in the snow loosened by the warm temperatures. In two places there was some precarious side hilling that threatened to send me down the slope. Through all of this Sheba confidently trotted ahead leading the way!
As we hiked along I began to wonder at what point I would call it quits if I had to. I had chosen Westkill for the views from the Buck Ridge Lookouts but the weather was becoming cloudier all the time. I realized that I had plenty of insulation packed but did NOT have a storm shell. When I passed the cave just below the 3500 foot mark I noticed that there was a snow wall in front and some pine boughs lining it. After ascending several places that I though were the last climb, we finally did reach the last part up to the lookouts. As we hit the lookouts the sun started to peek out of the clouds. The longer we were there the sunnier it got. The valleys and other mountains were just beautiful. It was obvious there was still significant snow on all the peaks. We arrived at just a little after 2:30 PM meaning it had taken 2 hours for the ascent! I took pictures from both sides of the lookout and then headed for the true summit. From the summit, we turned around and hurried down. I was able to "ski" a good part of the way and remained upright most of the time. The way down was definitely faster than up. We were back at the parking area by 4:30 PM having taken a little over 1.5 hours to get down. The whole 6.2 mile hike had taken about 4 hors which I felt was fine for the conditions.
On Saturday, March 20th Cindy and I decided that after finishing Windbeam Mountain we would try another hike and headed to Otter Hole in Norvin Green State Forest to hike the Wyanokie Torne. Since the Torne is a short hike, I planned on doing a somewhat circular root and go out to Osio Rock. We arrived at about 1:10 PM to find the main parking area at Otterhole filled with cars. We went back to the smaller lot and immediately got our gear and walked down the road to the trail across the road. After crossing the road we followed the trail to the right. The ascent was moderately steep but VERY short! In 15 minutes, .5 miles and less than 300 feet of elevation gain we were on the Torne. There were some nice views and a group at the top. We wondered around but really didn't see where the trail had gone. Someone in the group pointed out a shortcut back to the trail and we were off. As we started to descend some better views appeared and we could see Osio Rock just across from us. The path looked a little steep both down and up!
The descent down the Torne was interesting with several steep areas over open rock faces. Soon we were at the trail junction with the trail I intended to take back. This trail avoids going back over the Torne. At this point we met a local woman who told us about the extensive flooding in the area. All of us then headed for Osio Rock. The first part of the trail was pretty flat but it became progressively steeper as we approached the Osio Rock. There were some interesting views along the way that let us see the descent we had just made from the Torne. Several large erratics also dotted the landscape. We made the final ascent up to Osio Rock and were rewarded with some of the best views of the whole day. The local woman pointed out the various lakes and reservoirs and named them all for us. The New York City skyline was visible but was very hazy. This is a place I definitely want to revisit on a clearer day! The 1.3 miles on this route had taken about an hour as Cindy began to get tired. After taking pictures, we turned around and headed back to the trail junction and took the trail back to the car. This trail had some interesting rock formations and was easier than reclimbing the Torne. It only took us half an hour to get back to the car. We were there by 2;35 PM having finished the 2.2 mile hike in 1.75 hours. I was ready for another hill but Cindy cast the deciding vote to go home.
On Saturday, March 20th Cindy and I decided to hike some of the NJ1K peaks in northern New Jersey. We headed for the area of the Wanaque Reservoir first to hike Windbeam Mountain. The trip reports seemed to indicate a nice view and some good vertical gain. We parked on West Brook Road and walked back up the road to the junction with Stonetown Road. The trail was just across the road and was easy to find. The temperatures were in the 60's and it was getting warmer although there was a little breeze. By the time we had walked for 10 minutes, I stopped and removed ALL my long sleeves and replayed them with short sleeves. I also stowed my light jacket in my packed and hiked the rest of the day like this. I'll admit it was pleasure not having to hassle with multiple layers and snow shoes! The initial climb was moderate but within 20 minutes we were on Little Windbeam with some nice views. We walked down the other side and started a long but gentle climb up to Windbeam.
As we hiked along to Windbeam, there were a few views but most were blocked by trees. In several places other paths or roads crossed the trail but were not marked on the map. Several times we spotted vultures riding the updrafts and also saw several raptors. In another 40 minutes we were on a wide woods road that seemed to appear from nowhere to run across the flat plateau summit of Windbeam. We walked along this for a while looking for the highest spot and some kind of viewpoint. The road eventually seemed to descend off the summit while the trail continued more to the east. At this point we turned around and walked along the edge of the plateau trying to get a view. Since none presented, we walked back to the trail and followed the same path back to the car. The total elevation gain was about 800 feet. We completed the 2.8 mile hike in 2 hours.
On Sunday, March 14th Cindy and I decided to try to get out in between rain and snow storms. We had quite a bit of rain on Saturday and Saturday and more was forecast for later on Sunday. We decided to stay local so that, if it did rain, we could get back quickly. Cindy suggested Frick Pond. I agree since I thought there would still be enough snow to snowshoe. As we drove up the DeBruce Road I questioned my decision as most of the snow hand melted under the warm temperatures and the rain. When we arrived at Frick Pond my doubts were put to rest as there was still plenty of snow. We started up the Flynn Trail from the parking area at about 10:00 AM. The snow was very wet and heavy and the going was hard in places. There was quite a bit of blowdown on the trail including several large tress in places. The Flynn Trail is a LONG but fairly gentle climb and I am always fooled by just how long it is. After about 1.5 miles of slogging along we were at the trail junction with the Big Rock Trail. I had planned to continue on the Flynn Trail to Hodge Pond but Cindy was too tired. We turned left on Big Rock and headed back. Just a few minutes after turning, the sky grew darker and it started to rain lightly!
We continued down the Big Rock Trail toward Times Square. There was at least a foot of snow at the top and this continued until we were almost at the trail junction. Going down Big Rock is easier than going up but it is still a trek in snowshoes on heavy, we t snow. At Times Square we continued straight ahead to go around the back of Frick Pond. This part of the trail had a lot of standing water and was hard to negotiate until we started through the trees and over the boardwalks. The small feeder streams that run into Frick Pond were all high and swollen with rain and melted snow. We stopped at the bridge across the outlet and took some pictures despite the overcast sky. From here it was back on the Quick Lake Trail to the parking area. This part of the trail resembled a stream as it so often does. We had to walk up on the banks and take a few short bushwhacks to avoid the large areas of open water. We were back at the car at around 1:00 Pm having covered the 4 mile trip in about 2.5 hours.
On Sunday, March 7th I wanted to take a short hike with some views since the weather was clear for the second day in a row! From my experience the previous day at Ashokan High Point, I knew there would be enough snow to use snowshoes almost anywhere on or near the peaks. I decided to head for Giant Ledge since the reports of snow from the last storm seemed to indicate they got quite a bit. I got a late start after church and got to the parking area at about 1:00 PM. As I drove along Route 47 passed Frost Valley, the Slide mountain PA and Winisook Lake, it was obvious that the reports from the last storm were accurate. In fact, just before the Slide PA, the snow on the right side of the road was vertically cut! This indicated that the snow was so deep that it could not be plowed. The "snowblower" was sitting in the Slide PA on the front of a large dump truck. The Panther PA had a few cars and was plowed with a bit of ice. I carried my snowshoes across the road before putting them on. Today I was trying out another new pair of shoes, Tubbs Mountaineers, which I got for more than half off on SAC! They have the same bindings as the Tubbs Flex Alp but have an aluminum frame. As I went to sign the register I noted that I had to bend down since there was still a lot of snow. There was some blowdown on the trail to the bridge. I immediately began to notice postholes from barebooters and wondered how new they were!
The bridge was piled high with snow and we crossed carefully. The snow actually made climbing some of the rocky areas easier but walking with "things" attached to your feet does slow progress some. The air temperatures was in the high 30's but a wind made it feel a little cooler. Soon we were at the trail junction and we turned left to head toward Giant Ledge. Several times the broken trail left the marked trail but then would wind back to meet it. As I was climbing one small up I met a lone hiker coming down. He reported the views were great and there were very few people on the Ledges. He WAS wearing snowshoes but he would be the LAST person I saw who was properly equipped. A little further along we met a man and woman coming toward us. They were not wearing snow shoes but chose Stabilicers instead! As they passed I could see them sinking into the snow as it softened! I didn't say anything to them except "Hello" but really wanted to ask why they would come to the Catskills to destroy the packed rails others had taken so much effort to construct! We stopped at the lookout toward Slide so that I could take some pictures and then continued up to the last climb to the Ledges. Ahead a young man came almost running down the descent. He had no pack or other equipment and, yes, no snowshoes. He seemed very fond of Sheba but, again, I really wanted to know why he was so inconsiderate. The climb was made more difficult by the number of postholes left by the others but soon we were at the top.
It really was a beautiful day with clear skies colored a bright blue. There was some haze or clouds in the distance but otherwise the sky was cloudless. We stopped at the first viewpoint and I took pictures. I took a few wide angle shots and then narrowed in on the Burroughs Range, Panther and some of the more distant hills. The day was so nice I would have headed to Panther except for the late start. We headed over to another viewpoint and I took more photos before we turned around to retrace our steps. After carefully negotiating the steeper descent, the rest of the down went quickly. I stopped to take some pictures of Sheba sitting by the signboard at the trail junction. The snow was so deep that the actual sign was right next to her! We continued down and were almost out when I noticed three more men headed toward us. None had packs and none had snowshoes. In fact, two looked like they were wearing old sneakers or skater shoes. They were sinking into the soft snow and destroying the trail. I made a comment to them about the holes they were making. Their response seemed to indicate that they thought I was concerned for them! We were back the parking area a little after 3:00 PM covering the 3.5 miles in just over 2 hours.
On Sunday, February 28th a group from Morgan Outdoors was going to snowshoe along the Beaverkill near the state campsites. Cindy and I decided that this was a little too short and flat and opted to head to Trout Pond to sample the snow conditions and the falls of Russell Brook. The roads were in good condition and even the Morton Hill Road was well maintained. When we arrived at the junction with the Russell Brook road, we found it was not plowed and neither was the parking area. I parked as far off the road as possible and we got ready to hike. The snow had consolidated a little and snowmobiles had packed a firm track. We made good time down the road to the parking area. Several snowmobiles passed us but slowed as we approached. At the parking are one machine seemed to be having mechanical problems as the riders inspected the engine. We continued across the bridge and Sheba and I headed through deep snow to the edge of Russell Brook and on up to the falls. The trail along the ledge to the falls was narrow and had a lot of snow. I took a few pictures from the ledge but then dropped down the snow covered bank into the stream bed. From here I had an unobstructed view of the falls and I took many pictures. Sheba and I returned to the main trail, met Cindy and we all started up the gentle grade to Trout Pond.
The skies were overcast as we arrived at the pond but we stopped at the outlet to take a few pictures before continuing on up the trail around the lake. At the head end we met a few snowmobilers resting by their machines, We stopped to talk for a while before continuing on and crossing the pond inlet. We decided that the complete loop around the pond and over Cherry ridge might be too difficult since the snow was deep and unbroken. Going back the way we came seemed too easy so we decided to head to the upper lean-to and then bushwhack the rest of the way around the entire pond, The snow was deep up to the lean-to as it had drifted off the pond. I kept sinking in while breaking the trail but it didn't take too long before we were at the the lean-to and I turned into the woods to head south around the pond and back toward the outlet. The distance was not far but we had to walk through deep snow, sidehill quite a bit, and pick our way around thick bushed and over blowdown. About halfway back we had to ascend some to get around a steeper area. At last we were at the out let and ready to cross the dam. It was hidden under snow and it was hard to see where it was safe to step. I went first and had no problem crossing. As we stood again at the outlet the sky was blue and I took more pictures. Within minutes clouds rolled in and a snow squall swept down the lake from north to south. It wasn't too intense and did not last very long but it was sudden. Back on the packed snowmobile trail, we picked up the pace and were back at the car by 2:30 PM covering the 4 mile trip in about 2.5 hours. We went back to Livingston Manor and went to the Flower Power bakery to meet the group from Beaverkill. They were a little late but this gave us time to sample the delicious baked goods at this small establishment.
On Saturday, February 27th we had a funeral and family gathering in the morning. Karl and I decided to head to Frick Pond to do a quick snowshoe in the afternoon. We were anxious to get out of Livingston Manor after the big snowstorm had limited our hiking to the hills near town! We headed out of town late and drove along the DeBruce Road to Fish Hatchery Road. My intent was to park at the Frick Pond lot and do some loop hike there. When we got to the Beach Mountain road to the Frick Pond PA, we found it was unplowed! The road crews had been busy elsewhere and no one lives on this road. We decided to go to Mongaup Pond as we were close and the road did seem to be plowed. The plowing stopped right at the gatehouse leaving little parking. There were already several cars present but I pulled off the road and we got our gear ready. The weather that was somewhat sunny was becoming more overcast with a few flakes in the air. We started out along the western side of the lake and followed what I thought was a snowmobile trail. I quickly realized my mistake and found that we were following a group of snowshoers who had broken the trail ahead of us. Both Sheba and Maggie, our two dogs, were having a great time until they went off the trail and sank in the deep snow. We continued to follow the narrow, broken track fro about a mile. At this point the track started up the snowmobile trail toward Frick and Hodge Ponds. Karl and I did not have enough time to make this loop so we continued on around the pond.
Mongaup Pond is bigger than I thought and breaking brand new trail through the snow was exhausting. I was sinking in at least 18 inches and more where the snow had drifted in from the lake. Snow squalls were now brewing and would hit hard for a few minutes and then let up. At one point we turned right along a road and found ourselves on a peninsula that juts out into the pond. We continued on and I took some pictures from the shore. A heavy snow squall was making its way across the lake and we decided to head back the way we came after breaking trail around the loop road on the peninsula. As we continued our hike a lone cross country skier was headed toward us. We stopped to talk briefly and she seemed a little confused about her route. We wished her well and continued back to our trail and then to the previously broken trail. It was amazing how easy walking on the broken track seemed after trying to break trail through fresh snow. We covered the 3 miles in about 1 hour 50 minutes. As we left, the other were still present and we did not see any hikers coming up the road to complete their loop.
On Wednesday, February 24th school was closed due to approximately 12 inches of snow that fell overnight. In the morning snow was still lightly falling with more predicted! I decided to go across the street and hike the hill we call Round Top. The field across from my driveway easily had 12 inches of snow. As I climbed the steep hill behind our church views of the town and surrounding hills appeared. EVERYTHING was covered with a thick blanket of heavy snow. I took many pictures from the top of the Orchard Street Cemetery before ducking into the trail in the woods. Sheba was with me and was bounding through the snow. It was "warm" with temperatures in the mid 30's. I chose just to wear a light OR Revel shell. The shell is made of Pertex and is not lined. It also has pit zips and a hood. I did not want to get pelted with snow bombs from the trees without some defense. I took what has become my regular short route which has several challenging sections and ends up in a clearly by a large pine tree. From here I "skied" downhill to the path that parallels The Quickway. After a short walk on this path, I dropped down to a ledge that overlooks the road and took some more pictures. From here it was back up the hill to a woods road. I found another woods road that I do not remember taking before and followed it to a filed overlooking the Exit 96 exit. I continued to follow the road a little farther before cutting up the hill again to intersect my route from earlier. More snow is forecast for Thursday. I can't wait!
On Sunday, February 21st Cindy and I were both feeling the effects of the long hike in the deep snow the day before. We decided to join a group snowshoe from Morgan Outdoors at Crystal Lake. I knew this lake was off County Route 93 near Tennanah Lake so I looked it up on Google Maps. I was surprised to see that it was a small wild forest area. I knew right where the turn was on the way to Fremont Center. Cindy and I decided to get there early since we were not sure how much snow there would be. We turned off the main road onto Tennanah Lake Road and did not have to drive a mile until the sign appeared on the left. We road into the lake seemed to be plowed so we drove into what appeared to be a small turnaround. From this point on the road was not plowed and we were not sure we should go any farther so we parked the car and got out to put on our snowshoes. We intended to hike a little and then meet the group. A jeep appeared from the direction of the lake and the occupants told us the group was running late and that they would meet at the road. Cindy and I walked up to the lake on the road. There was plenty of snow and the small lake was very pretty. We took pictures and then started back to the car.
Once at the car we continued on down to the road. As we neared the end of the access road, cars from the group began to pull up. I helped some of the people new to snowshoeing get their equipment on and then we were off. The plan was to spend about two hours hiking and then go to Cafe Devine in Callicoon. I was more interested in the hike but thought coffee afterwards might be fun. We hiked up the road and passed our car on the way to the lake. We crossed the small dam at the outlet and immediately ran into some drifts. Once through these we proceeded to follow a path around the lake which leads to some campsites. There had been snowshoers here before so we followed there path until it ended near the lake. Most of the group wanted to continue around the lake so we bushwhacked around the upper inlet until we reached the far end of the lake. We stopped to take pictures and then continued. The snow all but disappeared under the trees but we were soon on the other side of the lake on another path and the depth increased again. As we neared the outlet end, I decided to ascend a small ridge. Sheba and I quickly went up the ridge and then I decided not to return on the same route. I started down, sidehilled some and then made a rapid descent back to the main path. I met Cindy at the parking area by the lake and the whole group walked back to the cars. My GPS showed a total of 2.9 miles in about and hours and a half. We decided to go to Cafe Devine and I was glad we did. The cafe has good coffee and I had a great curried chicken salad sandwich. Before eating, we visited the organic food store attached to the cafe and picked up some unusual and expensive items.
On Saturday, February 20th I knew I wanted to snowshoe where there would be enough snow to make the snowshoes worthwhile. I talked it over with Cindy and we decided on North South Lake although I was not sure how much snow we would find. We got a late start after completing some jobs around the house. The day was overcast with a lot of cloud cover but some light. Snow was predicted for later in the day. Cindy does NOT like Route 47 passed Frost Valley so we went to Roscoe and took Route 206 to Route 30 near the Pepacton Reservoir. From here we turned right and headed toward Margaretville and Route 28. As we approached Margaretville, though about the rest of the drive to North South Lake and asked Cindy If she would like to change plans and try hiking Dry Brook Ridge. I had never been on this trail in the winter. The hills around us seemed to have trees covered in snow and rime ice. I though this might make for some nice photographs. Cindy agreed that she liked this idea and we parked at the Hill Road parking area at about 11:00 AM. As started up the trail there was just enough snow to make the snowshoes "work". We noticed that a group in bare boots had gotten there before us even though there was no car in the parking area. The day was warm with temperatures in the high twenties and I started to heat up right away. Soon the bare booter's track stopped indicating they had turned around. The snow was getting deeper the higher we went. I took an opportunity to remove my wool midlayer leaving only a wool baselayer and my Mammut Ultimate Hoody.
As we climbed, not only did the snow on the ground get deeper but the condition of the snow on the trees changed also. At first, the trees had no ice on them and just an occasional deposit of snow. Ice crystals began to form on the trees and were longer and more numerous the higher we went. Near the top of the ridge the crystals covered most of the branches and were very long. We stopped several times to rest and take pictures. The depth of the unbroken snow and the long climb was tiring for both of us. We had forgotten that, despite the signs claiming that the trail junction was 1.7 miles it was actually more kike 2.3 miles. Finally, we reached the trail junction and turned right toward the lookouts. Immediately the snow got even deeper with a harder crust on top which made the going even more difficult. The lookouts were about a mile away and the weather conditions were worsening. After the first short climb on the ridge, Cindy told me to go ahead and try for the lookouts, She said she would continue for awhile and the turn around. I wasn't sure this was a good idea but decided to try it. Sheba and I sprinted ahead trying to make the best time we could to the viewpoints and back.
As we hiked along the ridge, the snow continued to get deeper going from 10 inches, to a foot to 18 inches or more with even deeper drifts. The short, but steep climbs that went quickly during the other seasons, became very difficult. Most of these climbs had almost two feet of unbroken snow which covered the rock outcrops and hid deep crevices. I struggled up two of these and almost stopped several times. I didn't know if I could make the third but Sheba was there to encourage me. At several point along the ridge the trail comes close to the edge with a sheer drop on the one side. The snow seemed to "tilt" toward those drops and shift as I walked over it. I could also see at points that fog had rolled into the valley but I was, at this point, determined to make the lookouts. Finally, after a mile of breaking trail through deep snow, the short side trail to "Overlook Rock" appeared and we walked out to the viewpoints. The entire valley was filled with fog. I took a few pictures of the lookout and the trees surrounding it before turning around to head back.
The trip back was far from easy since the ridge is mostly flat and required a slog through the snow again. At least this time, the trail was broken out a bit. The best parts were the short descents which I "skied" down as quickly as possible. I was watching for Cindy Along the way but I could tell that I was the only one that had passed that way until we were almost back at the trail junction. I could see were she had turned around and headed back. We stepped up the pace and Sheba soon spotted Cindy just before the trail junction. I was glad we were back together and we turned to head back down to the car. We were all tired but most of the return trip is downhill. We used the downhill sections to relax and then slogged across the flatter sections. At one point we were able to see that others on snowshoes had been up the trail. These tracks continued until one of the crossing woods roads which the other hikers had used to get to the main trail. Farther down the hill a new snowmobile track crossed the trail on another woods road. The lower we got the quicker we went in an effort to get back to the car We arrived at the parking area around 3:30 PM having taken 4 and a half hours to cover 6.7 miles.
On Monday, February 15th I wanted to go to hike the Hunter loop and perhaps through in SW Hunter also. I had been wanting to do this for some time but each time I tried either the roads were bad or another hiking opportunity presented itself. An early morning ambulance call delayed my departure and I was surprised to find almost two inches of snow on the roads. When I got home, the snow had abated and I decided to go to Hunter anyway. The weather forecast was for temperatures in the high twenties and partly sunny skies. The roads on the drive were actually pretty clear and the temperature kept fluctuating depending on elevation but never went below 25 degrees. We arrived at the Spruceton Road parking area at about 10:00 AM and got right on the trail. There were two other cars in the parking lot. The register showed a group of three headed for Rusk and two other people going to Hunter. I was wearing a Terramar Thermawool baselayer, an Icebreaker 220 midlayer and my Marmot Sharpoint jacket on top. The snow on the trail was minimal and packed so snowshoes were not really necessary but I had a feeling I would need them up top and wearing them was easier than carrying them. As we started out I was cold but knew I would warm up along the way.
As we walked on the trail there was evidence of several hikers all with snowshoes. We crossed the new bridge and headed for the big turn. At the turn it was clear that the one group had headed to Rusk from that direction. As we continued up the trail, I began to get warmer and warmer. I opened the pitzips on the jacket and unzipped the front of the jacket and the two others layers. The sun was out and there were nice views of Westkill to the right but a few too many trees to take pictures. I thought I might wait until the trail junction to change clothes but this part of the trail is always longer than I think. We stooped and I took off the midlayer completely and switched to light gloves. I was still pretty sweaty but at least I began to feel cooler as we continued. Soon we were at the trail junction and ready to start the climb up Hunter. After Sugarloaf on Friday, the wide trail seemed easy although the climb is long. It was clear one or two hikers had been there before us on snowshoes but, at times their tracks would disappear and then reappear. I was surprised that there was little ice on the trail even as we neared the spring. The spring was snowed in and almost covered so I did not stop but continued on up to the area of the lean-to. Just before the right turn to the lean-to I stopped at the lookout but decided to check out the lean-to first.
The trail to the lean-to is interesting and a little longer than I thought. It descends through a rock crevice to a clearing and faces out toward the valley. The spring is readily accessible and there is a lookout just a short distance in front of the lean-to. The crew that worked on this project deserves and ENORMOUS amount of CREDIT. Of course, the lean-to is well constructed but the trail and the placement are wonderful. I am not a "camper" but I told my wife we must make this our first overnight trip. I dumped my pack and poles in the lean-to and took off my jacket to air it out. The Thermawool baselayer kept me warm enough despite a slight breeze. The Thermawool is VERY warm for its weight and wicks moisture like mad! The views from the lookout on this day were spectacular. The sky was blue with a few clouds and the colors of the snow and trees added just the right contrasts. Standing at the viewpoint you can look across to Westkill and down the Spruceton Valley for what seems like forever. I took quite a few shots before returning to the lean-to to collect my clothing and equipment and get back on the trail. We worked our way back up through the rock crevice and back to the main trail. I decided not to stop to take pictures of Rusk as I wanted to get moving. We made good time passed the 3500 foot sign and were soon at the trail junction with the Colonel's Chair trail. From here toward the summit it seemed like a thoroughfare with multiple snowshoe tracks. I guessed that the Hunter Ski Area must be renting them for the trek to the tower. Soon I heard voices and two young ladies passed me with Salomon snowshoes and no poles. Sheba and I continued to the tower under ever brightening skies.
When we arrived at the tower, there were no other visitors so I dump my pack and snowshoes at the cabin and took out the camera. The trees were completely covered in a white mix of snow and icy with only some green poking through. The sky was a bright blue and I took pictures of the trees, tower and cabin before heading up the tower. The tower steps were remarkably ice free although the foot of the steps sat in a "pool" of ice. I climb to just below the cab and noticed an increase in wind above the tree line but nothing to fierce. The surrounding hills and valley were beautiful and I took quite a few pictures in all directions. As I was taking my last picture the camera shut off as the batteries ran out and I heard voices coming from the Spruceton trail. I descended the tour to find three women; two from Germany and an American friend. They had all come from the Hunter Ski Area. We talked for some time and then I out on my gear and headed out on the trail toward the Devil's Path. I wanted to make a loop back to Spruceton with a visit to the falls and possibly to SW Hunter. The snow was much deeper on this side of the mountain with at least two feet piled along side the trail. From the Becker Hollow trail junction most of the rocks and roots were completely covered by snow making the descent easy and fast. As we neared the Devil's Path, I heard voices and looked up to see four men coming toward us. Doug Hamilton and Dave Moore from the TriValley school district had two other friends with them. We stopped to talk briefly and I found they were doing the same trip I was but in the opposite direction. When they told me they had broken out the herd path to SW Hunter, I knew I would be trying that peak.
After we separated, Sheba and I made good time down to the Devil's Path and the lean-to. We passed the lean-to and I began to look for the herd path. I ALWAYS look for the herd path MUCH too early and spend time wandering aimlessly until I recall the last time I did the same thing. This time it didn't take me long to get back to the main trail, climb a little further and find where the other hikers had gone in. As more people take the path, it becomes more and more distinct. I had no trouble following the path using past experience and the worn in snowshoes tracks. The distance was a little longer than I remembered but soon we were climbing up to the top and the canister. The climb with snowshoes was actually easier than without and we were soon at the top of the climb and at the canister. I signed in, took a few pictures of Sheba and then we started back down. The walk out was even faster than in and we were soon back on the Devil's Path. The trail dips and then ascends briefly to a viewpoint over the valley. On this day the view point didn't offer much since the sun was so bright. We continued on and soon the trail started to descend and get very rocky as the snow thinned. Doug had warned me that I might want to take off the snowshoes. I had left my bungie cords at home so I waited until using the snowshoes became nearly impossible. I found that the top compression straps on my pack were also a great place to hang snowshoes! The snow was still slippery on the rocks and I was careful on the descent until we reached the falls. The falls were almost completely frozen and getting down into the stream bed looked like it would take more effort than I had left in me. I took some pictures, put on the snowshoes and started for the car. We hit the road where I took the snowshoes off or good as we walked back to the car. We were done at about 2:30 PM covering the 10.3 miles in 5 and a half hours. This was a good time since it included a lot of time to stop for pictures and conversation.
On Saturday, February 13th I knew that Tom and Laurie Rankin were slated to be on Balsam Lake Mountain. I asked Cindy if she wanted to go and she said yes. It would be nice to visit Tom and Laurie and get warm before starting back down the mountain! The Beaverkill Road to the Balsam Lake Mountain parking area was a mess so we took our time and arrived in the parking area at about 10:20 AM. We found Forest Ranger Dave Meade talking to some other hikers who were getting ready to head our. Cindy and I geared up and got on the trail. There was enough snow in most places to warrant the snowshoes especially on the first part of the trail where the snow has drifted out of the field. Once in the more protected area of the woods the snow grew a little thin. Let's face it the Catskills need more snow! We kept a good pace to the trail junction and decided to go up the steeper trail and down the shallower backside of the mountain. Cindy felt more comfortable since she is still learning how to maneuver in snowshoes while descending steeper areas.
After we made the turn and started up the mountain, the going got tougher. The snow began to get a little deeper and there were a few icy areas. I stopped to wait for Cindy a few times and I was still warm. However, my feet were feeling the cold. I had used my insulated boots the day before and they were still wet so I decided to wear my Asolo TPS 520 boots. I had worn them before to snowshoe in the winter and remembered them being warm enough. What I forgot was that I had only used them on short trips near the house. As the elevation increased and the temperature dropped my feet began to get COLD. I was hoping that Laurie and Tom were at the cabin and had a fire going Soon we were at the trail to the lean-to and shortly thereafter we passed the 3500 foot sign. With added vigor we climbed the steps passing the spring and reaching the top of the climb. There was quite a bit more snow at the top and the trees were coated in a mix of ice and snow. I was happy to see a set of snowshoe tracks down to the spring. We stopped along the trail to the tower to take a few pictures.
When we reached the tower clearing, we stopped to take a few pictures and then headed for the cabin. Tom had a nice fire going and we entered after removing our snowshoes. They had only been there a couple of hours but the temperature was already a warm 37 degrees. I removed my jacket, gaiters and shoes. As I sat near the fire talking to Tom my feet warmed up and my top began to "steam". Soon I was warm enough to walk to the tower and try to take some photographs. As I stepped out side and walked to the tower, I realized how handy snowshoes can be as I sank into the snow. The tower had some ice on it down low and more above. As I began to climb the wind became much stronger. I stopped just short of the cab and took some pictures. The snow and ice on the trees was pretty and I got some good shots. I didn't stay aloft long and was soon back in the clearing where I snapped some more pictures. Back at the cabin Cindy was about ready to get started, so I got my pack ready and we said goodbye to the Rankins and the warmth of the cabin. Outside it seemed colder than ever so we quickly got on our snowshoes and started down the backside of the mountain to complete the loop.
Tom and Laurie told us there were some drifts on the trail and we soon encountered some that had been partly broken down. We also met three hikers making their way up from the Millbrook trailhead. The descent went very quickly as we slide and skied our way down to the trail junction. As we turned right to return to the car we ran into completely unbroken snow. It was not too deep and we made good time traveling along the trail toward the trail junction. As we reached the junction we saw the hikers from earlier in the day at the parking area descending toward us. They were still some distance away and moving slowly down the steep slope so we continued on to the car. The tracks from earlier were completely drifted over. We arrived back at the parking area just short of 2:00 PM having covered the 4.3 mile distance in 3 and a half hours.
On Friday, February 12th I began a five day weekend and decided to go back to conquer Sugarloaf. This time I planned to park at the Roaring Kill PA and hike up to Pecoy Notch to the Devil's Path and then up Sugarloaf. I hoped this approach would be possible after being turned back by the ice the week before. Sheba and I arrived at Elka Point Road just about 10:15 Am and found it was not plowed. I thought this was strange since Coldfeet and Rockysummit told me they had parked a car in the parking area the week before. This part of the road had obviously not been plowed for some time so I pulled over to the side and parked. Sheba was ready to go so I put on my equipment including snowshoes and started out. The skies were clear and blue with the sun just beginning to come out strong. The temperatures were in the high teens but there was no wind. The snowshoes made the walk to the Roaring Kill PA easier but may not have been essential. When we arrived at the lot, it was completely plowed and the road was cleared. This solved my mystery. The town plows the road from the Dale Lane end since there are people that live on that end. They also do a nice job of clearing the parking area so be sure you come from that direction unless you want the extra mile of walking to warm up.
The snowshoe from where I parked to the Roaring Kill parking area was a nice warm up and the air temperatures were in the low 30's with some bright sun. We got on the trail and I signed the register and started the hike in earnest. The snow wasn't too deep and the trail was partly packed. Soon we were at the "quarry" where people have built chairs and tables. The views of the Catskill Community with KHP and Roundtop behind were very nice. After I took pictures, we walked to the beaver pond and were able to get through this wet area with no problem. The sun angle wasn't good for pictures but I snapped some anyway. As we continued on the hike, the snow got deeper and the warm temperatures made it less consolidated and form. For some distance I was sinking in pretty deep and the going got rough. Soon we were ascending the trail up the mountain which seemed MUCH STEEPER than I remembered. There were many places where I would take a few steps up and then slide backwards as the snow gave way. I felt like I was fighting for every foot I gained. I was also thinking about going back DOWN this mess since I knew the ice on the other side took away that option. I can truly say that if Sheba had not been along to encourage me, I would have given up several times. It took 2 hours and 40 minutes to get to the summit!
Once we were on the summit I decided to walk down the other side a little and see what views were available from the lookout. This proved to be a good idea since these views were VERY good and made up a little for the fight to the summit. After taking pictures and eating and drinking we turned around to face the slide down the mountain. The return trip was every bit as "exciting" as I thought it would be. In places I was able to "ski" on my snowshoes but in others I had to carefully find solid foot placements just to stay on the trail and NOT fall off the mountain. It was nerve wracking at times u my though was always that we were getting closer to being down. By the time we hit the parking area, I was tired. Two other people were in the lot. They had snowshoed the unplowed road and had walk a little on the lower trail. Sheba and I were back at the car by 3:15 PM having taken 5 hours for grueling 8.2 mile hike!
On Sunday, February 7th Cindy and I planned to meet a group from Morgan Outdoor to snowshoe at Frick Pond. We arrived at about 1:00 PM with the group slated to get there at about 1:30 PM. The air temperature was just below 20 degrees but a stiff wind made it feel colder. We did not bring Sheba this time. The cold weather seems to affect her more as she gets older and two cold days in a row are too much. Cindy and I got on our gear and started to snowshoe toward the register box. Once there we made a loop back to the car. Just as we were ready to start another loop Lisa pulled into the parking area with one other person. Eight people who had planned to come had cancelled. Perhaps they were afraid of low temperatures or had other plans but they missed a beautiful day. There was quiet a bit of snow, at least enough to cover the ground and making snowshoes worthwhile. I was cool standing still at the car but once we got started and adjusted our snowshoes I warmed up and had a great trip. We hiked out the Quick Lake Trail to Frick Pond and crossed the bridge over the outlet. There was a howling wind blowing across the pond and I decided that I had taken pictures of the pond in the winter many times before. I left the camera in the pack and had a good time NOT taking pictures for once.
When we reached the other side of the pond, I suggested that we head up the Quick Lake Trail to Iron Wheel Junction. From there we could take the Logger's Loop back to Times Square. Parts of this trail have a lot of blowdown and we worked our way around it flowing a track from some cross country skiers. At Iron Wheel we turned right onto the Logger's Loop which was well packed by snowmobiles. As we walked we heard some machine coming and stepped off the trail as they slowed down to go by. This was our only encounter on our hike. Soon we were descending the hill back to Times Square. Instead of continuing straight ahead back to the pond we turned right and took the loop trail along the west side of Frick Pond. This is a beautiful but short route that passed through some hemlock groves and over some wooden walkways. When we arrived at the Frick outlet again, we turned right and headed back to the car. It was a very enjoyable but energetic two hours.
On Saturday, February 6th I decided to visit one more falls before returning home. As I reached the turn for DeBruce Road on the Frost Valley Road, I continued straight ahead to the Claryville Road where I turned right toward Curry. Once I got to Route 52 I turned left and went through Grahamsville to the Rondout Reservoir. I turned left on 55A and then right when the road goes over the reservoir. I watched for Yagerville Road and made the left to head up the hill. I knew the next right would be a dead end road that would lead me down to Angel Falls. The road was plowed and in good condition and I parked at the end. Cindy and I had visited these falls for the first time in the summer and they seemed quite beautiful. I wanted to see how they looked in winter. Sheba and I walked down the road to the upper falls. I was able to take some pictures from the road and the nigh bank around the falls but negotiating my way down the bank to the stream looked to be too dangerous.
We left the upper falls and walked back on the road to a spot that looked like we could get down the bank safely. From here we walked down the hill toward the stream and the lower falls. I was a little off the most direct path and ended up downstream. This gave me an opportunity to discover the extent of the foundation of the ruins. I still haven't found anyone who can tell me exactly what stood at the falls but it was big! We walked over to the stream and I took some pictures from the stream bed back upstream toward the falls. After working my way up the bank, we visited the rocks that look over the falls. These were slippery so I was careful and took a few more pictures. I was satisfied at this point and it was getting late so we headed back to the car and home.
On Saturday, February 6th I headed for Kaaterskill Falls after coming out of Platte Clove. I found that Clum Hill Road was plowed and easy to follow as a shortcut to 23A on the other side of Tannersville. I made the right on 23A, drove through Haines Falls and parked at the pull off for Kaaterskill Falls. There were several other cars already parked. Two young men were just getting ready to depart and it seemed they might be ready to do some ice climbing by the looks of their equipment. Sheba and I walked down the road to Bastion Falls. These falls were completely frozen over with thick white ice. The only water I could see was that flowing from the base of the falls and passing under the road bridge. I took a few pictures and then put on my Stabilicers to begin the hike to Kaaterskill Falls. The initial part of the trail was covered in thick ice that looked to dangerous even with Stabilicers. Sheba and I went off trail and found a less icy route a little higher up. Once we were able to rejoin the trail where it levels off some the conditions improved and we were able to carefully walk on the trail. There were a few ice flows which we could avoid or walk across carefully. On the way up I noticed an area of impressive ice hanging off a cliff. I made note to take pictures on the way back but We continued toward the falls.
When we got to the falls, I immediately saw that they were frozen. The lower falls were almost completely frozen solid. In fact, a group of ice climbers had already started to climb this ice. I knew a few more climbers would be along soon. They had their ropes anchored by screws at the top of the lower falls and had all the equipment needed to SAFELY climb the ice. The upper falls were frozen but there was still water coming off them. I took mANY pictures of the falls and the climbers before starting back to the car. I toyed with the idea of trying to get up to the basin between the falls but did not have full crampons with me. I also though about driving up to park on Laurel Avenue and come down to the upper falls but I had the idea I could still visit Angel Falls near the Rondout Reservoir if I hurried.
On Saturday, February 6th I decided to look for some frozen water falls after our adventure on Sugarloaf ended early. From Mink Hollow I drove back to Platte Clove Road, made a right and headed for the Platte Clove Preserve. I had been to two waterfalls in the clove during the summer but wanted to revisit them in the winter. I parked at the pullout for the preserve, got my gear together and started the hike down the trail into the clove. I carried my Stabilicers with me for a short distance and then decided they would supply more traction if I put them in my feet! The path underneath the trees was icy as was the trail down to the base of Platte Clove Falls. The falls and the stream below were almost completely frozen. This is what I had been looking for in Pennsylvania the previous week! Only a small open space showed water actually flowing over the falls. The ice looked thick on the stream so I ventured out onto it carefully to get the best, unobstructed shots. I took many pictures before deciding to go to the upper falls near the footbridge.
The last time I was in Platte Clove, I simply climbed the steep bank next to Platte Clove Falls and to the shortest route to the upper falls. The snow was deep and there was a lot of ice so I decided to play it safe. I retraced my steps to the Platte Clove nature found a path down to the stream. This was not easy since the banks were icy and the snow on top made things that much more interesting. I finally worked my way down to the stream and again braved the ice to work my way into the best position for pictures. I took my shots and then went back to the car. It was still early so Sheba and I headed for Kaaterskill falls.
On Saturday, February 6th I planned to get together with Coldfeet and Rockysummit to hike Sugarloaf. They were meeting in Haines Falls and were going to spot a car at the Roaring Kill PA. I decided to drive directly to Mink Hollow and meet them there. The plans were a little tentative but I arrived at 9:00 AM after getting a late start for no reason. The air temperature was about 15 degrees but there was no wind. I waited until 9:15 AM and thought perhaps I had misunderstood the meeting time or place and started to get my equipment ready. As soon as I started to get my gear together, their car pulled up and we introduced ourselves and got ready to go. There was so little snow at the parking area that we debated what to wear on our feet and finally decided it was easier to wear the snowshoes than to carry them. The "trail" from Mink Hollow up to the Devil's Path and the lean-to is not an official trail and, therefore, is not marked. We didn't have much trouble following it but did have some trouble trying to find the best snow and stay out of the eroded areas. Soon we were at the Devil's Path and turned left for the climb up Sugarloaf. The amount of snow increased and the hiking became or difficult as the pitch increased. There were also a few icy spots but we managed to make pretty good time.
We stopped to take a few pictures of the trail and Plateau to the west and then it was back to the climb. The first interesting section is where the trail passed through a short "tunnel" and then emerges on a rock shelf. Just after the shelf is a short but narrow ledge that leads to another rock shelf and the rest of the trail. In all other seasons this is no problem but the snow and icy made this "exciting". We negotiated this section and then continued up. Soon the snow became thinner and the ice became THICKER. We cam upon an ice flow that covered the entire trail in 8 to 12 inches of ice. I went up with my MSR Lightning Ascent snowshoes but the going was definitely dicey. When I looked back, I realized Sheba was NOT following. My dog is much smarter than I am and she refuse the attempt the sheer ice. I had two choices at that point. I could finish the climb up the ice and see if I could get her to try another route or I could go back down and we could look for another path together. I decided on the latter but when I turned around I realized my predicament. Coming up the ice was difficult. Going back down proved to be nearly impossible! At some point I got the idea that the only thing I could do was it down and inch myself down the ice flow. As I sat I found out how slippery that ice was and how quickly bad can go to worse. I began a RAPID DESCENT down the ice and decided to aim for a nearby tree to arrest my slide. As I approached the tree, I realized that one leg would be on one side of the tree and the other leg would be on the other side! I quickly decided on an alternate plan and slid by the tree into some soft snow. I came to rest rather gently and immediately began to take inventory of body parts and equipment. Remarkably all the body parts were intact and all the equipment was nearby. As I began to pick myself up, Sheba arrived to give encouragement.
I was pretty convinced at this point that Sheba and I would turn back but Rockysummit somehow persuaded me to venture up to the next ascent to see the extent of the ice. Coldfeet was a little further behind putting on crampons. Sheba and I worked our way on a bushwhack back up to the flatter part of the trail. We met Rockysummit and went on to the next climb. This nearly vertical ascent was a series of rock ledges enshrouded in ice! I made my decision at this point. I did not have crampons and could not have gotten Sheba up those ledges even if I could have gotten up. I was also concerned about more ice further up and the descent down the other side. As we all gathered at this point, I told my companions that Sheba and I were going to turn around. The other two decided to go on and we wished each other good luck and parted company. Sheba and I were not home free as we worked our way back down passed the ice flows and that narrow ledge. Once at the lean-to it was a simple matter of walking down our path from early in the day to the car. I don't like to give up without summitting but I was sure I had made the right decision. The round trip had taken less than two hours so we were still ready for more. I contemplated going to Roaring Kill and hiking from there but decided to wait and see what the others had found on that side. After thinking a little more, I decided to go in search of some frozen falls and headed off to Platte Clove.
On Sunday, January 31st the weather turned milder than the day before with a lot of sun. I planned to go to Little Pond state campsite at 1:30 PM to snowshoe with a group from Morgan Outdoor. Sitting around home after church I got bored and decided to head up to Little Pond to get in a little extra time and scout out the conditions. I parked at the base of the access road so as not to block the gate and quickly put on my snowshoes. I was disappointed that there was only a few inches of snow on the road and hoped that would increase as Sheba and I headed up the hill. It was a beautiful day but still cold. The walk up to the main gate and then to the pond went very quickly. The snow never did get very deep except in the drifts near the pond. I took some pictures of the deserted building and of picnic tables turned up for the winter. We walked out to the new bridge over the outlet and I took more pictures of the pond and the surrounding hills. I decided we had enough time to make it around the pond and back down to meet the group so we started around the pond in a counterclockwise direction. The snow was minimal and the snowshoes were really unnecessary except for traction. As we reached the inlet of the pond, we passed the trail junction to the viewpoint. I wondered if anyone in the group would want to try for the viewpoint. We kept a good pace around the pond and were back down to Barkaboom Road by 1:20 PM. No one had arrived yet so we did a few laps of a nearby clearing until cars started to arrive.
As cars started to arrive I helped novices put on and adjust their snowshoes. Several other dogs were on the hike. Sheba was pretty good with the other canines since she was outside and able to roam. Soon we were headed up the hill to the campgrounds traveling in several small groups based on ability. We headed around the pond anticlockwise until we got to the upper end. Here, two women and myself decided to hike up to the lookout over the pond. The trail was barely covered with snow but wearing the snowshoes was easier than carrying them. Up we went and both women were surprised at the beauty of the small evergreen forest. Soon we were approaching the saddle between mountains that gives a nice view over Little Pond and the valleys below. TouchMeNot Mountain is also very evident. We stayed for a few minutes to get some pictures and then started back down to the trail around the pond. When we arrived at the main trail, I asked if it would be OK if I went ahead as they were more tired and taking their time. They had no problem with this idea so I excused myself and Sheba and I headed for the car. It was a nice hike with a good group of people.
On Saturday, January 30th when Cindy and I arrived at the George Childs Picnic area there was only one other car parked in the small area that had been cleared by the side of the road. The parking lot was full of snow. This was a far cry from the summer when the lot was almost full despite a downpour. At that time the park was full of families, photographers and artists painting the falls. We got out of the car and walked the trail to the uppermost falls, Factory Falls. There was a good flow of water and we stopped to take pictures. It was odd that the roar of the water was really the only sound to be heard!
We walked the trail to the upper part of Fulmer Falls, the next one down the stream. It was still cold and there was ice on the walk and the railings near the falls. We took some shots from this viewpoint and then headed back down the trail to the base of the falls. The trail turns into boardwalks and stairs which, in the summer, were very convenient but now were covered in slippery ice. At the base of the stairs I ventured out onto the tongue of land that push into the stream and offers a good view of the falls. I didn't go far since the ice was thick and falling in the cold water was unappealing! I took my pictures and then carefully headed back to the "safety" of the walkways.
We continued on the boardwalk and stairs to the last falls, Deer Leap. The trail leads to a broad open area at the base of the falls. This is a narrow falls that drops about 20 feet from a narrow gap. A bridge lies directly over the falls and adds or subtracts something depending on your view. We continued over the bridge at the base of the falls and up the other side. I was intending to walk up the trail to the top of Fulmer Falls since there is a nice lookout from the other side. The trail was too icy for this and the lookout does require one to hold onto a tree and lean out for the best vies. We decided to take the bridge below Fulmer back to the other side and walk up to the car. We did try to visit Dingman's Falls after this but the road was NOT plowed!
On Saturday, January 30th Cindy and I drove from Shohola Falls over some back roads to Raymondskill Falls. We parked in the small lower lot and put on our Stabilicers for the trip down the trail to the falls. As it turned out most of the trail was in good shape but several icy patches made the traction worthwhile. The volume of the falls was high and not much of the water was frozen. As at Shohola, there was a lot of frozen spray on the rocks, trees and railings near the falls. We took some pictures and then headed back up the trail to the upper part of the falls.
The trail to the upper falls was mostly clear of snow and ice but there were a few tricky spots. The damage to the hemlocks from the wooly agelid was evident even in winter. There was less frozen spray at the top of the falls. I was able to walk out onto rocks over the falls and was able to get some shots down the spray covered rocks and trails below. After taking some pictures, we retreated to the car and headed for the George Childs Picnic Area on Silver Lake Road. This area has three different falls we wanted to visit.
On Saturday, January 30th I had planned to hike with a group from the Millbrook trailhead to Graham and Balsam Lake Mountain. Although I had hiked these peaks from Beaverkill the previous weekend. I was looking forward to hiking with the group. The weather forecast was for air temperatures at or below zero with winds in the double digits range. This would bring the windchill in the early morning down to near 20 below. Unfortunately, the forecast was correct and plans changed. Sitting around the house was making me crazy so I convinced my wife that we should go to the Delaware Water Gap to photograph some waterfalls. I knew that the wind was dying down and that Pennsylvania would be warmer. It turned out I was right but that only meant the air temperatures broke into the double digits! I had been to the waterfalls in August and wondered how they would look with a greater volume and how the cold temperatures would have changed them. I remembered most of the locations and twists and turns and so we headed to Port Jervis then to Milford to find Shohola Falls and begin the adventure.
When we arrived at the parking area, it was COLD with a stiff wind blowing across the reservoir. We took our cameras and walked over to the trail to the falls. The first thing we noticed was that the water was high and everything was coated with ice. I remembered that the trails were "interesting" in the summer when wet and knew I would have to be careful. I had hoped the falls would be frozen but the high volume of water prevented that. However, the spray coming off the falls had coated many of the trees and rocks making a beautiful scene. We took some pictures from the trail where it was safe and then I worked my way down to the trail that overlooked the falls. I didn't go too far since the trail was covered in ice and I only had Stabilicers. After taking some pictures, I went back up to where Cindy had waited and we went back to the car.
We drove across the road bridge to the other side of the falls and parked. I had not visited this side in the summer and was anxious to see what the view looked like. It was still cold and the wind was making it even colder. We walked down through the field and took some pictures of the reservoir before walking to the relative shelter of the trail in the trees. The trail descended to the stone parapet just above the falls. This lookout did provide a different view of the falls. From this angle it was even more obvious how high the water was. There was also a direct shot across to the ice covered rocks and trees on the other side of the falls. I took a lot of pictures before working my way up the trail and walking along the stream on the high bank. The trail didn't afford much of a view so I returned to Cindy and we went back to the car for a trip to Raymondskill.
On Saturday, January 23rd I was ready to hike somewhere after a layoff of almost two weeks due to a pesky cold. I still had some symptoms but could not wait until they were completely gone! At one point a week ago, I had thought about hiking Graham and that idea came back to me. Graham can be a long hike but it is not too steep and I thought maybe the snow, at least near the top, might be good. I planned to pack my snowshoes since I thought there wouldn't be too much snow left at the railhead based on the conditions in town. As I drove up the Beaverkill Road, it seemed that there was plenty of snow on the ground and I hoped this would be true at the trailhead. When we arrived at the parking area I was surprised to see it completely plowed and equally surprised to see no other cars. The day was bright and beautiful with the temperatures just hitting the twenties when I parked. One looked showed there was enough snow on the trail to warrant snowshoes. By 10:45 Am we were on the trail. I had two light wool layers and my Mammut Ultimate Hoody. The Mammut Champ pants are quickly becoming my favorite winter pants and I backed them up with Icebreaker 200 leggings. The trail showed evidence of snowshoe and ski use but also shoed that some inconsiderate postholers had been at work! The snow was frozen and pretty hard but I figured this would change as the temperatures warmed. I, of course, was overdressed for snowshoeing and made it only to the first trail junction until I had to remove the hoody and change into a lighter hat and gloves.
At the trail junction, we continued straight ahead since I intended to climb Graham first and then see whether we felt like doing Balsa, Lake on the way back. Passed the junction there was still well broken trail but the postholes disappeared. The sun was even brighter and the air temperature warmer. I hadn't hiked this way in some time and was surprised at how much uphill it was. Without the leaves on the trees it was also possible to see the surrounding hills and get a good look down into the Gulf of Mexico. When we arrived at the second trail junction, there were relatively fresh snowshoe tracks going up Balsam Lake but I wasn't sure how fresh. We continued on until the herd path to Graham appeared on the right, Actually, the herd path seemed just as prominent as the main trail as it was well broken out by snowshoe traffic. We followed this track and I was amazed at how much snow there was and how the snow "smoothed" out the trail. Normally the herd path to Graham is full of rocks and roots and wet spots but the rocks and roots were well buried under the snow and the wet spots were all frozen! We continued to follow the broken track as it wound its way back and forth and up and down and eastward toward the summit of Graham. We were keeping a pretty good pace but I could feel the effects of being ill. Soon we started the climb up Graham which starts gently at first and really never gets very steep. The sun was bright and I could see some nice views on both side but all were through the trees
As we neared the top of the mountain Sheba "alerted" and cam back to me. I looked up to see two people coming down the mountain toward us. It took only a moment for the man to yell "Hi, Ralph!" It took me just a moment more to yell "Hello, Ralph!" It was Ralph Ryndak (Hermit) and Maddy (Maddy). It was their snowshoe tracks I had been seeing. They had started from Millbrook a little before Sheba and I had parked at the Beaverkill parking area. Ralph introduced me to Maddy and we talked for a little while. They assured me the view from both mountains was great and then we continued in our own directions. The rest of the way up to the summit went quickly as we passed by the lookout on the left to get to the summit. The summit was bathed in sun and the views were beautiful in all directions. We got a drink and ate some lunch. I took pictures of the building at the top and quite a few pictures of the hills and valley covered in snow. The bright blue sky was a nice backdrop. It was so clear that the fire tower on Balsam Lake was easy to spot. We didn't stay too long before heading back down the mountain. On the way back we stepped off the trail to go to the viewpoint where others had also been. The views from here were also very good and I took several shots before getting back on the trail. My muscles had been tired climbing but the trip down was easy. In many places the snow had softened enough so that I could sit back on the shoes and slide down the trail.
Soon we were back on the main trail and at the trail junction up to Balsam Lake. I had debated what to do here all the way down Graham and decided to give it a try despite my tired legs. We made the right turn and were soon climbing up to the tower. My legs felt a little tired but the trail on this side of the mountain is rather gentle compared to other side although it is longer. As we gained elevation, it was clear that this WAS the north side as there was less evidence that there had been much melting of the snow due to exposure to direct sunlight. There were many places where the trees were still covered with snow forming a "spruce tunnel". I took some pictures and also snapped some photos of the tower framed by the trees as we approached the summit. When we arrived, there were two pairs of hikers present. A father and son from Margaretville who had hiked up from Millbrook and another pair from the Beaverkill trailhead. There were also two dogs, one of which seemed a little "aggressive". I told Sheba to stay by the picnic table and I went up the tower. The views were VERY good in all directions and, even though I had taken many photographs from the tower before, I took quite a few pictures. The pair who parked at Beaverkill were from Catskill and asked me how to get back to Route 28. They had come over Cross Mountain Road which I had thought was impassable in the winter. After I gave them directions, I came down the tower and Sheba and I headed back to the car. The trip down went quickly as I was a able to slide most of the way with only a few dicey spots near the top. Once on the main trail we picked a fast pace and were back at the car my 3:30 PM. The 8.5 mile trip had taken us a little over four and a half hours with a generous amount of stopping time for pictures and conversations.
On Sunday, January 10th I decided to go back to Big Pond and finish the loop hike that we had started but aborted the day before. The temperature seemed warm, although it was only in the high teens, and the wind had died down some. We arrived at Big Pond at about 12:15 PM and were ready to hike almost immediately. I was afraid that the warmer temperatures and the wind might have removed the frozen snow from the trees but one look at the hills around Big Pond convinced me that it was still there and still beautiful. The fisherman were back on the lake but I decided to get hiking immediately and forego any photography until we entered territory that we had not covered the day before. My plan was to do a loop from Big Pond up Cabot Mountain and down to Little Pond and then back up Touchmenot to the trail junction and back to the car. I knew this was about 7 miles and that the time was short! The hike up to the trail junction went quickly since the trail was broken and we knew where we were going. The hike that had taken 75 minutes the day before took only 35 minutes this day. Once at the junction, we made the right and started down the other side toward the next trail junction to climb Cabot Mountain. Our paced slowed some since the trail at this point was unbroken and there was no evidence that anyone had been on it since the last snowfall. The descent on this side of the mountain also has some interesting rock scrambles with narrow passages that are hard to execute on snowshoes!
We arrived at the trail junction to Cabot Mountain which was posted as the "Beaverkill Overlook .5 miles". As we stared off in this direction the trail was poorly marked and not very well defined. This trail does not get much traffic and gets pretty overgrown in places. The first part of the trail is pretty flat and skirts Cabot Mountain. The snow grew deeper as we approached the base of the mountain and began to climb. The first part gains elevation but does so rather slowly. Soon we were on a steeper part with rocks and roots and twists and turns. The snow was so deep that I had to make sure one shoe was set and then paw with the other to clear the snow and get a grip before transferring my weight. Along the way there were several places where I had to step up on rocks. Finally, we were near the top where things get really steep and there are SW rock scrambles to work through. Sheba led the way but I began to think of the trip back. At one point Thought we were finally at the top but there were still a few scrambles and a steep section to go. The trail was nearly unmarked in several spots but we eventually made it to the flat part on top and the overlook. The views were worth the work. I just wasn't sure about the trip back down. I took many pictures before we headed back the way we had come,
The .5 or so miles from the junction to the top had taken about 45 minutes of hard work. The first part of the trip back was fun since I just pulled up the tips of my snowshoes and "skied" down the trail. Once we reached the steeper sections the real "fun" began. Negotiating the narrow scrambles was difficult only to be dumped onto a steep area. I found that not only can you "ski" on snowshoes but you can "jump" off rocks. The same trip that took 45 minutes up lasted only 18 minutes on the way back to the trail junction. At this point Sheba went straight ahead in the direction we had come from. I decided to turn right and go to Little Pond despite the fact that it was growing late. One the way back I would wonder if I should have listened to Sheba! The trail to Little Pond leads through an open field in the saddle between the hills and I though the view from this lookout might be nice. I was right and we walked to the center of the field where I took my pack off and got out the camera. The mountains and valleys near and far were beautiful with all the elevations above 2500 feet encased in frozen snow. The sky was also a deep blue with many interesting cloud formations. I took many pictures and then decided to move on as the sun sunk lower in the sky. I remember that the trail used to lead through another open field but when I got there it was completely grown over. It had been a long time since I had taken this route.
The walk down to Little Pond was quick despite the deep snow and the poor trail blazing. At one point there was a beaver meadow or swamp off to the left where I stopped to take a few more shots. Back on the main trail we soon arrived at Little Pond and made the left to walk along the near side of the pond to the main parking area. At one point we stopped and I took some photographs of the pond before continuing on. Once we arrived at the main parking area I had to make a choice of whether to walk down the access road to the main road and then back to the car or to continue on the trails. The trail are shorter but the road is easier. I couldn't tale long to decide as the time was growing short. I decided to try the trail up to Touchmenot Mountain which would intersect my trail from earlier in the day. As I started out on the trail I took a step and my entire right leg cramped! I had been sweating profusely despite the air temperature and the venting. The problem was that I had taken only a few sips of water. I massaged my leg until the worst cramping stopped and then drank an entire bottle of water. I waited only a short time and started out. The cramping started again so I stopped to stretch it out and massage it. After a few of these incidents, the cramping stopped. The leg still hurt and I kept anticipating another bout. The trail was even steeper than I remembered and it seemed like it would never end. Each time I though we might be at the top, there was another scramble or section of uphill. Finally we reached the flat part at the top and actually started to descend. I had expected to intersect my trail from the morning by now but had not. I consulted my GPS and found it as less than .2 miles ahead. This was a good thing since it was beginning to get dark.
When we intersected our packed trail, I was very happy and Sheba seemed pleased also as she increased the pace. We hit the trail junction at 4:00 PM and made it back to the car without stopping by 4:30 PM. I though we could do this faster but my legs were both hurting. We had covered 7 difficult miles in just over 4 hours. I was pleased we had made it before dark but the adventure had one more twist. I stowed my gear, put Sheba in the back and started to get into the car. My right leg cramped again and my left was also not happy. My car is a standard which made things even more interesting. After some more massaging and another bottle of water I started out. There was a beautiful sunset and I was trying to think about where I could get some shots. My legs had different ideas. I was almost back to town when the cramping started again. I stopped the car, stretched and massaged until I could get back into the seat and finish the trip. Three days later my legs were still sore! This is the second or third time I have had cramping from dehydration. I am a slow learner.
On Saturday, January 9th the temperature was in the single digits early in the morning. I had tentative plans to hike KHP with a small group but Cindy did not want to go so far away from home. We decided to wait until the temperatures warmed and pick someplace closer to home. By mid morning the air temperatures was about 12 degrees and we decided to head to Graham Mountain. As we drove up the Beaverkill Road we approached the turnoff for the Barkaboom Road and decided we had driven far enough. I made the turn and headed for Big Pond. When we parked at the pond, the temperature was about 6 degrees with a 20 mph wind! Just how cold it was became immediately apparent as I stepped out of the car to take some pictures. By the time I had snapped several shots without gloves, my hands lacked any felling. Standing on the lee side of the car made putting on the snowshoes bearable. The pond was a beautiful site since the hill tops were covered with frozen snow and ice. Despite the temperatures, there were a few ice fisherman out on the pond setting up their tip ups and shelters! We walked up the road a hundred feet and then turned left onto the trail and started on the trail.
The trail, which is part of the Finger Lakes System, ascends rather steeply at first before leveling off some. The snow was 10 to 12 inches deep and completely unbroken with no evidence that anybody had been there since the last snowfall. This trail is not heavily used and is hard to follow in the winter in some places. In addition, most of the trail markers are old, some were missing and others were covered by snow. More than one time I had to retreat from where I was headed when Cindy pointed out a marker in a different direction or Sheba indicated the trail went another way. The trail soon began to get steeper and, in some places, we almost had to sidehill. We stopped occasionally to give Cindy a breather before continuing. I took advantage of this time to take pictures of the ice and snow on the trees. In the woods the wind was not so bad and I began to heat up as we walked along. After about an hour we reached the flatter part near the top of the mountain. In another 15 minutes we were at the trail junction. I turned right toward Cabot Mountain and started off. Cindy let me know that she was still OK for flat or down but that up was out of the question. We decided to turn around and go back to the car.
I like going down on snowshoes since it is possible, with practice, to pull the tips of the shoes up and almost ski down the trail. This requires balance, care and good pole placement. Cindy does not have as much experience so her descent was marked by slip, slide and fall. The snow cushioned most of the spills but the trip back was not elegant. We did make it back by about 12:30 PM. The wind had died down and the temperature had gone up some. The sun was out and almost felt warm. We had covered a little over two miles in 2 hours and 15 minutes. This does seem slow but breaking trail in fresh powder is time consuming and energy draining.
On Saturday, January 2nd Cindy and I though we might get in some snowshoeing despite temperatures in the high single digits and winds gusting to over 20 mph. This put the windchill at below 0 F but we have the clothing and wanted the exercise. We didn't want to go to far and wanted the option to later the route if it was too cold. We also worry about Sheba being out for too long in the bitter cold. Due to all these factors we chose Frick Pond and arrived in the parking area around 12:30 PM. The road to Mongaup Pond had been plowed but the fresh snow on the Beech Mountain extension had not been touched. We would again be the FIRST to hike in the area. Once we parked we hurried to get ready since we were both cold standing still. I decided to give up my Mammut Ultimate Hoody for the day and try my new Arcteryx Gamma SV Hooded Jacket. This jacket had more lining and would, therefore, seem to be warmer. It was and I didn't get overheated despite the lack of pit zips. My only other complaint about the jacket is that the hood is "helmet compatible". This means that without a helmet it is too big and floppy and is in the way! The jacket does fit well, seems well constructed and has two "high" pockets that are out of the way of pack straps and climbing harnesses.
On Thursday, December 31st Cindy and I saw Krista and Brad off at about 12:00 PM. They had planned to leave earlier but a short storm dropped between 2 and 3 inches of new snow in just a few hours. By noon the snow had stopped and the road crews were out. Cindy and I decided to go snowshoe at Frick Pond and headed out DeBruce Road. DeBruce had quite a bit of snow and Mongaup Pond Road was untouched but we made it to the parking area easily. When we got out of the car, the air was very still with a temperature in the high 20's. We put on our snowshoes and started out on the Quick Lake Trail to Frick Pond. The new snow covered the ground and we were the first people to see it! At Frick Pond we stopped for a few pictures and then continued on around the pond. The walk through the pines and over the boardwalks was peaceful and beautiful. Once at Times Square we stopped for a moment as I took off my light jacket. I was already warm from the exertion and I felt my two wool shirts would be warm enough since there was no wind. We decided to take the challenge of the climb up the Big Rock Trail to the Flynn Trail Junction. This trail rises about 650 feet in a little more than a mile. The trail had been packed by snowmobiles which makes snowshoeing a little easier. Once on the Flynn Trail we turned right and walked the 1.7 miles DOWN to the parking area. All in all a nice hike of 4 miles in almost exactly two hours.
On Wednesday, December 30th I had plans to hike Packsaddle and Pine Island with a group but another early morning ambulance call changed those plans. When I got back, I decided to do Peekamoose and, maybe, Table since they are relatively close and have some good views. I left Manor with only Sheba in the car and got to the main parking area at 9:00 AM> Another car arrived and we talked for a minute. They were debating whether or not to wear snowshoes which I had taken as a given. I STRONGLY suggested that they wear snowshoes having read several posts in the forums about postholers ruining the trails due to being unprepared or inconsiderate or both. When I left at 9:15 AM, they were still debating the issue and I hoped they would make the right choice. From the trailhead to the register there was so little snow that I thought I might strap the shoes to my pack until I remembered the bungies were in the car! When I signed in at the register, another hiker had made a rather lengthy and pointed comment about those who choose not to wear snowshoes. I thought it was a little harsh but that was before the snow began to get deeper. There was a few inches of packed snow from the register to the turnoff from the woods road onto the trail. To this point we were making good time.
After the turn onto the trail the snow got a little deeper but it seemed this was mostly due to drifting. There were places where the drifts were over a foot deep but other spots where there was almost no snow! Soon we hit the first of the rock scrambles which I negotiated without removing the snowshoes. The snow got a little deeper the higher we went and another rock scramble was accomplished without a problem. Sheba always goes up first and then waits for me to see if I will make it OK. The blue markers along the trail were few a far between and looked pretty old. Since the trail was completely unbroken, I had to look carefully to see where it went. Fortunately, Sheba does not have that problem! The farther along the trail we went the more annoying the postholers" became. It was not only the occasional hole but the narrow track set my these barebooters. Snowshoes set a wider track so my shoes would keep turning in when I tried to follow the main trail! After one more rock scramble, we arrived at Reconnoiter Rock. I stopped to take some pictures of the area including some of Sheba posing near the rock. We got a drink and a snack and then headed on up the mountain. I had only seen the two hikers behind me once when I thought they would catch and pass me. I wondered now where they had gone!
As soon as we got back on the trail, the snow began to get MUCH deeper. Drifts of snow two feet deep were common and it was obvious that there was 8 to 12 inches of new snow on top. This began just as we started to climb and it slowed me down considerably. I had Sheba walk in my tracks as this made it easier for her although she seemed perfectly willing to lead the way! We climbed some steeper areas and walk through some rocky places until we were at the lookout. Here we stopped and I took quiet a few pictures. The sky was blue with a few clouds but the scene was panoramic! I didn't want to cool off too much since by this time I was wearing only a Mammut Warm Zip Top and my Mammut Ultimate Hoody over that. Surprisingly this was enough as long as I kept moving. What I seem to forget is that after the lookout there is still quite a distance to go to the summit both horizontally and vertically. Some of the more difficult areas are on the last push to the summit. We made good time across the little plateau before the summit and then attacked the last climb to the summit. A few places here are steep and I had to dig in with the snowshoe crampons to prevent sliding backwards. A few other spots are rocky and require some maneuvers with snowshoes. It wasn't too long until we were up and headed across the flat area toward the final climb. Once up the last part it was a short distance until we came to the large boulder that marks the summit.
I had not checked my watch on the way up and wanted to see now how long it had taken. I thought some where between 2 and 2.5 hours was likely. My watch said 12:45 PM which meant that it had taken 3.5 hours! I knew that going down would be much quicker but I was tired of breaking trail by myself. In addition, the trip to Table, although short, offers no real views. I would save Table for another day. After a few pictures on the summit, Sheba and I turned around and started down. We only got a few steps when the first of the other two hikers arrived. His partner was nowhere to be seen. I was happy to see he had chosen to wear the snowshoes but was surprised that he did not have poles. I am not sure I have ever seen this before in the mountains. We talked briefly and then headed in our own directions. As we began to descend, the other hiker showed up. He also had snowshoes but no poles. We talked briefly and I wondered to myself why these two "decided" to separate. I slipped and slid down some of the steepest parts near the top until we were on the plateau. The rest of the hike down went pretty smoothly slowed only by the rock scrambles and some areas with almost now snow. I was able to keep the shoes on for the whole hike.
Soon we turned from the trail onto the woods road and continued to set a quick pace. I signed out at the register noting that the "old" pages had been picked up by a ranger. The two other hikers were from Burlington, VT. From the register it was a quick trip to the car. We were back at the car by 3:45 PM having taken 5.5 hours to cover the 7.6 miles. My new GPS showed that we had "rested" for a total of almost and hour. I think some of this time was the slow going on the ascent. As I pulled out of the parking area, I deiced to drive up the road to take some pictures of Buttermilk Falls. I parked the car at the side of the road and walked back to the bridge. The falls was encased in ice and I took some rather nice pictures. I then walked the path toward the stream to get a better view. After snapping a few more shots, I headed back to the car and started for home.
On Monday, December 28th Karl and I decided we wanted to snowshoe. I had intended to head for Hunter since the reports of snow were good. An early morning ambulance call altered those plans and we decided to test the conditions closer to home at Long Pond. I thought we might try hiking up to the pond and then passed the lean-to. From here we could connect to Basily Road. Cross the beaver pond and continue on Basily to Flugertown Road and back to the car. I was not concerned about the distance but was a little worried about crossing the beaver pond and the stream immediately after it. We parked in a VERY icy parking lot at 12:30 PM and started up the hill immediately. There was enough snow to wear the snowshoes but they were more for traction as the snow was packed and not very deep. The first part of the trail is ALL uphill but it is not very steep or very long. We hiked along and talked until we got to the turnoff for Long Pond. We walked down to the pond and I took some pictures. The ice was thin near the edge where the plants grow but the ice across the rest of the pond look solid.
We continued on the main trail until the junction and turned right to head toward the lean-to. There aren't nay views along the way but the woods were quite with little wind and everything was peaceful. We decided to continue passed the lean-to and on around in the "big loop". It took a little longer than I though but we soon hot the road/snow mobile trail. Someone had been there recently with a pickup which chewed the road up some but we were able to avoid most of the mud. We made a couple of lefts until we were on Basily Road and headed back toward Flugertown Road. As we approached the beaver pond, I hoped the water would be low enough for us to cross. I need not have worried since there was a nice, new footbridge across the stream. We stopped to take some pictures and then continued on. The gate on the private bridge over the next stream was open and we took the opportunity. I don't like crossing private land without asking but it was only a few hundred feet and... Soon we were on the road and headed back toward the car. The road is not maintained for some distance so we kept the snowshoes on until we reached the maintained part of the road. Here we took the shoes off and carried them less than a mile to the car. It was just passed 3:30 PM and we had covered the 6 miles in just over 3 hours.
On Sunday, December 27th Brad and I decided to hike after church. I was afraid that the warm weather would have turned many of the Catskill trails to "mush". We decided to head south to the Bear Mountain area and hike the Dunderberg Mountains. The drawback to this hike is the drive of more than one hour. As we drove down the Quickway, I kept thinking of other places to hike that were closer but stuck to the original plan. I wanted some good views on this beautiful day and had not hiked this route in some time. I was hoping we would have enough time to hike from the parking area near Jones Point up to Bald Mountain and back across the ridge in a clockwise direction. We parked at about 1:00 PM and got hiking immediately. We noticed immediately that there was NO SNOW and that the temperatures were in the low to mod 40's. I had told Brad the story of the spiral railway and to look for features related to it. As we hiked the flat area at the bottom, we could see a cascade of water off the ridge. We took some pictures and left our cameras out to take pictures of the first stone tunnel at the base of the ridge. After this, we began the climb up to the ridge where we turned left to head out toward the Timp.
We hiked along the trail at the edge of the ridge and I told Brad that the best areas for taking pictures were more toward the top of the ridge. We followed the trail as it followed the edge of the ridge giving us good views of the river below and the power plants including Indian Point. The trail cuts back severely several times on its way up the ridge. We stopped occasionally to take a few pictures and at one stop I took off my jacket since the temperatures were rising toward the 40's! One viewpoint gave us a great view of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant and the Hudson River to the south. Although it was hazy, we could also see the Manhattan skyline in the distance! As we worked our way up the trail, the second tunnel came into view blasted into the side of the mountain. The water was low enough to investigate some. It appears the tunnel does not go far into the mountain and then stops. We took pictures and the got back on the trail which follows the built up railroad bridge until it crosses a stream and begins to ascend again. After working over and through some rocks we descended into an area just before the climb to the Timp. I suggested we skip the Timp and head to Bald Mountain to save time. Brad agreed and we made a quick right and then another to head that way.
We walked a small ridge and then descended into a little valley just before the start of the climb up Bald Mountain. This is one of the prettiest places on the hike and my favorite. The small stream was swollen but we found a place to hop across. The climb up Bald Mountain is not very steep nor is it long. At the top it levels off and then makes a final ascent to a broad rock ledge that offers some great views. The skies were clear this day and the views magnificent. We could see the Perkins Tower on Bear Mountain so clearly it seemed you could reach our and touch it, Below Bear Mountain the bridge stretches across the Hudson. The views up the river to the north went on forever. Immediately below Bald Mountain is Iona Island which now serves as a bird sanctuary. The building on the island were built to store munitions. After taking many photographs it was time to get back on the trail. At this point I was a little concerned about finishing before dark so we stepped up the pace as we hiked across the Dunderberg Ridge itself and what is marked on the map as Dunderberg Mountain.
The trail rolls as it crosses the ridge and there are some views from the higher spots. None of these views are better than the ones from Bald Mountain so we did not stop. As you approach the eastern end of the ridge several roads cross the trail. These seem to connect to the trail on the other side of the ridge but we decided to stay with the known route. We walked through the area that was burned by a forest fire and was the most probable site of the boarding house or hotel that the abandoned railroad was supposed to serve. The trail started to descend from the ridge and I knew we would be OK for time. We stopped at one viewpoint to take pictures of Peekskill Bay and even were able to photograph a Conrail train passing over a small bridge. The trail was very wet and almost indistinguishable from a creek bed at times. After the descent we walk along the built up railroad bed which was blasted from the side of the hill. The trail then started its descent along the graded bed of the inclined railway. The large stones that formed the base of the bed are angular and hard to walk on. We were soon near the point where the trail comes up from below. At this point we turned right, descended the ridge and walked to the car. It was about 4:30 PM and we had finished the 7 mile hike in around 3.5 hours.
On Thursday, December 24th Karl and I decided we wanted to snowshoe. After conducting some business in the morning, we had a few hours before a family gathering so we headed to Frick Pond with the intention of doing the bigger loop to Hodge Pond and then back. The temperatures were just below freezing when we started but there was almost no wind. When we parked, Sheba and Maggie were out of the car like shots and ready to hike. We felt a little cool when we started out as we had passed on the "long johns" but we knew this would change as we got started. Snowshoeing is extremely aerobic and generates a lot of body heat! We along the Quick Lake Trail to Frick Pond and stopped to take a few shots before crossing the bridge to go around the pond. At the trail junction on the other side we stayed on the Quick Lake Trail and started for Iron Wheel Junction. Snowshoes were a plus for traction but were not really necessary. The further we got into the hike the deeper the snow became but we saw no evidence of snowmobile tracks anywhere.
We had to walk around the blowdown on the trail but soon were at Iron Wheel. I had removed my Arcteryx jacket and was hiking in my Patagonia R1 Flask Pullover and Mammut All-year baselayer. These were more than warm enough! Here we turned left to continue on the Quick Lake Trail toward Junkyard Junction and the Flynn Trail. Snowshoes add between a pound and two pounds to each foot but the motion is m ore of a shuffle than a step. This part of the trail is always longer than I remember and more uphill. Having Karl and the dogs along made this section seem much shorter. The snow depth increased to between 9 inches and a foot but we were able to stay on top most of the time. At Junkyard Junction we turned right and headed toward Hodge Pond on the Flynn Trail. This section had the most snow and there was no evidence that anyone had been there before us. We arrived at the pond and turned right to circle toward the outlet. The pond was pretty well frozen over so we crossed the ice at the outlet and stopped at the pond to take some pictures. The sun was shining brightly and the temperature was coming up. It was also getting late so we set out on the Flynn Trail back to the parking area at a fast pace. From the Big rock Trail junction to the car was about 1.7 miles which we covered in under 45 minutes. The whole 6 mile hike took us less than 3 hours which we considered good for a snowshoe outing.
Fall 2009
On Sunday, December 20th Cindy and I decided we had had enough of staying inside while the temperatures hovered in the teens and the wind in the twenties. After church, we decided to head to Frick Pond for our first snowshoe of the year. We were disappointed that the major part of the recent storm had missed us but were confident Frick and Hodge Ponds would have enough snow to make the trip worth it. When e got out of the car at the parking area, the temperature was 17 degrees and the wind was HOWLING! We were dressed warmly and got our snowshoes on right away to avoid cooling down. Cindy was trying out here new Atlas Elektra 1023 to replace and old pair of Tubbs and, like anything new, they took a while to get used to. We headed out the Quick Lake Trail toward Frick and went down to the pond. Although I had brought the camera. I decided it was too cold to stop for photography. We headed around the back side of the pond and decided to continue on the Quick Lake trail to Iron Wheel junction. The snowshoes were working well even though they were not really needed. At Iron Wheel we decided to head down the Logger's Loop to Times Square. Once there we agreed to skip the climb up Big Rock to the Flynn Trail and just head back to the car. It was a short trip but a good one for our first of many this winter!
On Saturday, December 5th I decided that I would hike with Snickers and Brain up to Balsam Mountain from the Rider Hollow trailhead. Snickers was nursing a bad heel spur and did not want to push too hard. I though I might try for Eagle or Belleyare if I felt like it. By Friday the forecast was for snow by afternoon so I was glad that we had agreed to start at 8:30 AM. When I awoke I decided to see if Cindy wanted to join us even though Balsam is one of her LEAST favorite hikes. I was surprised when she agreed and we gathered our equipment and were out of the house just after 7:00 AM. We decided to head up to the Pepacton Reservoir and then take Route 30 to Arkville. From here the Dry Brook Road heads toward Rider Hollow. When we turned on Rider Hollow Road, I forgot that the first turn is onto Todd Mountain Road and THEN onto Rider Hollow Road. After driving a little passed Todd Mountain, my mistake came to me and I corrected it. When we arrived at the trailhead at about 8:20 AM, we found Dick and Joanne ready to hike. Brian and Cindy showed up in a few minutes and we were ready to start. Sheba was acting strangely but I attribute it to hiking in a group. We started out and quickly made our way up the red Oliveria Mapledale Trail. The brook was high and its sounds accompanied us as we hiked.
At the junction with the Mine Hollow Trail, I stayed to the right on the red trail. I decided it was better to climb the steeper side and descend the shallower Mine Hollow Trail. We crossed the brook on the odd steel bridge at this location. None of us have ever encountered a bridge quite like this one anywhere else! It was a short walk along the trail to the Rider Hollow lean-to. Sheba got there first and surprised a lone hunter sitting at the lean-to. We said hello and then started up the trail to cross the brook on some stone. We crossed and recrossed the brook several times on the hike and although the water was high it was narrow enough to cross without problems. The first part of the trail is pretty tame as you walk along some old roads and wide trails. After a while the trail becomes steeper and narrower as it starts to ascend to the col between Balsam and Eagle. Joanne and Dick had not hiked for several weeks and Snickers was hampered by a painful heel spur so we took our time on the steep ascent. Somewhere along the way I took off my jacket and packed it away. Toward the top Sheba and I went ahead followed by Cindy. As we approached the col, I heard a noise ahead and saw a large form heading down the trail and into the woods. I could not get a picture of this rather large bear but maybe that was a GOOD thing! Soon we were all at the col and I turned left on the blue Pine Hill West Branch Trail. After checking their maps, the rest of the group followed me.
This trail starts out rather tamely as it starts up toward Balsam but there is about a 600 foot vertical gain over .6 miles to get to the top. In some places there are a few steeper spots and rock scrambles to conquer. We passed the 3500 foot sign and then began the final ascent through some balsam and over a few rocks. The summit itself has little to mark it and less to interest the hiker. A little passed the summit is an obvious lookout which is actually on the descent down the other side. I reached this viewpoint first and stopped to take some pictures as the rest of the group caught up. There was a lot of haze and clouds hanging in the valleys and the sky was completely cloudy with no sun. When we had assembled, we ate a snack and got a drink and others took some pictures. The temperature here was noticeably cooler and the first flakes of snow were beginning to fall. I was still holding out for a quick trip to Belleayre. Sheba and I grew cold as the group rested so we started to push on slowly. My wife joined us and we picked up the pace as the snow began to fall. We worked our way down the other side of Balsam through some steep areas and then across a flatter area to a slight incline. We stopped to take a few pictures and heard the group just behind us. We waited until they joined us and then pressed ahead.
Along this part of the trail there were several muddy areas and as we negotiated them the snow got more serious. When we reached the trail junction with the yellow Mine Hollow Trail, I asked Cindy if she wanted to try Belleayre. I was disappointed and relieved when she said "No." The Mine Hollow Trail has a few steep spots at the top but then is much more gradual than the other trails up Balsam. This was good since the snow was making EVERYTHING slippery! We kept working our way down the trail back toward the trail junction from earlier in the day. Soon we were down and stopped to wait for the group. I walked up along the brook to take a few pictures. After rejoining the others, Cindy, Sheba and I started back to the parking area. We passed the odd steel bridge and then crossed the swollen creek on the more conventional wooden bridge. We were back at the parking area by 12:30 PM. It took us a little under 4 hours to cover a little under 5 miles but that was good under the circumstances. The snow was beginning to stick to the roads on our trip home and several of the hills were slick. I was glad we had skipped Belleayre!
On Sunday, November 29th I decided that I wanted to try the Steps Trail up Slide but this time with my wife, Cindy, and on a day with MUCH better weather. After church, We headed for Slide Mountain with Sheba and arrived at about noon at the main parking area on Route 47. The weather forecast called for a sunny day with no chance of precipitation. Temperatures were predicted to be in the high 40's or low 50's with just a light breeze. Of course, this was in the valleys and NOT on the peaks! There were a few cars in the parking lot and only a few hikers signed into the trail register. The temperature seemed colder than the thermometer read and a stiff breeze was blowing. We got started quickly and crossed the West Branch and the other, smaller stream easily. I was wearing a new pair of Asolo Synchro hiking boots for the first time. For a size 9 they seemed large but I was wearing light socks and had the boots laced loosely. They did seem comfortable. I knew I was probably overdressed with a light Backcountry Shift jacket on top of two Icebreaker wool layers but it did seem cool. I did not initially put on my hat and gloves. We made quick work of the first part of the trail and turned left on the old road. At the cable separating state land from the Winisook Club we turned right into the woods. After a moment, we picked up the start of the Steps Trail and our adventure had begun!
The first part of the trail was a little steeper than I remembered but soon we were at the first lookout. The views down the valley were all I had hoped for when I was looking into the cloud on Friday. There was the beginning of a coating of snow on the ground and some parts of the trail were slick. We stopped to take a few pictures and then headed up the trail. Soon we were approaching the first set of steps and we began to notice that the coating of snow was giving way to at least an inch of coverage where there was no sun. As we continued on up the trail the snow became deeper and the slippery spots on the trail made us wish we had our Stabilicers in our packs. We walked through a nice stand of evergreens but then broke back into hardwoods. We got to the most difficult part of the trail that requires you to pull yourself up over a large rock. Once over this obstacle another nice viewpoint opened up. We stopped to take more pictures. The snow on the trees was beautiful and the sky and surrounding mountains were great.
We started back up the trail and continued to climb sets of steps. All the POSTED signs we found were to our left and the state boundary markers were to the right. Soon the trail began to become less distinct and I knew from previous experience that meant we were near the main trail. As on Friday I suddenly took a step onto the main trail. In this area the trees were covered by windblown snow making the season look more like the dead of winter than fall. We turned left onto the main Burroughs Range Trail and started toward the summit. The Curtis-Ormsbee Trail quickly appeared on the right and I couldn't wait for the Giant Ledge-Panther lookout farther up the trail on the left! The trail was VERY slippery in places due to the number of people that had compressed the snow. The boots were working well and the poles made walking easier. Soon we were at the lookout with great views of Giant Ledge and Panther to the left and Cornell and Wittenberg to the right. The trees were covered in snow and the sky was a deep but bright blue.
Back on the trail we knew it was only a few minutes to the summit and we hurried to get there. We passed over the summit and went to the flat rock outcrop. There was not much snow tat hen summit as the bright sun had melted most of it. We stopped to take a few pictures of the open area and each other. A glimpse of Wittenberg was available and a s liver of the Ashore could be seen through the trees. After taking a few shots, we were ready for the long walk down the mountain. The entire trip back to where we had joined the trail was slippery. Below that the trail flattens and there was less snow making the going easier. I did notice that when I stepped on the rocks the boots supported my feet and ankles well and seemed to protect and cushion my feet. The walk down always seems long but soon we were at the Phoenecia East Branch Trail and made the right turn. After a short walk, we followed the trail as it turned left off the road and started back down to the parking area. We arrived at 3:15 Pm having covered about 5.5 miles with plenty of time for pictures
On Friday, November 27th Karl and I decided that we preferred hiking over shopping. We headed for Slide Mountain with our two dogs, Sheba and Maggie, to discover the Dutcher Steps Trail up Slide. The weather forecast called for rain or snow showers followed by high winds especially on the peaks. Just the kind of weather we like for hiking! We arrived at the Slide Mountain parking area on Route 47 to find wisps of clouds and fog blowing through the empty lot. It looked like we would be alone on the mountain! When we got out of the car, we were both surprised by how cold and raw the air felt. This was compounded by a stiff wind and I was glad I had my Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Tech jacket on. I was also trying out my new Icebreaker 200 leggings. We got on the trail at 9:00 Am and quickly crossed the West Branch and its small tributary without much trouble. We were soon working our way up the initial part of the trail to the old carriageway from the Winnisook Club. The "usual" route up Slide turns right on the old road and follows the Phoenicia East Branch Trail toward Denning until the Burroughs Range Trail starts on the left. We turned left on the road and walked a short distance to the cable that marks the boundary with the Winisook Club. Here we turned right into the woods and began looking for a path that would signal the start of the Steps Trail. We soon found a path that widened into a trail and, although unmarked, was quite distinct. The dogs ran up this trail and we followed.
At first I was not sure we were on the right trail but there was no other to follow. After a while some steps appeared and I was sure we were headed in the right direction. I began to warm up as usual and removed my jacket leaving on just two layers of wool. In the protected, wooded areas this was all that was needed. It was interesting to be on a trail I had never been on before. The trail alternated between flatter areas with a few climbs. In most areas stone steps made these climbs easier. In several places there were areas for lookouts but on this day no view was available. We continued on this pleasant trail for about 1.25 miles. To our left there were occasional POSTED signs from the Winnisook Club but none appeared to our right. This trail is right on the edge of the club property and forest preserve. As we neared what I felt must be the end of the trail, it became more diffuse with several branches running in different directions. I followed one and was not sure it was going the right way when I noticed I was on the main trail. Once on the main trail I walked back down the trail in the direction of the parking area. I turned around and started back toward the summit but was unable to detect where the Steps Trail had joined the main trail. We continued on the Burroughs Range Trail toward the summit.
As we continued on, the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail entered from the right and then a little further on we stopped at the viewpoint for Giant ledge and Panther Mountain. There was no view save for the frozen coating on the trees so we went back to the main trail. As we approached the summit, we could hear the wind pick up. There was no one on the open rocks at the summit and clouds blew across the open area. We stopped so that I could take some pictures of Karl and the dogs and then decided to head down toward the spring. On a nicer day we might have gone to Cornell but our "mission" was accomplished. We worked our way down through the rock scrambles on the other side of Slide and to the top of the first ladder. At this point we decided to turn around and head for the car. The scramble back up the rocks was fun and was the reason we had come down. At the top of the trail we were surprised to find another hiker. We chatted for a few minutes about the trail and the weather before parting company. Karl and I head down the main trail setting a leisurely pace on the rocks made slippery by the falling snow. The lone hiker passed us at some point and we continued on down to the car. We covered about 5.5 miles in 4 hours with plenty of time for stopping. The Steps Trail is a fantastic alternative to the main trail and I look forward to returning on a better day to catch some of the views!
On Wednesday, November 25th I wanted to do an "epic" hike before Thanksgiving Day. The weather report was cloudy with a chance of rain in most areas but to the south looked a little better. The forecast for Harriman even had some sun so I headed for Bear Mountain with the intention of doing the Torne-to-Timp hike. I had done most of the sections of this hike but wanted to do it all in one day! As I drove down the Quickway, there was a heavy fog which limited visibility and the sun was not visible anywhere. For once I got an early start so Sheba and I arrived just before 8:00 AM at the main Bear Mountain parking area. There was no attendant in the booth and only three other cars in the parking lot. The heavy mist made it seem like the cloud ceiling was at ground level. Everything was damp and I was chilly even with two wool layers and a light jacket.I decided to reverse my planned route and do the Timp first. I hoped the sun might break through and dry the route to The Torne which can be hair-raising when wet or icy! After setting my GPS, Sheba and I got right on the trail.
We headed out the south end of the parking lot using the tunnels to go under the roads and picked up the red 1777 East trail. Two runners were just returning and we greeted them as we went in the opposite direction. In a short distance the blue Cornell mine trail split off to the left and we followed that down to the parking area on Route 9W. From here we reentered the woods to follow the trail up Bald Mountain. The walk was pleasant despite the heavy mist and parallels a small brook which was swollen from recent rains. I began to get warm so we stopped while I took a few pictures and changed into a lighter top and stowed the wool top and jacket. The trail passes the Edison mine on the right but I had decided this day was and exercise in, well, exercise. I was more interested in getting a work out and completing the route I had planned. The trail is pretty flat for a while and then gets STEEP quickly as it climbs Bald Mountain. Near the summit the trail ends in the area of the Cornell Mine. The mine is worth the bushwhack side trip but I was not to be distracted on this day. We turned right on the red Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail to continue to the summit. The view from the top is really nice when there is a view! Since none was available this day, we stopped briefly and then continued on the trail down the other side of the mountain and toward The Timp.
The descent from Bald Mountain is steep in places and there are towering blocks of rock in many areas. We passed the intersection with the red 1777 trail and continued on until we met up with the blue Timp-Torne Trail. Here we went right and started to climb to the top of The Timp. The view from the summit can be spectacular but all we could see this day was the inside of the cloud we were in. I took some pictures of the rather spooky looking summit before continuing on the blue Timp-Torne Trail toward West Mountain. This involved another substantial descent and then another ascent to the top of West Mountain. This was one of the few pieces of trail I had not been on an traveling a new route brought some relief. Soon we were climbing West Mountain toward the stone shelter at the top. The paucity of views continued and I began to come to the conclusion that the rest of the day would be the same...or worse! We continued on the Timp-Torne Trail along the West Mountain Ridge passed several trail junctions. In a short distance the Appalachian Trail came in from the left and joined the trail we were on. The unmistakable white blazes seemed especially large.
As we continued our hike the Appalachian Trail broke to the right as we continued across the ridge. We could hear traffic on the Palisades Parkway below and I knew that parking areas for Anthony Wayne were just below us but nothing was visible. After several more trail junctions, we descended over some open rock faces which were very slippery. I began to think about The Torne. We arrived at Seven Lakes Drive and I put Sheba on a leash so we could get safely across and continue our hike on the other side. Traffic was light and we were soon across and hiking passed Queensboro Lake and into a part of Doodletown. As we hiked along a wide road, a sign informed us we could go no further as the area ahead was a police pistol range. Fortunately, the trail turned right here and we followed it along the outlet from the lake. We were able to cross on a narrow bridge and continued along the creek as the trail paralleled the stream high on the right bank. It began to drizzle a little and then a light rain fell but not for too long. Soon the blue trail started down to the left to cross the creek on a bridge.
We crossed ascended some stone steps and then started up to cross Mine Road and begin the ascent of The Torne. I knew that it would be tricky and that I probably should try again another day but I was so close. The first part of the ascent switches back and forth through the woods and a hiker may be fooled into thinking this will continue to the summit. Soon Sheba and I were scrambling over rocks with Sheba having a lot less trouble and me! There were several places where I was able to bypass the slanted, wet rock but there were others where going up the slanted rock face was the ONLY way. I wondered about getting back down. In one spot Sheba could not get traction on the rock and I gave her a boost. We slowly made our way up and over every obstacle until we were next to the large boulder just below the highest point. This open ledge usually has a great view of the bridge and Bear Mountain. Not Today! We walked up the trail to the cairn at the top. I took a few pictures and we started back. I kept Sheba behind me as we made our way down. In several spots I simply sat down and slid. One ride was a little longer and faster than I had planned but I survived! We walked back down to the road, crossed and followed our path back to the bridge. We crossed and walked up the hill and then turned left onto the Popoloppen Gorge Trail. This trail follows the creek as it heads toward the Hudson. Initially it stays high on the bank overlooking the creek but eventually drops down almost to water level. The creek was roaring and I stopped to take a few pictures at the dam. Then it was up to 9W, across the road and the traffic circle to Hessian Lake. We headed back toward the car.
When we got to the head of the lake it was only about 2:00 PM and I decided against my plans and all reason that I would like to do Bear Mountain! We walked around the lake and picked up the red Major Welch Trail on the other side. I knew that this would have to be quick since darkness and rain would soon be coming! We did pretty well until we got to the part of the trail where it is so steep over the rocks that a chain is supplied for assistance! Soon we were across Perkins Drive and headed across the summit to Perkins Tower. By this time I expected the total lack of any view. I was not disappointed. We caught the AT off the mountain and began our descent. After crossing the dead end road, we followed the At as it makes a sharp left and continues on down to eventually meet the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. We continued to follow the AT back to the lake descending the ski jump access hill that is used on our cross country course. At the base of the hill we turned right, passed the skating rink and returned to the car. We were back just after 4:00 PM having hiked for about 7 hours and 14.4 miles!
On Sunday, November 22nd Cindy and I headed for Slide Mountain after church. The weather report had said that the fog would clear but by 11:00 AM it was still completely overcast. We decided not to go too far and I wanted to look for the Dutcher Steps Trail up Slide. We had met a lawyer who lives at Winisook and he said that we could hike there anytime we wanted. We parked in the Slide Mountain Parking area at about 12:15 PM and got right on the trail. The Neversink had some water but it and the small tributary above didn't even slow us down. We quickly ascended to the carriageway and turned left this time instead of right. We walked along the wide road until the cable which marks the boundary with the Winisook Club. It was then that I realized that "hike anytime" might not include during hunting season! We continued on not knowing exactly what we were looking for. After a while a road branched to the right and was marked with white trail markers. I followed this for a while as it paralleled the West Branch and skirted Slide Mountain. ALong the way we saw a small gazebo down by the river and a leanto on the opposing bank. Soon we ran out of trail or road and were bushwhacking although the going was easy. I though about continuing and just bushwhacking up Slide if we could not find the trail. In the end we decided to return to the car and investigate this trail at a later date. We were back at the car by 2:00 PM. It was a short but fun hike.
On Saturday, November 21st I had planned to hike with a group to KHP from Platte Clove. The plan was to spot a car on the Palenville side and to hike through. I was happy to do this as I had never attempted that route and needed KHP for my November grid. This route would also allow us to take in more "sights" like Buttermilk and Wildcat Falls and Poet's Ledge. I was concerned about the hunting camps near KHP since this was the first day of rifle season in New york State! Late Friday night I got a message that the hike had been changed to a through hike of the Blacks starting at Barnum Road and ending at Batavia Kill. I was a little disappointed since I already had the Blacks but thought they were the safer choice. Sheba and I left Livingston Manor just after 7:00 AM for the 9:00 AM start. The skies were overcast and fog and haze hung in the air. The weather forecast didn't offer much and every peak on the way was shrouded. We arrived at the Batavia Kill lot at just past 8:30 AM to find Cindy and Brian already there! Soon Judy arrived having dropped Bill and Shiloh at the Barnum Road trailhead. We all jumped into Brian's car and were soon reunited with a man and his dog (Bill and Shiloh) on Barnum Road.
We started up the old road at about 9:30 AM and it was just as rocky as I remembered. It was also wet and slippery in places. When we had climbed to the highest spot on the road, We turned left, signed in at the register and were off. It had been a long time since I had hike this way and the steep places on the Caudal and the Camel's Hump surprised me. None are very long but I was soon shedding my light jacket in favor of the wool layers only. Bill and I were the leading humans with one or both digs out front most of the time. We stopped briefly at a lookout on the climb up the Caudal but little was visible and anything that could be seen was covered by a blanket of cloud. This was true of the lookouts from the Camel's Hump as well. I was sorry that Brian did not get the view since it was his first time on these peaks! It seemed we were on the flat area after the Camel's Hump in no time. There is usually a nice view of Thomas Cole from here but not this day! The mountain always looks so impressive but the climb is rather easy. Just before noon we were at the lookout on Thomas Cole looking into...a cloud. There was NOTHING visible and the wind had picked up making me chilly enough to put my jacket on. We took a short break during which Sheba and I retreated to the cover of the trees. Another group arrived from Lockwood Gap. They seemed surprised that we would attempt all three mountains in one day. Meanwhile, I was thinking about Acra Point, Burnt Knob and Windham!
Descending into Lockwood Gap didn't take long but there were some interesting rock scrambles on the way down. The moisture on the rocks made even the ones that looked dry slippery. Bill and I kept up a good conversation and the dogs didn't seem to care as they would descend and then come back to us over and over! I was genuinely surprised when we got to the col as the trip had seemed so short. As we started up Blackhead, it seemed that the sun was toying with us. The sky would start to clear and the sun would peek through and then...it would disappear and the clouds would roll back in. I always stop on the flank of Blackhead to take pictures so I took some shots this time also. I got some more great pictures of...the inside of the cloud we were in. Then it was on up to the summit plateau of Blackhead and the march to the trail junction that marks the highest spot. I talked to Bill about the Escarpment Trail from Dutchers' Notch over Arizona to Blackhead. I have never done this route and he said it was well worth the hike! I would like to do this as a through hike from North South Lake. As we paused on the flat rock near the trail junction the sun did come out and there was some clearing below us. I hoped we could get some pictures on the descent.
The east side of Blackhead is the steepest part of this hike and I usually choose to come UP it and not DOWN. The descent was tricky in places making the hiker decide whether to slip over wet rocks or slide through soft mud. Soon we were down the steepest part and got a glimpse of the valley below. The clod had blown away some and there was a view. We took pictures as fragments of the clouds passed by and then descended again to a large flat area that afforded even better views. At this viewpoint there were nice views of the valley AND to our right we got a good look at Arizona, the mountain that stand between Dutcher;s Notch and Blackhead. After taking some pictures we continued our descent to the trail junction. I knew I had enough energy to continue over Acra Point but decided to stay with the group as we descended to the cars at Batavia Kill. This is not an insignificant distance and the trail is crosses and recrosses several small streams. The Batavia Kill leanto was in poor shape. Porcupines gnaw on the wood and uneducated campers leave garbage and damage the leanto. One animal I can understand the other I can't! We crossed the final bridge over the Batavia Kill and then walked down the rather wide road to the parking area. We arrived at around 3:15 PM having covered about 6.7 miles with plenty of time for enjoying ourselves along the way.
On Wednesday, November 18th I took a day off from work because of some appointments that had to be kept. When my morning at the lawyer's was cancelled, i decided to get a hike in before my afternoon round. I decided to go to Frick Pond since it is close and I was in the mood to walk quickly without any "interference". Sheba and I got to the parking area round 9:00 AM with the temperatures still in the mid-30's. I tried to remember to dress so that I would start cool and be comfortable when I warmed up. I wore a light jacket over two layers of wool which seemed about right. We started out on the Quick Lake trail to Frick Pond. The mud on the trail was partly frozen but there was a lot of it! We were at Frick in no time and I almost decided not to take pictures. However, there were some interesting colors and lighting in play and the brush was still covered in a heavy frost. After taking a few photographs, we continued on the Quick Lake Trail toward Iron Wheel Junction.
At Iron Wheel we turned left to stay on the red Quick Lake Trail and were soon passing by the snowmobile trail that leads to Quick Lake. I had no real plan but now one formed. I had tried this trail several times in the spring and summer but the grass was always high and wet. This day the trail was broad and open and I decided to take it since I had never been on it. I though we might make it to Quick Lake and then retrace our steps to the car. The trail was beautiful but ascended quite quickly and for a long time. Soon I was warm enough to take off the jacket. The trail turned several times as it rose to the ridge. Some views came and went. They were nice but did not make good pictures. I did stop to photograph some rock ledges before continuing on. The trail leveled and then dropped and rose several times. I began looking for the junction with the Quick Lake Trail. Several times unmarked trails led off to the left or right but we continued on the main snowmobile trail soon we were at the trail junction. I looked at the map, read the trail description and distances, consulted the GPS and decided Quick Lake would have to wait for another day. We would turn right and follow the Quick Lake trail to Junkyard Junction and the pick up the Flynn Trail and follow it back to the parking area.
From Coyote Junction the Quick Lake Trail started to ascend and then lost some elevation only to go back up again. Along the way some nice views of the surrounding mountains were visible. It did not seem long before we arrived at the junction with the Flynn Trail. Although the sign said .9 miles tO Hodge Pond, we were there within 10 minutes. I decided to go around the pond clockwise to add a little distance to the hike and to avoid the beaver dam at the outlet end of the pond. We turned left and started around the pond on the old road. In a short distance I noticed an open area down by the pond which was easy to see without the leaves on the trees. We walked down and I stood on the edge of the pond and took pictures. We got a drink and then headed back to the road and continued on around the pond. I considered taking the high road but chose instead to go down to the outlet of the pond to pick up the Flynn Trail there. The beavers have dammed the outlet and enlarged the pond by a considerable amount. We stopped and I took quite a few pictures before shouldering the pack for the hike up to the junction with the Big Rock trail and then down to the parking area. We were back at the car at 12:15 PM which was GREAT considering the 8.5 mile distance we covered!
On Sunday, November 15th I decided to return to Bearfort Ridge to do the hike that I "skipped" on Wednesday by hiking from the Warwick Turnpike to Terrace Pond. Cindy decided to come along and we got started as soon as we could after church. By the time we left Livingston Manor the sun was out and the temperatures were rising. As we drove south and east on the Quickway, the skies began to cloud over and near Warwick it looked like it might rain. This did not make me happy since I was looking to hike AND take pictures. By 12:15 we were in the area and looking for the correct parking area. We found a place to park on the north side of the turnpike right across from the trailhead and were on the trail by 12:30 PM. We crossed the road and began a steady climb through some laurel along a wide, well-maintained path. There were several signs that showed the trails in the area and our destination. The signs announced we were on the Blue Trail in some estate. A look at the map showed that we were on private property for a short distance before entering the sate forest. As we hiked the dark blue paint blazes all but disappeared in places leaving us to wonder at the exact trail. In some places the path was obvious but in others it was not. In many of these places the trail climbed up and down large boulders and rocky spines. Normally this would have been fun but on this day everything was wet and slippery. The trail does not seem to be used very much so there are many lichens and mosses adding to the poor footing. We walked carefully making sure to get a good pole plant.
Soon we broke onto the top of a ridge and the views began to open up. It was still hazy both near and far but there were a few good opportunities for pictures and I hoped the haze would clear and the sun would show itself. I stopped to take some pictures and noticed a helicopter hovering over Greenwood Lake. I have seen many choppers in the sky but not one hovering in one place for so long. We later found out that this one, as we assumed, was on a search mission for a missing boater in the lake. We continued to walk along the trail in a generally northward direction and as we did the skies began to clear and the sun started to peek through the clouds. We stopped to take some pictures and then continued on. O knew from the map that we would have to make a sharp turn west at some point and gain the next ridge. I was concerned that we would miss the turn due to the poorly marked trail. There was no need for concern! As we approached a clearing ahead a LARGE arrow marked the turn onto what looked like a right-of-way without any power lines. The track was wide and clear and ascended to a higher spot where I knew I could get great pictures. We walked up the track watching for blue blazes and looking back to admire the view. At the top of this rise two things became clear. The pictures would be good and there was a VERY steep hill to ascend!
After taking some pictures we started to walk again. There was a slight descent and then the steep climb to what I though was the top of the ridge. Faint paint blazes on the rocks showed we were still going in the right direction. At the top of this rise two things became clear. The pictures would be even better and there was a ANOTHER very steep hill to ascend! Again we walked down first and through a few wet and muddy areas before starting and even bigger ascent. Paint blazes were few but told me we were on the right track. When I got to the top, there was a flat area and another part of the ridge ahead of us through what looked like an old stone quarry. We stopped at this point as the sun was out, much of the haze was gone and the view was the BEST I had seen anywhere along the Bellvale and Bearfort Ridges! It seemed as if you could see forever with some haze obscuring the farthest vies. There was some contrasting color in the valleys and the sky had some clouds. As I walked over to one viewpoint I noticed an outline in the southeast and realized it was New York City. It was far away and hazy but still very distinctive. I also took some interesting pictures of the trail and sky to the west before we continued our walk.
As I approached the rock quarry I heard a noise to my left. It was the only hiker we would meet on the whole hike coming back on the trail to Terrace Pond. We chatted for a minute and then we made the turn toward the pond. It was starting to get late in the day but we continued on. The trail was poorly marked but much of it continued to proceed over slippery rock crests on its way to this glaciated pond. In a little while we were at the white loop trail around the pond. I decided to go right since the map appeared to show viewpoint near the lake in that direction. In fact, there were several viewpoints on high rock ledges that overlook the pond. I took pictures and noticed several ducks swimming toward each other to meet. I wanted to get back on the white trail and circle the pond but it was 2:30 PM and it had taken us two hours to get to the pond. Cindy thought we should turn back to make sure we got back to the car in the light. I pointed out that it would take us less time to get back but she prevailed and we started back. Since we knew the trail and did not stop for pictures we were back by 3:45 PM having covered the 4.5 miles in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
On Wednesday, November 11th I had the day off from work for Veteran's Day. I was going to hike the Blacks from Barnum Road but already had done them in November. I was going to Wittenberg and Cornell since I DID need them for November but had done Wittenberg only a few weeks before! After reading some books, I decided to hike Bearfort Ridge from the Warwick Turnpike to Surprise Lake and back. The book said 6 miles and 5 hours. I don't know hat made me think that the time was even close to being correct but I did. Sheba and I left Livingston Manor around 8:00 AM with temperatures in the high 30's. I had on long-sleeved wool with my new Arcteryx Accomplice Jacket on top. I packed a lighter long-sleeved shirt since I knew I was overdressed and New Jersey would be warmer. The drive was uneventful except for some minor road construction and we arrived at the parking area on the Warwick Turnpike just before 9:30 AM. We immediately got started on the white blazed Jeremy Glick Trail. The trail was slippery due to the fallen oak leaves and steep in places. It followed the turnpike and Green Brook for about .4 miles. At this point a blue trail came in from the left and the trails began to make a serious climb to the ridge. The climb was not long, perhaps another .3 miles, but was steep in some parts. Several times I stepped off the trail to some viewpoints but none were outstanding and I expected better from the ridge. Near the top of the climb there was a viewpoint toward Upper Greenwood Lake but I was waiting for a better lookout. I was going to be disappointed since none ever came! If you want to take a picture, take it hear!
Once on the ridge the hike was much like any other in the area. The walk was along outcroppings of purple puddingstone and was up and down in many places. At one point we cam across an interesting bog. In this area a lar