MattC
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I haven't written a TR in while, and this one will reflect five different hikes. I had never set foot in Harriman before this fall, and had been wanting to check it out for a while. I found out a couple months ago that there is no hunting allowed there, so I also figured it would be a good time to make a few trips to the park. I ended up doing 5 trips over 6 weekends, making for a little "season" of sorts.
Trip 1-A two-day, one-night backpack w/ ERD and another friend. Started from Visitors Center on Seven Lakes Drive, went along Stony Brook, past Pine Meadow Lake, climbed Catamount and Panther Mts. Doubled back on Suffern-Bear Mt. Trail, camped near the Kakiat Trail. On day two, we continued on over the Russian Bear to Ramapo Torne, then back to the lot on the Seven Hills Trail. Lovely brook and lake, saw remains of old dam, nice view from atop ridge, no views on day two due to clouds; the precipitous drop-off from the Ramapo Torne was neat none the less...
Trip 2- W/ ERD and another friend. Climbed Bear Mt., continued along AT to West Mt. Looped back on SBM w/ friend-ERD was backpacking and completed the Harriman AT section the next day. Had fun on Bear Mt. in spite of crowds, climbed the Perkins Tower, had great views, reflected on history of the AT and Harriman, nice view back to Bear Mt. from West Mt., saw some larch trees, which are one of our only deciduous needle-bearers; slipped on oak leaves on the return and jammed a finger (ouch!), just dark as we got back to Bear Mt. Inn, watched skaters for a few minutes...
Trip 3-This one was a solo. I parked at the circle at the end of Johhsontown Rd. and took the Blue Disk Trail around "Almost Perpendicular, through the "Elbow Brush", past "Claudius Smith Rock." Continued over an amazing natural dam, past Black Ash Swamp, up White Cross Trail to Parker Cabin Mt. Looped back on Victory Trail past Lakes Skenonto and Sebago. Amazing geology on this hike, plus some nice views and lovely lakes...
Trip 4-Did this one w/ Jay H and ERD. Parked at base of Popolopen Torne. Climbed Torne, looped back down, crossed Popolopen Brook, followed Gorge Trail to the road, walked across Bear Mt. Bridge, climbed Anthony's Nose, doubled back across bridge, crossed Popolopen again on Twin Forts Trail (impressive bridge!), looked around Fort Montgomery Historical Site, returned on north side of Popolopen Gorge. Terrific hike, Great views from Torne into West Point land, fun scrambling on way down, the Gorge is beautiful and contains some impressive white water, until the dam, after which the Popolopen flows quietly into the Hudson, Anthony's Nose offered great views and blasting wind, crossing and re-crossing the Bridge was a blast, Fort Montgomery was interesting, saw the remains of an old boat's hull on the Popolopen's shore near the Twin Forts Trail bridge, got off the trail on the return, had to do a short, scratchy 'whack back to the road in the dark, then schleped back to the cars on the road...
Trip 5-Did w/ a non-VFTT friend. First snowshoe hike of the season, Parked on 9W, just south of Jones Pt. Took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail up and along Dunderberg Mt. to Bald Mt., looped back on Timp-Torne. Views, views and more views, lots of the river, some (unfortunately) of Indian Point and the other plants across the river, could see northern end of the Palisades; interesting remains of unfinished Dunderberg Spiral Railway, especially the unfinished tunnel near the Timp-Torne Trail. Snow was better than we expected, pretty deep in drifts on top of Dunderberg, took 'shoes off towards the end of return as trail was well-broken by many bare-boots...
My general impressions of Harriman-Bear Mt. State Parks. First of all, they're pretty great! What I had planned as a "diversion" from my normal hiking areas turned into an end unto itself. I'll be back. (Just not during winter peakbagging season
) Very interesting geologically, some good variety in the trails and terrain, nice contrast to the Catskills in terms of vegetation (although I can't go too long w/o boreal forest!), especially seeing cedar and larch, the trail system is so complex it's almost funny, and of course the contrast between the natural and manmade in and around the parks. Certainly not a very "wild" place, but some great hiking anyhow. And the views of the mighty Hudson can't be beat. I love New York! And I don't care what Spongebob thinks...
Matt
Trip 1-A two-day, one-night backpack w/ ERD and another friend. Started from Visitors Center on Seven Lakes Drive, went along Stony Brook, past Pine Meadow Lake, climbed Catamount and Panther Mts. Doubled back on Suffern-Bear Mt. Trail, camped near the Kakiat Trail. On day two, we continued on over the Russian Bear to Ramapo Torne, then back to the lot on the Seven Hills Trail. Lovely brook and lake, saw remains of old dam, nice view from atop ridge, no views on day two due to clouds; the precipitous drop-off from the Ramapo Torne was neat none the less...
Trip 2- W/ ERD and another friend. Climbed Bear Mt., continued along AT to West Mt. Looped back on SBM w/ friend-ERD was backpacking and completed the Harriman AT section the next day. Had fun on Bear Mt. in spite of crowds, climbed the Perkins Tower, had great views, reflected on history of the AT and Harriman, nice view back to Bear Mt. from West Mt., saw some larch trees, which are one of our only deciduous needle-bearers; slipped on oak leaves on the return and jammed a finger (ouch!), just dark as we got back to Bear Mt. Inn, watched skaters for a few minutes...
Trip 3-This one was a solo. I parked at the circle at the end of Johhsontown Rd. and took the Blue Disk Trail around "Almost Perpendicular, through the "Elbow Brush", past "Claudius Smith Rock." Continued over an amazing natural dam, past Black Ash Swamp, up White Cross Trail to Parker Cabin Mt. Looped back on Victory Trail past Lakes Skenonto and Sebago. Amazing geology on this hike, plus some nice views and lovely lakes...
Trip 4-Did this one w/ Jay H and ERD. Parked at base of Popolopen Torne. Climbed Torne, looped back down, crossed Popolopen Brook, followed Gorge Trail to the road, walked across Bear Mt. Bridge, climbed Anthony's Nose, doubled back across bridge, crossed Popolopen again on Twin Forts Trail (impressive bridge!), looked around Fort Montgomery Historical Site, returned on north side of Popolopen Gorge. Terrific hike, Great views from Torne into West Point land, fun scrambling on way down, the Gorge is beautiful and contains some impressive white water, until the dam, after which the Popolopen flows quietly into the Hudson, Anthony's Nose offered great views and blasting wind, crossing and re-crossing the Bridge was a blast, Fort Montgomery was interesting, saw the remains of an old boat's hull on the Popolopen's shore near the Twin Forts Trail bridge, got off the trail on the return, had to do a short, scratchy 'whack back to the road in the dark, then schleped back to the cars on the road...
Trip 5-Did w/ a non-VFTT friend. First snowshoe hike of the season, Parked on 9W, just south of Jones Pt. Took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail up and along Dunderberg Mt. to Bald Mt., looped back on Timp-Torne. Views, views and more views, lots of the river, some (unfortunately) of Indian Point and the other plants across the river, could see northern end of the Palisades; interesting remains of unfinished Dunderberg Spiral Railway, especially the unfinished tunnel near the Timp-Torne Trail. Snow was better than we expected, pretty deep in drifts on top of Dunderberg, took 'shoes off towards the end of return as trail was well-broken by many bare-boots...
My general impressions of Harriman-Bear Mt. State Parks. First of all, they're pretty great! What I had planned as a "diversion" from my normal hiking areas turned into an end unto itself. I'll be back. (Just not during winter peakbagging season
) Very interesting geologically, some good variety in the trails and terrain, nice contrast to the Catskills in terms of vegetation (although I can't go too long w/o boreal forest!), especially seeing cedar and larch, the trail system is so complex it's almost funny, and of course the contrast between the natural and manmade in and around the parks. Certainly not a very "wild" place, but some great hiking anyhow. And the views of the mighty Hudson can't be beat. I love New York! And I don't care what Spongebob thinks... Matt
