Bear Mountain State Park

Bear Mountain is the site for the Rockland County Alumni Run.  After running the race, I decided that I would get some more mileage out of the $8 parking fee.  Plus I felt I needed to walk a bit more after the run. 

Bear Mountain happens to be the most popular park in the Hudson Valley.  I have done next to no hiking here.  In fact, besides the few times I've run the Alumni run, the only other time I've been here was to finish the Suffern Bear Mountain Trail a few years back.  I still hold onto this romantic notion of ascending Bear Mountain when I make my way from Georgia along the Appalachian Trail.  I most likely will break down before then. 

I made my way around Hessian Lake for a second time until I reached the Major Welch Trail.  According to Johnny Rocket, this is supposedly a real hardcore trail.  It's steep, but if it were in the Catskills or Adirondacks, it would be small potatoes.  Today though, I struggled a bit, due to a bit of fatigue from the run.  I walked about a mile up the trail to a view point.  I could see the summit and I only had a half mile walk left. 

Anthony's Nose from Hessian Lake

The views from here were great.  The Bear Mountain bridge was clearly visible.  The Hudson River to the north along with Storm King and Breakneck was in view.  Popolopen Torne and Harriman State Park were in view to the west.  Great views all around. 

Popolopen Torne and Harriman State Park

The view north

Bear Mt Bridge from Bear Mt

After walking down, I decided to walk down to the river and check out the zoo.  I spoke with one of the workers there and she told me that the animals were injured and will not be returned to the wild.  Of the coyotes, one was hit by a car and the other was shot.  They were being fed rats and beef. 

While walking down to the river, I noticed a statue of a head of a deer that came out of the cliff.  It's been there for about 80 years.  A train passed by, but fortunately the path went through a tunnel.  Despite the frigid temps, it was quite nice being near the water.  The view of the Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose was quite beautiful. 

Bear Mt Bridge and Anthony's Nose

Iona Island and Dunderberg Mt

  

Black Friday

Just a few of the maps on offer from the NYNJTC

The quintessential American holiday kicked off earlier than normal, starting in the evening on Thanksgiving.  The Pilgrims would be proud.  If you're like me and you have no use for the long lines, the pushing and shoving, all for the latest flat screen TV or other mostly useless product, then you stayed away from the madness. 

Since today is the day of consumerism, I figure, Why not plug something?  No, it won't be the latest iphone or flat screen.  Instead I'll try to persuade you to buy New York New Jersey Trail Conference (NYNJTC) Maps.  A great way to avoid the madness is to get out into nature.  The maps will hopefully make life much easier to get out.  When I bought these maps a long time ago, it opened myself up to a whole other world.  I had absolutely no idea there were as many trails as there are.

Chris Hiker doing some planning

What can I say about these maps?  The NYNJTC puts out maps for much of the Hudson Valley Region.  The territory ranges from North Jersey up to the Shawangunks and the Catskills.  The east side of the Hudson is also covered: The Taconics and the Hudson Highlands (Mt Beacon area).  And of course, "the greatest park in the world", Harriman State Park.   

The maps have everything one would want.  Trailhead parking is easily marked.  Points of interest are marked, like waterfalls, monuments and viewpoints are indicated with stars.  Trails are marked by their colors.  Elevation contours are clearly visible.  The maps are made of tyvek, so they can absorb a beating and survive a rainy day (mine have).  Both the AMC and ADK put out great maps for their regions of coverage (the White Mountains of NH and the Adirondacks).  I find the NYNJTC maps to be the best.  For the Catskills, the magnetic lines are provided making compass bearings a lot easier and takes the error out of the equation. 

So do yourself a favor this holiday season, get a map of the region you're interested in exploring.  Get outside and away from the crowds of madness and into the woods.  Enjoy. 

Thanksgiving Day

Mt Nemo and Mt Hayden

Since I would have to work later on in the day, I decided to make at least a little something of the day.  This is by far my favorite holiday.  The air is usually cool and crisp.  There's football to be watched ( and when I was younger there was football to be played) and a wonderful meal to be enjoyed with family. 

Unfortunately Thanksgiving is quickly being encroached in by Black Friday (the truest of American holidays).  In order to make this rather potentially glum day better, I set off into the hills.  Fortunately for me, I do not have rather far to go for a quick walk. 

Rolling hills of farmland as far as the eye can see

Despite the fact we have seen snow fall quite a bit in the past few days, I was surprised at how much snow there would be at the trail head.  We had warm weather yesterday and there was no accumulation where I lived.  But as usual this time of year, once one goes up a bit in elevation conditions change. 

The start of the trail

Haven't seen one of these signs before

I walked in about two inches of snow for the entire hike.  I started in the same location as last week, but I walked south on the Long Path instead.  Mt Nemo and Mt Hayden would be the destination.  Despite there being a star on the NYNJTC Map, I did not find any views.  This would be a shame, since there are miles upon miles of rolling hills with farmland. 

Mt Hayden

Circling around Mt Nemo

While walking I came upon many different tracks.  Non of them were human.  I first spotted dog tracks.  Then I found some bear tracks.  Near the top of Hayden I came upon deer tracks.  I also came upon deer.  They saw me first.  While warning each other with their growls, I got quite spooked.  A great day to be out.   

Following a bear

The Long Path: Windham High Peak to Mt Nemo

Richmond

Richmond from the south

The previous job I had was at a residential school.  The dorms the students lived in took their names from Catskill Mountains.  The dorm I mostly worked in was called Richmond.  Almost all were named after 3500 footers except for Overlook and Bellayre.  And Richmond.  Overlook and Bellayre are two of the most well known mountains in the Catskills. But where is Richmond?  I never heard of it.  Was it even a mountain?  I asked a woman at work and she said that it was.  She thought it was near Phoenicia.  I checked my maps and I could not find it. 

Soon the kids in the Richmond dorm moved off campus and the dorm's name changed to one of the 3500 footers.  From time to time I wondered about the name, but obviously not too much since I never did any serious research.  A few months ago I found my answer by accident.  While at Barnes and Noble I found a guide on the 100 highest peaks in the Catskills.  While thumbing through it, I came across Richmond.  I couldn't believe it.  This past year I hiked up Huntersfield.  Little did I know that Richmond lies on its ridge a few miles east.

Again I did not put much thought into making a trip there.  Then yesterday I pulled out the maps and looked for potential 3500 footers to do today.  I thought about making a trip to Halcott.  I also thought about going to Hunter or Rusk.  Then while looking at the maps (the new editions have extended coverage, my old maps do not have Huntersfield, Richmond, Bearpen or Vly), I saw the part with the Long Path north of Windham High Peak.  This is where Richmond lies.  It's a few miles north and west of Windham High Peak on the Long Path (though it does not go to Richmond's summit).  Then I looked at google maps and realized the trailhead is less than 20 minutes from where I live.  I'm really starting to realize how little I know about the Catskills.

A friendly start

The terrain gets tougher

With last weeks drop in temps, the bears are getting ready to hibernate.  With that in mind, they eat a lot.  In turn, they shit a lot.  By far, this was the most bear scat I have seen on a hike. 

The day did not look very promising.  The drive to the trailhead had little to no visibility.  I did not mind this as the weather was mild and there would not be much in the way of views.  Upon reaching the trailhead, I noticed a few pick up trucks parked just off the road and in the woods.  It's hunting season.  I would be reminded of this a couple times when I heard shots fired.  In the past, I took off hunting season.  This is silly as I'm far more likely to get killed in the car driving to the trailhead than to be shot and killed by a hunter. 

The Long Path

I will have to ask the MC, the Master of the Long Path, but just like the route I took up Plateau last week, I believe the route I took from County Route 10 to Richmond is also new.  The Long Path is really starting to look like a great long distance path.  Though I'm still not sure how enjoyable it is walking through large sections of Orange County.  But while heading back to the car, I couldn't help but think that I can follow these blue blazes to the George Washington Bridge.

A sweet little tract of forest

Mt Pisgah from the north

The walk started off friendly enough but soon began a one mile ascent to Pisgah.  At just under 3,000 feet, Mt Pisgah does not make the cut.  It also does not appear to rise enough from the col it shares with Richmond.  Regardless, Mt Pisgah lets you know it's there.  The climb, despite being about 800 feet elevation gained, winded me a bit.  This also had a lot to do with having too many layers.

While making the short descent to the col, I walked through one of the prettiest Hemlock forests I have ever seen.  The trees lined up on the side of the mountain.  The trees and the slope made for an interesting scene.  This may have been the highlight of the walk.

The slopes on Pisgah with lots and lots of Hemlocks

Hemlocks

From here I walked about a mile along the ridge to where the Long Path meets a side trail.  From here it would not be too much longer to the summit.  A slight bit of climbing then leads to a bend in the trail as it begins to descend.  This is where the short bushwack begins.

The start of the bushwack

By far the easiest bushwack I have done.  I reached the summit in about five minutes upon leaving the trail.  There were no thick patches of forest to contend with and the summit was not particularly flat.  I was content to stop where I thought I reached the high point, but then I noticed another area that may be higher.  I then noticed some rocks and then a herd path that led to them.  I reached the summit. 

Chris Hiker solves the mystery of Richmond

The summit

The walk back was far easier as there were no major ascents.  The fog cleared a bit and there were a few obstructed view points.  I could make out most of the mountains on the Long Path south and east from here: Pisgah, Mt Hayden and Ginseng Mt.  Through the trees I could see the slopes on Windham.  Funny, the day before I was there looking at the mountains I am on right now.

The East Jewett Range from Richmond

The descent down Pisgah

                    

Richmond and Pisgah

       

         

Plateau Mountain Veterans Day Hike

Plateau's flat summit

This is the sixth trip as part of my repeats of all the 3500 foot mountains in the Catskills.  Plateau lies on the famed Devil's Path.  It's just west of Sugarloaf and just east of Hunter Mountain.  If one is walking the entire Devil's Path, it's about half way.

Kaaterskill High Peak in the distance

There is no mistaking the reason behind it's name.  From a distance and while walking its summit, Plateau is very flat.  At 3,880 feet, it's one of the higher mountains in the Catskills.  Although the one mile plus walk on its summit is very gentle, its approach from Diamond Notch is one of the steepest in the Catskills.  If one is approaching from Sugarloaf and Pecoy Notch, it's not much easier and a bit longer.

Today I would approach Plateau from the south along the Long Path.  I'm not certain when this trail opened (within the past 5 years I guess) but it did not exist when I first climbed these mountains.  When the opportunity strikes, I plan to do these mountains by taking different routes.  Both times in the past, I did Plateau as part of a longer walk along the Devil's Path.  They were both point to point hikes.  Today one can summit Plateau as part of a loop.

Devil's Tombstone

I parked my car at Devil's Tombstone Campground.  I walked for about a half mile south on Route 214 until I came to Notch Inn Road.  I ascended up this road until I reached the trail.  I passed a house that had a POW flag.  I cannot help but think, how much it must suck being a prisoner of war.  Happy Veterans Day.  The trail here appears to be a new trail. Its marked with yellow blazes and connects the Long Path with Route 214.  It's relentlessly steep, but fortunately just over a mile long.  It appears this trail is mostly an old logging road, so it did not require much work to open.

The trail leading to the Long Path

After a little more than a half hour of walking, I made it to the Long Path.  I was quite interested to see what this trail would be like, since it's fairly new and I'm guessing it's not very popular.  The trail ascended steeply for the first mile.  It then flattened out for a bit before the final 300 feet of climbing.  The trail map indicates 5 view points, but there was only one that I found that was unobstructed and would exist year round.  The views were south and I could make out most of the Central Catskills.  Slide, Wittenburgh, Panther, Balsam and Bellayre were all in view.  Though it did take me a while to figure things out.

Balsam and Bellayre

The Long Path on route to Plateau

Olderbark and the Central Catskills

I enjoyed the walk along the Long Path.  The route was easy to follow and well marked.  There were even trail markers for the view points.  Pretty cool.  The trail did not have the feel of a well worn path.  It felt more in between a herd path and a regular marked trail.  Still, having said that, the trail was very easy to follow.

The Long Path

Some ice...

...and snow.

Final ascent to the summit

Along the way, I spotted some footprints in the snow.  The footprints were going the other way.  I thought to myself, "Maybe I should have done this loop the other way."  This thought would be repeated often on the steep descent into Diamond Notch.

After the last short and steep ascent, I made it to the Devil's Path in about an hour and a half on the Long Path.  I decided to walk for about a half mile east to the actual summit where there is also a view point.  The view point is not what I remembered, but it still had an excellent view of Kaaterskill High Peak.  Along the way, I spotted some tracks.  I'm not sure if they were bear, Bigfoot's or something else.  I should learn my tracks.

Bigfoot?

Kaaterskill High Peak

The pleasant walk on the summit

The western end of Plateau has some of the best views in the Catskills.  The first view point I came to (heading from the east) is similar to the view that is found near the summit.  A great view of Kaaterskill High Peak, though this time North Lake is visible.  The next view point provides a much more expansive view.  Kaaterskill High Peak, North Lake, Stoppel and the Blackhead Range are all visible.  There is also a view through Platte Clove and to the Hudson River.

The Blackhead Range

Kaaterskill High Peak and North Lake to the left

Platte Clove and the Hudson River

Tannersville and Stoppel Point

I then walked the rest of the Plateau west to the last view point (coming from Diamond Notch it would be the first view).  This may be the best on this mountain and one of the best in the Catskills.  There is an up close view of SW Hunter and Hunter, the fire tower is easily distinguishable.  The view south and west provides views of most of the south and central Catskills.  Slide, Wittenburgh, Ashokan High Point are all in view.  Looking further west, Bellayre, Balsam and Panther can be made out.  When looking out from here, almost all one can see are mountains with barely any signs of civilization.

No sign of civilization

Hunter Mountain

Looking out towards Bellayre

The route down would be a bit frustrating and I did slip and fall a couple times.  So wishing I had done this loop the other way crossed my mind several times.  But considering I expected there to be more snow than there was, I considered myself very lucky.    

The descent to Diamond Notch

One of the few flat but rocky sections

The Devil's Path