Sunday, December 20, 2009

State Line Trail

Bearfort Mountain at
Greenwood Lake,
Abraham Hewitt State Forest,
Passaic County,
New Jersey


Trails:
State Line Trail: Blue Blaze
Ernest Walter Trail: Orange Blaze

Total Time: 1.3 Hours
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles

Did this hike after a large snowstorm. It had just snowed about 6 inches over Saturday and Saturday night, and I did this hike on Sunday morning. The temperature was frigid and the winds were powerful, and I was the first person to hike this trail after the snowstorm. In fact I was the ONLY one to hike this as I didnt meet anyone crazy to venture out on such a frigid and snowy day. The hike up in a half-foot of snow with ice underneath was very difficult, as the ascent is pretty steep.

Parked at the trailhead which is literally on the NY/NJ State border, and climbed up the State Line Trail up the mountain to the Ernest Walter Trail, where I made a left and went south to the summit viewpoint. The rock part reaching the viewpoing was full of ice underneath the snow making this part extremely difficult. And the wind at the treeless top part was absolutely ferocious! I couldn't stay at the summit for too long as it was just too cold and I felt I was going to blow away! Being too cold to venture further to Surprise Lake, I turned back and headed the same way I came, skirting around some particularly icy areas I had approached on my way up.



Map of the Route


 The parking area.
The tire tracks are from my car
as the trailhead parking was not yet plowed.


My car at the trailhead.


First view while ascending.
Facing east across Greenwood Lake.



At the viewpoint looking east across
Greenwood Lake.


 Me at the viewpoint with
Greenwood Lake in background.



From viewpoint facing north.


 Ascending the snowy and icy summit

 
 Looking south. Greenwood Lake and Fox Island.


Looking southeast.
The lake is partially frozen.


 Don't know the name of this mountain.
Zoomed looking southeast.
The edge of Greenwood Lake is in the foreground.


View looking northwest.

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