Harriman Hiker: Harriman State Park and Beyond

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Nordkop Mountain

Harriman State Park
Suffern,
Rockland County,
New York
Total Time: 1:00 Hour
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles

Trails:
Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail (SBM): Yellow Blaze
Woods Road: Unmarked

This a a short hike with a good climb and excellent views. The hike starts in Suffern on Route 59 right after the Thruway underpass. I once parked in the Parking lot under the overpass and got a ticket, becuase I didnt have a parking permit. So this time to avoid getting a ticket, I parked near downtown Suffern on Chestnut St. right before Route 202, and walked along 202 to Route 59, and went under the long underpass. The trail starts on the right about 200 feet after the underpass. This is the southern terminus of the SBM Trail. It's a long trail - it goes all the way to Bear Mountain, 25 miles later.

Started the climb on the SBM, and encountered a pack of wild turkeys on the way up. They ran away from me although from what I hear they are not afraid of people and can attack and be a nuisance. Continued up to the summit viewpoint, where there is a sweeping view of downtown Suffern, Mahwah, Hillburn, and the skyscrapers of Manhattan in the far off distance. Once at the top, took the woods road down to Hemlock Rd/Pavilion Lane, which took me back to Rt. 202, where I once again crossed under the Thruway and took the sidewalk back to my car on Chestnut St.

Map of the Route

Route 59 underpass of the Thruway,

where 87 and 287 come together.

This is an enormous highway underpass.

The beginning of the SBM Trail,

right outside of Suffern

The Turkeys I encountered while Ascending

Rock Face Scramble on the way up

Facing south at the I-87 and I-287

Highway Interchange with Sheraton Crossroads.

View from the lookout.

Facing west towards Hillburn.

View of Suffern from the summit viewpoint.

Zoomed out with Suffern/Mahwah Panorama.

Sheraton Crossroads is in right edge.

Zoomed in to the Manhattan skyline in the haze.

View of eastern portion of Suffern

with Good Samaritan Hospital on the left hand side.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Limekiln Mountain

Harriman State Park
Rockland County,
New York

Total Time: 1:00 Hour
Total Distance: 1.75 Miles

Trails:
Tuxedo-Mount Ivy (TMI): Red Blaze
Limekiln Mountain: Unmarked

The weather has really been warming up, and I have traditionally done this same hike around this time of year the past several years. Its a short and quick hike with a good climb and a good view. And its really close to home. So overall its a great hike when I am short on time. I started on the parking lot on Diltzes Rd, and took the TMI trail along the Gas Line. After the trail veers away from the powerline and into the mountain, it meets the unmarked Limekiln Mountain Trail as soon as you enter the woods. Made a right turn onto the Limekiln Mountain Trail and climbed the trail until the summit viewpoint. Then went down the mountain the same way about halfway down, and then veered right off the trail, bushwacking to the stream and the TMI trail (I did this so I can take a slightly different route back). Once I hit the power lines back took that instead of the gas line back to the parking area. (The gas line and power line run parallel to each other about 75 feet apart, with dense brush in between.)

Map of the Route

View at summit view with famous Rock.

Facing southeast - Camp Ramaquois Lake.

View from summit facing south.

Route 202 Swamp and Power lines.

View from summit view facing east

towards Haverstraw, the Hudson River,

and Hi-Tor mountain to the right.

View from Summit view facing east.

Bottom part of Cheescoate Mountain

is in close range.

Further range is the Palisades.

Power Lines and Gas Line near trailhead

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Big Beech Mountain

Long Pond Ironworks State Park/
Wanaque Wildlife Management Area/
Tranquility Ridge (a Passaic County Park),
Passaic County,
New Jersey

Total Time: 3:00 Hours
Total Distance: 5 Miles

Trails:Sterling Ridge Trail (Blue Blaze)

This was an absolutely brutal hike. Not because of the terrain, but because of the conditions. There had been a huge snowstorm a week before, with about 2 feet of snow, and the warm weather in the week following the snowstorm has melted much of the snow. I had thought that most of the snow had melted even on top of the mountain, but I was very wrong. There were deep wet patches and I was totally unprepared in dress, but I just kept going.

I parked at the Long Pond Ironworks site by the Intersection of Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Awosting Road, and started hiking at the southern terminus of the Sterling Ridge Trail, heading north past the abandoned iron works sites. The iron works are remnants from the revolutionary war age where this area was heavily mined for its rich iron ore. I passed many foundations and historic markers at the beginning of the trail. Continued heading up the trail, and finally ascended Big Beech Mountain. This was the most strenuous part, and proved almost impossible in the deep wet slushy snow and worn out low boots. But I was determined and made it up the mountain. There is a false summit - once you reach the lower viewpoint which has nice views to the south, you realize the mountain keeps on climbing ahead of you. Continued along to the main viewpoint, which provided excellent views to the south, west (including Greenwood Lake), and the east.

I wanted to continue a bit forward and take a lollipop loop back via the Jennings Hollow Trail, but was too wet and cold to do so. I headed back the same way following my own bootmarks and came home to a warm chicken soup.

Map of the Route

Historical Marker by the abandoned Company Store

The company store ruins

Bridge crossing the Wanaque River.

This river drains Greenwood Lake

and enters the Monksville Reservoir right here.

Notice the confluence of trail markers.

Ascending the lower viewpoint

on Big Beech Mountain.

This part was almost impossible.

Magnificent view of the Wyanokies

Facing south towards Monksville Reservoir

Zoomed in to Wyankoie High Point

Facing east from near the summit

to the Ramapo Mountains.

Fantastic Tree at the top lookout

From the lookout facing Southwest

Facing west towards Greenwood Lake

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Hogencamp Mountain

Harriman State Park
Orange County
New York

Total Time: 1:30 Hours
Total Distance: 3 Miles

Trails:
Long Path (Green Blaze)

Back in my home terrain and back in the snow. This was a relatively easy hike as I was short of time and there was lots of snow. I have done this trail numerous times - its one of my most popular easy ones in Harriman. Took the Long Path from the Lake Skannatati parking area off of Seven Lakes Drive and headed west along the shore of Lake Skannatati all the way to the intersection of the Dunning Trail, and continued up to the Notch in Hogencamp Mountain. Got a view from above of the mine in the snow, and then headed back the same route. It was strange to be back in the wooded and snowy terrain, in contrast to Arizona where I went in my short sleeves.

Map of the route

Frozen Lake Skannatati

Long Path Trailblaze

Another view of Lake Skanatati

The Long Path through an

evergreen rhododendron forest.

Long Path and Dunning Path

combination marker.

In the Hogencamp Notch.

Another view in the Hogencamp Notch.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Upper Sabino Canyon

Coronado National Forest
Pima County
Arizona

Total Time: 1:30 Hours
Total Distance: 2.5 Miles

Trails:
Phoneline Trail
Historic Sabino Trail

This was my last day in sunny Arizona. Took the tram to end of the Sabino Canyon Road, and started hiking up the mountain on the Phoneline Trail, which snakes around as it curves up the mountain. After it climbs, the trail evens out along the middle of the mountain and retains a similar elevation midway on the mountainside. Continued south above the canyon on the canyon wall roughly paralleling the Sabino Creek until we hit the Historic Sabino Trail, which we took back down to the bottom and back to the road where we picked up the tram again.

Map of the route

On the Phoneline Trail.

Snaking Trail is visible behind me.

View of the beginning of trail with the Tram

at the dead of the road which is the trailhead.

Thimble Peak behind me.

Descending through a dense cactus grove

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Mount Wilson Canyon

Coconino National Forest,
Sedona,
Arizona

Total Time: 2 Hours
Total Distance: 3 Miles

Trail: Wilson Canyon Trail

I wanted to go hiking somewhere in Red Red Country, but was totally unfamiliar with the region. I drove down from Flagstaff through Route 89A in the Oak Creek Canyon, and kept an eye out for a good pull off area. Little did I know when I parked at the Mount Wilson Parking area at the Midgley Bridge that this is one of the best spots in the area. I liked the bridge and canyon below, so that gave me the idea of pulling out there. Went on the trail along the brook, which I later found out to be the Wilson Canyon Trail, and continue along through the bottom of the canyon following the flowing stream up.

At some point deep in the canyon I bushwacked up the hill for a view, and then headed back down. But then instead of going the same way, I took another trail (I dont know the name of it) which went along the bottom of Steamboat Rock. I had hoped there would be a trail for me to connect back to the road, but there wasn't so I ended up bushwacking through the brush and cactus back the road. Once I hit the road, I headed back towards the car, but there was a big sign that said that no pedestrians allowed on the bridge (It's a very narrow bridge). (I did find out after the fact that there is a connection trail right there that skirts around the deep part of the canyon.) So I just waited for a quiet moment when there were few cars and ran across the bridge like a madman, and survived to tell the story.

Map of the route