Campgaw Mountain Backslope Area

Campgaw Mountain County Reservation
Bergen Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
Rocky Ridge Trail: Blue blaze
Red/Blue Trail: Red/Blue blaze
Backslope Trail: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 1:10 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.4 Miles

Pros: Quiet area
Cons: Built up area of ski slope

The previous day, Sunday, featured rain all day. I was not able to get out and hike, so I took some time the following day on Monday to do a short hike near my office. I parked at the main area by the ski area, and walked along the bottom of the ski hill until the Rocky Ridge Trail. I climbed up the mountain on the Rocky Ridge Trail to the top of mountain above the ski lifts, where there is a view facing east and northeast. I then took to the short Red/Blue Trail to the Backslope Trail, which goes down the western side of Campgaw Mountain. The Backslope Trail is a loop that has a small pond and cistern along the route. At the end of the trail, I took the same return route back, to the Red/Blue Trail, Backslope Trail, and back to my car.

Map of the Route

Artificial Snow on the Main Slope

The Tubing Hill on the Left

Rocky Ridge Trail

View from the Top of the Ski Slop, Facing North

View from the Top of the Ski Slop, Facing East

View from the Top of the Ski Slop, Facing Northest

Me at the Top Slope

Backslope Trail Interesting Tree

Small Pond Labelled as a Cistern on the Backslope Trail

Close-Up of the Pond

Pond Dam

Water Flowing Over the Dam

Ramapo Torne Powerlines to Ramapo Torne Pt 2

Harriman State Park,
Rockland Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
White Trail: White blaze
Yellow Trail: Yellow blaze
Red Trail: Red blaze
Hillburn Torne Sebago (HTS) Trail: Orange blaze
Blue Trail: Blue/white blaze

Total Time: 2:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.8 Miles

Pros: Good climbing with excellent views
Cons: Powerlines mar the tranquility

Prior to my overseas trip, I had hike in this area, taking the trails from the Powerlines rock climbing area in Harriman to Ramapo Torne. I noticed many marked trails in the area that are used as rock climbing access points, and did not have enough time to check all of them out. I also wanted to cut across to Ramapo Torne from the brook, a bit further out than the last time.

I parked my car at Tone Valley Road, and took the White Trail white along trail to where it goes under the power lines, with the rock cliff to my right. I then took a Yellow Trail back to the White Trail, which I took to the Red Trail which goes to the northern end of the climbing area. I then bushwacked and met up with an old path that runs parallel to the stream, and passed a short waterfall before connecting to the HTS Trail. I took the HTS Trail up Ramapo Torne, which is a strenuous and sheer climb, and took some pictures at the top. (I had left my hiking poles at the top of this mountain two weeks prior, and hoped to retrieve them, but they were gone.)

I then turned around and went back down the scramble part on the HTS Trail, and cut across what is known as the Whightman Plateau (the flatter area above the Powerlines climbing area), and then met up with the Red Trail, which I took to the Blue Trail, back to the White Trail, and then back to my car.

Map of the Route

Large Cliff Wall Behind the Powerlines

Frozen Water Flow on Cliff Wall

View from the First Cliff Wall by the Powerlines

Large Cliff Wall Behind the Powerlines 

Large Rock Faces

Another Rock Wall Behind the Beginning of the Red Trail

Partially Frozen Waterfall

Another View of the Waterfall

Frozen Part of the Waterfall

Frozen Icicles by the Waterfall

Strange Cryptic Wording Behind the Waterfall

Fellow Hikers Climbing the HTS Trail on Ramapo Torne

View on the Top of the Scramble on the HTS Trail

Another View Ascending Ramapo Torne

Ramapo Torne Summit in the Distance

HTS Rock Scramble

View on top of Ramapo Torne Summit

Another View at the Summit

Me at the Ramapo Torne Summit

Another View of me at the Summit

Hikers at the Ramapo Torne Summit

Another View Past the Large Rock at the Summit Area

Ein Gedi Nachal David

Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
Judean Desert,
Israel

Hiking Trails:
Nachal David Loop Trail

Total Time: 1:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 1.0 Mile

Pros: Very scenic area
Cons: Very busy and expensive entrance fee

Hiking Partners:
Rayzi Friedman

Continuing on our trip in Israel, we visited the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve which is a natural oasis of flowing water in the Judean Desert. There are two main area - Nachal David and Nachal Arugot. Nachal David is the shorter hike, being a one mile loop, and is much more popular and touristy. Nachal Arugot is a longer and more remote area. 

This trip was to Nachal David, and we took the Nachal David loop through the valley along the Dead Sea Valley. The trail features several waterfalls and some dense, lush growth along of the stream which is a stark contrast to the barren surrounding desert. It is very scenic but is quite short and almost always very busy. I had wanted to climb up the mountain to the Shulamith Spring, but we did not have the time.

Map of the Route

First Waterfall of Nachal David

Me at the Beginning of the Hike

Ein Gedi Valley

Rock Hyraxes Nesting in Bush

Oasis Valley Scence

Barren Limestone Rock Wall

Another Waterfall

Me at the Entrance of the Covered Area

In the Covered "Tunnel" area of the Trail

Another Waterfall

Large Waterfall at the End of the Hike Before it Loops

Mt. Yishai in the Distance at the Return of the Hike

Snake Path at Masada

Masada National Park,
Judean Desert,
Israel

Hiking Trails:
Snake Path

Total Time: 0:40 hour (down)
Estimated Distance: 1.1 Miles (Snakepath only)

Pros: Good climbing and constant views
Cons: Busy trail and busy area

Hiking Partners:
Rayzi Friedman

I took a trip to Israel with my daughter and took her to many of the tourist locations in Israel. Masada is one of the main tourist areas in the country, and is an ancient fortress that was destroyed by the Romans and preserved. Although this is more of a tourist-friendly hike than the more "out-in-the-woods" type of hike that I am more accustomed to, I nevertheless included it here as it is a hike with a nice, albeit busy, hiking trail.

The terrain is very rugged with sheer cliffs rising up from the Dead Sea Valley. This is a very barren desert, with very little plant life and mostly just crumbling rock. The weather was beautiful, especially for December, and was in the mid 70's.

The mountain features both a cable car and hiking trail up the mountain. We took the cable car up the mountain and walked around the top looking at all the archaeological sites on the mountain. We walked across the perimeter of the mountain before descending on the Snake Path back to the area entrance.

Map of the Route (Taken from Google Earth Satellite View)

View Facing Towards the Entrance

Very Large Cistern on the top of Masada

View from the Northern End of Masada

Me on the Top of Masada

View of the Roman Camp Area

View Facing North Towards the Herod's Castle Area

People on the Path Towards Herod's Castle

Me on the Descent Towards Herod's Castle

Northern End of Masada

Barren Desert View from the North Side of Masada

View Facing East Towards the Dead Sea

From from an Old Stone Home Window

Me at the Beginning of the Snake Path Descent

Masada Cable Car

On the Descent on the Snake Path

Me at the Entrance of the Snake Path on the Bottom

View of Masada from the Bottom