I suppose it's a stretch to qualify myself as "young," but most guys half my age wouldn't do an overnite backpacking hike in Bear Mountain State Park, which I did on West Mountain on Dec. 3-4. (I was visiting the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw for a meeting on the 5th.)
Starting up the AT |
Part of the long ascent |
Both Monday and Tuesday were delightfully sunny--very welcome after a lot of rain in the preceding days. They were also very windy, which gave a slightly chilly feel to the days even in the sunshine. When the sun ducked behind clouds occasionally, it was more than slightly chilly. And after the sun set, the temperature also set, so to speak. There was ice in the little puddles near the shelter on Tuesday morning.
Bear Mountain & Perkins Memorial Tower seen from West Mountain |
Where the Timp-Torne (blue) meets the AT (white)
at the crest of West Mountain
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From West Mt. ridge, looking west over the Anthony Wayne Rec Area
and the interchange of Palisades Pkwy with US Rte 6
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Where the AT drops down toward the Palisades Pkwy, leaving the Timp-Torne, is well marked--large signpost.
I'd forgotten how far it still is from there to the shelter, a half mile. All told, it took me one more hour to get there from when the TT first joined the AT. I was almost to the shelter when I met the aforesaid 3 young guys hiking out, and then a pair of older women day hikers.
The West Mt. shelter, with Timp-Torne trail blaze on a front corner
and my trash bag hanging from a rafter.
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Most of the seniors Monday hiking club |
Your humble blogger in front of West Mt. shelter |
But mostly I foraged for firewood, which wasn't as hard to find as I was afraid it would be, all within a 10-minute walk of the shelter. I even unsnagged a good-sized dead limb from where it had lodged in a tree, using my rope to pull it down (carefully!). I accumulated a good stash of kindling wood and larger stuff, and was glad I'd brought my folding saw and hatchet for cutting up the larger stuff.
From the shelter: the Timp, Croton Point, and the Hudson River, including Haverstraw Bay |
I also took a lot more photos with the sun lighting up the Timp, the Hudson, and the Manhattan skyline, and I prayed parts of the Divine Office and a Rosary.
The setting sun partially lights up Manhattan's skyline.
In the foreground are Stony Point and Haverstraw.
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Beyond the shelter (and the West Mt. ridge), the sun's almost ready to set. |
It gets dark early at this time of year, so I took care early to prepare my bear bag and lay a fire in one fireplace. I ate pretty early too--a freeze dried concoction of beef, lentils, and veggies, with some almonds and an orange later, washed down with Crystal Lite and, later, hot chocolate.
Vestiges of my supper, lit up my headlamp |
One match to light 2 tea lights and the fire! |
Of course, after the fire eventually died down it got pretty darn cold, and I had to put on more layers of clothing. Even so, I didn't sleep all that well.
What a sight to wake up to!
The scene immediately in front of the shelter on Tuesday a.m.
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Behind and otherwise near the shelter are many campsites. |
At 11:00 I prepared my lunch (Ramen noodles and cheese with more Crystal Lite, apricots, and almonds), doused the fire and smoldering stump with most of my remaining water, and finished packing up.
A bit after noon I headed out, taking the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail north from where it splits off the Timp-Torne a 3-minute walk from the shelter (2 minutes if you're not loaded with a backpack).
It was a long time since I'd been on this stretch of the SBM, and it was a mistake.
The 1st segment of the SBM away from West Mt. shelter is pleasant enuf.
Here you can see Bear Mt. and Perkins Tower in the distance.
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I knew it would be longer than going back by way of the AT, and I remembered there was one steep descent. Turns out there were 2 very steep descents, and several ascents (not so steep), and it was a long and somewhat hazardous hike (the steepness compounded by the leaves).
The 2d really nasty descent,
from the bottom
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When the steeps were finished with, I came to the Doodlekill and then 2 more brooks, so I was trudging in a fair amount of mud besides having to cross the 3 streams balancing on rocks that I wished were much larger than they were.
The Doodlekill |
SBM's crossing of the Doodlekill |
More photos at
https://pix.sfly.com/yHu6CX
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