Carr Pond Mountain

Harriman State Park,
Orange County
New York

Trails:
White Bar Trail: White Blaze

Total Time: 1.5 Hours
Total Distance: 2 Miles

Hiking Partner:
Sruli Rosenberg

This was another very cold day. The lakes still weren't fully frozen so we had to opt for a regular hike. We started on the trailhead parking on County Rt. 106 by the bend at the White Bar Trailhead. Climbed the small ridge and then descended, and then climbed to the top of Carr Pond Mountain and the viewpoint. Continued descending on the trail, and then intended to take the unmarked trail along the stream back to the road, but the trail was well overgrown and nowhere to be found, so instead just bushwacked up the frozen stream back to the road and back to the car.

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Map of the hike

Ascending at the beginning of the trailhead.

On a frozen pond on Carr Pond Mnt

Walking across the frozen pond

Sruli falling into the ice

Some of the natural ice formations

from Sruli's fall-in

Sruli looking south towards Parker Cabin Mnt.

Facing southwest at the lookout

A zoomed in view southwest towards

the Ramapo River Valley

At the view facing west

Ditto.

Crossing the bridge in Parker Cabin Hollow

Ice formations in the stream

Sruli on the frozen swamp

Black Mountain

Harriman State Park,
Rockland/Orange Counties
New York

Trails:
Anthony Wayne Trail: White Blaze
1779 Trail: Blue Blaze
Appalachian Trail (AT): White Blaze
Ramapo-Dunderberg (R-D) Trail: White Blaze
Anthony Wayne Bike Path

Total Time: 2.5 Hours
Total Distance: 5 Miles

I was contemplating whether to go hiking or not - the forecast had called for rain and it was cold - and there is nothing worse then hiking in a cold rain. At least if its snowing its pretty and dry. I decided to brave it, and the rain held out until after I had finished the hike. Parked at the Anthony Wayne Rec Area, in the northern end of this enormous parking lot, and took the Anthony Wayne Trail west across the Palisades Parkway and up the hill the 1779 Trail. Made a left on the 1779 and headed south along this long straight stretch, up until the intersection of the AT and R-D Trail. These two trails are combined together for this strech. Headed west up the AT/R-D to the summit of Black Mountain, and scrambled up the steep rigde to the top summit viewpoint. This mountain affords an exceptional viewpoint. Bushwacked to the Spanish Mine, and then headed back down the same route of the AT/R-D, continuing past the 1779, and then across the Palisades Parkway. There is no overpass here so one has to run across the busy highway on foot. Continued along the AT until the Anthony Wayne Bike Path, and then headed north to Anthony Wayne and back to the car.

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Map of the route

View atop Black Mountain, looking South.

Jackie Jones tower toward the left.

View from Black Mountain, facing southeast.

View of Haverstraw &Hi-Tor Mountain &Palisades.

Black Mountain viewpoint facing West

View atop Black Mountain facing east

towards West Mountain

View looking north, zoomed to Bear Mnt.

In the center is the Beat Mnt Tower

The Spanish Mine near Black Mountain summit.

This is one of two pits, and the dump

is visible behind the hole.

The Appalachian and Ramapo Dunderberg Trails

crossing the Palisades Parkway

Tom Jones Mountain

Tom Jones Mountain
Harriman State Park,
Orange County
New York

Trails:
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Red Blaze
Victory Trail: Blue Blaze

Total Time: 1 Hour
Total Distance: 1.5 Miles

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg 


We had left to go hiking on one of the frozen lakes in Harriman, as it had been very cold the last several weeks. For some strange reason the lakes were posted as unsafe for walking on. This is very strange as it had been below freezing for a long time. My guess is that the park rangers were just lazy. In any case, we had to do a different route instead of hiking one of the lakes.

We first drove to Lake Welch, then Skanatati/Askoti, then Lake Tiorati, and after all these were posted as unsafe, we turned around in disappointment and headed past Lake Kanauwake to Tom Jone Mountain. This is not a long hike but is a nice short climb with a gorgeous view at the summit. Although the sun was out, the weather was very frigid in the 20's. And the wind blew strongly on top of the mountain, making this a very cold hike.

Parked on County Route 106, and climbed up the mountain on the Dunderberg Trail. It was a clear and crisp day with excellent visibilty, and we were even able to get some pictures well north into the Catskills. Continued down the mountain on the Dunderberg Trail, where we discovered a fascinating natural "icicle-house" formed over a rock overhang, and continued along to the Victory Trail. Went north on the Victory Trail back to the road, and hiked along the road east back to our car. Along the road is a small swamp, and interestingly there are beavers in this swamp as evidenced by the downed trees, beaver huts, and a beaver dam.

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Map of the route

View while ascending.

Looking north across the valley

toward Black Rock Mnt.

Me near the summit

From summit looking Southeast

towards the Jackie Jones Tower

Shimmy with Black Rock Mnt behind him

The Catskills in the far north.

This is over 50 miles to the north!

The mountain before the Catskills is

the Shawangunk Ridge.

The shelter on Tom Jones Mnt.

The lake behind is L. Skenonto.

The arm of Lake Sebago in the far distance.

Descending Tom Jones Mnt.

Me inside the Icicle House

Another view of the Icicle House

A group of people ascending Tom Jones.

We descended this part.

Silver Mine Lake Loop

Harriman State Park,
Orange County
New York

Trails:
Menomine Trail: Yellow Blaze
Woods Road: Unblazed
Appalachian Trail (AT): White Blaze

Total Time: 2 Hours
Total Distance: 3 Miles

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg 

This hike takes the record as the most brutal hike in regards to the weather. This was the coldest day of the season with the combined windchills. The weather was in the teens, and the wind was continuously gusting to over 45 MPH, giving windchill values below 0. There was a Wind Advisory posted by the National Weather Service due to the punishing winds. In addition to the cold and wind, the snow was falling. It kept snowing throughout the hike and the wind picking up and blowing the snow was incredible. We had dressed extremely well for this hike, not letting any of body be exposed. I was even wearing a ski mask and ski goggles to keep everything warm and cozy. In fact, we hardly felt the brutality of the weather considering how we were dressed.

I had initially wanted to go hiking across a like, but the park service rangers had not yet allowed walking on the frozen lake. We started at the Silvermine Lake parking area, and hiked on the Menomine Trail along the side of the lake. Continued along till the intersection of the unmarked trail/Woods Road. Now we had intended to take the other unmarked trail sput to the top of the abandoned ski lift and hike down the ski lift trail, but due to the extremely poor visibility and snow covered ground we had entirely missed this trail and kept on going straight, until we hit the Appalachian Trail. Took the AT for just a short distance until we hit 7 Lakes Drive, and then went along 7 Lakes Drive northbound. The road was totally covered with snow and there were hardly any cars out, so this normally busy road felt more like a hiking trail then a road. Took the road until it intersected with the Menomine Trail, and then took the Menomine Trail east back towards the Silver Mine Lake Parking area and back to the car. Went home and had some HOT chicken soup.

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Map of the Route

Me at the beginning of the hike.

Abandoned ski lift in the background.

Me and Shimmy at beginning of hike

From the Menomine Trail

with Silver Lake in the Background

Me standing on the frozen Silver Lake

Taking off my ski mask for the pose.

The wind howling and snow blowing

across the lake

Menomine Trail in the woods

Me hiking the Menomine Trail

as it ascends the mountain

Walking along 7 Lakes Dr.

The old skiing parking lot

Back at the trailhead.

The sun is coming out just a little bit

and a few crazy folks are sledding down

the old ski slope

Pine Swamp Mountain

New Years Hike
Harriman State Park,
Orange County
New York

Trails:
Arden-Surebridge (A-SB) Trail: Red Blaze

Total Time: 0.5 Hours
Total Distance: 0.7 Miles

I was off from work on New Years, and although I didn't have much time, I figured I would catch a quick hike up the mountain. It had just snowed the day before about 3 inches, so the snow was fresh. I climbed up the A-SB trail from the trailhead parking area off 7 Lakes Drive at Lake Skanatati. Got a nice view with the snow on the top of Pine Swamp Mountain, and then reversed and take the same route back.

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Map of the Route

Lake Skanatati covered with snow.

Taken from the parking area before the hike.

At the viewpoint at the snow-covered top.

Facing west towards Lake Skanatati and Lake Kanawauki

Facing West zoomed into Lake Kanawauke.

On right is Black Rock Mountain.

Far left mountain is Tom Jones Mountain.

Facing northwest.

Mountain on left is Black Rock Mnt.

A better view of Lake Skanatati and Kanawauke

Me at the summit. Self timer, of course.

Me on the rock at the summit.