The Downstate NY Blog

Hiking Beacon Mountain, NY

Posted on by ml242

For years I’ve had my eyes on Beacon Mountain but the time was never quite right. I always seem to succumb to the pull of other options in the Hudson Highlands.

Mount Beacon Wheel

Breakneck Ridge, just to the south, is one of the most highly regarded day hikes in New York and on many lists as the first choice in the area.  South of Breakneck is Anthony’s Nose and across the river Storm King Mountain ascends straight out of the river at an impossible clip.

I put those options aside, as my hiking partners called in late.  But even with our casual 10am start, I knew that the A-team was ready for a challenging loop.

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Watts Up: Climbing The Powerlinez

Posted on by ml242

Access issues have hampered recreational enthusiasts dreams of enjoying the outside world across the country the last few decades, but the NY metro area is on its way to claiming a new victory.

Powerlinez Workroad

 

Much like the North Brooklyn Boat Club, another community group has organized to fight the bureaucracy and cut red tape. The area in question — dubbed “The Powerlinez” due to the proximity to the massive and popping electricity towers that traverse the area — has long held the interest of local climbers. But the Palisades Interstate Park Commission or PIPC kept the area off limits due to liability and trail use concerns.

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Clarence Fahnestock Had A Dream

Posted on by ml242

Having spent a good deal of my life on skis, I was always aware of that hole in my resume: nordic skiing. I resolved to fix it this season, with several opportunities for guiding on my winter calendar. I was looking forward to this trip, but I must admit, as an addicted downhiller, at first, I found it difficult to get excited for a nordic day when there was fresh pow in the mountains.

Fahnestock Winter Park Instagram

I’m familiar with Fahnestock Winter Park. I’d passed it so many times, both underneath it on Route 9, to get to the more popular Breakneck Ridge, and through it on the Taconic State Parkway.  I have hiked there many times and the trails are often empty.  The AT runs right through the park on its way to Connecticut, which in my mind, gives the place a little more character.

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Tagged: Downstate NY, Nordic Skiing5 Comments