The Hiking Blog

Storm King Mountain, NY

Posted on by ml242

For the past few years, I haven’t considered it truly summer until I hike Breakneck Ridge. Rated the Best Day Hike in America by Trails.com, it’s a stunning scramble above the Hudson with views that improve as you climb each impossible notch.

Storm King Mountain NY

Then the trail ambles back through glorious meadows and the day concludes with a burger and fireworks at the All-American town of Beacon, NY.

But Breakneck Ridge is to some degree a victim of its own popularity, and on a spectacular Saturday with a late start, I wasn’t looking forward to being the 1000th car parked down the road from the trailhead.

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Tagged: Downstate NY, Hiking3 Comments

Harriman’s Claudius Smith Den

Posted on by ml242

With an iffy forecast for the summit of Mt Washington, my 2013-2014 season might have gone out with a whimper. Although I was disappointed, at first, I wondered if the balmy temps and fresh leaves and the smell of bbq might put Memorial Day as a win.

Harriman waterfall

Beyond making the adjustment from dynafits to hiking boots, I saw an opportunity to get outside with some friends I don’t see much during the ski season.

The group wanted to get some big miles, and for the first hike of the spring, we set our sights on an empty quadrant of Harriman State Park, opting to hike to Claudius Smith Den from 106 instead of the more accessible, and crowded, Johnsontown Road.

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Tagged: Downstate NY, Harriman, Hiking4 Comments

Hour Pond and the New Hour Pond Trail

Posted on by Harvey

Hour Pond is a southern Adirondack destination with majestic views of Bullhead and Hour Pond Mountain. But what draws me to the pond most is the new Hour Pond Trail from Thirteenth Lake.

Paddling Thirteenth Lake

Like many others, this adventure started on Thirteenth Lake. Along the northwestern shore, we paddled beyond Peaked Mountain Brook to the next inlet stream coming off Hour Pond Mountain. We beached our boat, found the red trail and started climbing.

This route is old and must have been a trail back in the day. It passes through a narrow slot on the height-of-land between the Thirteenth and Hour drainages. It was an unmarked hunter’s path and bushwhack when I first skied it.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Backcountry, Hiking, Siamese Ponds Wilderness9 Comments