Hudson Highlands State Park Hike

Posted on by Peter Minde

On an odd Sunday in July, I wasn’t working for a change, and the weather was good. After having driven through three monsoons in five days, I was ready for a day in the woods. I kicked around various destinations, including the Schaeffer trail up Gore, and the Taconic Hereford multiple use area.

view of West Point
West Point from the Hudson Highlands

Waking up at 6:30 put the kibosh on Gore. Decades ago, I’d climbed Breakneck Ridge near Cold Spring NY, and as I finished my coffee, I decided I’d check out Hudson Highlands State Park.

I followed my nose to a small trailhead just off Route 301 outside Cold Spring. Unloader brace? Check. Heart rate monitor? Check. Hydration vest? Check. Off we go.

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Tagged: Hiking, Hudson Highlands2 Comments

Kayaking North South Lake

Posted on by Brownski

I used to spend more time at North South Lake than I do now. When my kids were younger, we would go there for weekend camping trips or just to use the lake and beach for a day. It’s a great place to introduce kids to camping.

North South Lake map

In addition to swimming and hiking and canoeing at North Lake, there are all the other great things the Catskills offer in the surrounding area. Hunter Mountain is right up the road.

The trailhead to Kaaterskill Falls is right there and just a little further south is Esopus Creek where you can rent tubes and spend the afternoon floating downstream.

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Tagged: Catskills, Paddling6 Comments

Do You Remember Ski Totes?

Posted on by Brownski

I’ve heard it said that nostalgia is a powerful drug. I have to admit I indulge in it myself from time to time. Technology moves forward and most stuff we have today is better than it was thirty years ago. But it isn’t always more fun.

Take the Ski Tote for example. It’s just a cheap plastic clamshell device with a handle that makes it easier to carry a pair of skis and poles in one hand.

Ski Tote

When I started skiing in the 80s, you saw Ski Totes everywhere. Like glacier glasses and CB jackets, they were just there. I didn’t have one — I could barely afford skis — but the people that did were proud of them. They had a real cool-kid vibe.

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Tagged: Ski Gear18 Comments