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I've gotten into dayhiking in a big way this year. I'm still way out of shape and not ready for the serious stuff, but I've had some great times all the same. Harriman State Park (NY):  On the Appalachian Trail in NJ:  Breakneck Ridge in the Hudson Highlands (NY):  i_heart_ponies, add me to that hiking with goons list, please. I've been looking for someone to split gas and tolls with, driving from Long Island or NYC to the Hudson Highlands and the Catskills.
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Dec 8, 2012 02:19
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Shrinking Universe posted:[Awesome Australian pictures] I don't have any specific questions; I've wanted to go hiking in the High Country for ages, but I won't have the money to fly to Australia for years, so I haven't bothered to plan yet. Are there any long-distance trails (7-10 days of hiking) worth the trip? Or should I stick to NZ?
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Dec 10, 2012 16:48
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Don't forget the Knife Edge on Katahdin!
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Dec 14, 2012 22:37
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Yesterday I went on my first snow hike in years, climbing the backside of Storm King in New York's Hudson Highlands. Turns out I'm nowhere ready for this snow hiking poo poo. I pushed right up to my physical limits just to get to the summit and back to the trailhead. I'm not hiking in snow again any time soon. Pretty though: Looking south at the Black Rock Forest from near the summit of Butter Hill.  Looking north up the Hudson at the Catskills on the horizon.  Six inch drifts coated Storm King's summit.  Looking across the Hudson at Breakneck Ridge. I'd rather climb Breakneck Ridge again a thousand times than try hiking in snow one more time.
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Jan 1, 2013 01:25
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TerminalSaint posted:Looks like a beautiful day for it. It's easy to forget how much extra effort snow requires until you're wading through it. A lot of the trails I've hiked in southern NY are the same way. I had to bail out of a hike along the South Taconic Trail after twisting my ankles going down one of those loose scree-filled death chutes worn into the slope from generations of hiking. And going uphill is almost as bad -- those trailbuilders in the '20s and '30s loved to slap dabs of white paint on vertical schist cliffs and call it a trail. Don't get me wrong, the occasional insane rock scramble can be fun -- I really want to get back to Breakneck Ridge in the spring. But I miss hiking out west. Trails out there tend to be graded for pack horses, which is so much nicer on joints and lungs.
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Jan 1, 2013 03:55
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I'll add a few of my own pictures: My friend negotiates a level stretch of the AT in northern New Jersey. (Note the white trail blaze under his foot.)  Climbing the Breakneck Ridge trail. (Again, note the trail blazes.)  On the South Taconic Trail along the NY/MA border.
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Jan 1, 2013 06:14
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LogisticEarth posted:Is that Sunfish Pond? Yes, indeed it is. I wish the lighting had been better that day, there was gorgeous fall foliage everywhere but my camera doesn't do well on flat overcast days.
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Jan 1, 2013 18:48
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Bison will gently caress you up. People will approach them because they look like big woolly cows. People are stupid.
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Jan 5, 2013 03:21
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I went on a quick and easy hike in the Hudson Palisades this weekend. The scenery in this part of the world is nothing compared to what you all have out west and in Canada, but I have to make do with what I got. Looking up the bank of the Hudson.  The Palisades from below.  The Palisades from above.
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Jan 21, 2013 22:54
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What foods do you all like to bring on long dayhikes? I'm always in sore need of an energy boost after a big hill or the first 6-7 miles, but I can't seem to find any snacks or lunches that do the trick. (Mostly because I'm so out of shape.) Anything that I can eat cold, or cook up the night before, and packs a lot of calories -- that's what I want.
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Mar 4, 2013 02:56
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Picnic Princess posted:I'm not fancy in the slightest. Trail mix with peanuts, raisins, almonds, cashews, and smarties, along with a cheesebun or pizzabun or bagel, and usually a fancy muffin or two. I'm also terrible and bring a coffee-based energy drink as a treat on the summit. I get so sick of trail mix, but I guess it's an old standby for a reason. Maybe if I buy bulk peanuts and M&M's, I can make my own mix for much less money than the pre-mixed packages go for. Bringing some sugary caffeine sounds like an excellent (terrible) idea, though! Thanks.
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Mar 4, 2013 17:47
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If I had six months to spare (and insane amounts of money for equipment and supplies), I'd probably pick the PCT over the AT, but after discovering some AT books in my library, the AT has been edging up in the rankings. Unfortunately, I'll have to live vicariously through people like you, Akion. Maybe in a few years I'll have enough money and spare time to do month long segments, but I probably won't have six months free until I'm 45, at the very youngest. It's a bummer. I kind of have thru-hike fever right now. Maybe next summer I'll find a 50-100 mile trail and do a mini thru-hike.
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Mar 5, 2013 18:35
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JAY ZERO SUM GAME posted:Hiking north to south through the Winds in Wyoming would be a good one. Oooh, you're right. I'll add that to my short list, right up there with an Olympic traverse, the Wonderland Trail, and the Northville-Placid Trail.
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Mar 5, 2013 19:42
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PhantomOfTheCopier posted:So... high caloric intake foods? I shall add back some more basic sugary trail mix with Reeses/MMs+nuts, and I might think about adding back in some morning cheeses for the saturated fats, but are there any other suggestions for calorie bombs? "One full chocolate cake with chocolate icing"? I keep thinking peanut butter and cheese. I want to experiment with... I don't know, cheesy peanut butter rice and potato bake, and pack it in with a spork for the summit. Anything with cheese might not keep so well on a warm or sunny day, though.
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Mar 6, 2013 06:51
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An old friend is visiting NY in April, and is adamant that we do a dayhike on the AT while he's here. (If it were up to me, I'd tell him to fly out in June and hit up the Catskills, but I can't blame him for his fixation on the AT.) Any suggestions for really good segments? I was thinking somewhere in Harriman or Bear Mountain, maybe making a loop of it with the Timp-Torne or the Ramapo-Dunderberg, but I wanted to ask around first in case there were less crowded gems I didn't know about.
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Mar 7, 2013 21:27
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What's a good, durable, relatively cheap daypack? I somehow made a $10 Walmart pack last for a couple years, but I wanna treat myself to an upgrade with this tax check. Ideally in the less than $75 range.
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Mar 10, 2013 22:47
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JAY ZERO SUM GAME posted:Depends on, well, a lot of things, but I use the REI Flash 18 for that. It's usually about $30. Depends on how light you wanna pack though. I get the impression 35 liters is a more common size. I was thinking a hydration pack would be nice, but the prices on some of those models are outrageous. I want something bigger than the Flash 18, since I tend to bring extra clothes in colder months. I'll keep looking on REI and other sites, I suppose.
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Mar 10, 2013 23:07
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I'm weighing my options for a five day series of dayhikes this summer. I want to do dayhikes instead of a backpacking trip for a variety of reasons: I don't have the equipment to backpack, I don't feel like carrying all the extra gear, I want to sample a variety of locations in one general region, etc. My two top picks are northern New Mexico and the Adirondacks. I know New Mexico pretty well from past trips, but for the Adirondacks, I only have a stack of guidebooks to help me out. Any of you who've been in the Adirondacks, what are some of the very best dayhikes (4-12 miles, give or take) you can recommend? And what would be a good source of info for car-camping? I like big views and waterfalls and funky rock outcrops, prefer gentle climbs whenever possible, and would like to spend some time above the treeline. Crowds aren't a deal-killer, but anything away from crowds is good.
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Mar 18, 2013 17:52
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This thread needs more pictures. I went on a piddly little hike on West Mountain in Harriman-Bear Mountain SP (NY). It may not be as lovely as all your hikes in New Hampshire and Alberta, but it was a gorgeous day. Looking toward Bear Mountain.  Looking southwest.  NYC on the horizon.  A vulture.  Climbing back up West Mountain from Timp Pass, along the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail.
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Apr 2, 2013 06:18
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My friend and I are looking to do a couple day hikes in eastern Pennsylvania or Maryland this weekend, weather permitting. We already picked out the Pinnacle for one day, but I can't seem to find anything else in my guidebooks that sounds like a must-see. I'm hoping someone can recommend a good hike between 4 and 10 miles long, ideally without too much elevation gain (no more than, say, 1200 feet total), with something really interesting along the way, like a great viewpoint or a unique geological feature or something like that. Oh, and it should be no more than three hours away from Trenton by car. Right now the only options that seem feasible are Ricketts Glen and Pole Steeple (at Pine Grove Furnace). If anyone recommends against either of those, that's good to know too. Thanks!
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May 21, 2013 18:37
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LogisticEarth posted:Delaware Water Gap/Worthington State Forest in NJ. You can dothe Mt. Tammany trail, or go up one of the various other trails to see Sunfish Pond. Mt. Tammny has been getting really crowded lately, unfortunately. We already did this one. I live on Long Island and he lives near Trenton, so northern NJ is halfway between us; any notable trails there, we've already done it or we're planning to do it some other time in the future. That's why I specified PA or MD. We want to explore new ground. I'll look into Hawk Mountain, though, thanks!
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May 21, 2013 20:33
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Marshmallow Mayhem posted:Check out Cunningham Falls maybe if you want pools/slides! That does look quite interesting. I'm looking into it now. Thanks!
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May 22, 2013 03:23
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Elijya posted:The Pinnacle and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary NatasDog posted:Rickett's Glen Awesome, thank you! I think I'll do Ricketts Glen in July. Hawk Mountain definitely sounds worth a visit, too.
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May 22, 2013 19:16
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Over the weekend my buddy and I hiked the Pinnacle (on the AT in Pennsylvania) plus a couple more piddly trails in the Philly area. It's no Bali or Yellowstone, but drat it, it was pretty. Ferns are one of my favorite things about PA. They're freakin' everywhere. It's like the place knows it peaked in the Carboniferous and doesn't want to let go.  My buddy at the Pinnacle.  Lots of tulip poplar flowers got blown down in the windstorm the previous night.  Hey little guy. 
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May 27, 2013 19:42
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I climbed Slide Mountain, highest mountain in the Catskills, yesterday. It was my first 4000 footer! (Well, I've done higher stuff out west, but comparing that to the East Coast is just going to get me down.) The Curtis-Ormsbee trail was spectacular where it wasn't a river.  It was my first time reaching the balsam fir / birch tree zone. I loved it.  Kind of a bust at the summit -- I could barely see ten meters, so no vistas for me -- but at least it didn't start pouring until I was on my way down.
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Jul 4, 2013 02:53
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SpitztheGreat posted:Wassup fellow Catskill Hiking Goon! It's nice to see another one on here, it seems that people are all too often focused on the Adirondacks and forget that the Catskills even exist. I've been mostly focusing on the Kaaterskill Range and North Lake area. This past Friday I did my first foray into the Windham area to get a better look at Blake Dome, Blachead, and Thomas Cole. Any experience with those? And most of all, have you ever attempted Kaaterskill High Peak? I live on Long Island, so the Catskills are just barely within my day-trip limits. Driving four or five hours each way kind of sucks, though, so I've only hiked there twice, the Slide Mountain trip and a long approach to Overlook Mountain from the north. That time one of my hiking buddies turned an ankle, so we had to turn around at Echo Lake. I'm still figuring out the geography of the place; all those names you mentioned are kind of familiar, but I couldn't put them on a map. I'm just barely in shape enough to do the Slide Mountain hike, so I hesitate to ask for recommendations. Last time I did, someone suggested the Tongue Mountain Range loop, which is way way beyond my current abilities. That said, what's a must-see hike in the Catskills for someone of my roundish build? I like views almost as much as I like flat easy hiking.
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Jul 8, 2013 17:24
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SpitztheGreat posted:Kaaterskill High Peak has a few different approaches, but it's considered hard from any angle so it's probably best to avoid it. Ah, something to work toward! I mean, my mid-range goal is to be able to do Marcy without dying, but this might be a good step toward that goal. SpitztheGreat posted:I've been doing trails almost exclusively in the Palenville area for almost a year and I've yet to get bored. If I were you I'd start there, but I do realize that it will be a hell of a drive for you. I was thinking about the North South Lake area; I'm still at the guidebook stage with the Catskills, and that's one of the big recommended hikes in the Falcon guide. My big trip next month will probably be an overnight trip into the Adirondacks -- my first overnight AND my first time setting foot in the 'Dacks! -- but if I can find time to get away this fall, the Palenville area will definitely be at or near the top of the list. Which brings up the question of fall crowds. If I pulled into a trailhead at, say, 10 am on a beautiful autumn Saturday, would I be screwed, or would I at least be able to park? SpitztheGreat posted:Closer to home, and on the east side of the Hudson, I hear that Putnam County has lots of good hiking. Might be worth checking out. Just for fun (I love playing with maps), I made up this map of my hikes over the last three or so years, ever since I got back into hiking. You can see that, while I haven't ventured into Fahnestock, I've spent a fair amount of time doing the "classic" Putnam County hikes -- Bull Mountain, Anthony's Nose, Breakneck Ridge, etc. So I can attest that Putnam is pretty good. Sadly, I'm getting a tiny bit bored of the Hudson Highlands.
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Jul 9, 2013 06:18
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omgmofohomolol posted:Me, my boyfriend, and his dog Bruce completed the 5.3 mile Tuxedo Loop in Harriman State Park, New York. I had literally no experience hiking in elevation except being an avowed New York City walker; I'd hiked years ago back home in Mississippi, through what was basically a swamp. Even though the hike was challenging with both scrambles and the fun-kind-of-getting-lost pathfinding, and a couple days later I'm sore & slow, I don't regret it! Which trails are involved in this loop? I haven't been on any part of the Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy trail, or really done much of anything in the west part of Harriman. It looks like a great time for a first hike around here! Breakneck Ridge (if you mean the one on the east side of the Hudson, with the special train station right there) was a blast last November, though I hear it gets serious crowds in summer.
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Jul 31, 2013 00:31
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omgmofohomolol posted:Holy poo poo, sorry it took me a few pages to reply, but from the Tuxedo NJTransit station we started on the red blazed Ramapo-Dunderberg trail, took our detour at Claudius Smith Den by taking the also-red Tuxedo - Mt. Ivy to a brief turn via White Bar to the Triangle trail (we had to switchback to go the right way) lunching at Lake Sebago. The most strenuous part was hiking back to Claudius Smith Den the way we came (it was heavenly to have a change of shirt). From there go south on Blue Disc through (or past) Elbow Brush and Almost Perpendicular, turning back north on white-blazed Kakiat back to the Ramapao-Dunderberg trailhead. All told it took about seven hours. It's a little swampy so pack some bugspray. Also, I felt like a pro by packing a paper fan (kept the flies away AND kept me cool). Yesterday I did a nine mile loop further north, starting at the Lake Skannatati trailhead. I topped Hogencamp, Black Rock, Surebridge, Island Pond, and Pine Swamp Mountains, via Times Square and the Lemon Squeezer. All those little 100-200 foot climbs add up, lemme tell you; I felt more exhausted after that loop than I did climbing 1800 feet in one go up Slide Mountain. If only I could hike enough to actually get and stay in shape. Going out once a month isn't enough, but it's all I can afford. Yesterday was a gorgeous day and it was a great outing. I hope to put some pictures up when I have access to a computer, maybe tonight or tomorrow.
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Aug 5, 2013 19:52
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omgmofohomolol posted:Do you have a car you drove out there or perhaps take a bus that stops near the Skannatatati trailhead? I checked it out and the map has a ton of "scenic viewpoint" stars there so I'm jealous -- post some pics! I'm trying to plan a last-minute hike for tomorrow and it's half-infuriating, half-blessing to be relying on public transit. Instead of Bear Mountain I think we might take a modified summit up Sugarloaf Mountain then back down Breakneck Ridge, starting and stopping at the Cold Spring train station. I'd love to have hiking buddies (and I'd love help with the tolls and gas even more), especially on trips farther afield than Harriman. Before you consider hiking with me, though, you should know some things: I'm fat and disgustingly out of shape, easily winded on uphills and exceedingly slow and careful on rocky descents. On this hike I averaged 1.8 mph, not counting my lunch break. Plus, I'm only free on weekends, and I think you said earlier that you have to work those days. That said, if you're willing to put up with a slow hambeast who takes lots of pictures, we might be able to work something out. I'll email you later, I only have ten more minutes on this machine before the library times me out. I better get posting pictures:  The Long Path goes up a lovely prehistoric crevice carpeted in ferns, it's one of my favorite discoveries so far in all of Harriman.  On the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail on Hogencamp Mountain.  Looking south. (Don't mind the smudge on my lens from here on out, I didn't notice it until I got home.)  Hi little guy!  The view from the Lichen Trail, which I do not recommend unless you like getting lost and bushwhacking through shoulder-high shrubbery.  In the Lemon Squeezer.  Descending Island Pond Mountain on the AT, another favorite spot.
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Aug 7, 2013 01:45
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Thursday and Friday I went on my very first overnight backpack! I did 17.5 miles in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness in Adirondack Park, summiting Pharaoh Mountain and staying (not really sleeping) at the Watch Rock campsite on Pharaoh Lake. It was a laughable tale of unpreparedness, dehydration, and poor fitness, but I learned some basic lessons, and I'll be sure not to repeat certain mistakes. And now I get to look through the pictures and start remembering the awesome stuff instead of the pain, the whining, and the sleeplessness. Pharaoh Mountain was probably my toughest climb so far, something you fit folks out west would laugh at. I started just this side of the Paradox Lake, center right. It was about 6.5 miles from trailhead to summit.  This was the best view I've seen east of the Rockies, and totally worth the effort.  It began to sprinkle and I heard the faint sound of thunder while on the summit, so sadly I couldn't avail myself of the lovely (and legal!) campsite there.  After a couple years of hiking only in southern New York and vicinity, Pharaoh Lake looked to me like the setting for a fairy tale.  It was a rough night, but someday (when I'm better prepared and have actual gear and maybe a buddy along) I'd like to try this overnight thing again.
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Aug 31, 2013 23:33
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PRADA SLUT posted:I went to Ecola Park. It had just rained and four miles of the trail was literally a wet, ankle-deep mud pit. It took four hours to go through it. I live on the wrong drat coast.
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Sep 2, 2013 01:44
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alnilam posted:Someone was posting here recently about a lovely park that was either almost or entirely in transit range of NYC. Remind me please? Harriman State Park has a train stop or two on a very limited schedule on weekends, I think. I don't know which line it is, but that's probably the park you're thinking of.
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Sep 4, 2013 01:54
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SpitztheGreat posted:Mount Tom State Forest New York only has one national forest, and it's out by the Finger Lakes. Most trails in NY are maintained by the various trail clubs and organizations, like the NY/NJ Trail Conference. I'm sure many smaller, less glamorous parcels of state land, especially those far away from the NYC metro and away from the Hudson Valley, don't get much attention from the likes of the NYNJTC or the Adirondack Mountain Club or whatever. If Mount Tom is in fact maintained by the DEC, that's probably the problem: the state's budget, if you haven't noticed, has been strained in recent years, and small DEC parcels are far from the top budgetary priority. Any good experiences to report in the more out of the way parks?
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Sep 20, 2013 19:57
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j.peeba posted:I hope no one minds a picture dump! I got back from a five day hike in Urho Kekkonen National park in the Finnish Lapland. It's the longest and most remote hike I've done and it was lovely. We started the hike by the Russian border and took a 70km route back towards Saariselkä village (and its spa hotel we had reserved for when we get back) along river valleys, forests and fells. Great views, awesome weather and a well deserved beating for my lazy-rear end body! Oh my god this is lovely. I'll have to add that to my big ol' hiking bucket list. And picture dumps are always welcome, I say. They're like little vicarious trips I can enjoy even when I'm too broke to go anywhere myself.
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Sep 26, 2013 20:21
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TerminalSaint posted:Images like these are the proper response to the people who say "Uuugh, I need to get out west where the real hiking is." While those pictures are magnificent, I could fly to California in the time it would take me to drive from Long Island to New Hampshire. Real hiking does exist here in the east, but it's impractical for all but a select few.
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Oct 9, 2013 04:53
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Gear chat is boring when you're poor. Have some pictures from a little hike I did around Montauk Point (NY): The Atlantic.  A dead, very smelly fish.  A gorgeous beech grove in prime fall color.
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Nov 10, 2013 21:03
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krispykremessuck posted:No picture of the lighthouse? Here you go.  
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Nov 11, 2013 03:04
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Has anyone here hiked the Pumpelly Trail up Monadnock in NH, or climbed Stratton Mountain in VT? How are they? I'm looking for one or two big (but not too grueling) dayhikes to do in New England next year, ideally not much more than five hours' drive from the middle of Long Island.
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Nov 14, 2013 18:14
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| # ¿ May 1, 2024 07:49 |
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TerminalSaint posted:I'm a ranger at Mondnock. That's awesome! And thank you very much for the info. That's in essence what my old NH guidebook said, but it's nice to get more recent confirmation. (I had a bad time once in PA because a trail described in an old guidebook was no longer there, and I didn't think to research that ahead of my trip.) As pretty as winter hiking can be, this trip won't be until late spring or summer. I don't have the gear or the fitness to deal with ice and snow. When is your favorite season for hiking there?
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Nov 15, 2013 17:23
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