Trail Conditions Forum

There are several inches of snow in the Walkill River & Roundout Valley River Valley in Ulster County.  Bring your skies or snow shoes.     Happy New Year.

On Wednesday December 19th I did a lollipop hike from Lake Askoti, beginning on the Long Path.  The LP has been cleared or rerouted and reblazed all the way to its intersection with the Lichen Trail.  The area around Times Square is impressive for the level of devastation to the trees.  Dozens of trees were blown down and a tremendous amount of work has been done to clear the trails along the stretch where the LP and ASB run together.  These trails are passable, but work remains putting up new blazes here, on these trails as well as the RD.  It is now easy to see where the Lichen goes as it heads south from the LP, but there were still three trunks to climb over on the way to the top of the bedrock.  The rest of the Lichen, to the RD, is clear.  I took the Dunning back to the LP on my way home, and it has no problems other than water.  Today many streams that do not usually flow were running, and those that are perennial were wider than usual.   My impression is that the striking number of trees down near Times Square was caused by the concentration of older, failing hemlocks here.  The hemlock wooly adelgid laid the foundation, and Sandy did the rest. Jonathan

Hiked this section yesterday.  The weather was cold but clear and in general the weather was good.  The air was hazy however and prevented the really great views of the Husdon Valley.  Even better, no snow and little ice on the ground at this time!  As winter closes in it was great to finish another section before any snow or extensive ice sheets set in.  This sectionof the path is well marked and realtively easy walking.  The ascent of South Mountain in the beginning is very enjoyable due to the use of many long switchbacks that make the climb's pitch not too steep.  This is due to the multi-use nature of the trail, also used as a horse back riding path in this area.  Snowmobile trails were also observed along certain areas of this section. The views along most of this section are excellent.  Again, the only disappointment was the extensive haze in the air.  Boulder Rock, the former Catskill Mountain House hotel site, Artist's Ledge, Neuman's Ledge, all great.  The winter shadows in the evergreen forest sections made a nice contrast of light and dark sections of the Path.  At times eeirily dark in the forest and then all of a sudden bursting into the bright light of the deciduous forested sections.  The rock paths in the marsh & swamp areas were fun to walk on and have the appearance of a landscaped stone sidewalk.  The job was well done. Areas of mountain laurel and rhododendron were observed along the trail. Their green color in the brown landscape of winter gives the forest interesting color and diversity.  While I have not been up to this area in many years, it does look like these plants are not present in the large quantities they once were in this area.  In the past, this section was a great place to visit in June when the mountain laurel is in bloom, I hope to come back here next summer. The view at North Point is really good.  There is almost a 360 degree view on a large, flat stone outcrop.  We had not originally intended to go up to the Point, as we exited the area via the Mary's Glen (red) Trail to the Schutt Rd. parking area, but we had an interesting experience at the end of our hike.  Upon arriving at the trail junction of the Long Path and the Mary's Glen Trail, a large helicopter few into the area and hovered and made multiple passes above us at North Point.  It appeared the craft was landing on or barely hovering above the ground at the stone flat area at the top of the point.  Not knowing the reason for the activity we dumped our packs and proceeded to the top, only 0.3 of a mile further.  By the time we arrived at the top the helicopter had gone and no one was there.  The craft was at the area for about 10 minutes or so and we were able to record a little digital footage of the event.  Very exciting! The hike's section was done as a shuttle again using a local taxi service.  The price was right and we saved money on gas & tolls, as well as creating less air pollution.  Depending on your distance from this area, if you are coming here, it is a transporation alternative to consider.

Anyone know the conditions crossing this stream - which according to the TC's trail update page - had its wooden bridge washed away and there isn't any replacement planned? How's the water level and is it crossable on rocks? Planning on doing hike that includes this this weekend.  Thanks much for any info.  "Red Cross Trail: The low bridge about 0.3 mile south of Hasenclever Mine was washed out. Crossing is possible by a somewhat difficult hop over stones.  It will be difficult in times of high water.  Replacement is not yet planned."    

We hiked up the Mountain trail, over to the Kakiat, then took the SBM north to Conklin's Crossing.  There was only one blowdown blocking the Mountain, and this part of the Kakiat is clear.  But there was an impressive set of big blowdowns on the SBM here, completely blocking the trail again and again for a couple of hundred feet.  Then clear again.  The CC to Pine Meadow Lake was pretty clear.  Walked around the lake on the unblazed trail that follows the pipeline, then up on the Poached Egg.  On the road not long before coming to the Poached Egg, there is a big tree completely blocking the road.  Taking the Poached Egg to Raccoon Brook back to the Kakiat was fine until reaching the intersection with the Kakiat, which has a couple of blowdowns.  We then walked almost all the way back on the pipeline to save time.

My Jolly Rover colleagues David Chase, Alicia Mandelkow, Roch Boucher and I cleared all the blow downs and leaners on the Dark Hollow and Sweet Clover Trails.  Smooth sailing from end to end.....but watch out for the treacherous leaves.

Walked the blue trail yesterday from Chicopee Drive access around the whole loop.  The trail was in good shape and clear with the blazes looking like they had recently been painted.  Good job maintainer(s)!    The hike itself is not particularly interesting but it is open space.  This part of the park is essentially open space that has been saved between encroaching development.  You will see houses from the developments fairly regularly in the winter along the trail, the leaves of spring & summer do a better job of covering this up during other times of the year.  This area also seems to be less used that the rest of the park, which is fine. I only met two other people on this day, considering how busy the rest of the park usually is and how close to large tracts of residential housing the park is.  ATV and dirt bike use is still an ongoing issue throughout the park, including this section, eroding and damaging the trails. The trail passes along a ridge in the beginning of the trail, with multiple small high points on both sides of the trail that one can bushwhack to for views of the surrounding area.  This is better done in the winter when the leaves are down.  It is a shame that one or two of these view points could not be worked into the trail. 

Today--Friday 11/30--I hiked a loop from Tiorati south on the AT to meet the LP, and then back out to Arden Valley Road on the LP.  Obviously, a chainsaw crew had been out on both trails, yet I still found big blowdowns that made for detours on both.  There was a 2-3 tree blowdown just a quarter-mile south of the water tank on the AT/RD, though most of this stretch was clear.  I saw that much work had been done on the AT on the way to the LP intersection, so maybe other trees have fallen since the storm. Arden Valley Road has been closed for the winter, and I met a crew with trucks that looked like they were about to close Tiorati Brook Road.

Yesterday, I hiked about two miles of the A.T. north of Millbrook-Blairstown Road on the Kittatinny Ridge.  The trail is in excellent condition, with several blowdowns along the way from Hurricane Sandy having already been cleared.

The short Lichen Trail that connects the Long Path w/Ramapo-Dunderberg after leaving Sandy-ravaged Times Square is a total mess.  Hiked there Friday, Nov. 23. Connection right at LP & Lichen is barely distinguishable. No blazes after initial blue, 3-blaze Lichen.  If not familiar w/trail, you'll wind up continuing on to your right over tiny creek.   Don't.  Bushwack around blowdown debis making sharp left at triple "L" blue blaze.  But once around, we couldn't find where path continued up to RD. Wound up making very hairy bushwack/climb up, over and through huge pile of blows & branches to climb up to RD connection. Only once up top could we see remnants of Lichen Trail connection below.   Basically, what you have to do is after making that sharp left at blue triple "L" & around blows is to go about 20 ft., then make sharp right,  and you'll even though you'll sttill have to climb up, over and through blow debris, it won't be quite as bad if you miss it and have to go off trail as we did.  This was part of hike was our first look at post-Sandy Harriman trails.  Unbelievable. Destruction there reaffirms that nothing in nature is permanent.  Enjoy it while you can, and those hard-working crew clearing the trails are enabling all of us to continue doing just that. You folks are my new superheros! Thanks again.

I hiked this loop today, starting at Tiorati Brook Road parking.  The short climb north on the Beech is blocked by 4-5 large blowdowns, most of which cannot be stepped over, but require long detours.  The Bockey S is not too bad climbing north, though it is blocked a couple of places.  The long flat route north and west to meet the AT is mostly clear.  The section on the RD and AT to the shelter is completely fine.  The Menomine down to the Red Cross is blocked by blowdowns at a couple of places, especially near the bottom.  The Red Cross going back south to the Beech has several blowdows and debris on the trail.  At least two will need a chainsaw crew. 

I haven't seen any updates on the condition of the trails in and around Farny SP/Split Rock Reservoir since Sandy blew through here.  Anyone know if the trails are open there?  I know there are restrictions due to the power line construction but what about closures due to Sandy?