Trail Conditions Forum

Mud? Ice? High water at stream crossings?

This is the place to let the trail community know what you encountered, where and when (be as precise as possible). Suggestion: Make the trail or park name your subject.

To report serious trail problems that need Trail Conference attention, including illegal trail use issues, visit our Contact Us page. Problems reported through our Contact Us page get to the maintainers fast and reliably. Problems reported on the forum below may help fellow trail users avoid problem areas until they get fixed, but not all maintainers read this regularly.

 

jbeard's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 12:53pm
I was just in Virginia, and hiked two sections of the AT, including some hard climbs. I would like to do more climbing without driving 35 miles from Manhattan to Harriman, but I have not found very many good steps to climb outside, even using both Central and Morningside Parks. Does anyone know of something like this LA walk for NYC? http://www.backpacker.com/june_2004_i_climbed_los_angeles/articles/12466 This article describes a 19-mile walk with 3200 feet of elevation gain. Jonathan
tommi's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 10:13am
I am planning a November hike in the Dunderberg/Bald Mtn/Timp area of Bear Mountain State Park. I am wondering if there are any closures/issues in this area, in particular along the Cornell Mine, Ramapo-Dunderberg, and Timp Torne trails. I am also interested in knowing if I should expect to encounter hunting in this area. Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks, -tom
thegup's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/03/2010 - 8:33am
I just did this one 2 weeks ago. No issues.
tommi's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 5:36pm
Thanks for all the replies. -tom
jbeard's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 12:56pm
I hiked the Cornell Mine trail to the RD, and then used the TT to get to West Mountain, two times in October, and found no problems. No hunting ever in this section, I think. Jonathan
Phil McLewin's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 11:04am

See: http://www.nynjtc.org/news/deer-hunting-dates-new-york-and-new-jersey-2010: "Hikers should be aware that hunting is allowed this year [2010] in the area of Harriman west of Route 87 and into Sterling Forest State Park. Other areas of Harriman-Bear Mountain are not open to hunting." 

Michael K7's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/02/2010 - 10:49am
I can't help you with closures, as i've never hiked in that area, but hunting is not permitted in that part of Harriman.
banjolady's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/12/2010 - 12:30am
i posted a report in the "general" section about seeing some hunters in harriman. it is illegal but in certain areas people do hunt, mostly in ladentown and hillbrun along woods roads and powerlines i believe. i doubt if u will encounter hunters in the west mt/bear mt/dunderberg areas as the trails are near the ranger stations and quite steep and rocky...
mgriff's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/28/2010 - 2:39pm
I'm planning a hike on the Devil's path this weekend (10/30), and am looking for help with a shuttle. If anyone has information on local shuttle services or knows somone in the area that helps hikers out in this regard, please let me know. Thanks-Matt
weather220's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/26/2010 - 2:01pm
Hoping to do a few nights in the Catskills next week. Should I expect any snow or freezing temperatures, or is it too early in the season? Thanks.
srtmaintainer's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/27/2010 - 9:17pm
We were on both Romer Mountain and Mount Tremper this past Friday. On Romer it snowed on and off most the day. We then took a hike on the Tanbark trail in the afternoon. While standing on the Phoenicia Overlook in the sun we noticed it was still snowing on Romer. The weather folks say this. http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USNY1608
weather220's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 11/01/2010 - 11:57pm
thanks andy!
Willy's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/20/2010 - 4:30pm
Looks like there was a grass fire approaching the summit of Horse Pond Mountain. Don't know if it was caused by lightning or some incosiderate person(s). Trees were not affected and neither was the actual trail up there but there is a sizeable area that shows burn marks.
Bearfort's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/13/2010 - 9:12am

Just a heads up: the Terrace Pond Red, Terrace Pond South (yellow), and parts of the Terrace Pond North (blue) trails are getting overgrown and poorly marked again, despite a pretty decent amount of foot traffic. The yellow and red trails just south of Terrace Pond are particularly bad right now.

tree188's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/12/2010 - 9:20pm
Hiked this section on Saturday 10/9/2010. Weather was great. This section appears to be less traveled than other sections of the Path in Harriman. Views from the top of Long Mountain are excellent. Views of Howell Mtn. & Brooks Mtn. are beautiful looking at each other from each mountain's side view. Many ticks in this area, be sure to perform a tick removal check of your gear and self when done with your walk. Pulled a few off myself, particularly in the electric wire ROW areas. Felt bad for the West Point Cadets who had to mark the reservation boundary markers in all of the scrub brush. Observed a garter snake (and petted it, they are very docile and trusting) and several groups of nuthatches feeding in the woods. Smith Clove Rd. road walking dangerous, too close to cars. Wish there was a better path substitute. Woodbury creek reroute worked well. Crossing this creek would not have been easy even at lower water.
PVPatrick's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/02/2010 - 8:38am
The torrential rains have caused several washouts with 1 tree down along the new section of the AT on the east side of Bear Mt including a water fall cascading across the trail. Be prepared to get your feet wet there.
Bearfort's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 10/01/2010 - 9:23am

 Release date: Thursday, September 30

Contact(s): Kathleen Sandt, (570) 426-2429-office/ (570) 269-8422

Delaware River within Park Closed Due to Rising Waters

Superintendent John J. Donahue announced today the entire Delaware River corridor within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, from Milford to Delaware Water Gap, is closed in anticipation of rising waters. All access points are also closed until further notice. Due to heavy precipitation throughout the region, the river is expected to rise from its present height of 5 feet, at the Montague gauge, to 19.8 feet by 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Flood stage at the Montague gauge is 25 feet.

At these heights, typical river conditions include large quantities of floating debris, very swift currents, decreased water temperatures and increased hydraulic hazards in rapids and near bridge pilings, as well as increased hazards along the shore.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the region, beginning at 8 a.m. today and continuing through late this evening. The flood watch means there is potential for flooding on the river, small creeks or streams, and in areas with poor drainage.

Park rangers are closely monitoring the weekend weather and river forecasts and are making preparations to close additional facilities and roads, if necessary.

Information on closures will also be posted on the park website: www.nps.gov/dewa.

Don Weise

hiker4414's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 09/27/2010 - 6:08pm
The bottle caps on this trail have been painted out in the past by parties unknown. The gentleman who put up many new bottle caps and did some minor maintenance moved out of the NY/NJ area more than 3 years ago. He had no connection to Thendara. Hikers (including members of Thendara) using the trail clear fallen branches, but I haven't heard that anyone from Thendara has done any other trail maintenance. This trail has always been shown as an unmaintained trail on the Trail Conference maps.
NYCHiker's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 09/27/2010 - 11:20am
We stayed at Bald Rocks in Harriman this weekend and encountered a number of hikers looking for water. If you're heading to Harriman, bring as much water as you'll need. The park is incredibly dry right now, so don't rely on the "reliable streams" for water.
jbeard's picture

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on 09/27/2010 - 7:56am
Is the Bottlecap Trail in Harriman a trail that the council maintains? It is on the maps, and I use it occasionally. In the last year I have noticed that the blazes are in poor condition, with many missing.