I apologize for the delayed response, but I wanted to respond to your point about trail mileages.
Currently, 4 of our map sets indicate trail mileage on the map fronts: Catskill, Harriman-Bear Mountain, South Taconic, and West Hudson. As you mention, this feature is very useful for planning and navigating, and many people continue to praise the decision to include these mileage numbers on these maps.
As we revise other maps that do not yet have mileage numbers, we are deciding whether to add the mileages on a map-by-map basis. Some maps with dense trail networks would be very difficult to accurately label with mileages, while others may be more doable, so we hope to be able to bring this feature to additional maps in the future.
i hike daily in harriman with my 3 dogs. there is nothing in harriman that is too steep for a dog. of course it depends on what kind of hiker your dog is. the hike you mentioned is easy.
we have a dog friendly hiking group if you are interested in going with a group with your dog
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/harrimanhike/info
We generally post hike descriptions on the website (there are more than 35 hike descriptions for Harriman-Bear Mountain State Parks alone), but not trail descriptions (except for certain long-distance trails, such as the Long Path and the Highlands Trail). As you indicate, there is no hike description that features the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail in its entirety -- and we generally don't put 25-mile-long hikes on the website. However, the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, along with all other trails in these parks, is described in detail in our Harriman Trails guidebook.
Hiked this section on Saturday March 19, 2016. Definitly a moderate hike for difficulty for this section. I hiked this trail 30 years ago. It was not easy then and is still challenging now. One long boulder field, with some good ascents/descents.
Trail was clear and marked well. Thanks to the recent maintainers who appear to have performed alot of chainsaw maintenance on the trail. Shelter was busy. Lots of people camping overnight prior to the Sunday storm. Views south to NYC were very good, would have been great if it had been sunny and a little clearer.
Comments:
1. The Equine center is a good place to park but be prepared to encounter an aggressive german shepard the maintenance staff has on site. The owner will leash the dog so you can get through to the trail head if you hail him. Unfortunately the trail head's locations forces you to have to walk past this animal.
2. No comprehensive, overall trail description was found on the TC's web site. Only a brief circuit hike for the northern end near Bear Mtn. This trail is long enough (24-26? miles) it might be helpful to have such a description on line, like some of the other longer trails, and recommended camping sites for folks hiking the trail as through hikers.
My BF and I have done a few Catskills hikes in the last month. The ice is dwindling, but it persists in the high forests and slopes that don't see much sun. Bring microspikes. The mud also tends not to appear until at higher elevations. On our last hike, on Peekamoose Mountain, there was no mud until we passed 3500 feet. The rock ledges were for the most part dry and easy to climb, but they were exposed and on a southern slope.
Having experienced this area in the past in December and about this time of year, I would not go without traction. Evergreen trees cover the trail overhead so any snow or ice underneath melts sloooowwwwly. Additionally, the trail is very rutted from years of use, so melt water goes into the rut and refreezes in the main trail path, making it an ice rink. My experience was to walk off trail and uses tree trunks for support. This is by no means limited to this trail either. Having walked the LP through this area in winter and early spring, these conditions tend to repeat themselves throughout the area.
If you are intent on going now, spend the money and get the traction gear. You'll be happier, safer and have it for future walks. Micro spikes or stabilicers will do the trick. Good luck......
We are opening our horizons to the catskills this summer! We have plenty of experience in the southern NY/ northern NJ parks. Now from what I understand, the catskill peaks can be somewhat of a different animal. I have read about how when you get 'up there' in elevation, you tend to run into snow and ice far after its gone in the lower places.
That said, Slide mountain is on the southern end, its the highest peak and from what I have read, when approached from the west its one of the easier climbs....so we decided it would be where we break ourselves in to hiking the catskills.
My question is when can we expect to not have to use traction aid to climb it? Just how bad is the 'mud season' afterward? And finally if anyone has any tips for a catskill noob I would appreciate it! Thank you.
I apologize for the delayed response, but I wanted to respond to your point about trail mileages.
Currently, 4 of our map sets indicate trail mileage on the map fronts: Catskill, Harriman-Bear Mountain, South Taconic, and West Hudson. As you mention, this feature is very useful for planning and navigating, and many people continue to praise the decision to include these mileage numbers on these maps.
As we revise other maps that do not yet have mileage numbers, we are deciding whether to add the mileages on a map-by-map basis. Some maps with dense trail networks would be very difficult to accurately label with mileages, while others may be more doable, so we hope to be able to bring this feature to additional maps in the future.
~Jeremy
TC Cartographer