Two trails at Van Cortlandt

The Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is offering a "21 in 21" challenge - to hike 21 miles in the park this year. They can't be just any 21 miles, but a specific set of trails.* To do them all as indicated actually requires more than 21 miles total.

I'd done the Putnam Trail (well, many times, but relevant to this challenge) during a rainy spring break day. So on Saturday I decided to combine my monthly trail maintenance with checking off a few more.

Starting from the west end, I first hiked the John Muir trail to its east end. On the way back, I stopped at my trail section to pick up trash and pull up garlic mustard. I headed back to the beginning, dumped the trash, and then did the Cass Gallagher loop.

I've done the entire loop before - in fact, I helped blaze it - but I haven't done parts of it in a very long time. It feels a bit more rugged than some of the other trails, and there are several ascents and descents. There is also a staircase and a brief section of old paving, so the entire trail offers a varied experience.

I have six trails to go (one being a free choice).

*There are substitutions available with the clear intent that they are to be used if the official hikes are too challenging. While no one is checking up, just marching for 21 miles and calling it done would be a violation of the spirit of the rules.

Two trails at South Mountain Reservation

At the end of spring break, I went out to New Jersey and met K for two hikes at South Mountain. We had a nice sunny day, perfect for hiking. 

The first was a very short jaunt to Hemlock Falls, via a different approach than I've used before.

We then drove to a different trailhead and did the Mayapple Loop. I should have guessed this from the map, but since this trail circles the edge of the park, houses and condos were nearly continuously visible on our right the entire hike. 

The map indicated one Mayapple Rock, which I was curious to see. It turned out to be a large, knobbly rock (maybe a glacial erratic?). It was a nice hike, but I think I prefer other trails within the park, which offer fewer reminders of suburbia.

Lost Clove Trail

For reasons too tedious to get into, I decided to knock off a trail of no particular distinction on my last day in the Catskills, and headed west to the Lost Clove Trail. It is one of many access points to the trails around Belleayre, and it doesn't lead directly to any high peaks or spectacular views, so it gets less use. I had it entirely to myself on this trip.

The hike follows an old road very steeply up a hillside, gaining 1,500 feet of elevation over 1.2 or 1.3 miles, depending on the source you believe. Either way, it's straight up.

The good news was there was no snow at lower elevations, and even near the top I never need spikes.

This hike doesn't offer much in the way of scenery, rewards, etc. at other times of the year, but I would recommend doing it when the leaves are off the trees. That's because on one side there are continuous views of Balsam Mountain through the woods that would be hidden when the leaves are out. 

Up to North Point

The second day of my trip, I looked at the cold, cold temperatures (9º, feels like -9º!) and decided on an easier hike that wouldn't go up to the top of a mountain, where it was presumably even colder. 

From just outside the entrance to North-South Lake, I got on the Rock Shelter Trail, following it up to the Escarpment Trail, headed north a bit to North Point. From there I retraced a bit to Mary's Glen Trail, and followed it out to the road back to the trailhead. Along the way, I passed Ashley Falls. 

The hike was quite lovely, and the views at the top were spectacular. Plus, it eventually warmed up to a balmy 24º!

Indian Head, two attempts

I headed up to the Catskills for a few last winter days, hoping to get in at least one winter peak. Alas, I got a slow start out of the city Sunday morning, and snow was blowing in by the time I finally arrived at the trailhead, a bit after noon.

I was planning to hike Indian Head, and maybe Twin, via Jimmy Dolan Notch. I'm a little more cautious when winter solo hiking, for obvious reasons, than I would be with a group or in balmier weather. 

Unfortunately, along with the snow came some nasty wind. It became clear, as I dragged myself up to the top of the notch, that while I could make it to the top of the mountain, I wouldn't enjoy it at all. So I turned back at the notch.

Skip forward to Tuesday, and to trying again. 

The trail was still postholed and icy, but nothing was falling from the sky. The only wind I encountered was at the Notch itself, which is always breezy. 

From there I pushed on to the top, my legs complaining about being out of shape the whole way. Indian Head is a reasonably safe solo hike for winter, as there is only one modest ledge to climb. I was more likely to injure an ankle in a hidden posthole than to take a fall. Twin is a bit dicier, so I didn't add it on. 

The trip down was uneventful; I ran into two couples (separately) going to each of the peaks, but that was it for people all day.

So that was my first winter solo 3500 peak! And my only one of 2021, at least until December.

Hiking all the bridges

On Sunday I led a hike for my club that was intended to cross every pedestrian-accessible bridge over Spuyten Duyvil and the Harlem River. We ended up skipping two bridges near the end, hiking 16 miles total.

The afternoon was rainy, which I could have done without, but overall we had a good hike.