Agile Trekker: March 2012

Round Hill/East Mountain Loop, Fahnestock

January 1, 2012
Distance: 7.5 miles
Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Map: East Hudson Trails Map
Parking: Parking area on the side of the road
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Round Hill/East Mountain Loop

Parts of this included multi-use trails. These might be good for easy snowshoeing.
There were more people on the multi-use trail sections, which were flat and easy.

Gate to old woods road. Turn right here and cross stream.

After leaving the multi-use trail, we gain some elevation

Many long stone walls

Moxie likes to carry sticks while we hike, hoping one of us will take pity on her and throw it

Year to date miles: 7.5

Catfish Loop Trail, Fahnestock

January 2, 2012
Distance: 4.8 miles
Time: 3 hours
Map: East Hudson Trails Map
Parking: Parking area on the side of the road
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Catfish Loop Trail, Fahnestock

There were lots of stone walls on the trail

Year to date miles: 12.3

Three Lakes Trail, Appalachian Trail Loop, Fahnestock

January 14, 2012
Distance: 5.3 miles
Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Map: East Hudson Trails Map
Parking: Parking area on the side of the road
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Three Lakes Trail/Appalachian Trail Loop from Dennytown Road

Only one photo. I'm guessing it was a very cold day!

Trek next to cairn

Year to date miles: 17.6

Appalachian Trail/Blue Trail (Clear Lake) Loop from Route 301, Fahnestock

January 16, 2012
Distance: 6.4 miles
Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Map: East Hudson Trails Map
Parking: See directions
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Appalachian Trail/Blue Trail (Clear Lake) Loop from Route 301

We didn't do this hike as described.
The area near the scout reservation doesn't allow dogs.
There are also huge No Trespassing signs threatening arrest, which are a bit confusing, as part of this hike goes by them.

Neither Trek nor I like stream crossings in the winter

Year to date miles: 24

Turkey Mountain, NY

January 22, 2012
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 1 hour
Map: none
Parking: Parking lot in park
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Turkey Mountain Nature Preserve
This is a loop which can be done clockwise or counter clockwise:
Blue trail up to summit, white trail down
White trail up to summit, blue trail down

This park doesn't allow dogs, but we regularly see dogs there.
This is a short hike that can be done after work.
The whole hike is pretty. There are resevoir, mountain, farm, NYC views from the summit.
Because of its location and distance, this is a popular place to hike.
We prefer to hike it close to sunset - to capture the sunset at the summit.
No map needed. It is very clearly marked (too many blazes in my opinion), and at points, the trail is even outlined in fallen logs (which doesn't look very natural, but I assume is intended to prevent trail overuse/erosion).

Too overcast for any good views

Year to date miles: 26

ORAK Ruins, Jackie Jones Fire Tower and Big Hill Shelter, Harriman

January 28, 2012
Distance: 4.7 miles
Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Map: Harriman - Bear Mountain Trails
Parking: Parking area on the side of the road
Restrooms: none
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: ORAK Ruins, Jackie Jones Fire Tower and Big Hill Shelter

This hike features the ORAK mansion ruins (ORAK is KARO as in the corn syrup company spelled backwards). There is a lot of broken glass near some sections of the ruins, so be careful with dogs.

Communications tower - not so pretty

Fire tower - we decided not to go up it. It rocks in the wind!

Handsome Trek

Taking a break at Big Hill Shelter

We didn't stay long - it was cold

There are great views opposite the shelter. You can see the NYC skyline & mountains.

Trek checking out the ruins

Year to date miles: 30.7

Macedonia Brook State Park, CT

February 4, 2012
Distance: 6.9 miles
Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Map: Macedonia Brook State Park
Parking: Parking at trailhead
Restrooms: At trailhead
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Gone Hikin'

Note that this trail has one spot with difficult rock scrambling near Cobble Mountain.
We needed two people to lower the dogs down a rock face (not shown in photos).

Moxie

This hike had some nice mountain views

Taking a breather

Trek

Moxie, Trek

It's February, and we are all hot!

Very wide woods road. The dogs pick up some speed.

Year to date miles: 37.6

Allaire State Park and Allaire Village, NJ

February 5, 2012
Distance: 8.8 miles
Time: 3 hours 52 minutes
Map: See directions. We missed turns multiple times.
Parking: See directions. Large parking area next to bike path.
Restrooms: There was one at the parking lot, but it was out of service
Post hike dinner: n/a
Directions: Gone Hikin'

This hike has lots of people!
Some parts have lots of auto noise.
We kept the dogs on leash a lot.
It was very level - so easy despite a long distance.
Trails were poorly marked.

Allaire Village. All of the buildings were closed, but we did walk around and visit them from the outside.

Year to date miles: 46.4

Balsam Mountain, Catskills

February 26, 2012
Distance: 5.8 miles
Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Map: Catskill Trails Map Set
Parking: See directions link
Restrooms: None
Notes: Catskill 3500 footer
Post hike dinner: Garden Cafe on the Green, Woodstock
Directions: Balsam
We did an out and back:
Oliveria Mapledale trail
Left on Mine Hollow trail
Right on Pine Hill West Branch trail