Long Path, Lake Skannatati to Lichen Trail, Harriman State Park

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
12/07/2019	5 miles	2 hours 59 minutes	495'	1.8	565.5

Map: NYNJTC Harriman North
Parking: Seven Lakes Drive
Directions: Take the teal blazed Long Path (on the right side of the lake as you are facing it). Pass the yellow blazed Dunning trail, the Times Square intersection, and continue to the intersection with the Lichen trail. Return the same way.

We were looking for a 3 hour hike today. We still didn't get much in the way of elevation gain. That's easier to find in the Catskills. It was a cold but sunny day. We've had our first snow, so we needed microspikes today. Well, actually Glen managed to hike without them, but I couldn't. The trails were already packed down and icy. I don't feel motivated to hike in the cold, but its still more fun than walking on a treadmill for 3 hours! There were a fair number of people out hiking, and the parking area was quite full when we arrived.

On some sections of the hike, the pine trees were covered with snow and rime ice, and were bending over the trail, requiring us to crawl under them. This hike has a number of small stream crossings. Krummholz carefully rock hopped over them, Trek walked through them. At the end of the hike, Krummholz wanted to stop and stare at Lake Skannatati. He has developed a fascination with water (though he has no interest in swimming). He just likes to lie down at the water's edge. He gets very excited when Trek goes in the water. Today, he actually lay down in the water, watching Trek who was wading at the edge of the lake! It was 35 degrees out.