Weekend overnight hike – I finished the Appalachian Trail in NY

The A.T. in New York runs for 88.2 miles. Almost ten years ago I got a yen to section hike the length of NY. I started in 2007 and by 2011, with a combination of small group (or just Brigid and I) day hikes and overnighters – solo except for one with Jeanne Marie Gagnon and her son Philip – I’d done all of it except a twenty mile section going north from Graymoor – the intersection of 403 and 9D.

But I haven’t really had an opportunity to to do an overnight hike to finish the twenty miles. Too many other things going on. 

So with the past Friday a holiday, I decided to go. Brigid dropped me late Friday morning at the intersection of the Trail and the Taconic State Parkway where I needed to start, and I headed south – 11 miles Friday and nine on Saturday.

The drop off!

I’d like to say this was a great hike, but it wasn’t. It was tough and rugged without much in the way of rewarding views or sites for all the up and down, on an often dicey trail. I don’t know who laid out these sections (for the aficionado, sections 6, 7, & 8 of the official NY/NJ Trail Guide) of the Appalachian Trail, but there didn’t seem to be any particular rhyme or reason to it. And the guidebook was unusually sparse and at times downright misleading as you worked along the Trail. I really wouldn’t recommend these sections of the Trail for a hike. There are plenty of better hikes on the A.T., or in the Hudson Highlands.

That being said, I’m glad I did finish New York.

A few pictures (of course – TEDIUM ALERT!) – and a little technical stuff at the end.

Near the start

After 2 miles, powerlines, and what the trail looks like as you go under the lines.

At just over 3 miles, – uphill almost all the way, the top of Shenandoah Mountain, the best view for the two days.

A look back where I’d been – powerlines and all – as well as a neat looking house, barely visible in the first picture and then a tele long range shot of the house.

Two miles later, a nice view northwest all the way to the Catskills.

lake Canopus; the trail goes down the west side along an up and down, boring ridge. The swimming area is at the north end, which I am above as I took these two pictures.

These fellows said they were working on a small re-route of the trail and putting down some stone steps.

Had a brief conversation with this beetle type creature.

On to the campsite. It is off Dennytown Rd., and the trail guidebook said it was open to groups and individual hikers – and had “latrines and water.” My assumption was that “groups” meant hiking groups, but I was wrong! There was a group up for the weekend from the South Bronx. I was the only hiker. Everything was fine, except for the (loud) music til 2:30 in the AM. That’s my stuff in the lower right hand side. I had no tent or sleeping bag – used this bivy sack which worked fine along with this sleeping pad Therm-a-rest Z lite.

 

Beef stroganoff and noodles.

Packed up in the morning. The backpack looks like too much for just one night, but at least half the space is the sleeping pad, which folds up like an accordion, but is bulky.

The second day was rugged up and down nine miles, with nothing to see, and some rain.

Much of the trail was rockier than this –

more like this –

Saw a number of these guys – they’re pretty small –

But they freeze when they see you, so I was able to take several pictures.

The end of the section crosses the Graymoor Friars property and hikers can camp there; I went right through. The Trail guidebook for this section was really confused; but here’s the back end of a wild turkey on the property as well as another creature that stood still long enough for several pictures.

Can you see the deer down the road?

Not bad for a handheld long zoom tele shot.

Brigid picked me up Saturday at 3 o’clock at the “Appalachian Service Station” at the intersection of 403 and 9D.

Back at the hacienda. It was a  green-themed hike.

This was actually the least enjoyable hike I’ve had on the A.T. I wouldn’t recommend it. But I am glad I’ve now done all of NY State. And looking forward to the more of the Hudson Highlands and maybe Catskills the rest of the summer.

A little technical stuff. The camera is a Panasonic DMC ZS25 which we got on amazon in December for $202 and is now only available in the secondary market. We have used panasonic models for several years now – Brigid takes all her pictures with panasonics. The trekking pole (I only use one; almost everyone on the AT uses two poles) is a black diamond model. I love it. We have a new pair, and an older very good black diamond pair which I got years ago on ebay. The stove I used for dinner and breakfast is an msr pocket rocket. I thought I’d lost mine so bought another; and then found the original. Excellent light weight stove – almost legendary. Will boil 24 oz. of water in two minutes.

The backpack is an old EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) “Trail 50 Mirage” which I must have bought new, a few years ago. It’s Ok; hip belt fits me quite well, but whole rig is a little heavy and a couple of annoying straps which I can’t figure out the use for. There’s actually one selling for $66  on ebay right now. Same color. My shoes were New Balance Trail Runners. You give up support, and the soles are not very thick – you feel it if you step on a pointy rock. BUT they have a non-slip sole and very light. Very light is very good, for me anyway. I had the two step aquamire water purification tablets with me, but didn’t need them.