Bear Mountain



Bear Mountain, Harriman State Park (2/18/2011)

This is the Hike of the Week for 6/2/2010 as described on the NY-NJ Trail Conference site. The last time we hiked Bear Mountain was way back in November of 2005 when the autumn leaves were near peak. It was quite different today: the entire park was still covered in deep snow and, for the most part, looked like it was painted in black and white. However, temperatures hovered near the high 50s and low 60s today so the snow won't be there for long. Another significant difference between our hike back in 2005 and today is the existence of 800 hand-hewn granite steps that now line the AT from Hessian Lake to the Perkins Tower. Since most of the steps were under snow it was a bit difficult to appreciate the magnitude of the effort, but it had to be huge since (according to the informative sign at the trailhead) each step weighed about 1,000 pounds!

Total distance hiked today was 4.6 miles in just over 3 hours.

(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)


Laura & Bear Mountain Inn

Slope of Bear Mountain & inn

Black vulture on inn chimney

[Photo by Laura]


Canada geese & skating rink

The historic Inn


AT trailhead

 

Hessian Lake & Bear Mt. Bridge

Warning sign

Climbing the icy steps

Anthony's Nose across Hudson
 


Steps and more steps

Taking in the view

Bridge on AT

View east
 



Drill holes in rock

Bear Mountain bridge

View SE of Hudson
 



Waterfall off trail


Beautiful layered rock wall
 


Partial view south

On Perkins Memorial Drive

View to Iona Island

Wall on Perkins
 



AT continues to Perkins Tower

View SE

More climbing
 




Crossing Perkins again

Perkins Tower from AT
 


Grass at the summit

AT sign

Bench at summit

View from summit
 


Perkins Memorial Tower


Not sure what that is

More trail work?
 


Starting descent on Major Welch trail

Steep drop (Brooks Lake in distance)

View north

Brooks Lake & the Hudson
 


Sugarloaf Mountain across the Hudson

Continuing steep descent


 


Knee deep snow here

Mountain Laurel

Bear Mountain Bridge

Bridge and traffic circle
 


View to Brooks Lake


Brooks Lake

Brooks Lake & the Hudson
 


Whaleback descent



 


Descending on all fours

Snowy whaleback

Very icy here

Water tank
 


Bridge & Anthony's Nose

Sun peeking out

Dan & Hessian Lake [Photo by Laura]

Hessian Lake & Anthony's Nose
 


Trail skirts lake


Bridge & Anthony's Nose

Walking on the lake
 


Icy rocks


Hessian Lake & the Nose

Lots of drill marks
 


Bear Mountain Inn


Lake & Nose

Rental boats ...
 


... on bank of lake

Lots of stuff here (but not in winter)

Old lamp post

Bear Mountain Inn
 

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