[Bill Menke Journal for June 6, 2009. Popolopen Gorge, Popolopen Torne and Bear Mountain] The morning was grim, with a cold overcast. But the weather changed in the early afternoon and became warm and sunny. Seizing the opportunity, I decided upon an ambitious hike to both Popolopen Torne and Bear Mountain, with photography being the motivating factor, since I expected the air quality to be sufficent for splendid panaramic shots. Nor was I to be disappointed.

I had hoped to park at the hiker's lot on Seven Lakes Drive, which provides easy access to the segment of the Appalachian Trail that ascends Bear Mountain, but it was full, so I shelled out seven dollars to park at the main lot near Bear Mountain Lodge. This change also affected my itineary, reversing the direction of the loop I had planned. Popolopen Gorge was now first, then Popolopen Torne and finally Bear Mountain.

I first walked along the east shore of Hessian Lake, which is in a built-up part of the Park, and is encircled by a sidewalk. Many people were about, some picnicing, some fishing and some on rental boats. The lake reflects Bear Mountain beautifly in its waters.

Once past Hessian Lake, I followed Route 9W, crossing Popolopen Creek via a highway bridge that is several hundred feet above the water. I take the west sidewalk on my way north, which affords a great view of the upper gorge and the rocky hill known as Popolopen Torne beyond it. (The term Torne is derived from from the Dutch word Torenberg, mean tower or pinnacle). I switch to the east sidewalk once across the bridge and head back. From this vantage I can see the confluence of Popolopen Creek with the Hudson River. Below me are two much-lower bridges, a suspension footbridge and a railway bridge. A fleet of kayaks are pulled up onto a little beach near the northern end of the suspension bridge. Beyond, I can also see the Bear Mountain Bridge, which spans the Hudson River, and the steep hill called Anthony's Nose at its eastern side. I can also see the treetops from my high vantage, and make out the blossoms of Tulip Trees.

Once I'm back to the south side of the 9W highway bridge, I find the trailhead of the Popolopen Gorge trail (blazed in red), and enter the woods. The trail descends slowly down to near creek level. I then take a side trail down to Popolopen Creek itself, to a spot just downriver of an old dam, to a small but powerful waterfall. This waterfall is natural, which is to say, unrelated to the dam. Its plunge pool seems to be a huge pothole, perhaps 10 feet in diameter, and several smaller, three-foot diameter potholes are carved into the rock (a gneiss) on the south side of the creek. I presume that these were formed as glaciers melted, during the end of the Ice Age. I spend quite a bit of time finding a route down to them, so that I can examine them, and even more time working my way back up, back to the trail.

The pond above the dam refects the blue sky beautifully. I hike west along the trail, examing the small cascades of water and the many huge boulders in the river bed. The main trail then heads uphill a bit, but I take an unblazed side trail that remains at creek-level. It passes a very nice, if illicit, camp site. The side trail then fizzles out. I should have had the sense to have retraced by steps back to the junction with the main trail, but instead pushed on, only to encounter rougher and rougher conditions. Finally, I scramble straight uphill to join the main trail, encountering rather too much poison ivy in the process.

The main trail is wide and easy to walk. I leave it once, and scramble up to the lip of the gorge, to the Palisades Parkway, where, being out of the trees, I have a nice view of Popolopen Torne. I then return to the trail, and find the junction that takes me down to a steel footbridge that spans the creek. Numerous people are picnicing among the rocks by the bridge, and some are bathing in the shallow water of the creek. I cross the bidge and start my ascent of Popolopen Torne.

The first part of the Timp-Torne Trail (blazed in blue) is gentle and through woods, but it soon steepens and crosses a series of rocky ledges, composed of a very solid-looking tan granite. The trail here is a steep walk, and not a technical climb, yet I pass a few spots that are tricky, and one where a slip could well be disasterous. This is a trail where novices, and especially children, need to be closely supervised. The view from many of the ledges is extraordinary. Some afford a great view of Bear Mountain, south of the Torne. Others have a wonderful view of the Hudson River, the Bear Mountain Bridge, and the Highlands on the east side of the Hudson, including Anthony's Nose and Bull Hill. Still others have views towards the hills to the north and west. The summit is mostly bear, though with some grass, bushes and low trees. It is marked by a very large and very well-decorated cairn. I look around for some signs of glacial scratches, but see only the faintest of traces. The granite outcrops of the Torne are heaviliy weathered, with many broad and shallow pits, each a foot or so wide and an inch or so deep.

I spend a few minutes at the summit of this remarkable hill admiring the equally remarkable view, and then climb back down, heading towards Bear Mountain, my next stop. I again cross Popolopen Creek by the steel footbride and again scramble up the south side of the gorge. I pick up an old and now-disused road that ascends Bear Mountain. The active access road, Perkins Memorial Drive, ascends Bear Mountain in a clockwise direction, but this older road ascends it counterclockwise. The roadbed is now overgrown with grass and shrubs, and it is cut by erosional gullies in places, yet it is quite passible. I walk a half-mile segment of it and then huff a short distance uphill to joing the active access road, which is at this point colinear with the Appalachian Trail. The road is quite busy with cars and motorcycles. I expect the summit to be crouded!

I switch onto the Major Welch trail (blazed in red). This trail crosses a series of granite ledges on the southwestern flank of Bear Mountain, similar to those on Popolopen Torne, except that they are wider and with views that are beautiful, though somewhat less spectacular than those of the Torne, for they look mainly to the rolling hills to the soutwest, and not towards the Hudson Valley. I find one spot where I can see the faint remenants of glacial grooves. The trail winds up across many ledges and finally emerges at the summit area, which is dominated by a stone tower. This area is accessible by car. Numerous people are walking about. I stand at the main overlook, which affords an excellent view of neighboring Dunderberg Mountain, and to the southern section of the Hudson Valley, beyond.

After buying a Poweraid in a vending machine at the summit, I descended Bear Mountain via the northern section of the Appalachian Trail. It's rather badly eroded in sections, making walking tedious, but passes through several fields of blueberries and mountain laurel. The laurel is in bloom, with large masses of light pink flowers. The trail passes one overlook that affords a nice view of a neighboring hill called The Timp, and another that looks out onto the Hudson River. The trail leads down to Bear Mountain Lodge and the lot where my car is parked.

About five or six miles, some of it quite tough going, in about five and a half hours.