[Journal entry for March 27, 2011; Anthony's Nose] Anthony's Nose is a steep hill on the east bank of the Hudson River opposite the Bear Mountain State Park. The Bear Mountain Bridge crosses the Hudson at this point. I parked on Route 9D just north of the Bridge and hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT) up towards the top of the Nose. The sun was shining and I was hoping for a warm spring afternoon. However, the trail ascends the shaded, north flank of the Nose, which felt quite chilly, even though the air temperature was in the high thirties, Fahrenheit. A little patchy snow was still on the the ground, and although fern and some of the other plants with perrineal leaves seemed to have perked up a bit, the land was still pretty barren. I had to tred carefully in places, for the trail is steep and rocky and, with the thin snow layer, rather slippery.

At the top of the ridge, the AT connects with the Hudson River Trail, which at this point is a wide woods road that heads south and gently uphill. I passed two small ponds. One was merely a puddle, created by snow melt. The other is a bit larger, and appears on the map, so I suppose that it is more or less permanent. I stood for a few minutes by each, admiring the reflection of trees and sky in their still waters. Nearby the pond are several percariously perched glacial boulders.

The summit area is irregular, so I was unclear on which spot was actually the exact top. I found one area with a fire ring and the mount points of an old tower; that might have been it. Nearby is a wide overlook with a great view to the west. The Hudson is in a gorge at this point, between the Nose on the east side and a row of hills, Dunderburg, Bald and Bear Mountains on the west. They form a wall, set back a bit from the shore. The strip of land between these hills and the river contain anthropogenic Hessian Lake, which sis on a flat shoulder high above the river, and the adjacent Bear Mountain Inn. Iona Marsh and Iona Island are in the foreground in front of Bald Mountain. The marsh has meandering channels through Phragmites grass, leading out into the Hudson River. A train track runs through the marsh on a low trestle. A freight train, whistle blowing, passed by as I watched. The Bear Mountain Bridge is a bit north of the overlook and well below it. Even the suspension towers are quite far below me. North of the bridge, on the west side, is another stream, Popolopan Creek, which runs through a prominent gorge. It is spanned by a deck arc bridge. Popolopan Torne, a rocky hill set well back from the river, is also visible.

The overlook was rather breezy. Many people were around, most sitting in sheltered spots out of the wind, and enjoying the sun. I chatted with a group of college-aged men who were identifying landmarks. I then continued south along the Hudson River Trail, taking it down off of the mounatin. The trail passes several more overlooks and a small stream. The stream has been impounded with a little earthfill dam, making a pond full of water weeds. Oddly, it is not on the map, though it is as large as the pond near the summit, and probably more permanent, too. I took the trail as far as Broccy Creek, and then walked the creek bed down to Route 6, which is cut into the flank of the Nose well above river level. The creek was flowing merrily, with many small cascases.

I stopped at the overlook along the highway, buying a soda from a vendor who had set up a hotdog stand there. A few turkey vultures were floating on air currents, above. The view is, of course, lower than from the summit of the Nose, yet still very impressive. I then walked the highway back north. The rocks along the road cut are gneisses, with faults, dikes and complicated folds. They are decorated with icicles and rivlets of melt water. I walked out onto the Bear Mountain Bridge a short distance, so I could view the Hudson River to its north. The view, towardws Constitution marsh and Bull Hill, is very impressive. The shadow of the bridge on the river below was also very interesting. I was back at my car a few minutes later. About two and a half hours.