[Journal entry for October 28-29, 2013; Bald Mountain, Harriman State Park, NY]. It’s an especially fine fall day. I decide to a “overlooks hike” in Harriman State Park to view the Hudson Highlands in their fall foliage. The trees are perhaps a little past peak, but still very beautiful.

I park at the Hiker’s Lot off of Seven Lakes Drive near Bear Mountain at 1 PM, and take the 1777W Trail (blazed with a red 1777W) southeast to Doodletown. The majority of trees along the trail are beeches, now yellow and brown. However, I find beautiful red and orange leaves by several small wetlands and by Doodletown Brook. I walk through the now-defunct hamlet of Doodletown, but there’s not much to see, except for some crumbling stonework.

I stop by Doodletown Revervoir, a tiny impoundment with an oddly high and impressive concrete dam. The reservoir looks like it has been silting up for years; Phragmites grass has colonized its upstream half. It has some nice fall foliage around its margins and makes an opening in the canopy beyond which Dunderberg Mountain can be viewed. I crossed the brook a little downstream of the dam, climbing down into the gulley and up the other side. I sighted a Garter Snake among the leaves as I climbed out.

I then bushwhacked over to the Cornell Mine Trail (CM, blazed in blue) and followed it first through pretty, open woods that were pretty level and up a very steep grade that followed a gulley up the flank of Dunderberg Mountain. The climb up was pretty sustained, though not especially tricky. I took me twenty-two minutes. I sighted two White Tailed Deer bucks, each with a rack, near the top. I then took the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (RD, blazed in red) a few hundred yards east, to a north-looking overlook.

1 - Dunderburg Overlook, North Overlook. I had visited this overlook last year, accompanied by Estel, my daughter’s dog. We chanced to arrive when a thick layer of fog covered the valley floor, leaving only the top of Bear Mountain and Anthonys Nose (another hill) visible. The fog-filled valley was a beautiful sight, but lacked detail! Today I could see the valley floor, the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain Bridge, too. This view, which can be seen from this vantage and several others in the park, too, is extraordinary. The natural beauty of the Hudson River Valley is tremendous. No wonder a Hudson River School of painters sprang up to record it in the era before cameras!

I then retraced my path, continuing the other direction on RD, up Bald Mountain, the name for the knob at the western end of the ridge.

2 – Bald Mountain, North Overlook. Bald Mountain no longer lives up to its name (if indeed it ever did), for all but a small patch of its summit is densely wooded. However, one section has exposed stone pavement and provides a great view of the Hudson River Valley. I would rate the view a little better than the one I had just left on Dunderberg Mountain, for it is less obscured by trees. The views of the lower elevation features, such as Iona Island and the Bear Mountain Bridge, are better.

I continued on RD, which took a turn to the south. The second overlook is located just before the point at which it beings to descend down the south flank of Bald Mountain.

3 – Bald Mountain, South Overlook. This vantage looks southeast towards the wide section of the Hudson River called Haverstraw Bay. Several rocky peninsulas just out into this section of the Hudson: Stony Point, on this western bank, and the Verplanck and Georges Island peninsulas, on the eastern bank. Hook Mountain is on the skyline. This arcuate ridge is a hogback of the Palisades Sill, a layer of erosion-resistant volcanic rock. High Tor (from the Dutch word Toren, meaning tower) is its high point.

I then descended into the valley west of Bald Mountain and back up onto The Timp. This hill has a shape like that of a sperm whale swimming west: I was ascending the gentle, tail side; the overlook is at the top of the steep head side.

4 - The Timp, West Overlook. A wide and bare section of rock pavement provides an excellent view across Timp Pass to West Mountain on its other side. West Mountain Shelter, where I planned to stay the night, is clearly visible high up on the flank of this long ridge. I then continued along TT to another overlook, located just as TT begins its descent off of The Timp:

5 - The Timp, North Overlook. In my opinion, this is the best of all the views of northern Hudson River Valley, for the Hudson River is best centered in it. The river fades into the distance right in the middle of the view, with Bear Mountain just to the left and the hill called Anthonys Nose to its right.

I then followed the Timp-Torne Trail (TT, blazed in blue) down the steep western side of The Timp, past some very impressive rock faces and giant boulders. I hurriedly crossed Timp Brook, a tiny stream where hikers often obtain water, without even noticing whether it was flowing and then started my ascent of West Mountain. This trail is steep and sustained, but shorter than the section of CM that ascends Dunderberg Mountain.

I met Sailor, a through-hiker heading south on the Appalachian Trail, just as I reached West Mountain Shelter. I introduced myself, calling myself by my seldom-used trail name, Volcano. He was looking for water. Unfortunately, I was unable to advise him whether Timp Brook still flowed in this dry season, and he decided not to make the long trek down to find out. He told me that a group of students accompanied by their teacher had erected tents in the shelter, but said that he had asked them to move them to the grassy area, nearby. I said that I, too, would be using the grass tonight, for I found the smoky smell of the shelter unpleasant. I asked him to take my picture with my camera and he obliged. I scouted around the shelter and found an unclaimed isolated patch of grass where I could camp. I planned to use only my sleeping bag, and not a tent, and didn’t want to disturb the students. I then took a brief walk further along TT. I stopped at a little wetland just east of the trail. I had gotten water there on previous trips, but today it was dry, so I was not able to recommend it to Sailor. I then took an informal trail across a pretty field of amber-colored grass to another overlook:

6 – West Mountain, East Overlook. This overlook has a nice view of the Hudson River Valley, north of Bear Mountain Bridge. The little wooded peninsula called Con Hook is especially prominent. I especially like this overlook because the foreground has low vegetation – grass and bushes in their fall colors – which add to its beauty.

I then brought my Primus stove and cooking gear to the shelter and made myself a dinner of Dinty Moore Beef Stew (the canned variety) and tea. Sailor and I chatted together while we are or respective meals, as we admired the view:

7 – West Mountain, Southeast Overlook by the Shelter. The area of the shelter has by far the best view of The Timp in the park. The impressive rock faces on its western face are beautifully lit up by the evening sun. The view includes the Haverstraw Bay section of the Hudson River and Hook Mountain. The New York City skyline, including the Empire State Building and the new Freedom Tower are on the, a little west of the direction to Hook Mountain.

I interrupted my dinner to view the sunset.

8 – West Mountain, West Overlook at the Fire Escape. This rocky ledge, marked the Fire Escape on some old maps, looks out to low hills west of West Mountain. It provides a nice spot to watch the sunset, at least for positions of the sun encountered in the fall. I stood on the ledge, watching the sun slowly dip behind the hills. Though the day was extremely clear, some clouds had developed on the horizon and were nicely lit up by the sun.

I finished my dinner and chatted with Sailor a little more, before turning in. I listened for while to the students’ campfire singing; they had nice voices and an interesting repertoire. The night was partly cloudy and rather breezy. Temperatures dipped to 35 degrees Fahrenheit by morning, but my sleeping bag kept me warm. The morning was rather cloudy, though with some intervals of sun. I ate a breakfast of oatmeal and tea in the morning, packed up, wished Sailor well, and then continued along TT. I connected with the Appalachian Trail (AT, blazed in white) , which follows the ridge of West Mountain northward. It has several nice overlooks:

9 – West Mountain, West Overlooks along the AT. This overlook – or rather a series of neighboring overlooks – provides a nice view of the low, rolling hills in the western part of Bear Mountain Park. Looking down off the steep ridge, one sees the Palisades Parkway and the parking lots of the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area, far below.

10 - West Mountain, West Overlooks along the AT. The AT also provides a series of north facing overlooks that provide a nice view of Bear Mountain. These vantages are somewhat closer to that Mountain than other that I visited, making the granite ledges of that mountain – and its tower – easier to discern. I like the last of these overlooks, located just before the AT descends the east flank of West Mountain, the best, for the drop-off is steep and, consequently, the view is less obstructed by neighboring trees.

I followed the AT back to where it intersected the 1777W Trail, which closed the loop I had been hiking since early yesterday afternoon. I then took the 1777W Trail back to the Hiker’s Lot and my car. I arrived at 9:30 AM.

About twenty-one hours all together, with about four and a half hours of hiking yesterday and one hour today.