[Journal entry for April 17, 2013; Sunset at Pound Mountain, Harriman State Park] The evening is warm and sunny – sweater weather. At about 6PM, I arrive at the parking lot at the end of Johnstown Road in Sloatsburg NY. Spring Brook flows nearby. I walk down to the stream and watch the water gurgle between boulders. The water level is low.

I take Blue Disk Trail (blazed in blue), which heads west, following first a gas pipeline right-of-way, and then diverging and following an old woods road through the trees. After about a half mile, I come to the steep, glacially-plucked southern flank of Pound Mountain, called Almost Perpendicular. The trail ascends through a steep cleft, crossing a small stream several times. About halfway up, the cleft widens out into a valley and the stream morphs into a wetland. The trail continues steeply up a cleft in a rock wall and then levels out by an overlook that commands a superb view of the surrounding countryside. The edge of the overlook is a cliff, but with several interesting terraces before the final shear plunge. A few picturesque trees cling to the rocks.

I stand for a few minutes looking out to the southwest, towards North Hill and Halfway Mountain - tree-covered terrain in Harriman State Park. The low sun angle accentuates the relief. I then continue on the trail, which follows the crest of the hill and enters an odd rocky half-bowl, shaped somewhat like a cirque (but I judged the shape to be structurally, and not glacially, controlled). I turned the rest of the hike into a loop, taking an informal trail up to the top of the bowl to a stand of White Pine, and then looping over the hill top to reconnect with the Blue Disk trail near a gas pipeline right-away. I take Blue Disk back to the overlook, arriving there just as the sun is setting. I stand watching until the sun is gone and the sky had turned a deep orange color.

I then make my way back to the car. About one and three-quarter hours.