[Journal entry for November 25, 2013; Iona Marsh and Dunderberg Mountain, Harriman State Park, NY] Dallas and I parked on the side of Route 9W at the Cornell Mine Trailhead (blazed in blue) at about 1:30 in the afternoon. Today is the first really cold of the year, with a clear sky, a strong wind and a temperature of around 25 degrees Fahrenheit

Doodletown Brook, the little stream that drains the southeastern corner of Harriman State Park, flows into the Hudson River here. We’ve not had much rain lately, so only a little water is flowing. Iona Island, an elongated rocky ridge, bisects the Hudson River. Iona Marsh fills in the section of river between the island and the west bank. Its vegetation is mostly tall marsh grasses, including cattail and Phragmites.

We walk out on the island’s access road, a land-filled causeway that cuts across the marsh. We have nice view of the surrounding hills, including Dunderberg Mountain and Bear Mountain on our western bank of the Hudson and Anthony’s Nose and Manitou Mountain on the eastern side. I take note of the many rocky overlooks on these hills. I have been to most, but one on the southwestern flank of Bear Mountain is new to me. The map indicates that it’s about a half mile bushwhack from the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail (SBM, blazed in yellow). We pass the first of several rocky ridges that compose Iona Island. They are wooded, though we are able to see the rock through the now-leafless deciduous trees. The access road crosses the tracks of the West Shore Railway. A gated section continues onward to a group of several large brick buildings, but we go no farther. I take a photo of Dallas by a grey stone gate house. Made to look like a tiny castle, it must date from some previous owner.

We stopped at a viewing area, a small deck that extends out into the marsh. A sign in a nearby kiosk says this area is winter habitat for Bald Eagles, but we see none today. The day was rather wintery, though, and a layer of ice coated the channels in the marsh. The grass on one section of marsh has died, leaving only stubble. I wonder whether this is one of the areas where an herbicide has been applied. I know that the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has been using one to try to control the spread of Phragmites, which is invasive and considered a nuisance.

We retraced our path and then took the Cornell Mine Trail south, through the woods on the north flank of Dunderberg Mountain. The trail first follows a steep-sided ridge, bounded by Doodletwon Brook on the west and the Hudson River on the east. We speculated on whether it is structurally-controlled or whether it is an arête formed in the ice age. We passed several pretty pools and waterfalls, but did not climb down into the valley of Doodletown brook to view them up close, for our side of Dunderberg Mountain was already in deep shade.

We soon began the very steep climb of Dunderberg Mountain. We were for the most part shielded from the strong wind that was blowing, but could see the tops of the trees above us swaying. One tall dead tree came crashing down a few hundred yards from us, making a thunderous noise. Rotten trees must topple during every windstorm, yet only on two occasions in my life have I actually seen one fall. The trail ascends the mountain through a steep gulley, full of very large stone blocks, and is one of the more sustained steep grades in Harriman State Park (the SBM’s ascent of Pingyp Mountain is perhaps the most sustained). On a previous hike I made the ascent in about twenty-five minutes, but today we were much slower, owing to thick piles of fallen leaves, and took nearly forty. Most of the trail is through woods, but one section has a nice partial view of the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain Bridge. We joined the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (RD, blazed in red) at the ridge crest, passing a shallow mining pit that must be part of the Cornell Mine (though I do not know whether any other part exists).

We took RD east along the ridge crest to an overlook that affords a nice view northward towards Bear Mountain. It was now 3:30 PM and the sun was getting pretty low in the sky. The shadows were accentuating the topography of all the hills. We spent about ten minutes there admiring the scenery amid a roaring wind, and then headed back. We took the descent carefully and slowly, picking our way carefully through all the leaves. I spotted a group of White Tail Deer as we neared Doodletown Brook. Looking back towards Dunderberg Mountain, I can see another overlook, about halfway up the flank, which I’d like to check out some day.

The light was getting noticeably dim when we reached our car at 4:45. About three and three-quarter hours.