[Journal entry for May 31, 2014; The Pulpit and the Russian Bear, Harriman State Park]. The Pulpit and the Russian Bear are two overlooks in the southwestern part of Harriman State Park. They are on the tops of two of the many of the park’s south-facing, glacially-plucked cliffs that were formed during the Ice Age.

I began my hike about 11AM from the Reeves Meadow Visitors Center, off of Seven Lakes Drive, northeast of Sloatsburg NY. The day was mostly sunny, with a few puffy cumulous clouds, with temperatures in the mid seventies, Fahrenheint. I took the Reeves Brook Trail (blazed in white) up into the hills. It follows a Reeves Brooks, a small but beautiful stream with many cascades and small waterfalls. Earlier this spring, I had more thoroughly explored an especially beautiful section that flows down a terraced section of mossy hill side. Though today I made short two detours to view the brook, I mostly focused on placed that were new to me. I hiked up to two rock ledges, in open areas full of Blueberry bushes and just-budding Mountain Laurel , on hilltops off right (south) side of the trail. Many of the ledges were decorated with large rounded glacial boulders, some balanced precariously.

The brook peters out and the trail begins to follow the base of the prominent cliff that marks the southern flank of North Hill. Angular blocks are strewn around its base, some of which reach the size of cars and even small houses. The right (south) side of the trail is more open – a tableland with glades of Blueberry bushes set among copses of trees. I joined the Raccoon Brook Hills Trail (blazed in black) and took it up the cliff. It follows natural crevices and ledges and so, while steep, is not terrifying. The trail follows the cliff edge, past numerous rock ledges. The Pulpit is an especially wide clearing, floored by rock pavement, with a great view of the hills to the south. I sat for a few minutes on a boulder, rehydrating and admiring the view. Continuing on, I came to another vantage, by a grove of Pitch Pines growing along a narrow spine of rock. It, too, offered nice views to the southwest.

A little further on, I passed a large erratic boulder of sandstone, set on a wide rod ledge. Twenty thousand years of exposure to the elements was causing it to break up into flags. I connected with the Hillburn Torne Sebago Trail (HTS, blazed on orange) and took it south to the Russian Bear. This overlook is set on somewhat lower land than the Pulpit, but on a cliff that is at least as high and much longer in length, and which forms the northern wall of Torne Valley. The overlook consists of a sequence of rounded rocky knobs at the cliff edge. The view of Ramapo Torne, a rocky hilltop to the south west is extremely good. Several of the rocky spires on that hill, which gave it a name derived from the Dutch word tor, meaning tower, are visible in profile. The view southward into Torne Valley is nice, too, though somewhat marred by the grassy mound of an old landfill in its center. The area to the north of the overlook, which is open woods full of glades of Blueberry bushes, very pretty, too.

I took HTS southward, towards Ramapo Torne. It descends a bit down into the value at first, but then regains elevation. It crosses a wonderful ridge, which in addition to providing a great view back toward the Russian Bear, is full of rock ledges, boulders, mosses, wildflowers and Red Cedar trees. I poked around for fifteen minutes of so, climbing up onto the rocky knobs, examining plants and boulders. I then had to spend a few minutes finding the trail, which makes a sharp descent down into a little valley before beginning to ascend the flank of the Torne.

I took HTS only as far as the intersection with the Seven Hills Trail (blazed in blue). Several people and dogs were sunning themselves on a rock ledge near the trail intersection. I rested there for a while, rehydrating and chatting with them a bit. I then took Seven Hills north. It descends into a valley and then climbs up to the Torne View overlook. Dallas and I had visited this spot back on April 20, five weeks ago. The trees were just then beginning to bud and hills looked completely bare. Now they are a lush and dark green; the lemon-green shades of spring have completely faded. I did not linger long at Torne View. The view is nice, but the view from the Russian Bear is superior, by far.

I then pushed on, following Seven Hills, first along the edge with good views to the west, and then through open woods back towards the North Hill cliff. There I rejoined the Reeves Brook Trail and took it back to the Visitors Center and my car.

Almost exactly four hours.