[Journal entry for March 24, 2018; Honey Hill and Mt Misery, Black Rock Forest, Cornwall, NY] I drove up to Black Rock Forest in the late morning. I stopped for few minutes at one of the pullouts along Route 9W near Storm King Mountain, and admired the excellent view of the Hudson River and Mt Taurus (also called Bull Hill) on its eastern bank. I then continued north, using the Angola Road interchange in Cornwall NY to reverse direction, and arriving at the Peck’s Road pullout at around Noon. The day was mostly sunny, with scattered clouds with temperatures in the low forties, Fahrenheit. A foot or more of snow was on the ground; I guess that it fell during Thursday’s Nor’easter, for it looked fresh. The road has been plowed, so I had no problem walking the road south. It follows the Black Rock Brook, which was flowing strongly. I stopped at the hiker’s kiosk and bought a trail map, which cost me a dollar. I made a detour down to the water to view a small waterfall, its cascade of water glistening in the sun. The road was unplowed but well-trampled south of the Filtration Plant, so I donned my micro-spikes. I switched to the Reservoir Trail (blazed in blue) and took it uphill through a valley until I came in sight of a large waterfall in a gorge, with an aquifer pipe crossing its top. I took another detour into the gorge, and hiked up a series of rock ledges, following the stream. The water fell in several sections, the largest of which was perhaps ten feet high. I rejoined the trail when I reached the aquifer pipe. This section of the trail was covered with Springtails, a small flightless hexapodal arthropod, perhaps a millimeter in length, which is colloquially called the snow flea and which can jump through a sudden flexing of its body. I had been expecting to encounter them, for they are common on snowfields near streams at this time of year, and was sad to have to trample so many underfoot. I soon came to a elegant covered footbridge, on the other side of which stood on the hillside two large buildings, the Science Center and the Forest Lodge. Two workers with shovels were busy clearing snow off the footbridge. I walked out on the bridge, but did not cross it.

I then took the Honey Hill Trail (blazed in white) up onto Honey Hill. The wooded summit area was covered with deep snow, but as the trail had been broken, it was easy to traverse. An overlook on the west side affords an excellent view of Black Rock Mountain. I followed the ridge of the hill southward and downhill, eventually emerging by the dam at Aleck Meadow Reservoir. The spillway, of terraced concrete, was glistening with runoff. I walked up to the top of the dam and stood admiring the view of the reservoir. The water was very still and the sky, including sun and clouds, were vividly reflected in its waters.

I then took the Stillman Trail (blazed in yellow), up onto Mount Misery. The trail had not been broken and the going was rather slow, though the beauty of the smooth snow cover provided compensation. Nevertheless, I was glad that I was wearing gaiters and I found myself wishing I had brought snowshoes, too. I lost the trail when I approached the steep flank of the mountain, and wound up bushwhacking straight up, among grey rock ledges that were mostly snow-free and rather easy to traverse. I found the trail near the top and resumed stamping out a path through two feet of unbroken snow. I spent considerable time poking around the summit area. Two viewpoints provide unobstructed vistas: the western one provides a nice view of Aleck Meadow Reservoir and Black Rock Mountain; and the southern looks out onto the neighboring Hill of Pines. I then continued on the trail, taking it steeply down through deep snow to where it intersected White Oak Road. This woods road had seen snowmobile traffic and was easy to walk. I was soon in sight of the dam of Upper Reservoir.

The dam on Upper Reservoir is of a rounded, earth-fill design. I stood at the top above the water, gazing across the impoundment, which is perhaps a three hundred yards across. The view of the trees and low cliffs on the far side of the lake, and of Storm King Mountain, in the distance above the lake, is very nice. Numerous people, many walking dogs, passed by as I stood by.

I then took Reservoir Road back to the Science Center, crosses the covered footbridge and took the Reservoir Trail (blazed in blue) back to Peck’s Road. I sighted a Pileated Woodpecker in the vicinity of Ben’s Bridge (a small footbridge over a little stream). I sighted one of these ornate birds during may last visit to the Forest, too.

About four and a half hours.