[Journal entry for May 1, 2018; Jupiter’s Boulder, Black Rock Forest, Cornwall New York] This morning I squeezed a quick hike on a beautiful day into an already busy schedule. I parted at the lot on Mine Hill Road and took the Mine Hill Trail (blazed in yellow) steeply up Sackett Ridge. The sky was clearer than the last time I stood at the overlook that’s halfway up, and neighboring Schunemunk Mountain and more distant Shawangunk Ridge were more vividly defined. The vegetation was still rather bare of spring growth, but more trees and bushes were budded out that during last week’s hike. I took the Sackett Trail (blazed in yellow) and the Stillman Trail (also blazed in yellow) southwestward, to the latter’s end by a steep northwest-facing cliff. The view of Schunemunk Mountain from this picturesque overlook is excellent.

I then backtracked a bit and took the Short-Cut Trail (blazed in yellow) downhill to Hall Road, and that woods road south to Hall Road Gate. Mineral Springs Brook crosses the road a little south of the gate, flowing from an upland swap to the east of the road into a well-defined valley west of it. I took a short excursion down into the valley and viewed the Brook, as it flowed across a steep rocky slope below the road down to the valley floor, and then over mossy stones as it meandered down in the valley’s axis.

I continued my southward journey by connecting with the Scenic Trail (blazed in white). It follows a ridgeline, past several open blueberry meadows . I passed a large glacial erratic boulder of sandstone, lying beside an even larger boulder of Highland gneiss. After a few minutes, I came to a open, sloping gneiss ledge that commands a great view to the northwest, including the nearby parts of Sackett Ridge and more distant Schunemunk Mountain. A large glacial boulder of migmatitic Highland gneiss sits on the otherwise bare rock pavement. I suppose the glacier tore it from the cliff below me and dragged it up to its current position. I spent a few minutes standing by the boulder, gazing out onto the view, and then headed back.

I passed an odd little canyon to the east of the Hall Road. It’s very steep and narrow but has no running water of any significance at its bottom. It’s another relic from the Ice Age, I guess. I connected with the Stillman Trail and took it back up onto Sackett Ridge, connected first with the Sackett Trail and then with them Mine Hill Trail, and took the latter back to my car. Except for hearing frogs in the wetlands and birds in the trees, I did not encounter much wildlife on this hike. The morning, which had begin cool, was now warming up into a hot day.

I bought soda and a cookie at the Chestnut Mart, off of Route 9W in Fort Montgomery New York.

About two and a half hours.