[Journal entry for April 24, 2018; Sackett Ridge, Black Rock Forest, Cornwall New York] I parked at the lot by the Mine Hill
Trailhead (blazed in yellow), off of the very steep Mine Hill Road in the early
afternoon. The sun was shining, but
clouds on the western horizon were suggesting that a change to cloudier weather
was imminent. The trail switched up the
very steep west flank of Sackett Ridge, taking me
past an overlook, halfway up, which commands a nice view of Schunemunk
Mountain, to the west.
I then began a long eastward traverse of the ridge,
first following the Mine Hill Trail, the H. Peter Stern Trail (blazed in red)
and the McKeon Loop (blazed in white).
The trail took me past about a half dozen open ledges and meadows along
the western slope break of the ridge.
Most of them had good views, either to the west towards the squat ridge
of Schunemunk Mountain or northward, across the
lowlands and towards distant Shawangunk Ridge. Most of these ledges were decorated with
Pitch Pine and Red Cedar and had glacial erratic boulder, some of grey
sandstone, others of brown limestone, and a few of purple quartzite. I passed a small pond, complete with swamp
vegetation and the songs of frogs, set in an upland
hollow. A large tree had fallen halfway
across it and I was able to walk out onto it to get a view from the pond’s
center. Back on dryer ground, I
encountered several Black Swallowtail butterflies.
I went as far as a small overlook along the McKeon
Loop from which I could see the Hudson River, at the point where it exits the
Highlands. The tower on Mt Beacon, which
I had climbed last fall, was clearly visible, as was the rocky slope where a
hiking trail ascends Breakneck Ridge.
I backtracked as far as the Mine Hill Trail and then
took it eastward and steeply downhill to Canterbury Brook, crossing its two
branches. Its water was flowing swiftly
among mossy rocks, making a few small cataracts. A curious stone structure is built atop of a
high ledge where the trail crosses the eastern branch. It consists of a tall stone cairn, shaped
like a chimney, and a stone terrace that extends and levels the ledge a
bit. I wonder about its significance.
I connected with Hall Road (a woods road) and took
it south and gently uphill, paralleling the course of Canterbury Brook. I then took the Stillman
Trail (blazed in yellow) and the Sackett Trail (also
blazed in yellow) back to the Mine Hill Trail.
I spotted three types of small wildflowers along the trail, one type
with pink blooms, another with purple, and a third, called Coltsfoot, with
yellow blooms reminiscent of dandelions.
Clouds had pretty much moved in and obscured the sun by the time I
reached the car.
I bought a Diet Pepsi at the Chestnut Mart, along
Route 9W in Fort Montgomery New York, on the way home.
About two and a half hours.