[Journal entry for March 30, 2024]. I hiked Dunderberg Mountain and The Timp (hill) out of the Ramapo Dunderberg (RD, blazed in red) Trailhead of Route 9W in Jones Point, New York. This loop through Harriman State Park (New York) took me six and one half hours – much longer than I expected, and at the limit of my range – but the day was sunny and warm (mid-Fifties, Fahrenheit) and very inviting. I was rather sore by the end of it, though!

Although I started on RD, I switched to Timp Torne (TT, blazed in blue) at the intersection on the flank of Dunderberg Mountain. This trail follows the base of a glacially-plucked cliff. I passed two disused tunnels. The lower one is complete and made of fitted stone; the upper one is an unfinished hole in the side of a scarp. The latter, together with an extensive system of incomplete gravel roads and ramps built by the Spiral Railway Corporation in the late 1800’s, was to provide access to a mountain-top hotel that was never built. The canopy is still bare, but the under-canopy, and especially the noxious and invasive Barberry Bushes, are leafed out and a pleasant shade of lime green. I passed several lively streams and several wetlands. One of the latter was full of the songs of frogs, but I could not spot the animals, themselves. The trail climbed to a high point that afforded a terrific view of the Hudson River and the now-closed Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant on the opposite shore. A big ship, the HOS Bayou, was moored mid-river.

The trail then follows the ridge, passing many glacial boulders, some of which were precariously-perched, and many tall rock scarps, plucked by the same Ice Age glaciers that delivered the boulders. I had lunch atop The Timp, a hill that commands several great views: west towards West Mountain and the Cat’s Elbow (hill) and North up the Hudson River Valley. The latter view is surely one of the most beautiful in the park. Turkey Vultures circled overhead as I ate my sandwich and drank coffee from my thermos. I continued on RD, taking it down off the mountain to Timp Pass, passing huge rubble piles of boulders that have fallen off the cliff over the years, and joining Timp Pass Road (a woods road). A couple of Hepatica wildflowers were blooming right in the middle of the road. I took the road downhill. It follows Timp Brook and has suffered rather substantial erosion in places from last year’s heavy rains that caused so much damage in these parts.

I made a right turn onto Pleasant Valley Road (another woods road) and took it uphill, back towards Dunderberg Mountain. I spent a few minutes examining the glacial polish and glacial striae on rock pavement exposed in the roadbed. It is some of the best preserved of which I am aware. I measured the azimuth of the striae with my compass and found it to ne N15W (geographical). I then rejoined RD when the road reached the pass and took it steeply up onto Bald Mountain (which is pretty must just the western end of Dunderberg Mountain, though the land does dip down a bit between them). This is another spot with a terrific northward view of the Hudson River valley and Bear Mountain, a little to the west. I had more of my coffee as I rested on the rock pavement gazing at the view. I then continued along RD, spotting a foot-long Worm Snake as it crossed the trail. A little past the Cornel Mine Trail intersection, I stopped at an overlook that commands a nice view of Bear Mountain. I remember fondly this spot from a 2012 hike that I took with my daughter’s dog, Estel. The valley between Dunderberg and Bear Mountains were filled with low fog that day, though both summits were in sun. In contrast, today, the air was clear and I could see the trees in the valley. I continued on along RD, finding it to be much longer than I remembered from my 2012 hike, but interesting as well, for I passed several small ponds and wetland, and several pretty meadows full of last year’s yellow grass. I came to one more terrific viewpoint, this one of Iona Island and the Bear Mountain Bridge before descending off the mountain. The last section, along one of the Spiral Railway ramps, is horrible, for the sharp stone fragments bit into the soles of my feet, despite the thick soles of my hiking boots. I was relieved once I passed the TT intersection and reached the flat section of trail near the highway. 6:30.