This section is deceptively challenging. Nominally flat elevation, it consists of numerous stretches of boulder hopping and small but steep climbs and descents. I'm on the trail from 6:45 am until 6:45 pm.
A tower at the top of the mountain promises a view of the NYC skyline, 34 miles away. I peer into the distance as ridge after ridge fades into soft blue-gray traces on the horizon. With the help of an interpretive photo display, patience, and maybe a little imagination, I pick out one little sliver of faint blue ridge that seems to have the sharp rectangular shapes of a skyline.
New York has established a plethora of State Parks just west of the Hudson River.
Easily accessed from the population centers, many families are enjoying the outdoors. There are easy paved trails, nature walks, geology exhibits and even a small zoo. There are picnic areas, ballfields and fishing lakes.
Easily accessed from the population centers, many families are enjoying the outdoors. There are easy paved trails, nature walks, geology exhibits and even a small zoo. There are picnic areas, ballfields and fishing lakes.
This stretch provided crucial resources for the development of New York City. Red oak, one of the strongest of timbers, was in abundance and easily rafted down the Hudson for beams and flooring. The cliffs provided much of the granite for the buildings. And rich magnetite deposits fueled iron smelters for two hundreds years, enabling the historic skyscrapers.
I stop at a smelting exhibit. Magnetite is just an iron oxide, so only needs to be heated with limestone to reduce the ore and remove the oxygen. Into huge brick furnaces four stories tall alternate layers of ore, limestone and charcoal were loaded from the top, and huge bellows powered by water wheels blasted in air from the bottom. Molten iron simply poured out the bottom and flowed into little trenches to cool into pig iron. These operated from colonial times up through the mid-1900s.
Just as I leave the area to cross the Hudson River, the trail unexpectedly passes a swimming pool. "How much for shower and swim?" "Free for hikers!"
I shower with my hiking shorts and shirt and wring out as much grim as I can. Then I swim and chlorinate the stinky beasts!
Thursday, 21.7 miles from NY17A near Bellvale NY to William Brien Memorial Shelter.
Friday, 20.2 miles to Canopus Hill near Peekskill NY.
Met you at the Lemon Squeeze on June 27. I'll enjoy following your progress. QuickDraw
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