Take a Hike!

Tricky weather forecast for tomorrow.  The good news is the further north one goes, they less rain they should see, and this hike is close to the NY state border. Forecasts: NOAA has gives the hike area 40% chance of scattered showers that will accumulate less than 1/10 of an inch Weather Underground is going party sunny with a 20% chance of a shower. Accuweather shows showers before and after the hike time, but cloudy during. Weather Channel is very similar to Weather Underground, but the least reliable in my opinion. We'll watch the weather today and post by 7 AM if we need to cancel.  Also, please wear shoes/boots with a good grip, the last time I was here many people had minor slips on the rocks that are covered with lichen.

I can't believe it is August and we've only had two hikes so far this season, we'll do our best to make up the time before the snows.  Also, feedback has come in that not everyone is available on Sunday's so we'll begin to alternate between Saturday's and Sunday's whenever possible. Our 4th hike of the season will be in West Milford, NJ at 9:00 AM on Sunday, August 19th.  Lou and some other regulars in the group have completed this hike before and it is a fan favorite.   The hike clocks in just under 8 miles in length with a nice 1260 feet of elevation gain.  It has some minor but fun rock scrambles , great views of both Greenwood Lake and Surprise Lake, potential views for the NYC skyline, and lovely hiking terrain on a ridge line spotted with the often sought after scrub pine . Parking is limited, so be sure to let us know if interested in advance.  The specifics: Follow Our Route on Your Phone with the free Hiking Project App Difficulty – Moder...

Updated 5/23 with new pictures That was a fun hike!  And with 6 hours on the trail there were an inordinate amount of pictures shared, head to the album to see them all.  And please keep sending them in, I'll add to the album and post as I get them. Blue skies on Sweet Clover Trail The hike that seemed destined to fail pulled through at the last minute.  The ride north on Route 287 featured downpour after downpour, but once within 10 miles of the trail-head the rain had stopped and there were even signs of sunshine.  After a short delay (we'll say due to faulty hardware) the trail looked like this when we began - a picture perfect start.  Clouds later rolled in but we were never rained on despite hearing some thunder well off in the distance. The climb to the highest elevation in Orange County was difficult and took some time, but the scrub pines and the regular views at the top were well worth it.  It seemed between each open rock formation ther...

The forecast for Schunnemunck area is not great, but it it is hikeable.  Looks like some spotty showers leave the area around 9 AM and then there is a 50/50 chance of a. brief period of heavier rain around noon.  With the temp so warm right now I think this is ok.  No pressure and no problem if you'd rather sit this one out.

We are hiking right above where the Hudson Rover is no longer visible on the map (go to Manhattan, look at the squiggly curve line north of it, where are a few miles north of where the small curve ends). The ground will undoubtedly be wet from all the rains this week, but the shower activity looks to be limited enough to still hike.  As Jeff said, I will post something early tomorrow morning if the hike is canceled, but for now it remains a go.

Hike Day Edit: The forecast for Schunnemunck area is not great, but it it is hikeable.  Looks like some spotty showers leave the area around 9 AM and then there is a 50/50 chance of a. brief period of heavier rain around noon.  With the temp so warm right now I think this is ok.  No pressure and no problem if you'd rather sit this one out. __________ Our 2nd hike of the season will be in New Windsor, NY at 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 20th.  Lou has completed this hike before and it is one his local favorites.  Don’t let the relatively short 6.2 miles fool you, this hike has plenty to offer:  an open meadow section, a huge megalith, a taste of New England with numerous scrub pines scattered among open bedrock, an interesting boulder-field, and a distant view of the Hudson River and Storm King Mountain.  If we are feeling well, we can extend the portion along the ridge-line to an additional 2 miles to an alternate viewpoint as well. Of historical note...

Thank you everyone for a great day in Norvin Green State Forest.  The hike was a success (marked by limited injuries and no one being left behind!).  Overall, depending upon whose GPS was used, we clocked 8-10 miles.  Personally, it felt a bit closer to 8 than 10 but in the end it is the journey that matters, not the metrics, though the hills did add up to 1,500 ft of elevation gain let's pat ourselves on the back. A couple of highlights come to mind Sandy's trail mix, whoo hoo! Sheila and Stacey easily traversing the scramble while Hani and I scratched our heads thinking there must be an easier way For the first time in a while, we didn't even get a little lost (bummer) The lead group finding a rather large black snake And of course Gibbs the trailblazer. Below is a video of our route and a few photo highlights.  Linked on the right is a more complete album as well.  Thank you to Darlene, Stacey, Gaya, and Barbara for submitting photo's!  If mo...