Hike Location: Hudson Highlands State Park (near Cold Spring), NY
Hike Rating: A+
Hike Difficulty: Mostly moderate with some difficult sections and a fair amount of rock clambering on the Undercliff and Breakneck Trail segments (including some steep sections on the Breakneck Ridge Trail).
Hike Description: Took the Metro North Hudson Line train from Grand Central Terminal to Cold Spring. Walked to Main Street, turned left on Fair Street, turned onto Route 9D and walked along it till I got to the gate where one can get onto the Cornish Trail (note: the Cornish trailhead is actually earlier near the Washburn trailhead). I headed on Cornish till its intersection with red-blazed Brook Trail and switched to that. The Brook Trail runs parallel to a brook which actually had a fair amount of water...a change from the last time I encountered it (July 4, 2010). It exhibited much damage due to water erosion, possibly the doing of Tropical Storm Irene a couple of months ago. The trail intersects with the yellow-blazed Undercliff Trail soon. This crosses the brook on a wooden bridge, and makes its craggy way along the mid-slope of Mt. Taurus's north-west flank. The Undercliff is a very interesting trail and very aptly named; it is very rocky, and meanders up and down the hillside with cliff edges towering above and, at a couple of places, there are great views of the Hudson, Storm King, and the southern part of Mt. Taurus. It leads up to Breakneck Ridge where it intersects with the white-blazed Breakneck Ridge Trail just below its final ascending segment. I headed on the Breakneck Ridge Trail to the Breakneck "summit" (note: the best viewpoint is actually slightly before that). Thereafter, the trail seems to level out as it makes it way on the ridge, but given the limited hours of daylight remaining, I chose to retrace my steps instead.
Relevant Map: NY-NJTC Trail Map 102
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| Hudson and Storm King from viewpoint on Undercliff Trail |
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| Storm King and intermediate hump of Breakneck Ridge (from viewpoint a little below Breakneck summit) |
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| Bannerman Island (taken with a telephoto lens) |
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| View from Breakneck Summit |
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| Falls colors and the Hudson |
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| A tricky part of the Breakneck Ridge Trail where I had tarried for a few minutes before willing my way up :) (The photo however was taken on the way down) |
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| This trail is called Undercliff for good reason |
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| View from Undercliff viewpoint (on way back) |
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| Storm King and part of Breakneck Ridge silhouetted against the western sky |
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| The brook gushes merrily |
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| Three times' a charm (on my third time walking past the Cornish "mansion"... the first time last year and the second earlier this day, I finally walked up to it and took some photos) |
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