Scenes from the Trail: Kakiat Trail after Snowfall

Date: March 9, 2013

Location: Harriman State Park, NY

It was a bright and sunny Saturday after a spell of snow, with the temperature in the high 40s. Having been extremely lethargic the past two months, I considered this a splendid opportunity to get some fresh air, exercise, and a nice view. However, not being much of a winter-hiker, let alone one accustomed to hiking through snow, I opted for a short excursion that would give me enough time for a 1.5 hour round-trip from/to the Tuxedo train station on the Kakiat trail of which I had a recollection from a previous hike that its early stretches are rather mild. In keeping with this plan, I boarded the 1:25 p.m. Port Jervis line train from Hoboken, and had a pleasant ride reading The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (I have been on a Dorothy Sayers spree this year, though not in chronological order) till we reached Tuxedo at around 2:40 p.m. Crossing the tracks at the level crossing, I made my way to the trailhead from which the Kakiat and RD trails emanate. The Kakiat gently curves up and down as it makes its way southward, sticking to the edge of the park along this stretch. The snow was melting in places, and making for slippery conditions, but mostly it still lay intact on the ground. It was not virgin snow by any means; other hikers had evidently trodden the trail earlier in the day. I intended to catch the 4:23 p.m. back to Hoboken and so I stopped to take some photographs around 3:20 p.m. near some ledges, and then retraced my steps, getting back to the station with 20 minutes to spare.