Favorite Hikes

[nyc999]

I'm a pretty avid hiker and love finding new places to go. Hopefully this thread can serve as a place to find new trails, campsites, etc.

I'll review some local favorites and a few of my memorable ones outside of the area. I don't really take many pictures, so I did my best to find pics online.

<u>Local</u>

Most of these are small mountains as you need to drive at least 2-2.5 hours out of NYC to hike mountains of any real size (i.e. 4K+ elevation)

<u>Bear Mountain</u>

This is a pretty popular destination for people in NYC b/c it is one of the closest mountains to the city - it's about 45 minutes north on the Palisades Parkway. It's a little different for me because I grew up 15 minutes away. It's not a big mountain - the base is actually the lowest point on the Appalachian Trail. Also, the main trail is not very challenging. However, far less know about a trail that goes up the steeper side of the mountain. This is my preferred route. I do this hike 2 - 4 times per year (about 2 hours to get up and down) - I do it early in the year as a benchmark and use it to measure my physical fitness throughout the year. There's also a nice skyline view on a clear day.

Lowest point on AT

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/4131/bearmountain1la4.jpg

Hotel at base of mountain

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3999/bearmountain2ns6.jpg

View of lowest point about 3/4 of the way up

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7260/bearmountain3wh1.jpg


<u>Mohonk Mountain House - the Lemon Squeeze</u>

Located in New Paltz, NY, about 1.5 hours north of NYC, this is another great little hike. It is more a pile of rocks than mountain - you can reach the top in 15-minutes if you take the road. But the trail is difficult - an on-all-fours type of climb up through rocks. You will go into small caves, squeeze through narrow passages, and climb up ladders built into the rock. It's another good workout, and there is an amazing view of the Hudson Valley at the top.

Separately, it is at the Mohonk Mountain House, which is a great (albeit expensive) hotel.

Start of Trail

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2033/lemonsqueeze1ct9.jpg

Hotel where trail is located

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1033/lemonsqueeze2pj9.jpg


<u>Breakneck Ridge</u>

In Cold Spring, NY (~1 hour north of NYC), another small mountain yet but challenging climb. The trail starts right on the Hudson River, and you basically climb the face of the mountain. A lot of fun and a good workout.

Start of Trail

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9539/breakneck1ay6.jpg

View from across the river, the trail goes up the rock part

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/2161/breakneck2bq9.jpg


<u>Long-Distance</u>

For the past 10-12 years, I have taken an almost annual 4-5 day backpacking trip with friends.

<u>Sequoia National Park</u>

An absolutely beautiful park...great hiking, stunning trees, and bears everywhere. You can see very little of the park by car, I believe less than 25%. In addition, it borders Kings Canyon National Park, which is even more remote.

My favorite hike was Alta Peak at about 11K elevation. The website description:

'"Alta" means "high" in Spanish, and Alta Peak provides some of the best views and high-country scenery within day-hiking distance of the Lodgepole/Wolverton area. On a clear day, you can even see across the Great Western Divide to Mt. Whitney from the summit of Alta Peak (11,204 ft). However, the steep grades and high altitudes along this trail make it one of the most strenuous in the western half of Sequoia National Park. Don't try this hike unless you are in good physical condition. Backcountry permits are also available for this trail.'

I agree with this description, it kicked my butt, especially for an east coaster not used to the elevation.

Very common trees in the park

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/3610/seq1yv1.jpg

Alta Peak

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8693/seq2altaho4.jpg

View of the Park

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/5931/seq3ne8.jpg


<u>Lake Placid, NY</u>

A four-season town w/great skiing in the winter. The summer is fun because there are a ton of mountains and lakes spread over a few miles. This is considered the "high-peaks" region of the Adirondacks. Mt. Marcy is the tallest in the state (just over 5K), and I like the trail which first goes around the mountain and straight up the other side (away from the common approach). Mt. Phelps is an easier alternative in this area, but provides spectacular views.


Views of the region

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/8747/mtmarcy1yb8.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5409/mtmarcy2xv9.jpg

Mt. Marcy in winter

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2121/mtmarcywinterbt3.jpg


<u>Other Great Hikes/Areas</u>, but don't currently have the time to write about:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Acadia National Park
Mt. Katahdin, Maine (Baxter State Park)
Pikes Peak, Colorado
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada
Anywhere in the Scottish Highlands

[IggyWH]

Not exactly the kind of hiking you're talking about, but I have been part of several environmental surveys for gas pipelines that are going to be put in. At all cost, these lines try to avoid human contact areas, which leads us to walk in areas that I wonder how many humans have really seen some of the things I have seen.

An example of this is my post (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&amp;Board=exchange&amp;Number=5090744&amp;S earchpage=1&amp;Main=5090744&amp;Words=%2Bkentucky+IggyWH&amp; topic=&amp;Search=true#Post5090744) showing pics from my time spent in Kentucky last winter.

I'm sure it's not safe for someone like you to just go exploring on someones land, but in my experience, this is when you see some of the coolest things.

[emon87]

I've always felt bad for the people on the east coast who don't have the awesomeness of the Cascades, etc. to go into.

I've gone too many places to count - both backpacking and mountaineering. I will definitely post a bunch of pics and reports soon. (Have to do work right now tho)

However, amongst my favorites:

McClellan Butte

http://www.alpenthyme.org/alp/mcclellan/mcclellan.jpg

Seven Lakes Basin

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Seven_Lakes_Basin.jpg/800px-Seven_Lakes_Basin.jpg


The Enchantments

http://www.psbl.com/hiking/images/enchantments/enchant_0029.jpg


And of Course, Mt. Rainier

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/Rainier/Images/Rainier84_mount_rainier_and_tacoma_08-20-84_med.jpg

[Dominic]

cool! I grew up in North Jersey and Bear Mountain was a big part of my childhood...camping in the summer, hiking in the winter through the softly falling snow and trees...awesome.

[Banks2334]

nyc,
Sequoia is awesome. A must see in California.
As for favorite hikes, for me it's Mt Whitney. For those who don't know, its located in the Eastern Sierra and is the tallest peak in the continental US. There are many technical climbing routes but amazingly enough, there is a hikeable trail, The Main Whitney Trail. It is 11.5 miles one way with an elevation gain of about 6000 feet. Due to the high demand there is a strict permit system in place to limit the impact of people on the trail. Also, due to the well maintained trail, people underestimate the effort required to hike the trail(only 1/3 of all people summit).
Some people hike partway up and camp but I prefer to do it in a day. It usually takes me about 12-13 hours. A fun variation is to do it at night under a full moon or leave at midnight so you get to the summit by sunrise, its quite a sight. If someone is looking for a fun physical challenge with spectacular views, it can't be beat.

[JaredL]

[ QUOTE ]
I've always felt bad for the people on the east coast who don't have the awesomeness of the Cascades, etc. to go into.


[/ QUOTE ]

Definately.

My favorite hiking is in Southern(ish) Oregon along the North Umpqua Trail. It basically runs from not too far outside of Roseburg to Diamond Lake.

Here's a so-so pic of Watson Falls:
http://static.flickr.com/27/37204337_314d989630.jpg

Probably my favorite place in the world as far as views go is on a lookout on Mount Bailey, where you look out over Diamond Lake with a view of Mount Thielsen on the other side of it. Here's a view from the lake (http://www.carto.net/neumann/travelling/usa_westcoast_05_2002/06_crater_lake_24_05_2002/13_diamond_lake_with_mt_thielsen.jpg). Here's a shot that is the reverse:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/jdl22/bailey.jpg

and a shot of Thielsen from the Lake
http://www.oregonhiking.com/photos/img317x.jpg

Crater Lake is also right there, though if on a hike you have to go through massive desert basically at high altitude so I've only driven up to it from the campground. It is one of the most amazing things you will ever see. Pictures don't really do it justice but here are a couple:

http://www.doubledeckerpress.com/Cones-Crater-Lake.gif

http://www.indospectrum.com/10dimages/crater_lake/cd036_04jul04_crater_lake_102.jpg

[cobrakai111]

Trapper Peak in the Bitteroots. This was one of many awesome hikes I went on when I lived in Montana. Photos like these really make me miss it at times.

http://www.idahosummits.com/trapper/images/peak9928.jpg

[JuntMonkey]

Mohonk is badass, we used to go all the time when I was a kid. I've been doing that rock climb since I was 5. One time my grandma was with us. We came upon a difficult-looking stretch and she said "oh s--t".

They filmed Road to Wellville there.

[whiskeytown]

I don't do many hikes away from MT - the hill behind our place has the best view of the valley, IMHO -

but a couple times I went up to Glacier and went to Avalanche Lake - in early spring, before the tourists really start pouring in, you start at a grassy level and usually find yourself in the snow range before it's done -

I was there one time - it was cloudy and beautiful beyond words - and no people - people ruin the experience for me -

come to think of it - so do bears /images/graemlins/grin.gif

rb

[JaBlue]

Only place I really did an extended hike was 7 days in the sierras at a trail called mineral king. I think we did something like 35 miles and 12000 feet total elevation change, went up starting at 7000 highest area was 12000, went up and down a lot of hills.

photos courtesy of my friend John Chen, amateur photographer.

Trailhead:

http://web.mac.com/jonchen/iWeb/Site/WO%20Trip_files/DSCF3648.jpg


The whole place pretty much looks like this:
http://web.mac.com/jonchen/iWeb/Site/WO%20Trip_files/DSCF3695.jpg

Cody and Mara:
http://web.mac.com/jonchen/iWeb/Site/WO%20Trip_files/DSCF3682.jpg

John is a swimmer and everyone was trying to goad him into swimming across this lake (the short way parallel to the dam). I told him I would do it if he did, we dove in, water was probably 45-50. John finished when I was about half-way, at which point I thought there was a good point I would die- had to keep my head above water because I needed air and couldn't hold my breath long enough to go under. Very scary.

http://web.mac.com/jonchen/iWeb/Site/WO%20Trip_files/DSCF3679.jpg

[Wes Mantooth]

more of a scenic, shorter hiking trials is "Garden of the Gods" in Colorado Springs. It has over 20 different rock formations.

http://www.caingram.info/Colorado/Dunes-pix/Garden-gods.jpg
http://www.fenneran.com/frank/pix/GardenoftheGods1.jpg
http://www.runnersroost.com/4873lg.jpg

also in Colorado in Glenwood canyon near Glenwood Springs, the "Hanging Lake". Hiking trails around the canyon lead up to these lakes

http://www.hikingincolorado.org/pics/hang_5b.jpg
http://www.rockymtnrefl.com/hlfalls.jpg
http://www.stevewillcoxphoto.com/gallery/colorado/images/WS39c-detail.jpg

[Borodog]

http://web.mac.com/jonchen/iWeb/Site/WO%20Trip_files/DSCF3682.jpg

This is my new favorite picture.

[M2d]

re: the creek pics. did you fish that by any chance? how far in were you? it may have been deep enough in the wilderness that the fish were all pure strain greenback cutthroats (the native trout of colorado). very cool, indeed.

[nyc999]

[ QUOTE ]
more of a scenic, shorter hiking trials is "Garden of the Gods" in Colorado Springs. It has over 20 different rock formations.

[/ QUOTE ]

I forgot to mention this in my OP - this place is a lot of fun. When I went, my friends and I spent probably 3-4 hours going up and down different formations. At the end of the day, one of my friends couldn't find his license. We then had to proceed to re-climb every formation, to no avail. He found it in his backpack later that night.

[bustedchucks]

nyc,

im in north jersy so i spend alot of time in harriman as well. it's great. even on holiday weekends when the lots are packed if you get a mile or so up a trail you have the place practically to yourself.

like three miles west of bear mountain is long mountain, probably my favorite view in the park. the trail head is on a turnout off route 6. long trail to the top, like a mile to the top, 300 degree view, you can see perkins tower and turkey hill lake complete with evergreen studded islands. really cool spot.

also you should check out sams point. not far from new paltz. we made a ten mile llop out of the trails. great day, including ridgetop walk with deep green dwarf pines and bright red bushes, blue sky, and the valley floor showing off its fall spectacularness, 180 foot verkeerderkill falls, a porcupine and a black bear like 20 feet away on the trail, blocking our way. quite scary and very cool. it's like 2 hrs outside the city, really neat place.

was at a home game last night and we decided to hit minnewaska state park this sunday. good weather forcasted, i'm stoked.

[Jihad]

By far mine is Yosemite Falls. I know its a cheesy go-to, but I've probably done it like 15 times, and each time is different. Last time was certainly the best, I took a spur of the moment weekend trip up to Yosemite from San Diego because the snow was melting faster than anticipated. I got there at about 1pm, parked at the basin, started hiking at 1:30, went up to the top ate dinner overlooking the valley and the falls, hiked another hour into the backwoods and set up camp right off the trail. Hiked back there, a lot off-trail but mostly the rarely used back trails, for 2 days, right back into the car and saw my family in Sacramento before the sun was down. Really an amazing trip, but that particular weekend was a little advanced for the average pleasure-hiker. Oh and the water is amazing up there when its fresh snow melt.

-jihad

[Dids]

My family vacations almost every year in Priest Lake Idaho, up near Beaver Creek.

There's one short hike/walk that we call the "circle trail" that takes a loup around the area. It's getting harder and harder each year, as the fallen tree that was a bridge across one creek lost structural integrity and now that cross requires more climbing.

There's also a hike from Beaver Creek up Upper Priest Lake that I like a lot. Upper Priest is almost always mostly vacant and just really beautiful.

[skier_5]

A couple favorites of mine:

West coast trail - 70km or so, we did it in 6 days I believe. When we hiked this trail it was very dry and is much more difficult when it is (usually) wet and full of mud. It's not easy, but I'd def recommend it.

Quoted from some web page:

[ QUOTE ]

Travel to the west coast of Vancouver Island in Canada, and prepare for an unforgettable experience.

Variety! Climb precipitous ladders, wade mud bogs, ride cable cars, scramble slippery ocean boulders, walk drift logs, race the tide crossing sandstone shelf, skirt dangerous surge channels, insert body parts into the maws of carnivorous giant green sea ananomes, photograph shipwreck relics, haul yourself up rocky cliffs on pull ropes.

You’ll be blown away by the scenic splendour. Beaches, bays, coves, creeks &amp; cliffs. Storm-chiselled caves &amp; magic waterfalls. Weird moonscape geology. Explore fascinating tidal pools.

Enjoy the sun streaming through the gigantic misty forest cathedral. Douglas fir, Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, &amp; wonderfully fragrant Cedar.

Bring plenty of film for the fantastic Pacific sunsets, photogenic sea stacks, coastline &amp; wildlife. Hear whales spout and smell sea lions!

Meet hikers from all over the world in sociable, though undeveloped, wilderness campsites.

Get psyched to bridge creek gorges &amp; wade rivers. Splash in waterfalls.

Alternate thundering surf with the serene quiet of old growth forest.

It is wonderful to access coastal wilderness so quickly &amp; easily from a major city, Victoria, BC.

[/ QUOTE ]

And some pictures I found on the internet:
http://www.westcoasttrailbc.com/images/west_coast_trail_hikers-18a.jpg

http://www.ronacant.com/images/westcoast.jpg

http://www.billyrioux.com/fr/livres/pas_sur_la_route/images/07_West%20coast%20trail.jpg


Also, more locally to me (or more specifically in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada) you can climb up this giant rock called Pocahontas.

You can find this between Hinton and Jasper. Make sure if you do this you are going up the left hand side of the rock. You should start out hiking in the woods and not going up a dried up creek bed (right hand side).

Right to the top http://www.explorejasper.com/images/recreationpics/150Roche1.jpg

It's more of a scramble than a hike and I'd say it's quite difficult and you need to be in pretty good shape to make it.

http://www.explorejasper.com/images/SightsPhotos/200Roche8.jpg

http://www.explorejasper.com/images/SightsPhotos/200Roche6.jpg


edit: I know it's not a hike, but if you ever find yourself in Jasper go up the parkway highway and visit horseshoe lake for some cliff jumping.

http://www.trailpeak.com/content/trails/Canada/AB/1965/reg_HorseshoeLake.jpg

http://www.explorejasper.com/images/SightsPhotos/HLIMAGE017.jpg

http://www.ualberta.ca/~gmeijer/images/personal/hiking/horseshoe103.jpg

I guess you could call the short trail that goes to and around the lake a hike (maybe 20 - 30 min).

[JaredL]

m2d,

You ever been to Oregon? You're not terribly far away and (I'm told by friends who fish a lot) there is some excellent fly fishing.

[M2d]

some of my favorite hikes are pretty easy ones, but the views are breathtaking. one is on the leeward side of Oahu. I haven't been up there in years, but i think you have to get a special permit (or sneak on) to do it. the trailhead is in the waianae mountains, and it loops around there for a while. the majority of the hike is up on a ridge straddling the north shore and the leeward coast. simply amazing views that i don't have any pics of.

a second is in town and is up the Koolau mountain range. the trailhead is in a residential area at the top of wilhemina rise and the trail is along a ridge overlooking palolo valley on one side and waialae nui on the other. it's about three miles in, i think and ends at the main koolau mountain range overlooking kailua and the other side of the island.

Jared, I went to school in oregon for a couple of years, but didn't fish that much then (played baseball and had no money. I went a couple of times, but i really do want to get back and do it right.

[w_alloy]

I grew up in one of the best hiking locations in the US. TONS of great hikes in the chugach mountains in southcentral Alaska ranging from 1-60 miles and elevations from near see level to over 5000 feet. Here is a sat image from google of where i live.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1931/eaglerivermv0.jpg
I've circled the areas of some 7 especially great trails. I dont take many pictures, but here are some that google turned up.
http://www.turtlepuddle.org/alaskan/hikingpages/05summer/TwinPeaks/lake-view.jpg
This is the view near the middle of one of my favorite hikes. This lake has a sweet dam that you can jump off, although the water is really cold.


http://www.birchbarkpress.com/images/up_valley.jpg
The view up Eagle River valley a few miles from where i live. There is an awesome hike long (24 miles?) up this valley and a pass called Crow Pass to a hippy/skier town called girdwood.
http://afdvf.uaa.alaska.edu/pictures/crow_pass.jpg
This picture was taken along the 2nd half of above mentioned crow pass.

These pictures are all really typical, I wish i could upload some better ones friends have taken. Also, this place is amazing for backcountry skiing. I have friends who have skiied 30+ different faces from the satellite photo.