Harriman SP loop

[Steven Hanlon]

Seth Brewer and I did a loop thru Harriman SP this past weekend. Friday night we met up at the Tom Jones Shelter just south of Route 106 on the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail. It was a very nice sunset and the clear sky gave us a great view of the stars and we even saw the International Space Station trace an arc across the sky. I enjoyed the clear sky from my rain-fly-less tent until a heavy fog rolled in and the trees above began to drip and a light rain fell around 3am. I quickly setup my rain fly and was comforted back to sleep by the sound of rain bouncing on the rain fly.

Saturday we finalized our route and headed out, our destination the Brien Memorial Shelter along the AT. From the moment I climbed out of my tent it was a nightmare of bugs. Little annoying, biting bugs that followed us all day, a never ceasing cloud of biting and buzzing and swallowing.

The route we traveled took us thru many interesting landscapes… glaciated balds, soft, lush hollows, damp swamps, and fire scarred meadows. From the shelter we hiked south making a J hook around and back to 106 along the Triangle and White Bar (WB) trails. We continued north along the WB passing thru what once the scene of a large fire some seasons ago. A short cut to the west put us on the Arden Surebridge trail for a short time with a great view of Island Pond (and said island).

From here we linked up with the AT and followed it north to the shelter. As we climbed up from the Lemon Squeezer, evidence of a rather large fire was everywhere, the air smelled of ash and flame, the ground charred black. At the top of the ridge we made use of the wind to dry our tents and bags from the previous night's fog and light rain. The sun and breeze were welcome as they also seemed to ease the cloud of bugs around us.

We wound our way along the AT, up and down, but rarely around ridges and crests. The climb up from a stop for water along Surebridge Brook brought us to a small bald and then the Fingerboard Shelter, which was looking a little worn and tired, a shelter I would only use as a last resort.

We took leave of the trail for a soak of our feet in the creek just before the crossing of Seven Lakes Drive. The cold, moving water eased the miles of hiking, and for some reason, the cloud of bugs. It was a very welcome break on a hot, sunny day.

We made a final push to the shelter and found it already populated at 5pm with many adventurers. I counted 12 tents in a cluster just down the Menomine Trail. The bugs FINALLY vanished at sunset allowing a group of us to relax and wind down around a fire a group of first time backpackers used to cook, of all things, chunk bacon.

In the night a gentle rain began to fall and again I was forced to deploy my tent's rain fly. I did not have a good night's rest due to a certain bird, which I will simply call "The Alarm Clock Bird" It would make a series of Ka's and then go silent for a few minutes, then repeat the Ka's. This continued for hours all through the night. Death to that bird was on the minds of many I'm sure.

Sunday we headed down the Menomine Trail and then headed south slowing rising and dropping on the Red Cross Trail. We made our way down to the northern tip of Lake Askoti, stopping to contemplate a brief dip in the cold waters, then headed up Pine Swamp Mtn. About half way to the top were I was expecting to connect with the Arden Surebridge Trail at a wonderful overlook, we came upon a newly cut trail. This confused us as it was recently carved into the hillside and marked the end of the Red Cross Trail, on the eastern slope of the ridge, not the western. We quickly found the now abandoned trail over the top and made our way to the overlook.

At the overlook it all become clear, the Arden Surebridge was relocated, the overlook closed, and the Red Cross was cut short ending at this new trail. The trails have been re-routed around the overlook and the entire area was fenced off for reforestation. Pity that the best overlook of the day was not an option. We headed north and reconnected with the re-routed trail and headed west around the Pine Swamp and then across the very easy travelled Dunning Trail past several swamps and mine sites and then connected with the Ramapo Dunderberg trail at the Bald Rocks Shelter.

Heading south over the balds, the clear sky allowed a view for at least 50 miles. The breeze kept the bugs, which were noticeably less prevalent Sunday, off of us. A quick descent to Route 106 brought a close to our 21 mile journey.

Thanks for the great company and conversation Seth.

[Joshua L]

Thanks for the trip report, sounds like you guys had fun.
By the way I know that bird.

I hate that bird.

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