Any nice places for a winter 2 day hike in NY?

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#1

Live in NYC, thinking about doing a short winter hike this weekend (3 day!) sat thru monday…

Any ideas? Most places I look are closed for the winter. Can you hike the at in winter, theres a train stop like 45 mins from Manhattan.

Animal Mom(work)

#2

You can absolutely hike the AT in winter. However, you should only consider it if you have both the gear and experience for winter hiking. As far as safety is concerned, NY may be one of the best sections for winter hiking. The elevations are low so weather, while still variable and potentially dangerous, is not so suddenly changeable and regularly dangerous as it will be in other higher-elevation areas. Also, you can easily plan a hike that will be enjoyable, but that will always keep you fairly close to a road crossing so you can bail out if the weather becomes very bad or if you get hypothermic or if you just decide you are not enjoying yourself. The key to a successful winter hike is to be sure that you are prepared for the worst possible weather conditions. It is too early to tell with any kind of accuracy, but this weekend in NY has the potential to be colder and/or snowier than any we’ve seen so far this season (which in this very warm winter may, admittedly, not be saying much). As such, you will need full cold weather gear, including everything from your tent and sleeping bag to your clothes and food. Anything less and you will be risking your life and the lives of those who may have to come looking for you in bad weather.

I am not familiar enough with NY or with your fitness level to give specific ideas on where you should hike, but there is indeed a train station at a trail crossing that could greatly simplify your planning as could commuter buses which run out of Manhattan to various locations in NY/NJ and CT .

Ken G.

#3

Hey ‘Mom, don’t know how into NY you are but have you heard of the STS? Susquahannock Trail System (sp) in north central Pa? just south of Jamestown in Potter County. It’s a 90 mile loop with state parks along it, a town stop with store, places to park and do short sections. My wife and I thru hiked it a few years ago in the fall. It gets some lake effects snow and it rolls alot like NC. Well sheltered from wind with tall pines and old growth cherry forests. Snow shoes required. Contact Ole’ Bull State Park, Lyman Run Spark for maps. Would you like to know more? It’s like a mini AT

Bushwhack

#4

I have not done witner camping but my partner has. We have decided to go skiing instead, but i appreciate all the responses.

I am interested in the susqyhannoc trail system, maybe for a week hike in march. Amy mroe info appreciated.

Thanks again.

AM

Animal Mom(work)

#5

More info; You need, but are not required to have a back country permit from the Denton Hill Forestry Office in Potter Co. Call and they can mail it to you in advance with they info you tell them on party size. My last # for them was 814-274-3600. If that’s wrong contact Ole’ Bull at 813-435-5000 and tell them you need a back country permit for the STS. There is a set of maps that are a no brainer. It’s all fire roads for the most part. Land that Goodyear owned at the turn of the century. Go to the book store and get the DeLorme Pennsylvania Atlas and Gazetteer. Park #'s are in the front, look on the back in the center top, map 34, Potter County, the trail loops south in a big oval through Lyman Run, Cherry Springs, Ole Bull(clockwise south), bends west through the town of Cross Fork with it’s 'lil store, you only need three days of food for half trip, then north through the heigher hills and back to Denton. You can start anywhere. Park at Cross Fork or Ole or Denton. At Cross Fork ask for the Fire Wardens office, he lets you park in the yard but he is a little weird, car is safe. There is a guide book that’s cool like an AT Wingnut book with the history and what you run across that’s fun. It’s an easy trail with one nasty hill to go down that’s almost better dun on your butt. Prefered camping marked on the map, tons of water, easy hills and dales. Best time is in September when all the old growth apple tree are load with yummy fruit. The old loggers set up homesteads and the trees are what’s left in the valleys…every few miles I would stop and load up. You get a cool patch for a thru hike if you record the trip with photos and pictures and send it to Lyman Run State Park. Louis was/is the trail club head-years ago when we went. Send in your srcap book, call first to see if they still do it, and in two months you get your scrap back with comments and patches. Very neet!

Bushwhack

#6

Hey…
It was fine hiking from Bear Mountain to the AT train station in late December 2001. I had a pretty good time. For more details read the last entry in my journal. There are quite a few road crossings, but the lack of leaves on teh trees make the views much much better than when I was there in the summer. I think my section was about 50 miles and it took me and Freefall about 2.5 days.
Best wishes

windex