Storm King Mountain Hike

We'll continue our spring hiking warm-up by scaling the Storm King mountain and treating ourselves to an amazing views of the Hudson River, and the Breakneck Ridge rising above it on the North. As a bonus, we'll get a chance to spot Peregrine Falcons - they disappeared from NY in the 1960s, but they're now back to the Storm King Park!

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/6/c/a/600_345719082.jpeg

The Hike:

We'll do a 4.5-5 mile long lollipop loop, starting with the Stillman trail, then taking the Bluebird trail to the top of the Butter Hill, and continuing on the Howell and Bypass trails to the summit of the Storm King Mountain. At the top, we'll take a lunch break and enjoy in the view (keep your fingers crossed for a nice, sunny day). From there, we'll follow the Stillman trail back to the parking lot. This is a moderate difficulty trail, with only a few very short but steep sections with some rock scrambling. The entire hike with all breaks, at a decent pace, should not take more than 4-5 hours.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/0/d/2/600_345728402.jpeg

Gear:

Proper footwear is essential for this hike - a pair of comfortable, broken-in shoes, with good traction. Please no flip-flops, clogs, skate shoes and similar footwear on this hike.

Bring enough water for the entire day. There is no water source anywhere along this hike, so come with your bottles/hydration packs filed up and ready to go.

You will need a small backpack to carry your food, water, and extra clothing. On some portions of this hike you will need to use your hands to climb up rocks, so you need your hands to be free.

The weather in the early spring can be unpredictable, and with a bit of a wind chill at the summit, a sunny day can turn into a cold one - so be ready and dress in layers. Bring an extra layer, a hat, and rain/wind jacket that can fit into your backpack. A pair of gloves can be helpful on a cold, windy day.

As on any given hike - it is always a good idea to have your own map of the area you are hiking. You can purchase NY/NJ conference's West Hudson trail map pack, or at least print out this map:

(http://images.summitpost.org/original/185628.jpg)

Sunblock and insect repellents are good to have handy.

We should be done with this hike long before it gets dark, but it's always a good idea to pack a headlamp/flashlight - for unforeseen circumstances.

Getting there:

We will carpool, and share the cost of gas/tolls.

Driving Directions

Take the Palisades Interstate Parkway to its northern terminus at the Bear Mountain Bridge. Do NOT cross the bridge. At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit to US-9W N.

Drive about 9 miles and then turn right onto Mountain Road.

Continue on the mountain road for about 3/4 of a mile. A small parking lot, and the trailhead will be on the right.

GPS Coordinates: 41.432246, -74.012120

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/e/2/4/600_345731812.jpeg

DISCLAIMER

Participation in activities is strictly voluntary and group members assume all risks in connection with activities; per Meetup.com's Terms of Service Agreements, organizers and hike/trip leaders are released from any and all forms of liability related to events.Full text of our liability waiver can be found on the following page:

https://www.meetup.com/Adventure-Outlet/pages/Risks_and_Waiver_of_Liability/