The Taconic 2.2K Series: Alander via Robert Brook, Alander Brook (5.5 mi. R/T)
Hosted By
Mike
Details
- Join us on the second day of Fall for a moderate to strenuous loop hike of Alander Mountain (2,239 ft.) from Alander Brook on Under Mountain Road in Ancram, NY.
- We'll meet at the Under Mountain Road parking area (42.065410, -73.515462) at approx. 9:00 or 9:15am for a hike start time of 9:30am. **Please note the Meetup location and parking area for this hike are located ~0.15 miles apart along Under Mountain Road, so we'll essentially have to backtrack for the beginning and end of hike.
- This hike is 5.5 to 5.7 miles round-trip via a loop that starts off on Alander Brook and comes back on the Robert Brook trail, with 1,885 feet of elevation difference throughout the day. We'll walk down Under Mountain Rd. west to the trailhead with BLUE markers for Alander Brook where we'll start the hike before making a right onto the RED Robert Brook trail in order to tackle the majority of elevation gain that is front-loaded in the first ~1.3 miles of the hike.
- At the junction for the South Taconic trail (WHITE blazes), we'll make a left and hike for about 1.7 miles to Alander, with approx. 3 ~ 5 view points to the west of the Catskills and Hudson Valley. There is a former fire tower site and a rustic cabin to sight see, where we can take a break for lunch or snack.
- On the way back we'll have the option of going on an easterly woods trail to get back down to Alander Brook, at which point we'll make a right to take the BLUE blazed Alander Brook trail for a 1.5-mile descent, plus brief (0.15 mi.) roadside backtrack to the parking area.
- There are some steep sections and moderate rock scrambles but I would consider this a moderate to strenuous dayhike. If you've done hikes in the Catskills, Minnewaska and/or Breakneck, Storm King a few times, you shouldn't have any trouble with this.
- Afterwards we'll have the option of grabbing lunch and a beer or cider at Round III diner and/or Kings Highway Cider Shack down in Millerton, NY, with plenty of local farmstand options for fruits / pie.
- Please try to arrive on time or a bit early as daylight requires an earlier start these days. As always wear hiking boots or trail shoes, poles and bring a headlight just in case. You never know! Bring enough water for a 6 to 8 mile dayhike, factoring in up to 2K of elevation and occasional breaks for hydration. Recommended snacks include Trader Joe's trail mix, Cliff Bars or oranges/fruit of choice with chocolate or almonds on the way back.
- Covid-19 PSA: If you or an immediate family member, partner, spouse or friend have been symptomatic or exposed to anyone that tested positive for Covid within 5 to 7 days of the hike or are exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms, please DO NOT attend this hike. There's no hard feelings. We'll try to be socially distanced as much as possible on the hike and afterwards we should be seated outdoors for a bite to eat.
- I'd expect this hike to take a solid 5 hours, factoring in a lunch break and occasional view point stops along the way, that's why there's some wiggle room with the end time. We're a collective pace group, meaning we don't splinter off into 4 or 5 sub-groups that race for the summit at 2 or 2.5 mph. We roll at the pace of the group overall and try to be accommodating for anyone that needs to take a break. That said if this is your first time hiking with us, this hike may be a bit too challenging for you. Feel free to PM me with any questions, and please post on the public comments board if you're able to offer a ride to anyone who may need one coming from the NYC or New Jersey tri-state area.
- We'll convene at the Alander Brook Trailhead, Ancram, NY 12546, and refer to the NYNJTC Map Series #107 - Southern Taconic for the whereabouts of this hike.
COVID-19 safety measures
COVID-19 vaccination required
The event host is instituting the above safety measures for this event. Meetup is not responsible for ensuring, and will not independently verify, that these precautions are followed.
NYC Backwoods Adventurers
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The Taconic 2.2K Series: Alander via Robert Brook, Alander Brook (5.5 mi. R/T)