“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll
Storm King Mountain
Dunderberg Mountain
Wheelabrator Westchester
Iona Island
Bear Mt. Inn
Bear Mt.
“We need the tonic of wildness…At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”
-Thoreau
White flakes falling fast,
Pristine wonder on broken
Limb, savor the peace,
Stillness echoing fluffy
Perfection, my heart is free
Frozen tree branches after a January nor’easter.
Icy tentacles
Reach out from a prison of
Frigid dismay and
Sway in a collective dance,
Keeping the madness at bay
Droplets fall in time
Collecting in silence for
A night of dancing
I will send you rain,
Falling from the cold grey sky
To caress your soul
“A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky—unbidden—and seems like a thing of wonder.”
-Susan Orlean
“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.”
— George R.R. Martin
Our dog Jase’s favorite soccer ball.
A snowy day waiting for my daughters hockey game to start in South Kent, CT.
Snow falling.
South Kent, CT.
“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.”
-Frank Herbert
“Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.”
-Walt Whitman
It’s been awhile since I was able to get out for a hike on the last day of the old year and the first day of the new. Since both days were beautiful, I really had no excuse not to get out into the woods. Sunday January 1st was a clear crisp day in the low to mid 40’s. Compared to my hike on 12/31, the trail here was not covered with ice, which made it much easier to get around.
Starting on a side road just north of the Appalachian Market at the split of Route 9 and 403, we hiked back south on Route 403 for a few hundred yards where the AT crosses the highway and the goes south.
The AT moving steadily uphill. The picture was taken about 1 mile from where it crosses Route 9.
Looking back down th AT.
Once you get to the top of the hill after a steady 1.5 mile climb, make a left on the AT and proceed south on the now white marked AT and blue blazed Osborne Loop Trail. About 200 yards farther south, you will see a well worn trail off to the right. This leads to lookout over the Hudson.
The Hudson River looking south.
The Hudson River looking north.
After spending some time at the view point, we got back on the trail and headed north on the AT/Osborne Loop back to where the AT heads north and the Osborne Loop continues moving downhill. After another mile, the Osborne Loop tuns left and keeps heading downhill. After walking for five minutes you come upon this wooden gazebo. It has been there for many years and was restored in 1996.
The Osborne Loop headed towards Sugarloaf. Notice the gazebo on the right.
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The ceiling of the gazebo.
Photo taken from the gazebo.
After you spend some time at the gazebo, keep heading down the trail, you will see red blazes marking the Sugarloaf Hill trail. Make the left onto this trail and head steadily uphill. The trail here is pretty difficult but the climb is worth it.
As you look south on the Hudson, you can see Anthony’s Nose on the left.
After descending the hill, you will go back the way you came on the blue trail for a short period of time. Instead of turning right and heading back uphill on the blue trail, you will continue on the yellow blazed carriage connector trail. You will stay on this trail until it intersects with the AT. Follow the AT out to Route 9 and you are finished!
The rest of the photos here and below were taken on the yellow blazed carriage connector trail.
Needless to say this was a great way to start not only the calendar year, but the hiking new year as well! Six and half miles with a couple of pretty intense climbs and some great views make it al worthwhile!
Happy hiking everyone!!!
“New Year’s Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.”
-Sarah Ban Breathnach
The sun coming up over the hill behind my house on a beautiful New Year’s Day.
The Zen Hiker 