Hike #623; Sterling
4/22/12 Sterling Forest Loop with Brad Anesi, Joe Tag, David "Captain Soup" Campbell, Susie Duncan (and Zip Line), Jerry McSpirrit, and Jaque Melo.
Happy earth day 2012 The rain is not a bad thing. - bad preparedness - bad attitude These are bad things. Today was a good day. Thank you friends for joining me in the good weather.
My next hike would be a loop in Sterling Forest of NY between the south end of Tuxedo Park area and the Sterling Ridge. This hike took shape when I met a new friend, Brad Anesi on a hike ending near his home, just over the NY line from Ringwood Manor. We had a conversation about how he had hiked the Red Back Loop in Sterling Forest. I had tried to hike that same trail in November of 2009, but could not find the route.After the hike, Brad sent me pictures of the trail. Brad was open to the idea of organizing and co-leading one of the Sunday hikes, and so we talked about doing something around the Red Back Loop. I let him know trails that I had not yet followed but intended to, and he put together a route that incorporated them.
Abandoned old Scotts Mine Road, Tuxedo Park NY
Brad came up with the meeting point: a good parking lot across from the Eagle Valley Fire Department. He walked to the place from his home nearby.Brad came up with a very diverse beginning that was very interesting, and that I could not have come up with being so far away. It was something I really wanted to do though: hike the old railroad bed that went from the main Erie Railroad in Sterlington near Sloatsburg to the mines at Lakeville. We would only follow a portion, but it was cool. We started by walking Scott Mine Road heading west across a bridge that was undergoing repairs. The weather forecast was pretty grim, with a promise of rain coming, 100%. We were fortunate it held off for quite some time.Scott Mine Road became simply an access road to McCarthy Park, a small ball field park where a league was in the middle of a game. Brad pointed out where Scott Mine Road used to turn to the right, now gated off. The development was built in the 80s he said, and at the time the original road route was obliterated. Just above the road was the old railroad bed.
McCarthy Park near Tuxedo. Scotts Mine Road used to be to the left.
Brad told us that the rail line was pretty much abandoned by the 1930s, but that an old timer from his neighborhood told him they ran a single train up and back once a year to maintain the right of way until about 1950 when the thru way was built to the east. The construction of that offset a golf course, which rebuilt further west and obliterated the rail bed.
Old fire place from a former building site along what used to be Scotts Mine Road
The housing development obliterated even more of the line. It's nearly impossible to say exactly where Scott Mine Road used to go because the terrain was changed so much. We turned right across Woodlands Drive onto a cul de sac called Dogwood Lane. There was an old fire place and chimney on a hill above Woodlands Drive. Brad pointed out that the former house probably sat on the old route of Scott Mine Road.
Abandoned former Scotts Mine Road
Abandoned former Scotts Mine Road
At the end of the cul de sac, we headed straight into the woods, bushwhacking. We followed Brad along a slope for a short while, then we made our way up onto the former Scott Mine Road. It wasn't like so many other woods roads, this one was at one time open to vehicles. It didn't seem to me like it was even that long ago judging by the grading of it. Brad said it might have been the seventies when it was last driven. We followed the road for a bit.
Abandoned railroad looking toward new development
Abandoned rail line to Lakeville Iron Works
Abandoned railroad
Abandoned rail line to left, abandoned Scotts Mine Road to right
As we walked on, the old railroad bed came into view above us to the right. We climbed through woods, next to some junk people had dumped from a nearby house up to it.The right of way had young green moss growing in mounds where the railroad ties used to sit. Occasionally we could see an intact tie itself.We followed the rail bed heading to the west, and passed where Scott Mine Road came up from the left and had a grade crossing. It was an easy spot to picture what it might have looked like when in service.
Former grade crossing, Scotts Mine Road over the railroad (left).
Overturned car, Sterling Forest on former Scotts Mine Road
Paterson dealer sticker on the old car
Old Sterling Forest sign probably from the sixties
Former rail spur to an iron mine
Weird mounds out on a utility right of way
Old rail bed in southern Sterling Forest
We walked a bit further along the railroad bed, and then I saw an overturned car in the woods to the right, along the old road. I went over to check it out, followed by Brad. He found a dealer sticker from Paterson.We continued from here along the old Scott Mine Road until it crossed the rail bed again, at which point we followed that.The right of way got a bit more overgrown. Back at the previous crossing point there was another fill from a right of way that led to the south, probably to another old mine site. Once we got to a power line underpass, there were mounds out in the open area that could possibly have been some tailings piles or something, but can't be sure.We continued through woods and Scott Mine Road headed south out to Long Meadow Road on the south side of a pond. The rail bed turned northwest a bit, and skirted the same pond to the north on a high fill.
Pond in Sterling Forest
Stream in Sterling Forest
Pond in Sterling Forest
We could now see Long Meadow Road on the other side of the body of water. We crossed the high fill and then closely skirted the creek that fed the pond to our left. There were nice cascades as the creek reached the pond.Brad's plan was to cross the creek and continue up Long Meadow Road a bit. The rail bed continued north as well, but there was a missing bridge where it crossed the brook.
Beaver pond along Long Meadow Road
Creek crossing
Plank bridge
I went ahead toward the bridge site, but the rail bed got really overgrown. There was a great view of a large beaver dam and it's impoundment from the rail bed in this area.Brad led everyone else down to the creek where a single plank spanned the creek to cross. It was certainly not very sturdy, and a small deluge of water would wash it away. Some of us crossed the plank, and others opted to try to cross on rocks. I don't think anyone got wet, fortunately.
Plank bridge
Once on the other side, we turned right to head north on Long Meadow Road. The IBM facility where important computers are backed up was to the west of us, and had some big property with lots of "no trespassing" signs.To the right of us was a great view out across the beaver meadow, and at Bill White Mountain. None of us knew who the mountain was named for. The rail bed was parallel with us, but overgrown.
Beaver Pond next to Bill White Mountain
We continued until we came to the driveway for Blue Lake was it? I forget. We followed the access driveway into the woods to the first sort of parking area. The woods road continued, but the Lake To Lake Trail turned into the woods to the right. It was blazed white with red stripes.
Old Cheverolet, I forget the year and model, but Joe knew!
Pond view along Lake To Lake Trail, Sterling Forest
Me on the Sterling Ridge
The trail followed a foot path through the woods, began to climb and then followed faint woods roads gradually up hill. The trail eventually began to descend again to the woods road that we had just turned off of. It turned right on the road, and continued to a point when the road was gated and became much like the woods roads we had just been on.We passed by a lovely little wetland meadow and another abandoned car, this time some sort of 1950s model Chevy that only Joe could identify. Maybe he can remind us of what it was!We continued following Lake To Lake Trail to the Highlands Trail and Sterling Ridge Trail which are co-aligned.
View from Highlands Trail on Sterling Ridge
View of the Wyanokies from Sterling Ridge
View on the Sterling Ridge
Climbing on teh Sterling Ridge
Sterling Fire tower
We turned right and began following the northbound Highlands Trail. I had already followed this section before. In fact, my first hike with Jillane in November 2008 was over this same trail.I recognized the spot where I had taken the first picture of her on that day, and I had to text her to let her know I loved her.We continued over the Sterling Ridge, and got some fantastic views toward Greenwood Lake area, though the lake wasn't very visible, and to the south toward the Wyanokies. I was very happy we at least got a bit of a view.The next section of trail involved a lot of climbing up and down over steep areas. I didn't remember it being so difficult back in 2008, but I'm not is as good shape as I was at the time, and my breathing just isn't the same. I was nevertheless the first to make it to the Sterling Fire Tower where Jaque Melo was waiting for us. She had run behind, and began walking at the Sterling Forest visitor center, up the Fire Tower Trail to meet us.Brad and Captain Soup were next up. We waited for everyone to catch up and took a good break. It was already raining pretty well by the time I reached the tower, but while we took a break there it started coming down really good. We didn't bother to go up the tower.
View of Greenwood Lake
View of Sterling Lake from the Highlands Trail
After our good break, we continued on along the Highlands Trail to the north. Brad and Captain Soup motored ahead pretty fast. Brad mentioned he was going to keep the throttle up due to the rain.I fell behind and took pictures of the view of Sterling Lake when we reached it, and then caught up to and chatted with Joe for a while.
Joe on the Sterling Ridge
We continued on the Highlands Trail/Sterling Ridge Trail to the Bare Rock Trail. We were originally going to follow it to Bare Rock, an overlook over Greenwood Lake, but we instead opted not to try this on the slippery rocks. We turned right and followed Bare Rock Trail back down to Sterling Lake Road.
Sterling Lake
The orange blazes sort of ended, and blue blazes continued along the road to the right. We followed them along south side of the lake and soon came to the Lakeville Iron Works ruins where the yellow blazed trail with the hammers on it led around the site buildings.
Lakeville Iron Works ruins
Big pine tree along Lakeville Trail
Sterling Lake
Trail at Lakeville
Old furnace at Lakeville
Sterling Lake
Along Lakeville Trail
In visitor's center
Visitor's center
Visitor's center
Susie and Jerry went to check out the buildings, but the others had gone quite a ways ahead. We weren't sure which route they had followed, so we just continued along the blue blazes along the road. A short distance past the ruins, a trail cut in to the woods to the left. We followed it.We came close to the lake, and passed "no trespassing" signs that were obviously pretty old. The trail took us over a foot bridge at the outlet of the lake, and we got a view of the old furnace with columns holding it together to the south. We continued from here up hill through dense undergrowth along the trail, out to the visitor's center. I had never been in this building before, so I was in for a treat.The place was fantastic. In the center of everything was this excellent map of Sterling Forest. There were history markers, and trail descriptions all around the outside, and buttons to press. By pressing and holding one button, a coinciding trail route would light up on the map. It was actually very cool.I messed with this for a while, and also took pictures of all descriptions of park trails that were said to be closed as per the model.There were other displays as well, and all looked very interesting. The building had a nice ambiance. It was named for Senator Laughtenberg.I went up to the county to the left inside the building, where a Palisades Interstate Park Commission employee was working. I talked to him a bit about the trails, and got on the topic of Harriman State Park closing off all unmarked trails, including woods roads, and he got all defensive.
Visitor's center model. Hit the button, and the trail lights up! This one is Fire Tower Trail
The Commission was issuing tickets for anyone caught hiking off trail, which is ridicules, and I tried to off set him a bit with experiences such as one time getting lost in Harriman, and using an unmarked trail to get out of the woods earlier and more safely.He had nothing to say about it, but I'm sure he didn't have any power to change anything either.
Visitor's center
He started going on about white nose bat syndrome coming from people going into mines, and I argued that with him as well. He really didn't seem to be very into anything we were doing at all.
Sterling visitors center
Pond at McKeag's Meadow
I noticed they had the new NYNJ Trail Conference, Sterling Forest map for sale at the counter, so I purchased one. I had brought with me two old burnt up copies of the old Sterling map, but important turns were not visible, plus there was enough new trails, so I decided to just buy the new one.I also saw they had the new National Geographic version of the maps, and I opened it up and had a look. It was absolutely crap in comparison. The ranger guy told me he never recommends that to anyone, always goes with the Trail Conference.
McKeag's Meadow
We left the visitor center and crossed the Old Forge Road, then followed an old paved road down hill across. This took us to Long Meadow Road, which we also crossed and headed down hill to the ponds at McKeag's Meadow. The beginning of the trail was marked with yellow triangles which took us across a drainage leading from a pond on the left to a pond on the right. We headed up hill on this to the main McKeag's Meadow Trail, which had yellow markers with green lines across the middle.
Along McKeag's Meadow Trail
We followed the trail to the left. We could have gone right, but it would have been longer to close in the loop to the Red Back Loop Trail section we planned to reach. The trail followed some old woods roads, then climbed a bit and became a more narrow path. The roads were probably both for logging and mining in the past.
Brad found a shed deer antler!
The trail was very pretty, but went through some nasty undergrowth. It was obvious some sort of ATV had been out on the trails, maybe doing clearing, but after our experience at the visitor center I figured it was more likely bored employees taking a ride.
Weird split log on Red Back Loop
Red Back Loop Trail, north end
We continued down hill through a bit of a gully between two small ridges, and the Red Back Loop Trail broke off to the left. It was an obscure intersection, as the Red Back Loop was a small foot path leading off from more of a woods road. It had magenta colored blazes. It was annoying to me that so many of the blazed were stapled to the trees. They certainly wouldn't last too long. Many places in the park had been corrected with nails left out an inch, but much work was needed, especially on Red Back. Brad told us the name of the trail had something to do with the mines he thought, but we're not sure.
Old roaster at the mines along Red Back Loop
Old iron works along Red Back Loop
Giant erratic on Red Back Loop
The trail led up hill to another old woods road and began to follow it. The route was gently rolling, but more down hill for the remainder of the way after the next climb.As we continued, the woods road became more prominent. It was very pretty and easy to walk.We came to a point when there were deep ditches along the edges of the trail. This we thought must certainly have been an old iron mining operation. It became more evident when there were nice masonry walls lining the edges as well. We soon passed a large metal container, more than half rusted away, which must have been a roaster for the ore.We continued down hill, and passed masonry foundation of what Brad figured must have been some worker's quarters below the mines above. The trail continued down hill on a good wider woods road, somewhat washed out, and we passed a giant glacial erratic, a house rock.
Moorhead Mine area, Sterling Forest
As we descended, more former mines came into view near the edges of the trail. Brad led us off to the left a bit to the Morehead Mine. It was a deep trench, or series of trenches following a vein for what looked like over a hundred feet. I climbed down into a trench near the middle to have a closer look.
Moorhead Mine, Sterling Forest
There was an opening to the Morehead Mine I could see, with a single timber on an angle left as a roof brace. I stepped in just enough to see that there was water just a short distance in. Maybe I could get further than that, but I didn't want to bother trying this time.We followed the ore vein a short distance, then an old woods road back to the Red Back Loop. Ahead, there was a beige gate over the trail as it became more used. Brad said that the trail doubled as a utility line access in this area.When we reached the bottom of the trail, some of the blazes became magenta with a white line. The trail turned to the right, to head back where we were, but we continued straight into a parking area. There was a Palisades Interstate Park Commission truck sitting there. The guy in asked if everything was good, and we said it was and "Beautiful day!" while the rain was pouring down all around us.
I figure the guy we met in the visitor center probably sent him over to make sure we weren't getting off trail anywhere.The access to the parking area took us to South Gate Road, and we turned right heading south. The road skirted a golf course on the left, and then went across the center of part of the course. Brad was going to cut across it to go home, but he opted to stay with us longer to make sure we went the right way. Captain Soup was way ahead of the group, and we joked that he was "Making Assouptions" as we call it, when he goes way ahead and misses turns. This time he didn't though, he was waiting unhappily in the pouring rain in the intersection, not having put on his rain poncho.We turned right on Eagle Valley Road, and it seemed like no time until we got to Scott Mine Road, where we were parked near it's beginning.I was so glad to have such a nice group show up despite the cold rain.I realized while I was driving off in my car that it was more than just clothing that makes a day better. An old saying has it that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing, but it's more than that.The rain isn't a bad thing. Good clothing won't make a good day of it though. Attitude is the key to having a good day/month/year/life. Bad weather comes from a bad attitude. The forecast is always good if you perceive it as such - M'ke Helbing 4/23/12
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