Traverse and Loop

This weekend featured the first hikes of the season:

Ponds are roiling with frogs chirping loudly (spring!), lots of dead leaves underfoot (autumn!), and occasional patches of snow on the ground (winter!). Only season missing was summer ... but at least it was sunny and warm enough for short sleeves during the climbs.

Saturday was a traverse from Cold Spring to Beacon: Cornish (blue) > Brook (red) > Notch (blue) > Breakneck (white) > Casino (red).  This took me approximately 6.5 hours from train station to train station, including all stops.  The 7:18 train was delayed, and I was treated to the ruins at Bannerman's Island (officially Pollepel Island) silhouetted against a wonderful glowing orange sky.

Sunday was a loop around Cold Spring: Nelsonville (green) > Notch (blue) > Brook (red) > Undercliff (yellow) > Washburn (white).  I nearly bailed out with the easy exit at the junction with Undercliff, but I was glad that I pushed for the longer and more challenging option.  I think this was about 4.5 hours, all told.  I stopped for the wonderful kale and wild rice salad at Go-Go Pops afterward.