Date: 2020-08-24
From: Stealth site at Island Pond

To: US 9 (Fort Montgomery)
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: broken clouds

I'd pitched the tent on a patch of moss last night, probably the softest pitch this whole hike. I didn't stir until about 7:30, and only then thanks to the sun hitting me directly, and finally got my butt on the trail around 9. Had no bear issues in this area of known problem bears. My bear bag was unmolested in the tree. Maybe the odor-proof bags I use actually work, or maybe it's just luck I've never had anything get into my food bag.I ran out of breakfast foods a few days ago, something which hasn't mattered with the town food available in the deli run here. But this morning I had no options so I dug into my snacks. This is important for later.The trail remained extremely rocky, comparable to anything in Pennsylvania, with the added joy of frequent abrupt climbs and drops. A very exhausting kind of hiking, both physically and mentally. After four miles I turned down Arden Valley Road to Lake Tiorati. There I treated myself to a soda and ice cream from the vending machines. Still early in the day, but I needed it already. Not a good sign. The lake beach was closed and gated off, but I really wanted to cool down. So I found the thruhiker entrance, a point on the far side from the road where the stone wall of the bathhouse made for easy climbing over the chain link fence. It was just a quick dip, and I was out in two minutes, but it cleaned me up a bit and reenergized me somewhat. It's also a little invigorating to jump a fence once in a while, even at my age.The chipmunks and squirrels have been busy the last couple days. For weeks I hadn't seen much of them. Probably hanging out in their shady hovels. But they must detect the lower sun and other signs of the coming autumn. Time to get back to work filling the food stores. It seems every time I come around a bend or over a rise one or more go scattering off into the leaves. The landscape here is unusual. Most of the forest understory is bare or grassy. The trail often goes over exposed bedrock, usually in full sun. The high plateaus feel like open parks. But in the gulleys (valley is too grand a word) between the rocky ridges there are sometimes bogs or streams and the forest seems protective and welcoming. If not for the tough hiking it would be a delightful tour. The rocks and lack of understory makes the trail harder to follow. There is often no obvious trail worn into the dirt so I had to pay careful attention to blazes, which were usually faded and not frequent enough in places. This has led to hikers going off trail and creating wide areas of erosion, or false trails leading to nowhere as hikers make the same mistake when the trail veers unexpectedly, as it very often did.I passed two shelters but neither had privies. This is very unusual. Maybe it's difficult to dig a large enough pit in this rocky soil. It was hard enough to dig a hole!I passed two more southbounders. Irish Bastard and Rock Steady are young guys who started July 1st, so were in the first group to legally climb Katahdin. They planned to overnight at Fingerboard Shelter, where the active bears are. Ten miles in I climbed West Mountain. It was only 600 feet but steep and I felt it. I let out a very loud Yawp at the top. The mountain didn't let up. The ridge was bumpy and full of sharp climbs over ledges. The downhill was long and rocky. Nearly to the road I got sloppy and let my one foot get caught by my other. I very nearly went flying into the rocks. How I recovered I don't know, but there were some very long strides and some loud exclamations involved.The climb up Bear Mountain was even worse. This is not a hard climb. It starts with an old carriage road, then about 150 vertical feet of rock stairs, then 200 more feet spread over a mile of highly manicured trail. But I was so wiped out I had to just sit down for twenty minutes. I needed another rest just a few minutes later. I'd been rationing the water I'd gotten at Tiorati's spigot and it was nearly gone. I knew I was thirsty and hungry. But I didn't want to eat without water to wash it down, and there wasn't enough for that. I checked the tiny thermometer I carry (/compass/whistle). 90 degrees! Well, that and the humidity and fifteen miles of gnarly trail explains everything. Not surprising. The same thing happened to me coming through this section three years ago in June. Southern New York is not to be taken lightly. And can be downright dangerous in a dry humid summer.I drove myself on, knowing there were vending machines at the summit. Tourists can drive up Bear Mountain to the tower, and being so close to New York City it's usually very busy.But the vending machines had no power. The summit was closed to traffic. The bathrooms were closed. There was no water, anywhere. The park staff was still cleaning up downed trees from the storm three weeks ago. I spied a park ranger in a truck and went over to ask about water. With literally a cup of water and already running a huge deficit I knew the two miles down to town were going to be rough. The maintenance guy talking to her explained the power was down and there was no water at all. My face must have told the story. He had barely finished when the ranger handed me a cold bottled water from her cooler. I don't know if it was from her personal stash or her rescue kit for desperate hikers, but either way she saved me a lot of pain. Teach me to rely on any one water source on a day like this.The small bottle made only a dent in my bottomless thirst, but it was enough to perk me up and get me down the mountain. Plenty of dayhikers were still climbing, even at 4 in the afternoon, though far fewer than on a weekend. I didn't even get a picture from the summit. My only thought was to get to the refreshments at Hessian Lake and then to the motel. Plenty of families picknicking and boating around the lake, though again a mere fraction of a weekend. After getting my sugar hit at the soda machine I tried to follow the trail through the zoo but it had closed at 4. So I called the motel and got picked up near the bridge. Coincidentally the ranger lady drove by in her truck while I was waiting and stopped to make sure I was okay. What a good person.Walking into the air-conditioned room at Bear Mountain Bridge Motel was like Nirvana. I just laid down in front of the wall unit for a few minutes before even getting to the shower. The guy who'd picked me up brought me a chilled water bottle, remembering I suppose my story about dehydrating on the summit. Another good person.Grandpa, who runs the place, usually picks hikers up but he had a bout of vertigo today. He took in my laundry and made me feel at home. I got Italian delivered and over-ordered. The 12" pizza disappeared quickly but the calzone and sub had to wait. I probably should have eaten something before I ordered. Good thing there's no supermarket nearby or my resupply would have been twenty pounds.