Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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41.32704°N / 74.01043°W |
Route Type:
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Hiking, Scrambling |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Less than two hours |
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Difficulty:
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Class I and II (YDS) |
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Overview
Hudson Highlands from the summit and a few ledges along the north ridge. The Timp-Torne Trail makes a loop of the mountain. The Timp-Torne Trail traverses Bear Mt. State Park from north to south and is over 11 miles long. It is not required to hike all 11 miles to reach the summit however. The T-T trail goes up and around the Torne as is travles through the Popolopen Gorge. See map for more detial. In dry conditions either route can be climbed. In wet or icy conditions, take the north ridge route for both climbing up and down unless you have proper gear to deal with ice.Blaze- Blue
Getting There
From I-87 exit at Exit 16 and follow signs for Route 6. Take Route 6 all the way to 9W and turn north on 9W. Take the first left after crossing the bridge (it is a fast turn so be ready). Take the third left (Mine Road) and follow Mine Road about 1.4 mile to the trail head. The trail head is on the left. There is parking for only 2 or 3 cars at the base of the torne. Do not block the gate to the woods road!.!. If the parking lot is full:Go back down Mine Road. Park at the parking lot at the play ground. Find the blue blazes near Brooks lake and follow them up Mine Road to the torne.It is about 1 mile from Brooks lake to The base of the torne.
Route Description
Map of the RouteNorth Ridge
Class I
From the parking lot go up Mine Road for about 100 ft. Turn right and up into the woods. The trail then goes up the hill for about 150-200 vertical feet then sidehills to the north for about a half mile then turns up to gain the north ridge at the first viewpoint. From the first viewpoint, the trail does a 180 and heads south along the ridge. It quickly reaches the second viewpoint that continues to the summit. Return same way, or.... decend the South Face back to the trailhead.
South Face
Class II
From the praking lot go past the gate and head down the woods road. In a bout a quater mile look for blue blazes that go off to the right and up to the road. If you cross a brook you have gone to far, turn around. After the trail crosses Mine Road it starts up the hill using switchbacks. After the switchbacks end, the trail picks it's way through the rock slabs using cracks and friction climbing. Watch out for snakes that could be sunning themselves on the rocks.The rock with grafiti is right below the summit. The Memorial carin marks the summit.
Essential Gear
The Popolopen Torne can be climbed in any season with standard dayhiking gear. I would not recomend climbing the south face after it has rained because the rock slabs on the south face are featureless and require friction for the hiker to climb. In the winter I would recomomend crampons (instep at minimum) and hiking poles (or an ice ax) depending on how much ice and snow are on the torne. It is usually cilmbed and crowded on Spring and Fall weekends and any summer day because of the views.Make sure you carry a rock up to add the the Memorial Carin on top.
Memorial Carin