My "Rediscover this day" alert popped up on my phone. I glanced at it and it was taking me back to February 2017 when I hiked Breakneck Ridge in Cold Springs NY. I couldn't believe it had been 2 years as it seemed like only yesterday I did, what I would probably say is, my most favorite trail ever!
It was a gorgeous February day. Bright and sunny with some soothing clouds floating in the sky. It was a bit chilly but donning my Woolx 1/4 Zip heavyweight top and Grizzly Sweatshirt I knew I would be set once I started moving. It was a brisk 23 degrees when we left but was expected to hit the low 50's so there was no letting this spring-like February day get by! I grabbed the girlfriend and the dog and off we went.
The hike started off pretty typical..that would change soon
Now, let me state that this is a difficult hike. I would call it more of a rock scramble and would not recommend this for small children. I often had to lift our small dog from one rock to the other as he could not climb them himself. It's not an easy hike and they do many rescues over the course of a season here for ill-equipped hikers. Add to this there was some snow and ice still in spots so make sure you are ready for a workout and have no injuries that limit your movement before attempting this hike. In the summer on weekends it can be very crowded also so try to plan your visit during the week.
As we arrived near the trailhead on Route 9D we were early enough to get a parking spot off the road. It's then about a 10-minute walk up and over the tunnel to get to the actual trailhead. Route 9D can be busy so just pay attention on the way to the trailhead.
Finally, we were at the trailhead! We started up the trail and it wasn't long before I was thinking "What have I gotten into!"
Things started to get interesting
Though it wasn't overly crowded the nice weather had brought some people out so you didn't have the trail to yourself. I continued to climb up and shortly reached the first Vista and that alone made the whole day worth it. The view from the flag is in itself breathtaking and we paused to rest and enjoy this awesome day.
Beats sitting inside any day!
My dog Batman was having a blast and we ran into several dogs that day. As I stated earlier I had to lift Batman up quite a few times as he couldn't get from rock to rock. Batman is a Cheagle and weighs about 15lbs so it wasn't too bad. If you have a large dog I wouldn't recommend bringing them. I saw a few people struggling with dogs in the 50lb range.
My dog loved the hike! Maybe someday we will have Woolx for him!
The residual snow and ice made this day hikes particularly challenging. At one point I was actually stuck on a rock and couldn't go up or down. I was grateful that there were other people around as a helpful couple guided me to where I needed to be. As I stated, this is not an easy hike and you had to be very careful with the snow and ice.
Residual Snow and Ice made this day challenging.
I will have to admit...we didn't make it all the way to the top. Daylight was not on our side and we didn't want to risk getting caught in the dark up there. We made it to the third of four scenic overlooks and decided to head back down.
It wasn't easy getting here!
I can't remember the exact route down we took but we continued aways and the walk down was much safer and easier. By this time I was tired, my girlfriend was tired, and Batman was tired :) The woods offered some pretty sites along the way but nothing as spectacular as the hike up.
This is the last site before coming to the trail end.
So, all in all, I rate this as one of my most favorite hikes. The views are stunning and I hope to brave the crowds and get back to hike it for the fall foliage.
If you are interested in hiking this trail I have included some links below with some more information. Happy hiking from Woolx!
LINKS
Breakneck Ridge on ALLTRAILS
Google Earth Flyover Video...REALLY COOL!
NY Parks Website
Woolx IT Specialist Brian on Breakneck Ridge Hike.
Temps this day were 20-50 Degrees F
Activity Level of Hike: High
Gear Worn:
Woolx Grizzly Sweatshirt
Woolx Blizzard Heavyweight Men's 1/4 Zip Top
