Lake Tiorati Loop



Lake Tiorati Loop, Harriman State Park (2/12/2011)

No snow fell during the past week, and the temperatures this morning were well below freezing making the trail conditions perfect for a Microspike hike. Today we hiked completely around Lake Tiorati from the parking area west of the Tiorati circle. The lot was nearly filled when we arrived at 8:30 AM due to the many ice fisherman on the lake. There was a green flag indicating ice of at least 6".

We circled the lake counter-clockwise. We first took the Lake Tiorati trail west to the AT/Ramapo-Dunderberg. We made a left on the AT taking that south, hiking along the beautiful ridge of Fingerboard Mountain with partial views both east (to the lake) and west. We took the AT to the Hurst trail (at the Fingerboard shelter) and at the southern end of Hurst we continued on an unmarked woods road running parallel to 7 Lakes Drive. This segment was completely unhiked since the first snows but we were able to stay on top of the couple of feet of snow because it was totally frozen. Next we crossed over 7 Lakes Drive and took the entrance road into Camp Thendara. But instead of continuing north into that camp, we headed east along the telephone line cut before finding another camp road nearer the lake. This was one of the more exciting parts of the hike, and would have been totally impossible without Microspikes, because we headed steeply down along the line cut on slippery frozen snow. When we found the camp road (unplowed) we took it NE.

As an aside, for fans of Google Maps Street View (like me), you can actually see the street view of this very narrow, one-lane road. Go to maps.google.com, type in "Lake Tiorati, NY" and hit Return. Zoom into the southern tip of the lake and find the road labeled "Harriman State Park". Switch to Street View (by dragging that little orange guy to the road). Google hasn't yet photographed nearly any of the roads in my densely populated town, but for some reason felt compelled to do this road, closed half of the year, and open only to camp residents during the other half!

We took this camp road all the way NE to Tiorati Brook Road which was closed to traffic for the season (in fact the part east of the camp road was totally unplowed and unpassable). Removing our Microspikes we walked along the desolate road north back to the circle.

Total distance hiked today was about 4 miles in 2.75 hours.

(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)


Trailhead at Tiorati Circle

Ascending Lake Tiorati trail

Blazes nearly under snow


Curious deer

End of Lake Tiorati trail [photo by Laura]

Tank on AT/R-D

They're multiplying

 

They're multiplying too!

Lovely morning sky

Lake Tiorati from AT

Heading south on AT
 




Deep frozen snow

View west
 



View east from Fingerboard

View west from Fingerboard

View south (see Laura?)
 



View east to Lake Tiorati

Distant view of the Hudson River

Near Hurst trail head
 


AT intersection at Hurst

Rear of Fingerboard shelter


Ceiling of shelter
 


View from shelter

Fingerboard shelter

Ascending on frozen snow

Stubborn stream
 


Mountain laurel thicket on Hurst

Hurst trail head at 7 Lakes Drive

Continuing on woods road

Friendly bicyclists
 


Steep descent to 7 Lakes Drive

Camp Thendara entrance gate

Tiny critter tracks

Igloo at Thendara
 


On Camp Thendara road heading east

In telephone line cut

Steep icy descent looking east

[Photo by Laura]
 


Crossing outlet stream from Tiorati

Building at Day Camp in the Park

View from side of camp building

Hiking along unplowed camp road
 



Camp buildings

Remains of bird fight

Entrance to camp from Tiorati Brook Road
 


Tiorati Brook Road closed

Ice fisherman on Lake Tiorati

Tiorati Brook Road heading north

Shrine and pump
 


Lake Tiorati from eastern bank

Ice fishermen

View of road looking south

Hungry deer
 


Buildings near Tiorati Workshop

Tired deer

Completely frozen Lake Tiorati

 


Closed, but plowed, Tiorati Brook Road

Various ...

... views ...

... of ice ...
 


... fishing ...

... on ...

... Lake Tiorati

Laura at the circle
 

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