NY > Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail

[Glogg]

I know, technically the Pyngyp climb probably isn't considered climbing by the hardcores, but my view is that if you have to use all four of your limbs in synchronized movement and if you make a mistake, you die…that's mountain climbing.

Hey xnktx,

It's not just you. I've over a thousand miles backpacking, but I also take Pingyp seriously! That route is not one I will attempt in poor weather or southbound. Ascending is easier than descending, and frankly I don't know that my skills are up to descending Pingyp.

I solo hiked S-BM in late fall 2011 as I was considering a hike on the AT. I started at Suffern and headed towards Bear Mountain. I hadn't been backpacking long. The leaves were deep and wet due to recent rains.

I got partway up Pingyp and was thoroughly convinced that one wrong step would lead to falling off the cliff, onto the Palisades parkway, and my dead body would be run over by traffic. Absolutely terrified. Of course, by the time I was scared, I was up far enough I was more scared of climbing down.

I ended up clearing away armfuls of leaves trying to see where to climb. I was so nervous about my pack unbalancing me, I took it off on a ledge, and tied my bear line to it like a leash to haul it up after me. I made it up the face, finally reached the crest. Then I hiked the ridge and the trail took me to a chimney. Slippery wet rock and I frankly had no idea how to climb it. So I bushwhacked off the mountain westbound, used a stream as a handrail, and found the trail again at ground level.

I've climbed it a couple times since then (after doing over a thousand miles of the Appalachian Trail) and now it's a great scramble, with exposure (= you can clearly see the risk as you go).

Glogg

[xnktx]

How was your hammocking experience?

Still figuring it out. I definitely prefer it to ground camping, but the primary issue i have now is that i keep sliding down in the middle of the night. I start with my head close to the "end" of the hammock and end up down in the "belly" after a little while. Also my under quilt tends to compress my shoulders so i feel like i'm being scrunched from both sides. I'm sure i'm doing everything wrong, but these are areas for improvement.

[xnktx]

It's not just you. I've over a thousand miles backpacking, but I also take Pingyp seriously!

Thanks for the reassurance. I should have also mentioned that i am moderately fearful of heights (even walking along the Bear Mountain Bridge pedestrian path made me very uncomfortable) and i have zero climbing/bouldering experience (not even in a climbing gym). Had i known about this portion of the hike before i got ~17 miles in, i wouldn't have even attempted this trail. After completing the climb, i walked the next 30 minutes in an adrenaline-spiked daze.

[Bobonli]

Hmm...are you positioning yourself at 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock to get to a flat/straight position?
You may need to use your hands and body to move the fabric away from itself to slide into the position. Takes a little practice and confidence that the entire rig won't pull apart and collapse!

I had similar issues until I realized that you really have to consciously make an effort to position yourself on a diagonal, and not lay straight end-to-end as you might in a typical backyard type hammock.

[cmoulder]

Thanks for the reassurance. I should have also mentioned that i am moderately fearful of heights (even walking along the Bear Mountain Bridge pedestrian path made me very uncomfortable) and i have zero climbing/bouldering experience (not even in a climbing gym). Had i known about this portion of the hike before i got ~17 miles in, i wouldn't have even attempted this trail. After completing the climb, i walked the next 30 minutes in an adrenaline-spiked daze.

Glad you made it and had a good time.

Now that you've done Pingyp and did a solo hike/hang, the rest is easy!

Here is the view from near the top of Pingyp. The cut thru the trees is the Palisades Parkway, Hudson River in the distance.