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May 31, 2004 |
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Rider Hollow - Lost Clove
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With the gorgeous weather each and every day of Memorial Day weekend, we were able to squeeze in a hike between family stuff, work, and barbeque commitments. The weekend weather would have been superb for a camping trip, with daily highs around 70 degrees and overnight lows in the 30’s. The black flies were basically non-existent with the cooler temperatures, and with no humidity any vistas would have been as wonderful as ever.
We chose a short, nearby hike so that we could keep our various commitments but still get to go hiking! We decided to venture up Belleayre Mountain via Mine Hollow and descend into Lost Clove. We have done a great deal of hiking on Belleayre over the last three years, perhaps to make up for never exploring it before that - thinking there was not much to see. True, there are no ledges with breathtaking panoramic vistas like Giant Ledge or a delicate spruce/fir summit like its neighbor Balsam Mountain, but there is a lot to see and do.
The most appealing reason to hike Belleayre is variety, as there are six different ways to access its eastern summit. Something for everyone: steep or gentle, jeep road or single-track, short or long. We approached from the south via the Pine Hill-West Branch Trail and descended the Lost Clove Trail. The other ways are from the top of the ski slopes (which you can hike up) on the Belleayre Ridge Trail, from the hamlet of Pine Hill via the Pine Hill-West Branch Trail or the Cathedral Glen Trail, or from the Pine Hill Lake and Day Use Area by following the orange markers up Giggle Hollow.
After parking a car at the Lost Clove Trailhead, we proceeded to the end of Rider Hollow where we signed in and departed around 10am. The NYSDEC just recently completed a bridge over the stream here along the Oliverea-Mapledale Trail, which we were happy to put to use. On our many other hikes through here we had to cross on a downed tree or jump across on rocks - which would not have been an option this time due to all of the recent, or should we say incessant rain.
At the trail junction we turned due east along the yellow-blazed Mine Hollow Trail. This mile-long trail climbs steeply (900’) to the ridge between Belleayre and Balsam Mountains. The trail on the ridge was pretty muddy and had blackberry and nettle plants encroaching on it most of the way. Of course we neglected to wear pants. During the mile hike along the ridge we climbed about 400’ until reaching the grassy summit. This area had been cleared for the fire tower that once existed here and still remains somewhat open.
We continued along the blue-blazed trail as it descended the eastern ridge. Just down from the summit, some decent views (even with the leaves on) allowed us to peek to the northwest. The cleared valley farmland and the forested summits in Delaware County were interesting to look at and fun to guess what we were looking at. Another quarter-mile down the trail the Belleayre Lean-to provided us with a scenic place to stop for lunch.
At the edge of Forest Preserve and private land, we turned onto the red-blazed Lost Clove Trail and began dropping into the clove along an old jeep road. Throughout the 1.4-mile distance to the parking area, many old logging or other access roads crisscross the trail - which is a state right-of-way through private property. We did get glimpses of Balsam Mountain’s impressive 3,600’ summit across the clove as we descended.
The five-mile hike was just what we had hoped for, allowing us to keep our commitments but also get some exercise. We did see twelve other people on the trail this holiday weekend, but it is certainly one of the lesser-used parts of the Park that we have grown to enjoy the most.
- Aaron and Chris
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