South Brace Mtn. (Taconic Crest Trail)

[daLunartik]

Was on my way home from work yesterday, and saw a guy cruising on bike with a full pack on. Got me thinking, hmm, I should do some hiking this evening! Since this was an after work hike, and I was all ready heading east, this meant I was going to be hiking part of the Taconic Crest Trail. Since I try to avoid the Bash Bish Falls area this time of year, and recently did a "Sunset" hike up Alander Mtn., my destination was South Brace, Brace and possibly Frissel, with the Tri-State point thrown in for good measure. I actually have to kick myself a bit, having never hiked this section before, even though it is essentially in my backyard (at my house, the sun rises over Alander).

Found the trail head with no problem, shouldered my pack and started up the Southern end of the Taconic Crest Trail. The trail leads through a small stretch of woods, then follows the edge of a field before twisting back into the woods. The field was a bit overgrown, but I knew I was off to a good hike when I glimpsed a large bird of prey soaring threw the foliage. As I walked, I realized that I was seeing lots of mushrooms, and a good variety of them. I counted about a dozen different mushrooms on the trail, from little tiny orange ones and brilliant red capped ones (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2931466070090556846yKvpXx) to 6 inch toadstool sized (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2875389610090556846CSkaVu) ones, and some that looked like buttermilk pancakes (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2937379640090556846iwajPO). The trail slowly starts to gain elevation, until it runs into a stream, at which point it became a near vertical climb, with something like 600' elevation in less than .5 miles. Easily comparable to, if not more difficult than the Escarpment Trail up the north east face of Blackhead in the Catskills, which I had just hiked this past weekend and was fresh in my memory. Just before the trail zigs away from the stream and the serious vert ends, there is a nice little waterfall (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2227664100090556846ENdSOG). I took advantage of this nice view to take a break, snap some photos and rehydrate. Glad I stopped, since there was a bird singing his/her heart out with a beautiful, and complicated song. I was able to record it using the video mode of my digital camera, and after i trim out the "fluff", will post a copy. Played it for HauntedFox, and while she didn't know what it was, she reminded me that it was similar to one we had heard going up Blackhead.

Break time was over, so I continued heading up, and the trail turned into a mixture of open rock slabs and forest. Finally broke through the treeline for a brief view (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2269961130090556846jioRoa) of the valley, rte. 22 and the Taconic range - it was quite overcast and the Catskills were shrouded at every viewpoint. After a little more elevation gain, I came across a tiny peat bog (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2577270600090556846GbBelC) and the first of many ripe blueberry "traps". A short while later and I was summitting South Brace, where I was greeted by a number of Towhee's. After checking the time and the storm clouds rolling in from the south, I decided to forgo Brace and Frissel, and sat down to have dinner amidst the alternating calls of "Towhee, Towhee" and "Drink your tea, drink your tea". The black flies and mosquitoes also had dinner, since I had forgotten my bug spray!

Packed up and started back out once the sun slipped behind a cloud bank (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552003831/2392457820090556846DOdTLw), around 8:15 or so. Made good time on the way down, and found myself at the last viewpoint before descending back into the forest. Paused to drink in this last view, and below me in the woods, along the direction the trail headed, I heard a hoarse howl of a coyote. This was quickly followed by the rest of the pack, howling, barking, yipping, and then the sounds of something "screaming" in pain - and then silence. It was rather disconcerting, since it was coming in the direction I had to travel. I also didn't think to try and record any of it until the very end, and by the time I got the camera out, it was too late. I stowed one of my hiking poles, and pulled out the heavy flashlight that I had tossed into my pack, figuring the extra light in addition to my headlamp was worth the piece of mind. The rest of the hike was fairly uneventful, as I tried to make as much noise as possible, singing to myself and being sure to bang my hiking pole on rocks and against the flashlight I was carrying. Then I got back to the field near the trailhead - it was full of fireflies! After watching them dance for a bit, it was time to hit the car and head home. A little more than 3 miles and 1300' of vertical.

[masshysteria]

Paused to drink in this last view, and below me in the woods, along the direction the trail headed, I heard a hoarse howl of a coyote. This was quickly followed by the rest of the pack, howling, barking, yipping, and then the sounds of something "screaming" in pain - and then silence.

Probably a small deer, but also possibly a bobcat they were harrassing. Makes one think that we aren't always at the top of the food chain.
I've often seen Brace mentioned in the guide books, but like Alendar, it's a little more of a jaunt from this side of the Taconics. Nice report on a spur-of-the-moment hike, I'm jealous!

[Mark Schaefer]

:tup: Nice report and photos. The South Taconic trail is a very nice hike. Great you are so close to hike some of it after work. Late in the day is always good for spotting wildlife, especially mid-week when there are fewer hikers to spook them.

On several occasions I have photographed that group of waterfalls near the top of climb. After a good rain it seems like the whole hillside comes alive in about a dozen small cascades -- they do make a pretty picture. They are especially nice in early spring and during fall foliage. During winter it can become an impressive wall of ice. The stream does tend to dry up mid-summer. There is another small waterfall at the very top of the climb where there is a red blazed path that goes south. It leads to another worthwhile, open western viewpoint at the top of a hill. The last couple of times I hiked it this path was a little difficult to spot as the blazes were fading. Hopefully it is not falling into disuse. I need to order the new 2006 (supposedly updated) South Taconic map from the NY/NJ trail conference to verify that trail is still shown on the map.

[billandjudy]

What a great wat to end a day :tup:

[daLunartik]

There is another small waterfall at the very top of the climb where there is a red blazed path that goes south. It leads to another worthwhile, open western viewpoint at the top of a hill. The last couple of times I hiked it this path was a little difficult to spot as the blazes were fading. Hopefully it is not falling into disuse. I need to order the new 2006 (supposedly updated) South Taconic map from the NY/NJ trail conference to verify that trail is still shown on the map.
I did stop breifly at the waterfall and pool on the top of the ridge on the way back, but it was getting pretty dark, so I didn't linger for more than a minute or two. The trail did look well defined, if not actively maintained, though I didn't go more than a dozen yards or so down it. I may take one of my cousins up there tonight, before he heads back to the flatlands of Buffalo.

I'm still using the '98 or '95 NY/NJ TC maps. The only difference I noticed, is the blue marked trail that intersect with the white Taconic Crest trail just south of the South Brace summit appears to have been painted over - at least there was grey "cover" paint on what appeared to be blue blazes. I beleive that trail leads into the private, Lake Riga area, so I wouldn't be surprised if it has been "closed" or obscured at the junction.

In general, the Taconic Crest trail is notorius for being poorly marked. This is probably due to most of the blazes being on the rock slabs, where the white paint tends to blend in with the white quartz that is fairly prominent.

And yes, it was great way to end the day - particularly the first day back to work after a long holiday :bang:

[Eric]

[QUOTE=daLunartik]
In general, the Taconic Crest trail is notorius for being poorly marked. This is probably due to most of the blazes being on the rock slabs, where the white paint tends to blend in with the white quartz that is fairly prominent.[QUOTE]

When I participated in the Taconic Crest Endurance Hike this year (from Pittsfield to VT) There were really no one set of trail Markers, only when crossing in and out of NY (DEC trail markers). Most of the trail was marked with painted blazzes. I didn't find the trail to difficult to follow as long as I kept my head up since there were so many trail cross overs from Trucks, dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, etc..

The blazes (markers) we had to follow were Diamond shapped and at times some of the diamond shapes were made from plastic and metal. Nice trail to follow.

[daLunartik]

I hiked back up to the ridge line, and turned south toward the red marked trail indicated on the 1998 NY/NJ Trail Conference Maps. As I inidicated in a previous post, the first dozen yards or so are well defined, and quite misleading as far as the rest of the trail goes. Once I crossed over the stream that feeds the lower waterfall, I immedeatly lost the trail. Finding the viewpoint wasn't a problem, since it's a reletivly narrow ridge line, and all you have to do is head south west, following the western ridge line. Once I hit the first exposed area (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2884856640090556846IsLldg), I discovered that I had reconnected with the trail, which is definetly fading into non-use. Note the fadded red blaze on the foreground rocks. The summit area has a mixture of beautiful pines and stunted oaks, and most of the undergrowth is blueberry bushes (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2654000210090556846wRdhPt), of which I grazed on the entire time. There is also a significant amount of reindeer moss (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2465081330090556846MwAFuW), some of it quite thick (4 - 6 inches), which caused me to change routes a few times, as it covers quite a bit of the exposed rocks, and is interspered with the grass and blueberry bushes. Spent almost an hour on top enjoying the views (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2629724260090556846YBJxnS) and the setting sun (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2176833940090556846OzDjtS). Unlike the previous hike, the Catskills (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2634537270090556846fjDRNo) and the Escarpment (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2423118780090556846EVoyfi) were visible, with Stoppel Point, the Blackhead range, North & South Mountain, and Katerskill High Peak clearly evident. While I sat there, enjoying the sun and a Magic Hat #9, a small plane took off from one of the fields below, circled for elevation and headed south. A little while later, the plane returned, circled again and landed. It was interesting to be above a plane during take off and landing.

Followed the red blazed trail back, making a point to take pictures of the few blaze marks (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2385161900090556846EIWOyE) I found. Lost the trail at one open rock slab, but crossed back onto it shortly before hitting the stream. I could see why I lost the trail initially starting off, since the blaze mark is very faded and the trail is overgrown (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2343726090090556846cQSvab). (The blaze mark is on the tree in the upper left foreground). A rather uneventful trip back (no coyotes!), but did stop for another spectacular mushroom (http://community.webshots.com/photo/552052724/2857473320090556846LHMrsa).