BREAKNECK RIDGE HIKE September 20th, 2008

Important Information about the Breakneck Ridge Hike scheduled for Saturday, September 20th:

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A very informative PDF details the below information plus additional information about the hike itself and the town of Cold Spring. Please contact the Geo Club officers directly to be sent a copy of this PDF. The PDF also includes a trail guide.
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Saturday, September 20th 8:00 am:
Drivers & car passengers leave from front of Hunter College North/69th Ave entrance.

Please arrive 15 minutes before we leave

8:50 am: Train for Breakneck Ridge Departs Grand Central Terminal

10:06 am: Train arrives at Breakneck Ridge Station

10:30 am: Everyone meets at the Breakneck Ridge Trail trailhead

10:45 am: Begin hiking the Breakneck Ridge Trail

12-12:30 pm: Stop for Lunch at Vista located just above junction of Breakneck Ridge Trail & Breakneck Bypass Trail

2:30 - 3 pm: Finish 4 mile loop - Breakneck Ridge Trail

Continue 2 mile walk/hike to the town of Cold Spring ~ Eat Dinner in Cold Spring?

4:58 pm:* 1st Train leaves Breakneck Ridge for Grand Central Terminal (see train schedule page for information on trains leaving Cold Spring)

6:20 am: 1st Train arrives back at Grand Central Terminal

*The trail takes from 3 to 4 hours to hike, depending on hiking speed. Perhaps if we arrive back to the trailhead too early, we can continue our hike to the town of Cold Spring. Those taking the train will have the option to take the train from Cold Spring back to Grand Central. Consider this possibility when purchasing your train tickets. You may want to purchase a one way to Breakneck and wait to purchase your return trip either on the train back or at the Cold Spring station, if you end up taking the train home from Cold Spring. We might be able to squeeze everyone in cars into town. *The hike from the trailhead to Cold Spring is 2 miles or about a 30 - 40 minute walk. The Metro-North Station is right in town, and train times are listed on a separate page.
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GETTING THERE BY CAR

Travel Distance & Time: 57.3 miles or about 1 hour & 20 minutes with no traffic.
Directions to Cold Spring, NY from Hunter:
1. Take E 69th St toward Park Ave
2. Turn LEFT at Park Ave
3. Turn RIGHT at E 66th St
4. Continue on 65th St
5. Turn RIGHT at Central Park West
6. Turn LEFT at W 72nd St
7. Take the RAMP onto Henry Hudson Pkwy/Rt 9A North
8. Take EXIT 14 for 1-95 toward GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE
9. Keep LEFT. Follow signs for NEW JERSEY/G W B/I-95 S/UPPER LEVEL and merge onto I-95 South
10. Take EXIT 74 for Palisades Parkway
11. Merge onto Palisades Pkwy North
36.8 miles on Pkwy
12. At the traffic circle, take the 2nd EXIT onto US 202 N/US 6 E heading toward PEEKSKILL
13. Turn LEFT at Rt 9D
8.5 miles on 9D to Cold Spring… then please follow below to trailhead

Finding the Trailhead:

From the New York 301-New York 9D Junction in Cold Spring (8.5 miles North of Bear Mt. Bridge), go NORTH on NY 9D for 2 miles to find the trailhead and parking for two vehicles just north of the tunnel on the west side of the highway. Find additional parking 0.1 mile north on the left and the Breakneck Bypass trailhead 0.2 mile north on the right. Because this state park corridor is minimally marked, be alert for paint blazes signaling that the trail starts.


GETTING THERE BY TRAIN
For Train Travelers:
Meet at the Breakneck Ridge Trailhead after departing train by 10:15-10:30 am.
The small Breakneck Ridge Metro-North Railroad station serves hikers and campers traveling to and from Breakneck Ridge, near Beacon, New York, via the Hudson Line. Trains stop there on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only. It is only served by two trains (as of the April 2, 2006 schedule) each way; two to Breakneck Ridge in the morning, and two to Grand Central Terminal in the evening, and only then as a flag stop. It is 55 miles (89 km) from Grand Central Terminal and travel time to Grand Central is approximately one hour, 29 minutes.
It is discreetly located off NY 9D, with no sign, merely a small path leading to the overpass and then down to the tracks about a half-mile (1 km) north of the main parking area for the Breakneck Ridge hiking trail. There is only a very small wooden platform to provide access to the trains. Due to the intimacy it offers with the tracks and the passing Amtrak and Metro-North trains, as well as the striking scenery, it is a popular place for railfans to practice their hobby.
Fare Information:
ON BOARD STATION* WEBTICKET
One-Way $15.00 $10.25* $9.74
Round Trip N/A $20.50 $19.48
* Tickets are not available for purchase from the Breakneck Ridge Station. You need to buy them on board, online or at Grand Central Station.
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Metro-North Train Schedules:
Arriving at Breakneck Ridge Station from Grand Central Terminal:
DEPARTING ARRIVING TOTAL TIME
Train #1 7:50am 9:06am 76 minutes (no transfer)
Train #2 8:50am 10:06am 76 minutes (no transfer)
** TRAIN #2 Departing at 8:50am from Grand Central is the train we are aiming for it arrives at 10:06 and if you miss this one there are no other trains arriving at Breakneck Ridge***
Leaving from Breakneck Ridge arriving at Grand Central Terminal:
DEPARTING ARRIVING TOTAL TIME
Train #1 4:53pm 6:20pm 87 minutes (no transfer)
Train #2 6:53pm 8:17pm 74 minutes (no transfer)
** only 2 trains leave from this station. Below is the train schedule
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Leaving from Cold Spring arriving at Grand Central Terminal*:
DEPARTING ARRIVING TOTAL TIME
Train #1 4:58pm 6:20pm 82 minutes (no transfer)
Train #2 5:58pm 7:14pm 76 minutes (no transfer)
Train #3 6:58pm 8:17pm 79 minutes (no transfer)
Train #4 7:58pm 9:21pm 83 minutes (no transfer)
Train #5 8:58pm 10:21pm 83 minutes (no transfer)
Train #6 9:58pm 11:21pm 83 minutes (no transfer)
** This stop is about 2 miles from the Breakneck Ridge trailhead and right in the town of Cold Spring. If you are interested in dining in Cold Spring after the hike, it is recommended that you take the train back to NYC from this station.