Climbed Mt. Beacon

On Monday, My 14 year old grandson and I climbed Mt. Beacon in Beacon, NY. Well, sort of.... We climbed a stairway of 200 steps to a level of about 600 feet.   The mountain is 1,610 feet high.  I wanted to get above the tree line to take some photos to the area.   The stairs are very sturdy and I had no problem climbing.  Then I saw the path at the end of the stairs and that was the end of my climb.  The path with slanted slabs of rock was too steep for me. 

So, there ended my quest.  The mountain seems to be a popular hiking spot.  The hikers passed right by us traveling up and down the path.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to climb high enough to photograph the scenery I wanted, due to haze over the Hudson River.

At one time, there was a casino (circa 1902), hotel, and restaurant atop Mt. Beacon. Many people rode an "incline railway" to the top. Presently, there are plans to rebuild the "incline." I hope to experience the ride when it is completed.   At the top of the mountain there is also a reservior, which provides the city of Beacon with water.  My grandson told me that the area up there is relatively flat.  On the way down, he told me about another way up the mountain.  There is a dirt road at the end of East Main Street.   Actually, Wikipedia says that way is the easier way to climb Mt. Beacon.

Near the bottom, we checked out the remnants of the "incline" and what is left of the old "lower railhead"structure.  We also found a strange looking remains of a tree (see photo at right). 

Just before we exited Mt. Beacon Park, my grandson pointed to the "gum" trees.  Apparently hikers plant their chewing gum on a tree either before or after their climb. 

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