In September 2012, I traveled up to Burlington, Vermont to see Magic Hat and Ben & Jerry’s. While there I did quite a bit of hiking, which I chronicled in my post Hiking Burlington VT, published in September 2017. On the way back home, I made a few stops in Massachusetts and New York. A friend and avid hiker recommended I stop in the Shawangunk Mountains, also known as “The Gunks.” After doing some research, I decided to visit the Minnewaska State Park Preserve located on a ridge of “The Gunks.” I am so glad I made that stop.
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I decided to take the hike out to Gertrude’s Nose. Hikers can follow a looping trail that is about 7.5 miles in length. The trail starts off sharing the Lake Minnewaska and Millbrook Mountain carriage roads. The Gertrude’s Nose trail breaks off as a footpath about a quarter-mile from Patterson's Pellet, a large boulder left by a receding glacier.
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With the sun shining on my face, I hiked along the cliff's edge, 1200 feet high overlooking Palmaghatt Ravine and Palmaghatt Kill. The rush of being on the edge was amazing. As I looked out over the surrounding mountain range and valleys, I felt close to heaven. When I reached Gertrude's Nose, I sat on a boulder, ate my granola bar, and meditated on the amazingness of nature, creation, & our part in it.
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