Sapphic Hiking Club: Hard Hike in Storm King State Park, NY 👯♀️🏳️⚧️🩷🤍🩷🥾💚🌳
Hi everyone,
Who is ready for a challenge?! It’s not your average stroll in the woods! We’ll be starting at the Esty & Hellie Stowell Trailhead, which begins with a brief, peaceful walk through a meadow before we dive into the tough stuff. The ascent is steep, narrow, and rocky, with several sections requiring steady footing and a bit of scrambling as we climb toward the summits.
We will conquer two major peaks: Butter Hill (the highest point) and Storm King Mountain. The reward for our efforts is incredible—unobstructed, 360-degree views of the Hudson River, Bannerman’s Castle, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and the distant Catskills.
After overcoming the initial steep scramble and reaching the summit of Butter Hill, we will enjoy a well-deserved 40-minute break to rest and have lunch. This point marks roughly the halfway mark of our hike and, at an elevation of 1,375 feet, offers breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the surrounding Highlands. Please remember to pack a full lunch and plenty of water, so we can experience a long, scenic meal together at the summit before we continue on to the scenic lookout points at Storm King Mountain!
It’s the perfect day to shake off stagnant energy, get a workout, and enjoy nature together.
Looking forward to a fantastic day on the trails! 🥾💚🌳
🌟About the Sapphic Hiking Club
The Sapphic Hiking Club is a lovely space for sapphics who love nature and staying active. Our hikes are a chance to escape the busy city, enjoy a balanced lifestyle, breathe fresh air, and take in beautiful views. It’s more than just a walk; it’s a space to de-stress, experience adventure, and find grounding in nature. We invite you to join us to embrace the uplifting energy that nature provides, turning our time together into an opportunity to recharge, clear your head, and leave the week’s stress behind on the trail. If you go home feeling refreshed, present, and pleasantly tired, we’ve succeeded. Sapphics of all ages are welcome!
👯♀️🏳️⚧️👭 New Hiking Friends
If you’re new to hiking with us, we’d love to learn more about your hiking background! Please send me a direct message with your Alltrails history or any recent hiking experiences you can share. If that’s not an option, you're welcome to join us for an easy or easy-to-moderate hike to begin your hiking experience with us. Looking forward to meeting new hiking friends!
🌿 About the Hike
Storm King Mountain via Stowell, Blue Bird, and Butter Hill Trail
(5.4 miles, 1702 feet elevation gain; 3.5 - 4 hours)
Key Highlights & Special Features:
Rapid Ascent & Views: The hike offers an immediately steep, challenging, and rocky climb, leading quickly to panoramic, 360-degree views from the top of Butter Hill (the highest point, 1,380 ft).
Iconic Scenery: Hikers are treated to breathtaking views of the Hudson River, Newburgh Bay, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and Bannerman's Castle.
Varied Terrain: The trail is a "thrilling" mix of intense, short scrambles, open ridge-walking, and forested, rocky terrain.
"Top of the World" Feeling: The ridge walk along the blue-blazed trail provides the sensation of walking along the edge of the river with incredible, unobstructed views.
Important Details:
Difficulty: Strenuous; it is steep, rocky, and often considered hard.
Safety: The area can be very windy, icy in winter, and includes steep rocky sections that require careful navigation and proper footwear.
Due to the mileage, the 1,700 feet of elevation gain, and multiple ascents and descents along the trail, please be prepared for a physically demanding day.
👍 Expectations
Before joining the hike, please make sure you are confident in your ability to complete it comfortably in 3.5 - 4 hours. Be prepared to be active for at least 30 minutes between brief water and snack breaks.
🚩 Substances
To maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone, all hikes will be alcohol-free, marijuana-free, and free from cigarettes, illegal drugs, and psychedelics.
Please familiarize yourself with Trail Etiquette and the important terms & conditions during the RSVP process. I will follow up with you to confirm your understanding. Thank you for your cooperation!
Required Gear & Essentials
Since this trail is rated "Moderate-to-Hard," the terrain can be rocky and potentially muddy in April.
Safety comes first: you must have shoes with good traction and trekking poles to participate.
Please ensure you come prepared with the following:
Footwear: Sturdy hiking boots or trail shoes with good traction are a must. Soft, sticky rubber compounds (like Vibram Megagrip) are specifically designed to "cling" to wet rock surfaces.
Trekking Poles (Recommended):
The Descent: The "Bypass" and "Bluebird" sections can be knee-crushers. Coming down from Butter Hill is notoriously steep and rocky; poles will save your joints and prevent the dreaded "jelly legs" toward the end of the 6.5 miles.
April Conditions: Late April in the Hudson Highlands can be unpredictable. "April showers" often leave the Esty & Hellie Stowell ascent muddy and the rock slabs slick. Poles provide two extra points of contact for stability on wet terrain.
The Scramble: There are a few spots where you'll be gaining significant elevation quickly. Poles help you use your upper body strength to "push" up the incline, which is great for a "hard" rated hike.
Hand-Assist Sections: There are parts of the Butter Hill/Stillman trail that are more of a "scramble" than a hike. You will likely need your hands to grab rock edges. Make sure your trekking poles are collapsible so you can strap them to your pack for these technical sections. Using poles while trying to rock-scramble can actually be more dangerous.
Layered Clothing: April weather is fickle! It can be 15° cooler and very windy at the summit. Bring a moisture-wicking base layer and a windbreaker or light shell.
Hydration: At least 2–3 liters of water. The steep climbs will definitely work up a sweat.
Nutrition: We will have lunch during the hike. Please bring your lunch and pack snacks if you'd like.
Sun Protection: The ridgelines are quite exposed, so don't forget the SPF.
Layers: April weather in CT can be unpredictable. Please wear moisture-wicking layers (avoid cotton) and bring a light windbreaker or rain shell.
Optional: Gaiters are recommended. They prevent mud and debris from sneaking into your shoes.
Safety/Navigation: A charged phone (with the AllTrails map downloaded if possible) and a small personal first-aid kit.
Please familiarize yourself with Trail Etiquette and the important terms & conditions during the RSVP process. I will follow up with you to confirm your understanding. Thank you for your cooperation!
🥙 Lunch in Nature
We will stop for 40 minutes at the summit of Butter Hill to enjoy the views—please remember to bring your own lunch and plenty of water!
📍Meetup: 10:00 AM at Esty and Hellie Stowell Trailhead Parking.
Please be on time. Our crew is rarely late.
42 Bayview Ave, Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY 12520
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ymGWarCDw12nMPyz6
🚆 Bus: Take the ShortLine Hudson Bus at Port Authority at 8:20 AM. Get off Woodbury Common at 9:35 am. From there, you can enjoy a 20-minute Uber or taxi ride to the trail parking. Alternatively, if seats are available, we would be happy to arrange a carpool to pick you up at the station.
🚙 Carpool: Carpooling is a great way to get to the hiking location! Direct message me if you have a seat available or if you need a ride.
Please consider contributing to gas, tolls, and car cleaning expenses to keep everything fair and friendly. A suggested contribution is $20 per person.
So far, we have one car available!
Car #1 (4 seats): Pick up from Blvd East at Bonn Place bus stop in Weehawken, NJ at 7:45 am. To get there, take the 165 Bus from the Port Authority in Manhattan at 7:30 am. The Blvd East and Bonn Place bus stop is the third stop in New Jersey and is just a 10-minute ride from the Port Authority.
📟 Communication: A group chat will be created for hike participants a few days before the event. This will allow discussions about logistics, answer questions, and keep everyone connected leading up to the hike day.
We can't wait to see you all! 👯♀️🏳️⚧️🩷🤍🩷 🥾💚🌳