With the holidays and working in the retail world it's been tough getting out on any long day hikes, so we have been keeping it pretty easy and mellow, but I still have the hankering to get out. I realized that it had been a few years since I visited Bear Run, not to be confused with Bear Den Mountain. However, they are right across the trail from one another.
We started with lively legs at the AMR Parking Lot, wasting no time hoofing it to the top of the road. You know, this hike along the road for the three-quarter miles isn't too bad, most of the time, it offers a nice warm-up to tight muscles. Once at the gate we signed in and started our cruise down the Lake Road. We didn't hang around long on the road before we got to the Ladies Mile Trail. We used this trail to access the East River Trail to get to the Ausable River, so we could cross it and continue our hike. The trail network from the road to the Ausable River was very enjoyable and before we knew it we were on the other side of the river and on the West River Trail heading toward the Cathedral Rock Trail.
The Cathedral Rock Trail was just as rewarding as I remember - the quiet hardwood forest, the soft breeze through the trees and the delightful crunch of newly fallen snow under our feet. However, the trail was a bit steeper than I remembered though. It had its moments as we approached Cathedral Rocks. Which to this day, I am unsure which set of rocks looms the highest. Hiking through this pass we look up at the granite walls and approached the sides to touch the ice that seemed to be growing thicker as we looked at it. As we passed the top of a small waterfall we took in the opportunity to look out over the trees at the mountains in the distance; the white of the newly fallen snow was promising for a perfect winter.
As we rounded the corner we adjusted our microspikes to help with our loss of traction and pushed on, uphill to the frozen vernal pool that rests at the base of a small cliff. As we climbed that final hill to the vernal pool, the rock wall didn't seem to get any closer, like some kind of elusive illusion. The trail T's here, so we decided ahead of time to take the other trail down past Pyramid Falls to make a nice loop, but first, Bear Run. Hanging the right we preceded even more uphill along the base of a long cliff band. We are always amazed at how you can't see where the trail truly goes until you are upon it. I remember my first reaction, the first time I laid my eyes on the finishing steps, "WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT?" The final 100 feet or so is through a chimney or trap dike. No more than four feet wide at its grandest - we shuffled our way up the ice glazed rocks. Near the top a boulder rests overhead, wedged between the two walls. Near this boulder the ice reaches down and gets very thick, we decided not to attempt the last 20 feet to the end of the trail which has amazing view as a pay-off, we were happy to just get out and play in this unique feature. I do not recommend anyone go through the chimney in winter without full ice gear, you may be able to get up it, but getting down could be very dangerous.
We returned to the vernal pool and the trail intersection headed straight. This section of trail was just as wonderful as all the others. The views along the way are quite amazing. There was one steep section that is a very edgy descent and if it weren't for traction, I probably would have turned around as went back to the trail we followed in. This descent, again, I managed to forget about – kind of like my selective hearing. We managed to stay a foot getting down and approached the side of Pyramid Falls Pyramid Falls is a small cascade, whose water makes a pyramid shape as it flows down the rock slab. Starting to freeze, the pyramid is a bit harder to recognize.
The remaining hike out to the West River Trail was a pleasant stroll through an open hardwoods, which we incased in fantastic conversation of future road trips and winter mountaineering. This is a great hike for the entire family, just be careful along the trail with kids. There are some steep drops and the chimney can be quite dangerous with the icy conditions. As for a summer hike, it should be considered a classic.
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