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Spent the weekend back in Constitution Marsh. This time we stayed the night and saw some sights while we were there.

On the way down we stopped on Rt 9D, just before the tunnel that cuts through the mountains, to hike Breakneck Ridge. Except I wasn’t told the place was called Breakneck Ridge and I wasn’t told that it was more of a rock climb than a hike. The approach from 9D really is very short, but also almost vertical. More than worth it, though, with some amazing views of the Hudson, Storm King Mountain, and Bannerman Castle. A half dozen or so Turkey Vultures ominously circled near the peak.

The climb wasn’t bad, and the views from the top were amazing. The descent was a different beast. Trying to scramble down a cliff face while holding a camera is neither easy nor fun. We got down just before sunset and stayed to watch the light fade over the Hudson. Worth the trip by itself.

We grabbed a snack in Cold Spring and drove a couple more miles south to Constitution Marsh. We headed out early in the morning to catch the early sun on the boardwalk, but I forgot how valleys work. It takes a long time for the sun to make it over the hills. After a couple hours of waiting for the sun and a couple more going back to sleep, we spent the rest of the day canoeing through the marsh, eating lunch with some birds, and poking at caddisfly larvae in a stream. It was kind of like a week of summer camp all in one afternoon.

We got dressed up, attended a local Audubon chapter dinner, and drove 2.5 hours home on the Taconic. I think we finally got in around 11:30, I don’t remember much between that and falling asleep. Pretty much an awesome weekend.

Previously: Constitution Marsh | More from Constitution Marsh