Twenty-three Boy Scouts and 15 adult leaders of Great Neck’s Troop 10 completed an arduous six-mile hike on trails through the Palisades State Park in New Jersey, starting about 10 miles north of the George Washington Bridge on the last weekend of September. They used topographic maps and compasses to navigate this strenuous hike starting from 450 feet above the Hudson River, hiking all the way down the steep trail to the river bank before ascending 100 feet up to “The Giant Stairs,” a one-mile section traversing a large field of jagged rocks and gigantic boulders. Just this portion alone took almost two hours and required much concentration and good balance.
From New Jersey, they crossed into New York State and then a bit further on they ate lunch at the foot of Peanut Leap Waterfall. There were near vertical (or so it seemed) ascents and descents on switchback trails built into the cliffs and going down was almost as difficult as going up. The scouts completed the hike with energy to spare. This was Troop 10’s first outdoor activity since the lockdown in February. They are looking forward to more outdoor adventures to come. Troop 10 meets at Kings Point Park on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Those who are interested in joining Troop 10 can contact Dr. Dwight Rosenstein at djrosenstein@gmail.com.
—Submitted by Dr. Dwight Rosenstein
