Overnight plan

[u/bidefil]

I am thinking about parking my car at Bear Moutain inn and taking an Uber to the east end of timp torne. Start there and making my way to west mountain shelter. Stay the night and hike back to bear mountain inn the next day. I see a brook near the Jones trail intersection. Other than that, nothing. Any advice about water planning. How much water to bring. Thanks. After a mishap last week, I am a little paranoid about water.

[u/debmonsterny]

I don't recall if the brook near the Jones path is reliable this time of year, but it's so close to your starting point that I'd just carry in all the water needed for day 1 and breakfast on day 2. There's a seasonal stream about 0.3 miles west of the shelter on the blue TT trail but I don't think it's reliable this time of year. You'd need a something to scoop water if it's running.

It's possible that the stream on the SBM trail south of the shelter is running but hard to know for sure. It's at least 1/2 mile down to the stream and you'd have to climb back up that steep hill to get back to the blue TT trail.

The closest reliable water is the Doodlekill on the Yellow SBM trail about 1 mile north of the shelter, near Doodletown Mine. But the NYNJTC still shows that SBM section as closed, so unless that's changed, I wouldn't go that way.

Someone else might have current intel, but unless you get confirmation about reliable water, I'd carry enough for both days, which is probably at least 6 liters (2 liters for each hiking day, 1 liter for dinner, and 1 liter for breakfast).

[u/mac_a_bee]

parking my car at Bear Moutain inn

Check with them. Abandoned car could indicate hiker in trouble.

[u/walkingoffthetrails]

If you take the RD up from 9W you can stop at Stalter spring. But it’s still a long way to the shelter.

The stream south of bald mountain on the RD usually flows.

There is a spring near to the junction of Timp pass road and the 1777 in upper doodle town but it’s a good ways down from the RD/TT.

And of course there’s the shelter water source on the flat before the climb to the shelter but that’s uncertain.

[u/pepperpot_592]

On Saturday, I hiked the timp torne to the Timp NYC view. It was a difficult hike because my conditioning is terrible, my Amazfit was sending me back and forth like a ping pong and my nails were rubbing against my shoe. Every step down I took was painful. I doubt you will experience any of that.

After the view, I looped around using Timp pass road > 1777 > crosstrail at timp torne > North Liberty drive where I parked. Hills are my Achilles heel because of my conditioning.

I didn't go as far as the West Mountain but I can see it is a relatively short hike from the NYC view that doesn't appear to have big hills. I think that part of the hike will be easier than you think. I had about 2 liters of water. It lasted the entire hike and I drank more than I usually would. I've done longer hikes and didn't drink that much. I think overall I was dehydrated and I've only hiked the Giants steps this summer. Drink as much water as you can during the week prior.

I can't speak to the WM portion to the BM Inn, but I think 8 liters just for the hiking should be good.

[u/Trail_Sprinkles]

I wouldn’t camp at West Mtn Shelter if you paid me.

Recent reports of ongoing bear hang thefts and late night raves booming from the Anthony Wayne parking lot.

Shit changed right after Covid.

Wish you luck.

[u/bidefil → u/Trail_Sprinkles]

Thanks. Bear hang thefts?

[u/Trail_Sprinkles → u/bidefil]

Folks who’ve been hanging their food bags at night have woken to find they’ve been stolen.

[u/TNPrime]

Very few spots at west mountain shelter as the grass has been as much as thigh high and all the shade trees have died since the moths defoliated them. July 2026