# Bear Mountain or Harriman State Park



## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

For New Yorkers and near by New Jersey cyclists. Where do you get the better work out?


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Um.

The climb from 9W up to 7 Lakes and then Perkins to the top of Bear Mtn is longer than any climb in Harriman. It is a steady state, climb, though, with no terribly steep bits. If you're looking for a sustained 30 - 40 min. (it's a bit longer for me) climb, that would be best.

Willow Grove Rd, Lake Welch Dr., and Alden Valley Road are all shorter, but have steeper portions. Also much more variety in Harriman, and you can combine the aforementioned Harriman climbs in various routes. Plus, for me at least, I go over High Tor (Little Tor road) to get there in the first place (only a 7 min or so climb, but steep), and then climb up from Central Hwy up Filors/Willow Grove to the start of the climb into Harriman, so all of that figures into it. So for me, I get a much more strenuous workout by going to and around Harriman than I get going to Bear and up Perkins.

My Bear route: up Strawtown/Sickletown/Ridge to N. Mountain, E. to 9W, drop down to Beach/River Rd through Haverstraw and Stony Point, connect back to 9W, then up S. Entrance Rd (had to look that up, never knew the name of that road) to 7 Lakes, then to Perkins to top of Bear, and back. (edit: you can easily add a climb up Buckberg Mtn if you wish, by turning left at the Cove Deli, then taking Buckberg Mtn road to Mott Farm rd, then right down Mott Farm back to 9W. Or, you can turn left on Mott Farm and take the NY GF route to Cedar Flats/Gate Hill/Willow Grove then up into Harriman, for that matter)

One Harriman route: up Strawtown/Sickletown/Ridge to N. Mountain, W. to Little Tor, up over High Tor to 202, E to Central Hwy, up Cent. Hwy to Filors, W. on Filors/Willow Grove/etc. to St Johns, to Lake Welch, N/E on Lake Welch to Tiorati, up Tiorati to the circle, Arden Valley down to 17, South on 17 to 106/Kanawauke, 106/Kanawauke past circle, up and over 106 back to Willow Grove/etc. and back.

2nd route involves much more climbing (on this route, Lake Welch and Arden valley are (mostly) descents, not climbs, but you can mix and match as you please), and steeper climbs, though shorter than Bear climb.



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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Riding to Bear from the G.W. there's two modest climbs Toga & Baby Bear and then Bear which is 4.5 miles only before Perkins the climb is very modest. Riding to Harriman you have South Mountain, Willow Grove, Gatehill, Tioratti and Arden. I think on both a combined elevation and steep elevation standpoint Harriman is a harder day. I was thinking someone might argue Bear repeats.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Bear repeats: well, boring IMHO. If you want a climbing workout, go to Harriman and do 3 - 4 different climbs. It all depends on your goals, of course. If repeats of the Bear mtn climb fit your program, then go for it. I don't race, so I get to please myself.

Plus, you have to deal with the motorcycles on multiple climbs.

(Forgot to mention that in my original reply: there are usually more motorcycles on the Bear mtn climb than on the Harriman climbs.)


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

D&MsDad said:


> Bear repeats: well, boring IMHO. If you want a climbing workout, go to Harriman and do 3 - 4 different climbs. It all depends on your goals, of course. If repeats of the Bear mtn climb fit your program, then go for it. I don't race, so I get to please myself.
> 
> Plus, you have to deal with the motorcycles on multiple climbs.
> 
> (Forgot to mention that in my original reply: there are usually more motorcycles on the Bear mtn climb than on the Harriman climbs.)


was already leaning in this direction. you convinced me. motorcycles do like arden valley though


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

If it's a gut-buster climbing workout you're after, try going to Piermont then up Ash to 9W, South on 9W a couple dozen yards, then up Tweed. Try repeats of that.

Or, 9W, up Old Mountain rd, then left on South Blvd up to Tweed.

Or, go to Nyack and do repeats of 5th ave from B'way up to Highlands.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Trek_5200 said:


> was already leaning in this direction. you convinced me. motorcycles do like arden valley though


Yeah, they like all of the nice roads around here. In my experience Perkins gets the most, I haven't really seen many on Arden Valley, personally. But wherever you're riding you can run into a big group if your luck is running that way, for sure. 

I can't begrudge them if they're just noisy, what's annoying are the ones that use you as a cone around which they apex the curves.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

done the knot. surprisingly its not a lot of elevation. i did come up wit a route through harriman that resulted in some nice climbs. alpine, clauslan-tweed, toga, south mountain, gatehill, tioratti , arden both ways, perkins and anthony's nose . 80 miles and 8000 feet


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

D&MsDad said:


> Yeah, they like all of the nice roads around here. In my experience Perkins gets the most, I haven't really seen many on Arden Valley, personally. But wherever you're riding you can run into a big group if your luck is running that way, for sure.
> 
> I can't begrudge them if they're just noisy, what's annoying are the ones that use you as a cone around which they apex the curves.


so far this year, motorcycles are very active on arden. secret is out more than last year so far, but still less than bear.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

After years of riding Harriman and then climbing Bear, I tried a new variation. Bear followed by Harriman. It was a nice change-up, especially considering how often I had very little left in the legs department by the time I got to Bear. The only downside is route I followed was 120 miles. OK for this time of year but no good when the days shorten. Anyone else doing this?


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