Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 41.43290°N / 73.9946°W
Additional Information County: Orange
Activities Activities: Hiking, Trad Climbing, Toprope, Bouldering, Scrambling
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 1312 ft / 400 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

At just over 1,300 ft high, Storm King is one of the highest mountains in the Hudson Highlands area. It is also located in the area of the Highlands with the most land above 1,200 ft. Storm King is located in The Palisade Interstate Park Commission - Storm King Section that is just north of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The mountain's most striking feature is its east face, which rises over 1,300 ft from the Hudson River to the summit.
Trails on Storm King are diverse. There are easy and hard trail that lead to it's summit. Rock climbing may be another alternative way to reach the top. However I have not heard of anyone doing this and I am not sure if it is allowed or not. I will find out what I can.
Storm KingStorm King's East Face

Whats in a Name?

On his initial voyage up the river, Henry Hudson and his crew called the mountain Klinkesberg, due to its wrinkled rock cliffs near the river. The name failed to stick, however.

Later, the early Dutch colonists of the region referred to the mountain simply as "Boterberg" (from which Butter Hill came, since the mountain looked like a lump of butter).

In the middle of the 19th century, writer Nathaniel Parker Willis, who had taken up residence in the region, proposed the name:
"The tallest mountain is ... looked upon as the most sure foreteller of a storm. When the white cloud-beard descends upon his breast in the morning ... there is sure to be a rain-storm before night. Standing aloft before other mountains in the chain, this sign is peculiar to him. He seems the monarch, and this seems his stately ordering of a change in the weather. Should not STORM-KING, then, be his proper title?"

Getting There

From I-87 exit at Exit 16 and follow signs for Route 6. Take Route 6 all the way to 9W and go north for about 8.5 miles. The trailhead is also a rest stop off 9W.
Because 9W is a divided highway you have to do 2 things:
  • Approach from the south. You can not get to the trailhead from 9W SOUTH You have to use 9W NORTH
  • You CAN NOT turn around on 9W if you miss the parking lot. If you miss the parking lot you must go in to the town of Cornwall-on-Hudson and turn around in town. (The same goes for when you are leaving the trailhead as well.

Red Tape

P.I.P.C - Storm King is part of the Palasides Interstate Park Comission.
General Rules:
  • No Hunting or Trapping of fish or wildlife in other than apporved areas
  • No ATV's
  • NO Alcoholic Beverages
Unless you have a permit, you can not;
  • camp at unauthorized sites
  • use, launch, and store boats of any kind
  • perform archaeological digs of any kind.
Unless you are in a designated area you can not;
  • ues or ride horses
  • build, light,or mintain ANY fire
  • have any pets unless they were leashed and muzled and not exceding 6ft. in length
  • Use or operate a snowmobile



STAY ON THE TRAILS


A lot of parks have rules about staying on trail to protect flowers. Well Storm King's rule is to protect hikers.
Some history of why you have to stay on trail:
  • The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) closed the park to all recreation in 1999 after the intense heat of forest fires detonated old, unexploded ordnance buried in the Park's soils.
  • A subsequent investigation revealed that the U.S. Army had tested artillery between 1840s and 1960s by shooting artillery shells from the Cold Spring Foundry and West Point Cemetery into the vicinity of Storm King Mountain.
  • Three years later, after scanning the park with sophisticated devices, the Army Corps of Engineers reports:
    • All the hiking trails and 25 feet to either side are cleared of unexploded ordinance to a depth of one foot.
    • The hiking trails and 1,488 acres of parkland are safe for public use with appropriate signage.
    • The off-trail areas in a remaining 400-acre section adjoining West Point to the south and Route 9W to the west are not safe for public use and are estimated to have as many as one unexploded ordnance per acre.
  • Storm King remained closed for three years untill local trail clubs forced the PIPC to open trails on certian day's

In 2004 it was deemed safe to hike anywhere in Storm King Park and the entire region was re-opened to the public. However it still is a rule not to go off trail unless you have to go to the bathroom and then WATCH YOUR STEP!!!

Camping

All route up Storm King are less the 3 miles one-way so camping in not needed.

When to Climb and Current Conditions

When to Climb


Storm King can be climbed in any season. It is usually climbed and crowded on Spring and Fall weekends and any summer day because of the views.
Be careful in winter on the cliffs of Storm King depending on the amount of ice and snow

Current Conditions



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Page in Progress

More Pictures and routes will follow on soon. Feel free to vote when ever you want.
Later, Rob