Money Hole Mountain
This trail was the easier of the two. It's an out and back course covering eight miles. The trail should be considered "intermediate" for its steep climbs over loose rocks, ruts, and long descents over the same loose surface on the return ride.
The trailhead is across from the parking lot, which I will give direction to at the end of to segment. The trail starts with a small climb that weaves left to right across a hard pack surface. We then took the left bend in the trail that bring us down into a shallow stream that we could have bunny-hopped across if we had approached with some speed. Maybe next time! We then turned left again and started up a long climb over loose rocks, which seemed to twist and turn forever. At the top the trail levels for about 100 feet. The trail now starts a slow gradually climb that twists from left to right and narrows to a tight single track. The trail remains a single track and turns in to a narrow descent with loose rocks to the middle. Just as we came out the descent we hopped across a mud puddle and on to flat terrain. Still carrying great speed we leapt over a group of logs like deer. Well, we imagined it looked that way. We then snaked our way through the thick brush and turned right up to the summit where you can see an old stone chimney. Once there we hung out for a while with some hikers who helped cheer on one of our riders as she climbed to the summit. After a few war stories were traded we began our return trip. The return run was blisteringly fast, with the earlier climbs in the bank, we broke the piggy in one fast sweep. On this ride we had no mechanical stops until the end when one of us did an endo after crashing into a large rock that blew out one of the shocks. She didn't do her leg much good either. As a badge of mountain bike courage she now gets to sport a neat heart-shaped black and blue bruise for a couple of weeks.
Direction to Fahneshock State Park: Take the Taconic State parkway north and exit to NY 301 going West to Dennytown road. The parking lot is on the left and trail is on the right.
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