Dunderberg Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunderberg Mountain |
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 Dunderberg Mountain
Location in New York
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,086 ft (331 m) |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Thunder Mountain |
| Language of name | Dutch |
| Geography | |
| Location | Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, U.S. |
| Parent range | Hudson Highlands |
| Topo map | USGS Peekskill |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Dunderberg Mountain is a cool place to explore! It's a mountain that stands about 1,086 feet (331 meters) tall. You can find it on the west side of the Hudson River in New York. It's part of the beautiful Hudson Highlands area.
This mountain is located near Jones Point, New York. It's also inside Bear Mountain State Park. The name "Dunderberg" comes from a Dutch word. It means "thunder mountain." Early Dutch settlers gave it this name. They noticed many thunderstorms happened around the mountain.
Exploring Dunderberg Mountain's Geography
Dunderberg Mountain sticks out into the Hudson River. The river curves around its eastern side. To the north, you'll find tidal marshes. These include Snake Hole Creek and Iona Island. The old village of Doodletown is on the northwest side.
The Hudson River is right at Dunderberg's southern base. To the southwest are parts of Tomkins Cove. This is a community within Stony Point.
What are Dunderberg's Neighboring Summits?
Maps show Dunderberg extends about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the river. But other peaks nearby are also part of the Dunderberg area. These include Bald Mountain, also called Bockberg. It's about 1,130 feet (344 meters) high. The Timp is another peak, at 984 feet (300 meters). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) names these peaks separately.
The Boulderberg is another peak shown on older maps. It's a short distance south of the Timp.
How Does Timp Brook Divide the Mountain?
Dunderberg's main ridge goes inland from the river. Timp Brook splits it into two parts. There's a northern ridge and a southern ridge. Bald Mountain is at the end of the northern ridge. The Timp is at the end of the southern ridge. It's about 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of Jones Point.
Timp Brook starts in a small swamp. It flows steeply north around Bald Mountain. Then it goes northeast into Doodletown Clove. This valley is between West Mountain and Dunderberg.
Old Paths and Modern Roads Around Dunderberg
The main way into Doodletown used to follow Timp Brook. This was from the southwest. Another old farm road, now a footpath, also goes into Doodletown valley. It passes through a narrow spot called Timp Pass. This pass is between the Timp and West Mountain.
Since the late 1800s, the main road along the Hudson has changed. Now, Route 9W circles the base of Dunderberg. It's located close to the river.
Dunderberg Mountain's History
Dunderberg Mountain has an interesting past. It played a role in the American Revolutionary War. It was also almost home to a unique roller coaster-like railway!
Dunderberg and the Revolutionary War
Dunderberg was an important landmark during the American Revolutionary War. British troops used a pass west of the mountain. They marched there to attack Forts Clinton and Montgomery in 1777.
Sir Henry Clinton was a British commander. He wrote a report after the attack. He said 2,100 troops landed at Stony Point. They began marching to "occupy the Pass of Thunder Hill." This pass was likely between Bald Mountain and the Timp. It's about a half-mile east of what we now call Timp Pass.
The 1777 Trail: Following History
The modern 1777 Trail remembers Sir Henry Clinton's route. It was built in the 1970s. Boy Scouts and park groups helped create it. The trail's path was found using old British military maps.
General Anthony Wayne led a successful attack on Stony Point in 1779. His route avoided the Dunderberg area. It passed almost two miles (3.2 km) west of the Timp. There's also a trail today that honors Wayne's route.
The Dunderberg Spiral Railway: A Dream Unbuilt
In 1889, a company formed with a big idea. They wanted to build a hotel on top of Dunderberg. Tourists would reach it by a steam-powered railway. The plan was for the cars to go down the mountain using only gravity. It would be like a roller coaster! The 12-mile (19 km) track would wind down the mountain. It would offer great views and reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).
The people behind this project had built a similar successful railway. It was called the Mauch Chunk Railroad. This old railroad inspired modern amusement park roller coasters.
Why the Railway Was Never Finished
Funding for the Dunderberg railway ran out in 1891. The project was never finished. The exact reasons are not clear. One idea is that it was planned for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. If so, funding might have stopped when Chicago was chosen as the Exposition's location instead.
Today, you can still see parts of the railway's construction. Graded areas are visible from hiking trails. These ruins became popular for walkers after hiking diaries were published in the 1930s.
Edison's Iron Mine on Dunderberg
In 1890, the famous inventor Thomas Edison started an iron mine. He bought almost 200 acres (0.8 km2) on Dunderberg's north slope. Two years earlier, Edison had invented a way to use electromagnets. This helped separate and refine iron ore.
The remains of Edison's mine are southeast of Doodletown Reservoir. You can see a pile of leftover rock, called a tailings pile, on the hillside. The land was later bought by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in 1938. Other older iron mines are also nearby on Bald Mountain and West Mountain.
Building the "Upper Level" 9W Roadway
A new section of U.S. Route 9W opened in 1931. This 2.44-mile (3.9 km) section was blasted into the side of Dunderberg. It was called the "upper level." The lower part of the highway was built in 1911. It was only 12 feet (3.7 meters) wide.
The upper-level project was compared to other mountain roads. These included the Storm King Highway. The new highway was about 200 to 300 feet (61 to 91 meters) above the river. It was built this way because it needed less digging. This was easier than widening the lower road. Over the years, landslides sometimes blocked the road.
When the upper level opened, the lower highway was widened. It became 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide. It carried only northbound traffic. The upper level was also 20 feet (6.1 meters) wide. It carried southbound traffic.
Today, the lower road is called "Old Route 9W." More than a mile of it is now the Jones Point Greenway. It's used only for walking and biking. The upper roadway now has three lanes. More blasting has been done in recent years.
