The next portion of the trail takes you right next to an old, dense, spruce plantation where there is no understory vegetation. A little further, you'll encounter the next trail intersection. We will head up to North Point first (0.3 miles). This is a short, very steep climb up, but the views are well worth it.
	Because there are so many open rock ledges and and very little vegetation to provide a wind break, it feels like a mountain's summit. The actual summit is further along the trail. Exposed bedrock, grasses, shrubs, birch, cherry, and even balsam fir provide an interesting mix.
The view north on a clear day is nothing less than incredible. Here you can see Blackhead Mountain (l) and the escarpment leading to Acra Point, after which the Catskills drop off to the north. Further east, it is possible to see Albany and the Green Mountains in Vermont. You feel like you are standing ontop of fifty miles of the Hudson River Valley, and you really are!
	Just above North Point, there are some more ledges, and a huge sandstone boulder that is resting on bedrock. No human could have possibly moved this here. This rock was placed in this unique spot by a retreating glacier only 12-14,000 years ago! Glacial striations, which are abundant here, provide clues into the past geologic history of the region, indicating the direction of ice-flow over the area. Once you finish exploring, turn back the way you came, along the blue trail, 0.3-miles to the previous junction. Once you reach the trail junction, continue along the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail - heading for Artist's Rock.