Devil's Path Loop

Well, we are down to one car for Saturday. My choice is the Sugarloaf loop with an up & back of Twin or Indian Head & Twin using the Devil's Path & Jimmy Dolan Notch trail.

Both have steep sections & we'll be geared up with shoes & crampons & one axe for two of us.

Both look like they have some views

If really cold 5 or lower with steep wind, may opt for the 6.6RT of Ginat's Ledge & Panther. Which of the three are least Exposed but still offer a view?

Thanks,

In mt opinion, in poor (windy/cold) weather, I'd take the panther route. The prevailing winds are form the west and the views are mostly on the east side of giant ledge.
Have fun. Heard there's lots of ice near the top of the Devil's path peaks.
Good Luck,
Tom

Try Sugarloaf as a loop from Mink Hollow then back on the Pecoy Notch Trail, or Indian Head From Jimmy Dolan Notch.

A loop to the north is on Blackhead Mtn. You could at the parking lot on the end of Big Hollow Rd, and hike up Blackhead on the trail marked Blackhead, yet for the descent you can head down to Lockwood Gap, which is nice open birch forest, down to hemlocks along the stream. If you do this have fun going down the ice descending Blackhead into Lockwood Gap.

Have fun.

Hi Mike,

I was up in Jimmy Dolan Notch and some of Twin yesterday. Not much shelter from the wind in the Jimmy Dolan notch area. Twin has very nice views from it's lower summit - though I didn't get that far yesterday. You'll definitely want your crampons, and while I've never used an ice axe, it doesn't seem like a bad idea either. There was lots of slippery terrain, and the Devil's path is quite steep too.

I did the Pather hike via Giant ledge last winter. It was a rather cold and windy day. The tops of both Giant Ledge and Panther were rather well sheltered, but between the two it was like a giant funnel - very windy. This hike is also much more gradual than the Devil's path.

Since I was curious yesterday, I checked out the roads to the nearby trailheads:

- Prediger Road is a paved and plowed road. No problems here.
- Elka Park Road from Dale Lane appeared to have been plowed previously, despite being marked as seasonal maintenance only, possibly the DEC plowing to the trailhead parking area? Traffic has also been crossing the new bridge and going to Elka Park side too.
- Mink Hollow Rd (the Elka Park / north side) is also plowed to the end. Looks like hikers have used this un-marked path recently too. I have used this repeatedly in warmer months, It's a quick trip to Plateau from here, and you can make the loop around Sugarloaf.

I didn't venture down to Platte Clove Mt. Road in Platte Clove - anyone crazy enough to travel that road in the winter?

Good luck,
-Jeff

Jeff, I am crazy enough to try Platte Clove Mtn Road in winter, on snowshoes with a snowboard for the descent, maybe. Its steep and long, but the views are spectacular so I might consider it, I dont think it would be that crazy other than the fact that there are no guard rails, and the snow might have fracture lines so stay away from the edge of the road. My only worry is that there are many steep ledges and rock slides above the road, and it looks decent enough for a minor avalanche, and even though it would be minor it could still sweep you off the side of the road into the clove below.
Maybe I will give it a shot next week, I dont think I will try a snowboard descent, one bad turn and its all over.
If you want to try it go for it.

Have fun and see you in the mountains.

Thanks folks, I'm thinking we are going to do Sugarloaf Loop & maybe venture up Twin & back down the same way so we can get back to the car. We'll probably make the final decision on the way to the trailhead & call in the final destination to our spouses from the Road.