Peakbagr
Well-known member
A really fun and relaxing day hiking some of the Catskill 200s.
It was a gorgeous day, full sun, shirt sleeves and non winter boots for the first time since early November. The lazy theme continued with just hiking poles, camera, windbreaker and dog biscuits.
We met the owner of a beatiful home on Mt Jefferson and enjoyed the 300 degree view from near the summit. Peaks tall and short in every direction. The southern ADKs, Greylock, and Greens visible from the summit.
Quick break back at the car and drove to Mine Hill. Old road to the summit and we 'whacked thru the woods to make the hike more direct. Another spectacular view from the open summit with a warm breeze and almost no snow.
Back to the car, drove across the valley and hiked the slopes of the former Scotch Valley ski area, currently being turned into a summer camp for children. Messy up top but nice views. Quick scoot back down to the small lake and Bookah took a cooling swim. Lunch and then drove to our next hike.
Peter's Hill began on a gorgeous road with expansive and pastoral views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and town. Across an open field and then a whack thru the open woods with pretty stone fences. The character of the bushwhack changed the last 0.2 mile. The mild, deciduous woods turned into a pricker jungle, about as bad as I've ever experienced. Big,nasty, biting pricker canes over my head. One of the few times I considered turning around 10 min from the top while weighing the skin tearing vs sticking it out. We hit the top and taking pity on my pooch, looked for a different way down.
Skirted our ascent route then cut over back when below the worst of the prickers. From a distance it was apparent why I'd made the mistake - half of the upper summit had been either logged or been hit by caterpillars and the open canopy turned it into a pricker minefield.
A snack and water for Bookah back at the car and then a pleasant drive home....Just a beautiful day to be outside and peakbagging at the same time.
It was a gorgeous day, full sun, shirt sleeves and non winter boots for the first time since early November. The lazy theme continued with just hiking poles, camera, windbreaker and dog biscuits.
We met the owner of a beatiful home on Mt Jefferson and enjoyed the 300 degree view from near the summit. Peaks tall and short in every direction. The southern ADKs, Greylock, and Greens visible from the summit.
Quick break back at the car and drove to Mine Hill. Old road to the summit and we 'whacked thru the woods to make the hike more direct. Another spectacular view from the open summit with a warm breeze and almost no snow.
Back to the car, drove across the valley and hiked the slopes of the former Scotch Valley ski area, currently being turned into a summer camp for children. Messy up top but nice views. Quick scoot back down to the small lake and Bookah took a cooling swim. Lunch and then drove to our next hike.
Peter's Hill began on a gorgeous road with expansive and pastoral views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and town. Across an open field and then a whack thru the open woods with pretty stone fences. The character of the bushwhack changed the last 0.2 mile. The mild, deciduous woods turned into a pricker jungle, about as bad as I've ever experienced. Big,nasty, biting pricker canes over my head. One of the few times I considered turning around 10 min from the top while weighing the skin tearing vs sticking it out. We hit the top and taking pity on my pooch, looked for a different way down.
Skirted our ascent route then cut over back when below the worst of the prickers. From a distance it was apparent why I'd made the mistake - half of the upper summit had been either logged or been hit by caterpillars and the open canopy turned it into a pricker minefield.
A snack and water for Bookah back at the car and then a pleasant drive home....Just a beautiful day to be outside and peakbagging at the same time.
