Edelweiss
New member
Alan, Bookah and I set out for the Plattekills yesterday morning. We decided to bring two cars (big decision because of recent heftier gas prices). We left one at the ski resort with permission from an employee who said he would watch the car, and the second on the height of land on New Kingston Mt. Road where we began with a bushwhack near a DEP land sign. Alan and I had a nagging feeling that we had done this before - that is, S. Plattekill - but the woods didn't look familiar. Later at home we discovered that we indeed had made this trek before, back in April of 2007, but the conditions had been quite different (snow, sparkling, iced tree branches etc.). No wonder we didn't recognize the woods!!!
The prickers were healthy as was the blowdown. We found ourselves on a private road near a weekend cabin. The cabin's owner gave us permission to continue on the road - a break from the bushwhack. We enjoyed nice views before moving into the woods once again. As we headed along the ridge towards S. Plattekill, we came upon a cave, the floor of which was covered with several inches of animal scat - looked like a long-standing animal privy ! Any scat experts who can identify the animal? We ate lunch on the flat, nondescript summit of S. Plattekill. I shared a log with some pesky swarms of flies. After lunch, memories of the flies faded as we came upon an open bog area and impressive old-growth birch tree.
The more aggressive prickers on the south side of the ridge made the going slower. We were delighted to cross the "Turnpike," and decided to follow it with hopes that it would take us under N. Plattekill where we could make a quick bushwhack to the summit. By this time we were all feeling the heat and humidity. Bookah appreciated a water break under a spot of shade on the edge of the trail. As we left the Turnpike to bushwhack to the N. Plattekill summit, we took advantage of remnants of old logging roads. The loggers had left quite a mess in their wake! As expected, our efforts at reaching the summit did not result in a wilderness experience, but there were some nice views. We traversed down one of the ski trails and back to our waiting car.
Pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesh...&Uy=-qyeyee&Ux=0&UV=964170014886_269691067306
The prickers were healthy as was the blowdown. We found ourselves on a private road near a weekend cabin. The cabin's owner gave us permission to continue on the road - a break from the bushwhack. We enjoyed nice views before moving into the woods once again. As we headed along the ridge towards S. Plattekill, we came upon a cave, the floor of which was covered with several inches of animal scat - looked like a long-standing animal privy
! Any scat experts who can identify the animal? We ate lunch on the flat, nondescript summit of S. Plattekill. I shared a log with some pesky swarms of flies. After lunch, memories of the flies faded as we came upon an open bog area and impressive old-growth birch tree.The more aggressive prickers on the south side of the ridge made the going slower. We were delighted to cross the "Turnpike," and decided to follow it with hopes that it would take us under N. Plattekill where we could make a quick bushwhack to the summit. By this time we were all feeling the heat and humidity. Bookah appreciated a water break under a spot of shade on the edge of the trail. As we left the Turnpike to bushwhack to the N. Plattekill summit, we took advantage of remnants of old logging roads. The loggers had left quite a mess in their wake! As expected, our efforts at reaching the summit did not result in a wilderness experience, but there were some nice views. We traversed down one of the ski trails and back to our waiting car.
Pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesh...&Uy=-qyeyee&Ux=0&UV=964170014886_269691067306
