South West Hunter Attempt

[nietzschescat]

We took the trail from Spruceton Road to Diamond Notch Falls and then took the Devils Path to the Devil's Acre lean-to. The trail was packed powder and we didn't need to use our snowshoes. There were only a few icy spots on the trail.

We had our maps, our compasses, our ADK guide book telling us where the "well defined herd path" was, but with all the snow it just wasn't that simple. We got our hopes up after signing in and saw that several people had listed SW Hunter as there destination over the weekend, but when we followed their tracks into the woods (including someone on skis), they all thought better of the situation and turned around after a few hundred yards.

We were more stubborn, but we still didn't find the canister. Once we realized that we weren't going to stroll up a rail bed or a bark road, we took a compass bearing from the lean-to, put on our snow shoes and spent 1 1/2 hours wandering around in the spruce twilight zone. I was doing ok because I'm little, but my husband was turning into the abominable snow crab. Each step he took dumped a pile of snow on his head, down his back,etc. Then because there was about 6 inches between each tree, our snowshoes kept getting pinned down by little spruce spikes. At some point we decided that getting down the trail or at least back to the trail before dark was more important than finding the canister, so we followed our tracks (very winding) back to the trail.

I've actually been up this mountain before and found the canister, but everything looked different with the snow. We did a lot of wandering around and getting frustrated that day too.

The best part of the day, besides the sparkling snow flakes and the cobalt blue sky, was that my husband got to see a snow shoe hare. I missed it, but saw the tracks.

We made it down to Diamond Notch just before dark. We heard a barred owl on the way down. We used our headlamps for the walk on the Diamond Notch trail back to the van where it was 17 degrees. We stopped at the Phonecia diner and drank a pot of coffee, some pea soup and cheese burgers, fries & onion rings.

So, the plan is to wait until the snow is gone and try again, maybe this time from the Diamond Notch lean-to.

 

[ROCKYSUMMIT]

Finding the summit canister from the Diamond Notch leanto is probably more difficult than the route you took. The best route to go is to NOT go as far as the Devil's Acre leanto. Next time take the devil's Path to the viewpoint at around 3400 ft. You then head down hill a bit, then back up. When you reach the hight of land (before descending towards the leanto) you then turn right onto the old rail bed. Travel about 15 minutes until it kinda peters out and then turn left for the final accent, slightly bearing left... Also, please put and keep the snowshoes on!!! The Catskills are experiencing excellent snowshoe conditions this winter. Let's keep the trails that way... and safe! Good luck and have fun!

 

[nietzschescat]

sw hunter

I think we were actually in the right place, but the snow conditions were such that there was no way that any sort of trail was visible. We took a bearing from the lean-to thinking it was best not to wander aimlessly. I was wondering if it would be less thick coming from the DN lean-to, but I guess we'll try to find the illusive rail bed next time.

The trail from Diamond Notch was like a side walk, it was that packed. We weren't post holing at all. It was a little narrow for the snow shoes since no one had been using them. We did wear them all the way down (since it's more fun), so it should be wider now.

I'm just glad it's snowing today so no one follows our trail.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Jay H]

I've done SW hunter from three approaches, including from DN leanto. You'll have a steep climb from the leanto and then some really thick spruce as you go over a bump to attain the ridge, but the thing with the approach from the leanto is that it may be tricky to get the canister as it's a long relatively flatish ridge so you'll have to be really good on keeping at the height of land and estimating your speed vrs time to figure out when you should be near the canister. Obviously, if you start dropping on your compass bearing, then you may have passed the canister... Or if it starts to get real thick as it's fairly thick between the leanto and the canister. That was my very first attempt at SW Hunter/Leavitt when I didn't know better and we turned around (it was also in winter) eventually..

Jay

 

[ROCKYSUMMIT]

My first trip up was solo in winter from the notch. I figured go to the notch, turn left and go straight up! Steep, a little scary, a bit of a false summit, and then the long flat top. I don't know how, but I was lucky to eventually find the canister. That's where I came up on some blown over tracks that lead me down to the rail bed. I guess finding different routes, if you have the time is what makes it fun too!

 

[Hikes4fun]

I used my GPS track from a summer hike I think alot of people mistakingly use the LT as the jump-off spot. Makes it more fun.

 

[ajtiv]

I plan on taking my kids to this nicely hidden canister Saturday but I am pretty sure remember the turn off.
The fist time i went up from the DP and turned in before the Leanto
I spent 2 hours walking a grid looking for the canister and eventually gave up.
On my way out I walked right into it
My other two occasions once in winter and once with the kids in summer I hit the rail bed and it was the easiest canister to find. I also think there are a pair of trail markers 5' apart at the turn off. Who knows if they are still there
That is what is great about them some times they are easy and sometimes not
Al