Sugarload, Twin, Devils, Overlook and Plattekil

[Desalad]

I've planned a quick weekend jaunt with some friends and thought I'd check in here from some advice, comments, suggestions for the following two day trek:

Leaving one car at the end of mink hollow trail and driving the second car back to start on overlook trail. day 1 hike about 7 miles to devils kitchen leantoo at corner of devils path. day 2 hike devils path to mink hollow trail then down mink hollow back to the car. This 2day through hike crossing sugarloaf, twin, and devils, plus overlook and plattekill.

Who's done this route and will you offer some tips, advice, insight into what we can expect in the middle of the winter?

Thanks in advance,
Scott

 

[Jay H]

that sounds like a very nice trip. Certainly doable in winter, I would just suggest to bring crampons and snowshoes. The mink hollow road is plowed and of course Meads Rd will be plowed so that is no problem. There are areas that may or may not be tracked out, like the backside of Overlook to Echo Lake, between Twin and Sugarloaf, but without recent snow, you should be golden either way, your mileages are not excessive at all and that is a nice trip. Don't forget to check out the views on the trail before you get to Devil's Kitchen.

I would suggest to bring crampons too, if only for the west face of Sugarloaf which can be a real sheet of ice. It's doable in snowshoes but easier in crampons. Other than that, I did Indian Head to PLateau in crampons and then put on snowshoes to do Sugarloaf on 12/27 when there was fresh snow but mostly trailed out.

The unmarked path to Mink Hollow Road is short and easy to follow, you can drop packs at the mink hollow leanto and tag plateau if you have the time. Plattekill Mtn is also not a hard bushwack if you have the time.

Also, Elka Park road is unplowed and so is platte clove road, so you may have quite a long car spot to go around the areas.....

Jay

 

[Mark Schaefer]

It has been a strange, mild winter so far in the Catskills -- alternating periods of snow and ice. No telling what you might encounter, so inquire again on conditions just before your hike.

I have done all of your planned route as parts of winter day hikes. The Overlook trail (a Revolutionary era road) skirts around the east side of Plattekill on a level contour. The bushwhack up and down the ridgelines of Plattekill might be a bit challenging with full packs. You would probably be breaking the routes up and down. The usual route up starts just past the Echo Lake trail where the SE ridge line pulls away from the trail, and then down the NE ridge to just opposite the short yellow trail to Cod Fish Point viewpoint shown on the map. A direct assault of Plattekill's east face would likely be very icy with treacherous ledges. The ridgelines should be not be too difficult. Your first day should not be a problem with or without the Plattekill summit.

The challenges on the second day will be the east face of Indian Head and west side of Sugarloaf. Both can be extremely icy. Just before the third viewpoint (a rock overhang) on Indian Head the Devil's Path climbs up a steep 100'. That is where you might get turned back if it is very icy. I usually avoid the east face of Indian Head in winter. If you thought that you would have difficulty you could easily take the lower portion of the Devil's Path to the Jimmy Dolan trail, and do an up and back to the Indian Head summit. That route is slightly longer, but likely faster. The drawback is that you miss the three viewpoints. Twin and the east side of Sugarloaf are steep, but should not be problems. The west side of Sugarloaf could be a thrilling series of butt slides or a perilous descent depending on conditions. The alternative is to go back down via the Pecoy Notch trail past Dibble's Quarry to the Roaring Brook Road trailhead. Dibble's quarry has rock furniture and nice views.

 

[Desalad]

Thanks, great information that will come in handy.