Wittenberg & Cornell

[askus3]

Anyone want to take a novice winter hiker up Wittenberg & Cornell this winter. If you choose to do this hike, I'd like to go anyday (weekday or weekend) as long as it isn't expected to have heavy rain or snow that day and I can go on 48 hour notice. Dates unavailable are: 1/18, 1/19, 1/29-2/9, 2/12, 2/20, 3/1-3/6, 3/13-3/19. I was supposed to go with the 3500 Club but I am cancelling out of the hike due to the predicted miserable weather scheduled for Saturday.

Hope I can get these two winter climbs in this year.

 

[MattC]

Aaron,

I'd love to do those two again sometime this winter. I also would want to go only in good weather, preferably clear so as to get the view from the Wittenberg. I still do have a bit of an agenda this winter, namely finishing off five more Catskill peaks, and maybe a trip or two north, but other than that I'm fairly wide open.

Two questions-
Do you have crampons? You're quite likely to need them for one particular spot on Cornell. It's a narrow chimney that's often iced up. Our group of four all had to put on the spikes there last winter, and I know of one guy who didn't get Cornell in winter because he didn't have 'em with him. There are very few spots in the Catskills where crampons are an absolute must, but that's often one of 'em.

Would you be interested in doing the whole Burroughs Range, w/ a car spot waiting on Slide Mt. Road? I've done the whole range three times and never gone back down Wittenberg, so I don't know how it would compare. It is a good stiff climb up Slide, but mileage-wise, I don't think it's much more than returning to Woodland Valley. The descent down Slide would also be less steep than Wittenberg. Even w/o Slide though, I'd still be very interested in this hike. It would probably be nice to just do the two for a change.

Matt

 

[Jay H]

Count me in if you are planning this for february. The rest of january is all booked for me.

A good 10pt crampon is good for Cornell, not just insteps, BTW.... This is assuming it actually gets cold in the catskills this winter...

jay

 

[CrisisBill]

I'd like to throw my hat in for this hike, doing the through hike sounds better than the out and back.
This weekend I'll be doing a winter camping trip at Peekamoose, and now it looks like I'm in for wet conditions.

 

[Kevin]

I'm In

You can add me to the list if you are doing this in late Jan or February. I have never been up there and have wanted to climb them in winter... So, since they are on the ticklist, let me know when!

I'd be interested in doing the whole Burroughs Range Trail as well. It would be nice to do them in actual winter conditions, not in these spring-like conditions.

Keep me updated!
Kevin

 

[TMax]

Me Too!

Count me in! I could do it the second or fourth weekend in February.

 

[askus3]

I just got the official word that Manuel Peranza's Catskill 3500 hike tomorrow is cancelled. No reschedule date at this time, but may be scheduled at a later date. I am one that likes to schedule things in advance, so I now have looked over this thread and although, I am a novice at winter hiking (Matt: I have crampons but never used them), and I introduced the hike, as long as you don't expect me to be responsible as leader, I will set things up. Especially since I am the one who wants to do these two peaks.

Two issues are brought up:
Date: Matt & Crisis Bill ignored the question of date - so I don't know if they are available weekday or just weekend.
Jay H. just said February & Kevin said late Jan. or Feb. but neither of you gave any indication of weekday or weekend.
TMax was specific and matching my dates leave us with the choice of 2/11, 2/25 or 2/26.
I prefer any weekday that I am free (listed in post #1). So I will pick one of the three dates that TMax suggested if no other date is offered.

Item #2. Slide Mountain extension & car shuttle. To add Slide Mountain and do a car shuttle adds significant time to the day. I personally don't want to start hiking until 8 AM. I will be coming up that morning from Warwick, NY. I could probably do the entire range but I want to know that if we don't arrive at Cornell by 12:30 PM then we could have the option to retrace our steps. If Cornell is almost the mid point, you are probably right, it would not be significantly more strenuous to do the entire range. However, the col between Cornell & Slide is significantly a further distance and more pronounced than between Wittenberg & Cornell. Maybe an extra 300 feet + an extra 1-2 miles or so in distance in going all the way across the range. So this is my take on this issue: If I am not involved in setting up the car shuttle, I will consider the range traverse. I will meet no earlier than 7:30 AM at Woodland Valley.

So considering the long day hiking, snowshoeing, crawling, etc. The wish to do the whole range, if we have a sunset of 5:30 PM (late Feb.) I think we should schedule the hike for then. So I will be monitoring this thread and hopefully you guys can agree and commit to a date and accept my wish to do the two peaks and I will push myself for Slide and the entire range but will not be too helpful in setting it up.

If you want me to be pushy, I would say let us go with 7 AM at Slide Mt. trailhead south of Winisook Lake on Sat. Feb. 25. with 7:30-7:45 for a start at Woodland Valley (rain or snow date - Sat. March 11). Still will consider weekday as a better option. Now who is in? Or get back to me with your opinion and other dates that are better. If this gets to be a deadend, I will still accept the offer to do the hike on 48 hours notice on any day that I am available -(see Post #1).

 

[MattC]

Sorry, shoulda been more specific-weekdays are generally not good for me. I agree that late Feb. might also be a better time due to increased daylight-plus it gives some of us time to er, get some other stuff out of our systems before then. Ahem...

I'd be willing to meet someone a little earlier to set up the car spot. If we do choose to go that route, I'd want to meet at about 7:30 at the Slide Mt. Rd parking lot, leave a car and drive back to Woodland Valley.

Matt

 

[catskillclimber]

I'm in for February if it's a weekend as I cannot hike through the week. I've done the Wit and Slide so I would like to hike either plan as long as I get to check out Cornell.

 

[Kevin]

I am free weekends only, saving my vacation days for a hiking trip to Alaska in the middle of the summer.

Almost any weekend is good for me in February, infact I would be willing to do a couple of over nighters. Later in Feb would be good as it does mean the days will be a little longer, but I am not adverse to night hiking. I would be willing to hike in on a Friday night from Woodland Valley to the saddle of Terrace Mtn, setting up camp. Then hike Wittenberg, Cornell, depending on how strong on to and over Slide on Saturday, setting up camp, and then heading back on the trails on the western side of the range on Sunday back to Woodland Valley or to a car spot on the southern end of the Burroughs Trail.

Let me know! I'm up for more winter camping trips.
Kevin

 

[Peakbagr]

You might want to practice putting-on, taking-off, and using the crampons before the trip. There are a couple of steep and tricky spots that can be a little "challenging".
Depending when you end up going, I might like to tag along.

One thing about going back out the way your came vs going out over Slide: Although the drop between Cornell and Witt is small, you do have to downclimb the spots mentioned above. They might well be iced-up. I find them easier to go up than downclimb depending on conditions. The other advantage to a car - spot, is that the descent from Slide gets you back to the car pretty quickly.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jay H]

I can do that saturday right now and weekdays are out except for alternate fridays.

Cornell is going to be the biggest ? for the trip, for the most part, Slide from the west and witt from the east will be broken and a good chance somebody went to cornell from witt but between cornell and slide it's all a pot shoot, you can bareboot to Wittenberg and then find 3-4' of unbroken powder going to cornell. So if you plan on going witt to slide which is the best route (due to the chute on cornell and the climb to Slide), you can pretty much be assured of a quick hike down once you get to slide, but most of you folks probably know this already.

I did it last february with a bunch of VfTTrs here, so this might be the 2nd annual winter burroughs traverse!

Jay

 

[askus3]

All right folks. Here is the official plan.

I have posted my interest in doing this hike on both the Catskill 3500 Group and VFTT. I have been getting good interest in this hike on both boards. I am offering to organize and set everything up but not lead. I think it will be each person to be responsible for themselves and hopefully we will act as a cohesive group. So i have 6-8 people showing considerable interest.

So the plan based on feedback is: We will have faster hikers meeting at Slide Mt. Trailhead at 7:30 AM on Saturday, Feb. 25. Please indicate you wish to be a volunteer to meet there and leave two or three cars there (depending on the final # of participants) with one driver going around to Woodland Valley. The rest of the group will meet at Woodland Valley at 7:45 AM. We will all rendesvous on Wittenberg and hike together the rest of the way. There seemed to be strong interest in doing the whole traverse and with volunteers in place I agree. Those that want can go back from the summit of Cornell, but I don't think that will be necessary. I also have already set up Sat. March 11 as a rain/snow postponement date. So that is where things stand.

You will hear more from me closer to the time with a complete list of participants. Please send me your e-mail address and where you are coming from if you are interested and want to be listed with hike updates. (It makes it much easier than posting here and sending out info to others from the 3500 Group.) My e-mail is: [email protected]

Tentatively, I am counting on Jay, Matt & Kevin for being volunteers for the shuttle. Maybe Crisis Bill as a fourth if necessary (more than 8 participants)?

 

[imarchant]

I plan to join this hike. Looking forward to seeing everyone. If anyone needs a ride from the Kingston Park and Ride, I will be driving that way.

 

[Halite]

I know from the thread that you've gone to e-mail communication about this hike, but since I'm late to the party, can someone tell me if you still plan on hiking and any other details. Thanks.

 

[Jay H]

Hey Halite, you're more than welcome to come along! The idea is I don't plan on bringing snowshoes and if we do encounter snow between Cornell and Slide, the more trailbreakers the better! I doubt we'll need anything other than crampons/stabilizers for Wittenberg or Slide... Definitely bring the crampons though...

Anyway, I'll defer to Aaron's lead but his email to me indicates

7:30 at Slide Mountain Road trailhead to spot cars and then allowing 45 minutes to drive to Woodland Valley to meet at 8:15 which probably means a 8:30+ actual start hiking time. But if that has changed, I'll let Aaron post...

I think we are good on car spots, Aaron?

Jay

 

[Tom Rankin]

... I don't plan on bringing snowshoes and if we do encounter snow between Cornell and Slide, the more trailbreakers the better! I doubt we'll need anything other than crampons/stabilizers for Wittenberg or Slide... Definitely bring the crampons though... Jay

A 50' length of rope could come in very handy if the cliff section is a complete sheet of ice, which it was last year! I know at least 2 people who have been injured there, so be very careful!

 

[imarchant]

A 50' length of rope could come in very handy if the cliff section is a complete sheet of ice, which it was last year! I know at least 2 people who have been injured there, so be very careful!

I alway carry a rope. Thanks for the heads up Tom.

 

[mudhook51]

For the faint of heart, or those with dogs there is a way up around the chute. Go to the left 50-75 yards and there is a nice easy way thru. We came down this a couple of weeks ago . We did go up the chute, no problem with crampons and short legs. Have fun.

 

[coldfeet]

Funkyfreddy and I used crampons above 3500 on Thomas Cole and Black dome..then it started to snow, covering the ice...have fun..