Enjoy Catskill guided hiking, skiing and lodging this winter! The winter snow season is off to a great early start in the Catskills and therefore so are the winter activities we look forward to each year. As a result it is looking like a promising season for cross-country skiing on natural snow. Join us for a celebration of winter with a 3-day / 2-night package of guided hiking or skiing with an experienced and enthusiastic guide. This package includes two nights of comfortable lodging, homemade breakfasts and trail lunches. Your Guide will accompany and assist with all facets of your Catskill experience. Consequently, you will love this getaway whether you are looking forward to advanced or beginner snowshoeing or relaxed ski touring. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Bushwhacking
Catskill 3500 Bushwhack Series – North Dome and Sherrill Mountains – Tuesday May 29, 2018
These two required peaks include some rough terrain that you have to negotiate to reach the summits and sign the canister log books. The ledges on North Dome are notorious and can be a major obstacle for the uninitiated. The summits themselves are view-less, but we will guide you to spectacular viewpoints near both summits.
Interested in extending your Memorial Day hiking holiday? Contact us for extended guided hiking and lodging options. Continue reading
Catskill 3500 Bushwhack Series – Friday and Balsam Cap Mountains – Saturday June 2, 2018
Friday and Balsam Cap Mountains are two of the “trail-less” peaks required for Catskill 3500 club membership. The hike from the parking area to Friday is one of the steepest in the Catskills climbing over 2600 feet in two and a half miles. Although there are “herd paths” on Friday that have become more pronounced over the past couple of years, good navigational skills are still required. We will guide you to both summits and Continue reading
Catskill 3500 Bushwhack Series – Fir and Big Indian Mountains – Sunday June 3, 2018
Join us for a guided hike of two of the trail-less Catskill 3500 foot peaks. This is a combination trailed hike and bushwhack. Both Fir and Big Indian Mountains require off-trail Continue reading
Olderbark and Plateau Mountain Bushwhack
On a chilly November day MountainSister3, Nimblefoot and I bushwhacked Olderbark Mountain and Plateau from the southern end of the Mink Hollow Trail. When we arrived at the trailhead parking there were a couple of other vehicles present, perhaps belonging to hunters.
We followed the trail for just a short distance from the parking area. A little past the “dollhouse” (the guest house on the private parcel on Mink Hollow) and before the significant creek crossing we turned left off of the trail. We had discussed heading for the col between Olderbark and the first sub-summit on the ridge south of Plateau, but elected a bearing more or less directly towards the Olderbark summit, perhaps missing a little to the north. Continue reading
Friday and Balsam Cap – June 12, 2016
We led a mixed group of Catskill 3500 Club aspirants and ADK members to these two “bushwhack” summits. The day started out quite warm in the morning but got progressively cooler and windier, especially at the summits where temperatures were in the 40’s when we got there.
Balsam Cap and a Winter 3500 Finish on Rocky – March 15, 2015
We hiked Rocky via the slightly less traditional route of an out and back from Moon Haw Road. Passing over Balsam Cap in both directions was a nice addition, but Rocky was the prime objective for this hike because it was G’s 35th for her winter round. Continue reading
North Dome and Sherrill
Our group of 6 bushwhacked North Dome and Sherrill mountains on a late winter day that featured a mix of sunshine and occasional flurries. The deep snow allowed for plenty of horseplay glissading down the snowshoe track that we repacked.
Hunter Mountain – Leavitt – January 25, 2015
A day after leading a hike for the Catskill 3500 club, we relaxed by hiking Leavitt (aka Southwest Hunter) and Hunter Mountain. Finding the can on Leavitt was a piece of cake with a nice track already worn along the main herd path on an old rail bed. It wasn’t really fair to call it a bush whack on this day.
Fir and Big Indian – January 24, 2015
Connie and Ed co-led a bushwhack of Fir and Big Indian mountains for the Catskill 3500 Club as part of their annual winter weekend. We had a large group of 12. A few inches of snow the day before made for great snowshoeing and picture postcard scenes despite the cloudy skies.