Catskills Pseudosolo Trip Report 9/28-9/ 29

“Link to pictures below!

I'm too tired to write a full trip report, but below is a link to the pictures of my trek up Thomas Cole (3940'), Black Dome (3980'), and Blackhead (also 3940') Mountains in the northern Catskills. The route I did was roughly 14 miles long total, with a lot of SUPER steep elevation gains and losses. A surprise guest, Pennsy Hiker showed up Saturday evening, and took the hike back with me. That means I summited the peaks twice, while his sorry butt only did them once. Mooohahahaha!

Some pretty cool autumn-leaf-changing-colors pics are included. Check'em out!

Artex's trip pics”

“Nice! Thanks for sharing.”

“How do you know Mr.Pennsy Hiker has a sorry butt?

Don't tell, me I don't want to know!”

“Nice pictures. I hiked dayhiked Black Dome once and remember it to be a nice hike. Looks like you had good weather for views.”

“Very cool photos! Are you sure those mosquitoes are just cuddling?? ;-)

Can't wait for the trip report!”

“LOL, Pennsy Hiker said the same thing about the skeeters.. In that photo, it looks like there are only two, but there are actually three. Saw some other "clusters" that had even more. Pretty interesting, as far as insects go.”

“Awesome pics, bro! Are those Macro-squitoes?”

“Sounds great, Artex and Pennsy. I was looking at those peaks on my hike on Sunday. I went up to the top of Kaaterskill. MSilver described it as an "easy hike" when we started out. I'm going to choose him an "easy hike" next time! He said that he was helping me to prepare for Maine. In that regard it was a good training hike. The views were awesome too. We saw no one else on our trail. Everyone else went up the shorter Huckleberry trail from our trailhead. I was very impressed with the area. I was expecting a touristy area with mobs of hikers but it wasn't like that at all.”

“Great shots Artex. I may have to put the Cats on my to-do list once I get my butt whipped back into shape next year.”

“veeerrrry pretty pictures! :-)”

“Nice pics. Looks like you had a great time. Nice foothills, uh uh I mean mountains. LOL”

“Hey, they are not foothills, they are almost 4000 feet tall! LOL!

Artex, your pictures are very pretty. What camera do you use, again? How do you hike those Catskill and Adirondack rock climbs and descents with the Z-Rest sticking out the back like that? Doesn't it get in your way? Elaine went down the trail over the other side of Kaaterskill and said "Hey Marion, the trail drops right off a cliff here!" And Marion says in his dry deadpan way, "Well, yes it is a little steep right there." I fell over laughing. But of course I did hike down that cliff with just a couple of minor face plants.”

“Nice fall colors! Can't believe the mosquitos were out! I haven't seen any since we left WY early August!”

“Yeah, the skeeters days are numbered.. it's starting to get cooler up here, and they won't be missed!

Wasatch, 4000' mountains don't sound too high compared to other parts of the country, but I've heard MANY people from out west who are used to higher elevations say they've never had to work so hard to get to the top of a mountain. The trails are VERY steep and rocky, and aren't for the weak! :-)

Lyndy, the Z-rest stays out of the way. Where I have it strapped is a good spot, it's width is about the same as my pack, so it dosen't really stick out from the sides. It's only a little tricky when I'm squeezing laterally between rocks. The camera I use is a Fuji FinePix 2600.. awesome little camera, I love it! Cost about $200.”

“Buddur - Artex mentioned my "sorry butt" because that's all he saw on the hike back. The young lad just couldn't keep pace up the buttkicker climbs. ;o)

It could have something to do with the facts that I only did 1.3 miles Sat night to reach his shelter, and that my pack was very light.

Hey, the skeeter pic came out great!”

“Long live the macro lense! :-)”

“Oh my gosh, another member of the secret spelling police! What is the secret password?”

“I think it's antidisestablishmentarienism.”

“At least I didn't call it a "glass thingy". :-)”

“Lyndy - you were at Kaaterskill High Peak yesterday? I tried to talk Artex into doing that on the way home. Wouldn't that have been a hoot if we did and ran into you and Mr Silver.

Don't ya feel guilty now Artex? Just because you hurt your knee, did those buttkicking climbs twice with a heavy pack... couldn't ya squeeze one more itty bitty climb?


I sure hope no one thinks I'm serious.”

“Good grief, Pennsy, it took us about 8 hours to do that hike. MSilver originally expected it to take 4 hours. I told him that if he hadn't forgotten the jetpacks, it would have.

j/k, but MSilver brought a couple with him, two close friends from central PA and I fell in love with them. I want to adopt them as honerary siblings, they were so nice. Also we had a great Italian dinner at Carmine's in Kingston. You all should have been there.”

“Darn strate Lindy! I wus da fiph graide speeling be chammp inn mie skool.

(good lord, I've become Sarabelle!)”

“We were all in the Catskills and didn't know it! How funny! Yeah, I didn't want to press my luck with the knee (had a tendon that was a bit sore)... it was actually feeling better towards the end there, but better to be safe then sorry. Still, it would have been great to meet up with y'all.

Hey Pennsy, thanks again for showing up a day early on Saturday! I was glad you could make it, you're definitely a very entertaining dude to hike with.”

“Artex...

Nice shots! In that one "Black Dome View ... view looking south" (excellent view of the Devil's Path there BTW), I think the two bumps on the extreme left might be Round Top and Kaaterskill High Peak - which is where we were on Sunday - waving to you. Didn't you see us? Lyndy was trying to signal you with her vanity mirror, and Sparky was barking his head off. Dave and Elaine were just snoozing.

Some of our dayhike pics are at...
http://community.webshots.com/album/51359698PgAkSE”

“M. Silver's Pics

Made you a link, M. Silver. Likewise, your pics are great! I really liked the group shot.

You know, I thought I heard a dog barking and caught a glimmer of light on the top of Black Dome, but I thought my ostrich jerky had gone bad and I was having auditory and visual hallucinations. Okay, it was just you guys, good. Please excuse me while I retrieve my ostrich jerky from the trash.”

“Nice pics Mr M! I know you're lying though. Sparky NEVER barks. ;o)

I wish we would have seen you guys and had lunch with you. While you dined at Carmine's, we dined off the dollar menu at McDonalds.

Just half kidding about Kaaterskill Peak, Lyndy. However, I had a hankering to go up to Kaaterskills Falls again. Next time.

I think the ostrich jerky went to Artex's head (and a certain other part of his body, ewwww!). You should have heard him snapping at the scout troop we passed. One of the leaders remarked about our "Ski" poles, and Artex immediately shot back "THEY'RE TREKKING POLES!" One of the scouts saw our packs and said to another; "Those guys must have gone 9 miles!" Artex said "IT WAS MORE LIKE 12 MILES YOU LITTLE &%^$^!"

Ok, he didn't exactly snap at the leader and he only muttered the 12 mile remark to me after they passed, but it was funny as hell anyway. Never a dull moment when hiking with Artex!”

“Cool pix folks!


BTW, the password is 'Ludden'... that's 'LUDDEN'.

(and if you get that reference, you're an Official Inductee of the TrailTalk Adjunct Fossil Division)”

“Well, fossilize me! Allen Ludden, and for bonus points, the late husband of Betty White.”

“Watch out for that Lightning Round!

”