Winter Catskills Slog

“I'm planning a trip to the Catskills the week following New Years, January 6th through the 8th. There are a couple options I am interested, but if you're interested in coming along, feel free to express some ideas about what we do. This is a group hike.

The hike will be difficult, there will be lots of snow, miles will be hard earned and very cold temps. This is somewhat a precursor to FYAO.”

“3 days wow!

That should give you PLENTY of time. I did Slide & down to woodland valley with a full heavy winter pack. I was planning to stay but just walked out. After that, I decided to skip the heavy pack which I didn't need.

I did stay at Panther one night when it warmed up too much in spring. Didn't bring my snowshoes & broke thru up to my waist. "That" was tough going. Made some shoeshoes out of balsam pine & parachute cord. Hiked off the top & camped. Next AM, the snow was re-frozen. Never hiked again in spring without snow shoes.”

“You make this sound so appealing ;o)”

“Actually he does! LOL”

“My vote is for the Slide loop but whatever we do is ok with me.

Not much will keep me from going on this one but I can't give a definite yes just yet.

Keepin' my fingers crossed, no whammies!”

“Will crampons be required??”

“I hiked the Catskills for YEARS without crampons. Got berated by a lady ranger on Peek for not having any. Picked up a set (long time ago) just to bypass the lecture & LOVE THEM. Really nice for those icy treacherous slopes. Only takes a couple feet of ice to make it dangerous. I don't always wear them, but I will bring them.”

“I have the instep crampons and have not used them yet.

They any good??”

“Instep crampons with special boots are supposed to be best & easiest to put on/off.

I use the strap type because I'm cheap & didn't want to buy extra boots. I thought I would constantly be taking them on/off but that isn't the case. They're actually comfortable to walk on, if there is any snow base.

I do take them off on bare ground to save wear. I originally coated the 12- 2" pts with epoxy to save wear. (Again, I’m cheap) Now, I just touch up the points with a mig welder.

You do have to be a little careful from kicking yourself or others. I tend to take small chunks of rubber off the side of my boot soles when I get very tired. Take them off then or take a break.

The footing is rock solid. It's amazing.”

“Full Crampoons are sort of like driving a big 4X4 they make you feel like you can go thru anything.”

“"I have the instep crampons and have not used them yet."

“Instep crampons with special boots are supposed to be best & easiest to put on/off."

Mark - I think you guys may be talking about 2 different types of insteps. The insteps (also known as step-ins) with special boots are full bore crampons which work only with boots (like my plastic mountaineering ones) that have a special lug on the heel for them. The insteps that you have, I am assuming are the ones with 2 cleats that strap around your boot instep, right?

If we do the Wittenberg-Cornel-Slide loop in mid January, I would not do it without full crampons. There are a few steep sections that may be quite dangerous without them.

That said, I have 2 pair of crampons and if I use the step-ins with my plastic boots, I can loan you my other pair which are 10 point strap-ons.

If the boys decide on another route, such as the Hunter Loop from Spruceton, you'd most likely be fine with just snowshoes, or your insteps if there isn't a lot of snow.”

“Yowza, boss!!

Will your crampons fit a 13??”

“Nuthin like a tampon, err.. crampon lecture from Pennsy!

I also have 2 sets of crampons, strap-ons (that sounds kinda kinky!) and in-steps. I've found that my step-ins, even with plastic mountaineering boots have a tendency to pop off, which is not cool when you are 18,000 feet on a 60 degree slope. That being said, I have always carried lashing whenever I use the step-ins and that seems to do the job. For short sections of ice-walking, I don't see any problem with giving your step-ins a good lashing.
last edited: 12/24/05 9:37:39 AM”

“speaking of kinking i saw this S&M woman strung up with Shark hooks on public TV out here in Wisconsin......

What the heck are you feeding these people out here Peka?”

“I think I'd like to do the Hunter Loop, what do you guys say?”

“I'd like to live through this upcoming week!”

“ENS Hunter is nice like I said before you can go in to Diamond notch on Friday pretty short hike. Then up to Hunter on Saturday. Or aren't there some leanto's on the backside of hunter? I seem to remember some. Over near Rusk.”

“1 vote Hunter loop.”

“I looked at hunter . It looks entirely doable.

You shooting for Friday am or pm?”

“there is a lean-to on the north side, the John Robb lean-to. It's near the trail to the Colonel's Chair, about 2.5 miles from the parking area and about 1 mile from the Hunter fire tower.”

“there are options, you can go up Friday or Saturday. Friday night we are camping in Diamond Notch and Saturday, we are camping near Hunter.”

“Can do late Friday PM, as I need to work a full day that day. I'll have to look into this Diamond Notch of which you speak so I know where to meet everyone...”

“Hey ENS , let me know your eta for friday. any thoughts on shuttling?”

“I will be a late arrival for friday also. But I dont have maps for the cat's, so can somebody post where to park and where the trail head is, and how far to the camp site etc....”

“I have maps Crazypace. I'll post some stuff later this evening. I know this is ENS's gig, not trying to step on your toes Rob, I'm just stoked for the trip.”

“Post away Harry !!”

“Hey, Diamond Notch leanto is about 1.5 miles from the Spruceton Rd. parking area. The guys I ran into there in November said the John Robb leanto on Hunter is gone. It's not shown on the 05' Trail Conference map either. There is another leanto between Hunter and Southwest Hunter about 2 miles from the Diamond Notch leanto.”

“Accuweather says snow for Hunter, NY Woohooo!!!”

“Bring on the snow!!”

“Jackstraw:
I'd like to start on the Devils Path Friday morning at the western trailhead on Baker Road and then hike to Diamond Notch. I'll email you. We can probably ride up together.

Is anyone else planning on hiking in Friday morning?

Saturday, I am not sure if we'd meet the others in Diamond Notch in the morning, or catch up with everyone else at the Hunter Mtn Lean-to. I have to review Pennsy's plan. He is the plan-man. Well, he is just plain the man.

Pennsy Vila: How's the remod going?

Crazypace: you can start on Baker Road and it's a short hike up to the Diamond Leanto. Looks like a pretty easy nighthike. The trail starts where Baker Road ends and looks like there is parking there. You'd take the Diamond Notch trail to the Leanto.

Capn Bobo: Hope you can make it! It'd be great to see ya buddy! Dis trip is going to rock!

GreenMonkee! How ya doing?! That was sum hike we did in Shenandoah, I think I am still recouping! Looking forward to the pics. How was Xmas in VT with lilkim?

LThiker: What be yer plans?

All: I really dig the idea about bagging Rusk, even if it's a bushwhack. Bushwacks are fun.

Crazypace: your sled rocks, but this trip it would be no fun. We can plan something closeby for the sleds pre FYAO.”

“I was just looking over the map and at the Escarpment trail. I think we need a trip to do the entire Escarpment Trail this year. Perhaps early spring. Let's do it as an overnighter instead of a dayhike. Hmmm looks like a fun trail.”

“ENS,
What time are you planning on meeting Friday AM? I'd like to meet up if its not to early. I'm about 3 hours away.”

“I'm thinking that we could meet up at 9 at Sweet Sue's and then eat and meet at the trailhead 10-10:30. It's a long hike into the Lean-to in Diamond Notch on the Devils Path and I think we'll be fine with a pre 11am start on Friday morning.”

“is Rt 6 Baker Road or Spruceton Rd? Looks like Baker Road maybe a side road off of Spruceton Rd.”

“Pennsy: How hard is it to bushwack to North Dome from the Devils Path? Is that how you did it?”

“I was in the Lean-to at Diamond Notch today.(went in from the Diamond Notch Parking area) Would be a nice moon-lit walk. Looks like an old carriage trail. Comes close to a steep incline only near the top.

Only a couple inches of snow. The parking area & (access) road weren't plowed but I easily drove all the way up to the parking area with a hyundai elantra (front wheel drive little car)

Didn't use to like Diamond Notch. In summer it's full of rubble rock & looks like a quarry. I'm rattlesnake phobic & this is rattlesnake heaven. Didn't see any today :-)

Was a nice walk. Mostly hardwoods & you don't get into dark conifer forest until the top of diamond notch where the lean-to is. As of tonight it was in good shape with some cut firewood & privy. The notebook journal is old, torn & filled up. Would be nice if someone could leave a new writing pad there.”

“thanks for the info cats!

Well, I figured some things out, it's not Baker Road, it's Spruceton Road (Rt 6). The L on the map is for lean-to.”

“I went in to Diamond Notch from Diamond Notch Road & Rt #214 above Phonecia & not Spruceton Rd.”

“And here is the plan as I see it. Feel free to chime in if I got her wrong.

Friday morning:

Eat breakfast at Sweet Sues in Phoenecia, NY and then off to the trailhead. For those hiking in Friday late morning, we're going to start at the Devils Path western terminus (trailhead on Spruceton Road) and hike up over West Kill and then down into Diamond Notch and camp there at the Leanto. If anyone is getting there Friday night, they should start at the end of Spruceton Road and hike south on the Diamond Notch Trail. Looks like it is less than two miles up to the Diamond Notch Leanto, perfect for nighthike.

Saturday: those hiking in Saturday morning, meet at the DN leanto and then we hike on to the Devils Acre Leanto (in the col btwn Hunter and SW Hunter) and set up basecamp. Bushwack up to SW Hunter. If there is time, maybe we can hit up Hunter too to save time on Sunday. Otherwise, we'll have the afternoon to have a good time in camp at the leanto.

Sunday: get an early start, strike camp, bag Hunter (if we didn't get it on Saturday) and Colonel's Chair and then continue hike out via Spruceton Trail with option of bushwacking up to summit of Rusk (which I would really like to do).

Usual post hike celebratory meal and then goodbyes etc. etc.”

“Catshiker, are you going to come and camp/hike with us at all?”

“ENS: I'll check it out when I get home. I'm still at work. I would have to know when to be in York.already arranged friday off.depends when I'd have to leave Thursday. Really looking forward to the trip.”

“I should be at the trail head by 9pm and then whatever it takes me to hike in.”

“The John Robb lean-to is gone? Dang, it was there 2 years ago. Oh well.

ENS - North Dome is probably doable from the Devil's Path but I did it from Spruceton Road at one of the pullout parking areas. I don't know if many people go up there in winter so it would probably be a trail breaker. A map and compass is a must as it is a bushwhack with no definitive herdpath.

on the bright side, the Pennsy Vila makeover is FINISHED. Woohoo! Now it's time for the Pennsy makeover because I have done very little excercise the last few months.”

“I have to torment my infant grandson tomorrow while my daughter takes her 4 yr old varmit to a show in NYC, almost 3 hrs away. This summer, the Varmit (then 5) should be my traveling companion. His mother could out-hike me at that age & I was twenty something years younger.

I'll be in the finger lakes friday & over the weekend. Won't get to hike again untill Tuesday. Not sure where I'll go then.

I was "shocked" at the number of cars at Slide Mtn & Giant ledge parking area's on Weds (on my way to Phonecia).”

“Who's going up Friday night? Anyone want to meet up?

ClimbHi -- you still work in Warren? I'm in Springfield now, which isn't too far away. Maybe we can ride up together? (Unless you insist on going early Friday -- I'm gonna have to work at least part of that day).

Email me iffn you're interested, but I won't be back from Vermont until this coming Monday night probably.

Have a happy new year, y'all!
last edited: 12/29/05 12:15:25 AM”

“With our warm weather, the snow is disappearing fast.”

“still up in the air as to when I'll roll in. Friday morning would be great , but friday evening is more doable.”

“I'm rolling in Friday morning and I'm really thinking about adding in the bushwack to North Dome. Need to get a good compass though.

I know crazypace is going up Friday night.
-
climbhi is talking about meeting Friday morning.
-
greenmonkee, what are your plans?”

“if no one else can go Friday morning, than I may head up Thursday night and bivvy on the trail, get up bright and early and bushwack up to North Dome and then on to the Diamond Notch shelter.”

“Hey, I dropped off the film today, should have those pics up by tomorrow.

We had a great time in VT. We were supposed to get some snow but the weathermen were wrong as usual.

Hiking in friday morning sounds good but I don't know if I'll be able to yet. I'll make it in by friday night if I'm working fri. I'm up for some bushwhackin' too.

I am down for doing the escarpment this spring. It does look like a fun hike.”