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Didn't think about the minimum stay requirement. Good point. I'll check. Re: Thursday, the plan was to do a day hike, then drive to a campground, then drive to the Slide trailhead on Rt. 47 on Friday morning. So really, the day hike could be anywhere. Hunter from Spruceton Road looks to be...

Calling on the veterans of VFTT for some Catskill advice. I'm new to the Catskills (as compared to the VT/NH peaks) since I moved to PA, so need some help. Here's the situation: I'm taking 5-6 teenagers into the mountains (with 1-2 other adults). Arriving in the Catskills around noon on...

I think the squeezes and claustrophobia is worse in the Subway than Mahoosuc Notch. The Notch is more fun scrambling than anything else, especially with a daypack.

The GMC's Long Trail guide is a standard, and a VT Delorme atlas. Mansfield, as already said, has a lot of wonderful options for creative loop hikes. Camel's Hump is (rightfully) wildly popular. Burnt Rock isn't far away and is a nice hike with Hedgehog Trail (I think that's right). The...

Coming across wildlife can be exciting and a bit frightening. In the Sierras, I came across a bear and two cubs in the dark, within 10-15 yards, via headlamp. That was... exciting. I've come across bears a number of times, usually without incident, although with cubs a few times. I've seen...

Short answer: there are no easy routes! From Jewell is a long distance battling prevailing winds. From Gray Knob, lots of exposure and Edmonds Col often has worse wind than the summit. IMHO, Jefferson is the hardest winter 48.

Day 2: I began at Giant Slide Parking Area, and started walking southward at 6:30, getting to Slide Mountain P.A. in about forty minutes. I found the trail up Slide very nice – consistent grade, easy footbed, pleasant forest. There is a wonderful view northward before the summit...

After a recent move away from the Upper Valley (VT/NH) and settling in Lancaster County, PA, I needed a new mountain range to explore. I had never been to the Catskills, so I did some VFTT-inspired research and was on my way. Day 1: I drove up I-87 on Friday under beautiful skies, past Haines...

I'll be headed up to the Catskills on Friday. Planning on hitting Blackhead, Black Dome, and Thomas Cole. Then, on Saturday, doing Slide, Cornell, and Wittenberg, with a possible extension to Panther if I have the energy. We'll see how the legs fare; I'm a bit out of good hiking shape...

Thanks for the input, everyone. What about parking in the Catskills? I know in the Whites, there are several trailheads that require a fee/pass. Do I need to worry about fees/passes? What about vandalism? Sleeping overnight in a vehicle?

Having lived most of my 37 years around the VT/NH border, I've hiked extensively in the Whites and Greens, with a fair amount in the ADKs and Maine (as well as a four-year stint in Colorado). Now I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and need some decent mountains closer to home. The Catskills...

Follow-up question from a Catskill newbie... What about doing a loop from Oliverea Rd / Rt. 47? The plan is to ascend Slide, do Cornell and Wittenberg, down to Woodland Valley, then up the Giant Ledge ridge back to Rt. 47. Looks like 13.2 miles of hiking trails, plus a little road walk. What...

Yup - done that before. :rolleyes:

I found the most difficult scramble on the North Tri slide was pretty near the beginning (bottom) of the slide. If you manage past that without incident, then the rest of the slide should be fine. It has exposure, but it never feels like you're in danger of falling off. It's more of a fun...

1. I carry a topo in my backpack. 2. The smaller the better, because I put them inside a ziploc bag (sandwich-size), and may keep it in my pants pocket if I'm frequently using it. 3. Whatever the latest AMC maps are... 4. Doesn't matter since I usually just leave it at home or in the car.

There are a couple of spots tucked in there below treeline, like the one posted above. As far as I know, there is no water source, so plan accordingly. (Feel free to correct me about the water source; I just don't remember seeing one.)

FWIW, I found Madison Gulf to be a very fun, scenic, and enjoyable trail. It was steep, but never overwhelming, with only a few real tricky parts. If combined with Star Lake, it makes for quite a prolonged stretch of steep, scrambly hiking. Huntington Ravine, on the other hand, has some...

What are the odds that everyone in the group completes the hike within a few minutes of each other? 0% or .01%? FS regulations aside, I guess I just don't get the point of having any sort of meet-up group do a hike of that caliber. There's no way they all stick together, so why bother with a...

Exactly. It shouldn't be an either/or question, but a both/and. For the most part, as has been stated, moderate hiking, meaning well within ones range of ability, is very beneficial. Certainly a single day Pemi Loop sure felt a lot more like breaking down than building up (for me, anyway)...

Second. You can descend the GG Trail with its "tricky" ledge, and it's fun and challenging and normally safe. I'd prefer the above suggestion, though. I did the 'King Ravine Trifecta' once and it was a pretty remarkable day (ending at Crag Camp).