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Many thanks to everyone who gave me their recommendations last spring on the best hikes in the Catskills. Pat, Marge, and I rented a place in the shadow of Panther Mountain. Most of the week had tremendous weather, and we enjoyed several 3500 footers: Balsam Lake Mt, Plateau, the three Blackheads, Peekamoose, and Table. We met a family of 4 on Balsam Lake and one person on Peekamoose. That was it!
We were very lucky to meet firefighter/volunteer Rich Roller on Balsam Lake and he spent time showing us around and telling stories of bears, fires, porcupines, and more. We got to see pictures of our own Laurie at the age of 12 or so with her Dad on the mountain. Rich's tales of local aggressive bears made me reconsider going in to see the bog, given how inquisitive our dog Genie is. We returned via a beautiful loop, through wet meadows of flowers.
The Blackheads were the best hike of the week, but golly, why aren't the summits marked? All week long we were guessing. On Thomas Cole we tramped around a bit on a section offtrail that looked a bit higher. The best view was from Black Dome, of the Plateau-Sugarloaf-etc. range.
Descending Peekamoose, Marge and Genie were ahead, and we heard a tremendous crashing in the woods nearby. We heard Marge call, "Bear!" Genie had started into the woods after a noise and apparently spooked a bear which took off in the other direction. Genie then came trotting back to Marge apparently unaware that a second bear was furiously sliding down a tree behind her, and it too took off with much hullabaloo. I like to think that Genie wisely considered them to be too big to chase or play with. She is much too inquisitive, as we found out the next day on a hike to Ashokan High Point.
She took off into the woods after a porcupine, Pat in hot pursuit. Even when it let go its artillery into her snout and climbed a tree, she was still dancing around barking. You have to imagine the scenario: a calm little porky clinging to a tree about 8 feet up, a dog with full white beard demanding that it come down and face the music, and poor Pat trying to catch Genie. The whole thing took place on a steep slope, the forest duff was soft and deep, and Pat was totally out of breath and trying to stay on his feet and not somersault down the hill.
She finally gave up and ran back to the trail, wagging her tail furiously for Marge. I got her in a headlock and pulled out at least 15 quills. The ones in the nose were fairly deep and upset her a bit. Many many many thanks to Dugan and others who recently listed pliers as necessary equipment, from now on a permanent part of my gear.
We spent some time driving around the local hamlets - a bit surprised by the down-and-out look of some, such a shame when the backdrop is so magnificent. Fleischmann's gave us a chuckle, with its fancy sign promoting itself as a 4-season resort. Oh, and the Peekamoose restaurant in Big Indian was rather expensive but really good: homemade spearmint ice-cream, wow!
We were very lucky to meet firefighter/volunteer Rich Roller on Balsam Lake and he spent time showing us around and telling stories of bears, fires, porcupines, and more. We got to see pictures of our own Laurie at the age of 12 or so with her Dad on the mountain. Rich's tales of local aggressive bears made me reconsider going in to see the bog, given how inquisitive our dog Genie is. We returned via a beautiful loop, through wet meadows of flowers.
The Blackheads were the best hike of the week, but golly, why aren't the summits marked? All week long we were guessing. On Thomas Cole we tramped around a bit on a section offtrail that looked a bit higher. The best view was from Black Dome, of the Plateau-Sugarloaf-etc. range.
Descending Peekamoose, Marge and Genie were ahead, and we heard a tremendous crashing in the woods nearby. We heard Marge call, "Bear!" Genie had started into the woods after a noise and apparently spooked a bear which took off in the other direction. Genie then came trotting back to Marge apparently unaware that a second bear was furiously sliding down a tree behind her, and it too took off with much hullabaloo. I like to think that Genie wisely considered them to be too big to chase or play with. She is much too inquisitive, as we found out the next day on a hike to Ashokan High Point.
She took off into the woods after a porcupine, Pat in hot pursuit. Even when it let go its artillery into her snout and climbed a tree, she was still dancing around barking. You have to imagine the scenario: a calm little porky clinging to a tree about 8 feet up, a dog with full white beard demanding that it come down and face the music, and poor Pat trying to catch Genie. The whole thing took place on a steep slope, the forest duff was soft and deep, and Pat was totally out of breath and trying to stay on his feet and not somersault down the hill.
She finally gave up and ran back to the trail, wagging her tail furiously for Marge. I got her in a headlock and pulled out at least 15 quills. The ones in the nose were fairly deep and upset her a bit. Many many many thanks to Dugan and others who recently listed pliers as necessary equipment, from now on a permanent part of my gear.
We spent some time driving around the local hamlets - a bit surprised by the down-and-out look of some, such a shame when the backdrop is so magnificent. Fleischmann's gave us a chuckle, with its fancy sign promoting itself as a 4-season resort. Oh, and the Peekamoose restaurant in Big Indian was rather expensive but really good: homemade spearmint ice-cream, wow!
