Big Indian Summit?

[Adk_dib]

I did eagle and big indian this weekend. did eagle first and summit was obvious. I was told big indian summit was marked with a cairn on the trail and it was a easy trail to the summit ( hardly a bushwack I was told). I went back and forth and the only thing I saw was in the middle of the trail was a black burn mark, looked like someone had a campfire. On top of the burn mark was a pointed rock, looked like it was pointing to the summit. There was no sign of a trail. I walked about 20 yards in that direction and nothing so I gave up and headed home. I will never be back on that trail so it doesn't mean anything to me. But for other going there, was that the herd path?

 

[Jay H]

Eagle is the summit that is slightly off trail and I think is marked with a cairn (it's been a long time) and no canister. Big Indian[/b] has an actual canister on it and although it is a longer bushwack than eagle, is one of the easier ones to do from the trail from Biscuit Brook. Going from Fir is a bit harder due to the drainage you have to miss and the DAM(tm)* maneuver needed.

http://www.catskill-3500-club.org/

The above is a very brief synopsis of the peaks... Whether you go off trail the 20 feet or so to do Eagle isn't generally important as far as the club goes, it's all personal anyway and all that PC stuff that gets tossed around on the 3500 yahoo group.

Jay



* DAM == Drainage Avoidance Maneuver.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Last time I was thru there, there were 2 herd paths going towards the summit of Big Indian. It was last Winter, so I'm not sure about the cairns. But the paths were fairly easy to recognize. The storms may have changed that!

In any case, a short whack up (5-10 minutes) will get you to a pretty obvious top, with herd paths converging at a canister.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

To cairn or not to cairn

It is a backwoods ethics question that is frequently discussed and may have no consensus answer. Cairns come and go. We have some iconoclasts in the Catskills who enjoy disassembling cairns on the grounds that hikers should learn to navigate on their own. And shortly afterwards the cairn caretakers dutifully rebuild them believing that it is better to minimize the number of herd paths by offering some minimal direction. So it may be cairn pot luck on the day you hike.

This area does not receive much hiker usage. Viewless summits tend to have that effect. The trails do frequently become overgrown as you observed in your trail condition report. So it is perhaps understandable that the herd paths could also become overgrown. Big Indian is one of those summits where map and compass (or GPS) are often necessary. In summer it is difficult to discern that there is higher ground in that direction off the trail. Once headed in the right direction you are likely to find yourself on one of the herd paths as you approach the summit. The herd path to Eagle is better worn and tends to fare better partly because it is an old unmarked trail that ascended Eagle via Sids Notch.

 

[rhihn]

Eagle is the summit that is slightly off trail and I think is marked with a cairn (it's been a long time) and no canister. Big Indian[/b] has an actual canister on it and although it is a longer bushwack than eagle, is one of the easier ones to do from the trail from Biscuit Brook. Going from Fir is a bit harder due to the drainage you have to miss and the DAM(tm)* maneuver needed.

Jay

* DAM == Drainage Avoidance Maneuver.

We accompanied Jay on B.I. Here is his report.

Dick

 

[keb]

I failed to find the cannister my first two attempts at B.I. as well. One bushwacking from Fir, and the other from the trail (without GPS).

My notes from my successful summit in 05 were that as you proceed up the PW trail, you will pass the 3500 ft sign, then you will see trees with yellow painted private property boundary markers. Go 0.25 miles further along the trail, you'll see a large rotting birch tree with a trail marker on it, on the left side of trail. Go 10 yds further and turn right, off of trail, onto heard path, at another large birch tree. The herd path will take you right to the summit. The rotting birch may no longer be there, but I hope that helps!