Catskills Blackhead and Blackdomw 2/22

[daxs]

Started from the Big Hollow trail head. There was a light snow all day long that added up to several inches on the trail. It was also very warm for a wintr hike. You can bareboot the lower section of the trail up to the trail divide to Batavia Kill lean to. We went the opposite way up the red trail to the Blackhead/Blackdome col. Snow shoes needed at higher elevations. Snow was not deep enough though to make trailbreaking difficult. Crampons not needed at any point on the trail. There were a few rocky slabs on both the BH and BD trail that were a pain to negotiate with shoes. Snow at lower elevations was sticky and wet causing constant whacking the snow off the cleat with the result being abandoning the snowshoes for barebooting. Not enough snow depth to cause postholing.

Needed Snow shoes. Took camera but absolutely no views from the top on this trip