First Trip the Catskills

[Paradox]

My first trip to the Catskills was this past weekend.

Saturday was a perfect day for hiking temps in the low 70's. I hiked the Burroughs Ridge, from Oliverea Road. Slide first, Cornell, and Wittenberg as an out and back. The views into the col between Slide and Cornell were wonderful. The view from the cliff on Wittenberg was the highlight.

Pictures and GPS track on Wikiloc.

Sunday was overcast but still very nice for hiking. I accompanied Tom and Laurie Rankin to the firetower on the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain. Then I hiked the herdpath to Graham Mountain. Got a picture of the firetower from the summit of Graham.

Pictures and GPS track on Wikiloc.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Welcome my friend!

Very nice pics!

Don't be a stranger!

 

[Paradox]

Here is another interesting tidbit. I was hiking down the BLM trail toward the car on Sunday and for some reason I started thinking about George Blanda of all people. I recalled watching him kick a 48 yard field goal to win a game for the Oakland Raiders back in 1975 or so. I was wondering if he was still alive and ...thought that I probably would have heard about if he was not. I got on the internet this morning and read that he had died on Monday. Great player, interesting career, but no particular reason for me thinking about him. Life is funny like that at times.

 

[Hikes4fun]

Welcome to our little Mts... Looks like a real nice day!

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Yes, welcome to the Catskills. Sound like you had a couple enjoyable hikes.

Here is another interesting tidbit. I was hiking down the BLM trail toward the car on Sunday and for some reason I started thinking about George Blanda of all people. I recalled watching him kick a 48 yard field goal to win a game for the Oakland Raiders back in 1975 or so. I was wondering if he was still alive and ...thought that I probably would have heard about if he was not. I got on the internet this morning and read that he had died on Monday. Great player, interesting career, but no particular reason for me thinking about him. Life is funny like that at times.

Although I can't recall anything too strange happening to me while hiking BLM or the Catskills... The Catskills have a very long history / reputation for being enchanted or haunted by many things. There are the legends about Hendrick Hudson and the crew of the Half Moon wandering through the mountains every 20 years. And more general legends of witches, goblins, gnomes, gangsters, devils, demons, UFOs, aliens, and a wide assortment of other paranormal events.

Your story about George Blanda reminds me of the time last year when an emu was seen wandering around the trailhead for Balsam Lake Mountain. This was just 4 days after Mark "The Bird" Fidrych tragically died in Massachusetts. At the time I could not help but wonder whether his spirit had returned to wander through the Catskills. To my knowledge Mark Fidrych had no more connection to the Catskills than George Blanda. But perhaps George Blanda returned to New York to haunt the Titans, Giants, Bills, or the Jets one last time.

 

[Jay H]

Welcome John, the campsites between Slide and Cornell are some of my favorite backcountry sites... Glad you got to enjoy the folliage a bit before these rains knock off every single leaf.

Jay