Gatheriong 7.0 (Catskills) - just hiking requests and plans

[MichaelJ]

Since for this Gathering I can't take Thursday off from work, I like the idea of driving out Friday morning and then the midday start that askus3 proposes. And the Saturday uber-hike sounds fantastic!

I don't know the Catskills at all and am not pursuing any particular NY peaks (yet) so I'm content with whatever fits my schedule and gets me out there...

 

[Warren]

Almost all these ideas may require some scouting and it's a bit early for me to be making plans but I've been tossing around:

The slide on Friday, perhaps to Wittenberg and down. May add Balsam, Rocky or Lone.

The East face of Panther. Climbing one of the eastern shoulders of panther to the (rare for Catskills) meadow and then up the steep side of Panther. Should be lots of scrambling on the closest thing the Catskills has to offer to a cirque.

Hike Plattekilll Clove. Only suitable for a small group who don't mind steep walls and walking in water but do like lot's of waterfalls. Requires finding a parking space at the base of the clove.

A search for hypothetical cave on West Kill (not the overhang marked as cave on the map).

 

[SherpaKroto]

The peakbagger in me says Wittenberg, Cornell & Slide one day, Hunter on the other. From the 2 Gatherings I've attended, there is much wisdom in getting the tough day done on Day 1 I'll need to come out on Thursday night.

Aaron: just because a lot of us are Catskill Newbies, it doesn't mean that we'll never come back One thiong about climbing the tall ones: you get to see all the other ones that you want to climb. Don't worry, ample future opportunities for us to play in your sandbox

 

[peak_bgr]

Paul-- I'll see you thursday. I'll also spot a car with you for the Slide-Cornell-Whittenburg trip. I think though we might need more than two cars. Sounds to me that there will be a nice crowd for this one.

 

[daxs]

I am also game for the Slide, Cornell, Wittenberg hike. My car is available for spotting. I can fit 3-4 peeps besides myself. Is this gearing up to be a Friday hike? I also plan on arriving sometime on Thusday night.

 

[peak_bgr]

Well, that's 4 for the Slide trip on friday. Any other suckers...I mean victims..err any one else interested.

 

[TomEske]

One that we didn't mention (I'm too tired to go back and check the whole thread) is Giant Ledge, which is an additional loop off of the Wittenberg to Slide Loop if you do it as a loop. I mention this only because it is close to the Gathering, and has great views. It might make a nice easy hike for one of the other days. I know Warren wants to do the east face of the Ledge, and I think Ralph may make a good leader for that one. Ralph knows the hills around the Gathering better than anyone I know, especially from a bushwhackers point of view. He may have a bit of trouble in the daylight, because I know he likes to do them at night, in the snow, but I still think he is our best resource for a local guide. No offence to any others, but Ralph has some impressive knowledge of the area. I have noticed the little tid-bits he lets slip in conversations.
How about it Ralph? I know you're sandbagging out there, what would you reccomend for a good hike?
Tom

 

[askus3]

I believe Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide is a definite must hike for the Gathering, but I just question why you want to do this on Friday. You have a good number of participants that might be coming up on Friday and would want to do that hike, so I encourage you to save it for Saturday and Hunter for Sunday and pick another hike SugarLoaf-Twin, Black Dome, Panther or for those that first come up Friday and want a short hike I planned to lead a half day hike Friday late along the Escarpment and include Kaaterskill Falls. But I think the showcase hike, which Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide is should be done on Saturday, when all will be participating.

I am curious if more people are coming up Thursday and would like to do Hunter on Friday but I would imagine Hunter should be saved for Sunday for those that only will be in Saturday & Sunday. Then weather should always be factored in to decide which hike we do which day.

That is my two cents. I think we should try to offer the 4,000 footers on the days we have the most participation.

 

[Tuco]

I'll be coming up Friday, so perhaps a second group can do the Cor-Witt-Slide on Saturday if there is enough interest.

Its a long way off, but for those coming Friday and still want to do this I am interested for Saturday.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Aaron,
I don't have Monday off, have a long ride back home, and I get up at 5:30 to go to work. That's why Friday works for me for W-C-S. I've only been to 2 Gatherings, but I suspect that if we all tried to do the same hike on the same day we'd get arrested I've also been known to enjoy the social aspects of the Gatherings a bit, so the energy level drops a bit as the weekend goes on.

Spence - you threw me there for a bit. I don't know many who call me Paul (well, Ms Sherpa when she really wants my attention). It's always Sherp, Sherpa, or Kroto. We can go over the Car Spotting as time goes. The little Subaru Outback wagon is great for shuttling 5.

I'm still cracking up over MichaelJ's comment "...am not pursuing any particular NY peaks ..." Yeah, right. Neither am I

 

[Rob S]

I'll volunteer to help with the shuttling, too. I've got a Montero Sport, can fit 4 or 5 people and lots of gear. Eric, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding takers for doing this on Saturday. I'm planning on arriving Thursday night, but it doesn't matter to me where I hike or which day ..... so maybe Carla and I will join you on Sat. If there is a large group doing the Slide loop on Friday, then maybe it would be best if I stay behind and help with the shuttling. Afterwards, Carla and I would then be free to do something that we need for the 3500 Club list.

 

[funkyfreddy]

I’m not sure if I will do the Slide/Cornell/ Wittenberg hike although I highly recommend it. I’ve done it twice and may want to do other things a bit more off the beaten path. I’m interested in the slide on Friday and the meadow on Panther that Warren mentions, both are bushwacks.

Another thing that I would like to mention is a night hike. If the weather is nice and the stars are out I would like to propose a walk up Overlook Mt. It’s an easy hike up a road but leads to a fire tower and ledges that overlook the Hudson Valley. Overlook Mt. is also a nice short afternoon hike for those that have never been to the Catskills and want to get a good look at the area.

Other Catskill trips I’m interested in are Fir, Bearpen, Vly, Eagle, Tremper, Platteville Clove, Halcott, etc.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Other Catskill trips I’m interested in are Fir, Bearpen, Vly, ...

Count me in for Bearpen if you do it, funkyfreddy! Assuming you don't mind going with a moderately slow hiker I do know how to use a map and compass, also note that I really want the subsidiary peak that is the highpoint of Delaware County.

 

[askus3]

Car shuttle for W-C-S and which direction are you doing this hike? Is it worth bothering to do the long car shuttle, short car shuttle will suffice or should we just do a loop right out of Woodland CG? Please give me you reasons for which directions and pros & cons for which car shuttle. I am still in favor of Hunter on Friday but if the concensus is the other way around I am flexible. Also, if we have two W-C-S hikes, then I will go on Saturday, however, I am strongly in favor of the whole three peak W-C-S and will not just settle on Slide.
Although those that want just Slide and an easier day can go up & back and can shuttle the three peakbaggers making the hike S-C-W.

 

[funkyfreddy]

I'd love to hike with you, Mohammed! We should organize a trip for Saturday or Sunday as I'm sure there will others interested as well. The Catskill 3500 club usually does Bearpen and Vly together from what I'm told. Aaron/Askus3 climbed it this past year so he might be able to give us some info. I don't have Bearpen on the Catskill map sets I have so I'll probably have to download some or make copies of someone elses.

I would also like to do the subsidiary/CHP peak of Bearpen. I have no problems hiking with a slow to moderate hiker as I also like to take my time. According to the list I have in the "Hiking The Catskills" book by Lee McAllister there are 2 other sub peaks - South Bearpen and South Vly - that count as part of the 50 highest Catskill peaks. I'll have to take a look at the map when I get it and see how feasible a hike it will be to try and do all of them in a day.
My main priorities for the day would be to do Bearpen, CHP Bearpen, and Vly - which has a 3500 club canister. Let me know what you think. Thanks, Fred

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

My main priorities for the day would be to do Bearpen, CHP Bearpen, and Vly - which has a 3500 club canister. Let me know what you think. Thanks, Fred

Where do I sign?

I obviously want to do the main summit of Bearpen as well as the subsidiary peak, and from what I understand the normal way is to do Bearpen and Vly together.

Just a warning, though. My back periodically goes on strike with no warning, grounding me for a few weeks. Bad for planning, even worse for attempting to regain some fitness.

 

[MichaelJ]

I'm still cracking up over MichaelJ's comment "...am not pursuing any particular NY peaks ..."

Well, jeez ... I just did 7 NH 4K's over 5 weekends and have every weekend booked this summer to try to fit in gatherings, vacations, and finish my 48 in September. I can't even pretend to think about a NY list yet!

 

[peak_bgr]

Michael-- We'll just have to change that won't we?

 

[funkyfreddy]

I obviously want to do the main summit of Bearpen as well as the subsidiary peak, and from what I understand the normal way is to do Bearpen and Vly together.

Just a warning, though. My back periodically goes on strike with no warning, grounding me for a few weeks. Bad for planning, even worse for attempting to regain some fitness.

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you'll be feeling OK in Sept. as I know a lot of us VFTTer's would like to meet and hike with you.

 

[funkyfreddy]

Car shuttle for W-C-S and which direction are you doing this hike? Is it worth bothering to do the long car shuttle, short car shuttle will suffice or should we just do a loop right out of Woodland CG? Please give me you reasons for which directions and pros & cons for which car shuttle.

I go west to east, mainly because of the long haul down Wittenberg at the end of the day. I would rather go down Wittenberg than up it and I think Slide is a nice warm up for a good day of hiking. Park 1 car at the Slide parking lot and the other in Woodland Valley.

That being said I've been thinking of doing Wittenberg from the end of Moonhaw Rd. which is close to where my friend lives. That would be bushwacking on old woods roads. Maybe that could be combined with an exploration of the slide on Friday Mt.