Lone, Rocky, Balsam Cap and Friday - Getting by the thick schtuff?

[EarthNsky]

A couple friends and myself are heading to the 'skills this weekend (sadly in the rain ) and our plan is to head in from Denning fridaynight andcamp on the neversink, near the jct of the PE and PT trails. Saturday morning we're going to get up early and hike up to Table and hike the range over Lone, Rocky, BC and Friday and then whack down to the Neversink and back to basecamp and out Sunday.

Anyone have any tips on getting around the thick stuff? From what I understand, these peaks have some of the thickest schtuff in the Catskills.

Thanks a million for any info!

 

[John H Swanson]

General notes:

Heading from Table to Lone, leave from the right spot off Table and watch your bearing dropping off table to make sure you don't miss the col and drop too much elevation.

From Lone to Rock, do not head into the col. Head well to the south of the col. Then on climbing Rocky, stay to the east of the bearing to the summit.

Balsam to Friday is rough.

The best route to the Friday canister, is to climb the last part to the summit from the east, so skirt the mountain on the east side and then climb up the dominant ravine from the east.

 

[Jay H]

Balsam Cap to Rocky is rough, however, Balsam Cap to Friday isn't that bad. I'd drop down to about 3000ft (you can somewhat follow the herd path from Moon Haw Road til you drop below the ledges. Then simply follow the ledges (keep 'em to the right) and eventually you'll start to see the gradual slope to Balsam Cap. From Moon Haw, you can see how gradual it is but if you go too far, the climb is very steep (like coming from the plane wreck to a direct line to BC). However, from Friday, it isn't bad, the place to reclimb the ledge is fairly obvious, I think and there are lots of narrow herdpaths. Don't forget the beautiful view from BC before you get to the canister.

Between Rocky and Lone, most folks stay south of the direct bearing. Although if you plan on going back to the fisherman's from Rocky or Lone and not do table, you might just want to go north of the divide.

There's probably the same idea between BC and Rocky but it's still probably pretty thick. The three times I've been between them, I've just taken a direct bearing and hit it.

Jay

 

[EarthNsky]

thanks again for the help. Have fun at the 3500 dinner this weekend!

 

[woodstrider]

NO way around it since each summit has either a ring around its summit or is capped with the stuff. Some try dropping down towards the Neversink side.