Mombaccus (catskills)

[Jay H]

Freddy and I did a bushwack to Mombaccus and Little Rocky from an overnighter on top of Ashokan HP in the catskills... Fred tells me that peak is on the 3000ft lists yet both the NYNJTC and the ADK maps list it as roughly 2840' but the 770 list I have lists it as 3080'. We both agreed standing on top of Little Rocky (3015') that Mombaccus actually does look closer to even with Little Rocky than the maps suggest.

I didn't have time to check out my USGS quad but was wondering if Dennis, or anybody else that has the 770 list know where the elevation data was obtained, we're curious.

There is a nice viewpoint on Mombaccus, much like there is on Little Ashokan, views south towards Skytop (Smiley's Tower) and the 'Gunks. The herd path from the intersection of the woods road and the trail to Ashokan will take you too a "bench" somebody made. From that point, a little further takes you to the shoulder of Mombaccus and then turning towards Little Rocky, to the summit.

Jay

 

[Mark Schaefer]

The elevation of Mombaccus is 2840' per the current topo. It is technically a false summit of Little Rocky as it only has a prominence of 160' from Little Rocky. Dennis or John will need to explain the appearance of Mombaccus on the NE 770 list. The only 3080' peak on the West Shokan topo is Ashokan High Peak. The benchmark on AHP is interestingly labeled Samson -- I have never known why, but there is probably some history behind it. Samson is a 2812' mountain not far off the Long Path further southwest of Little Rocky on the same ridge. Glad to see someone besides me climbs these great little 2K peaks.

edit
Dennis also sent me a MS word doc: Subject: Daniell Northeast 3000 List Compared with Swanson-Crispo Northeast 770 List
it states.

CATSKILLS: Mombaccus Mtn. (W Pk) on the Swanson-Crispo list is Little Rocky on my list, as it now appears on the West Shokan quad. I was not able to figure out where the 3080’ elevation on their list came from - the West Shokan quad provides a stated elevation of 3015’.

 

[Jay H]

Hey Mark, you answered my other question or at least asked the question I was wondering. My USGS Quad lists Ashoken High Peak as "samson" I was figureing it might be the fact that Samsonville is not far away or perhaps a goof on the USGS folks. I have to see if they actually label Samson Mt, the one by the Long Path.


Freddy and I are on a non-HP hiking fetish right now. Don't know why but it sure is fun!

Jay

 

[ecc]

When did you hike it? I was on High Point on Sunday morning.
ecc

 

[Mark Schaefer]

E. Schlimmer makes a good point about the two 3000' contours on the 3015' Little Rocky. Anybody doing the NE 770 list should do both summits of Little Rocky.

What's in a name:

the only 3,080' peak on the West Shokan map is High Point, not Ashokan High Peak.

If you accept the West Shokan USGS quad as the one and only authority, then the 3080' peak is indeed merely High Point. However, you would have to ignore the DEC trail signs and every trail guidebook published in the last 30 years (and probably many years before).

One would also have to conclude that Kaaterskill High Peak is just "High Peak". The reason that mountain is now called Kaaterskill High Peak is to distinguish it from other "High Peaks" such as Windham High Peak. For the same reason Ashokan High Point distinguishes it from the 2246' High Point on the Shawangunk ridge.

I did a little research to see when the mountain became more than just High Point. In the book "Picturesque Ulster", by Richard Lionel De Lisser, (published in installments 1896-1905) the mountain is called Shokan High Point. Alf Evers' book: "The Catskills from Wilderness to Woodstock" contains earlier historical references that calls it Shokan Point and Shokan Mountain. Shokan is merely a shortening of the Indian Ashokan (place of many fishes). The origin of the full "Ashokan" being applied to the mountain may be the 1918 book "The Catskills" by T. Morris Longstreth. He describes his climb of High Point during which he had the following conversation with his hiking partner:

Well, I suggest that we do a little mountain naming ourselves. This grand-stand mountain is a kind of reserved seat for the Reservoir show, and I call it plumb foolish to mix it up with all the other High Points and High Peaks. What shall we christen it? ... I dub thee Mount Ashokan.

The older name of High Point probably stuck as well and it no doubt became Ashokan High Point.

 

[Jay H]

Sorry for my spelling, it's not one of my strengths, especially when typing!

Ecc: Fred and I camped on top of Ashokan in the meadow past the summit, it has the huge firepit and the slate chairs with a view of the Burroughs range from it. on saturday and we left sunday morning, completing the loop on the red trail before heading towards Mombaccus.

Apparently, we ran into Rivet (and his beagle) on Little Ashokan on Saturday afternoon....

Jay

 

[Rivet]

Apparently, we ran into Rivet (and his beagle) on Little Ashokan on Saturday afternoon....

Yep, we were there.

 

[ecc]

I must have missed you because you were on the loop. Better luck next time!
ecc

 

[funkyfreddy]

Rivet - too bad you didn't stop to introduce yourself to Jay, Tuco (Eric) and I as we sat on Little Ashokan taking in the views!

Ashokan High Point is probably my favorite mountain in the catskills with its variety of views and terrain. I liked hiking the ridgeline over Mombaccus and Little Rocky as well, except for the scarey fall I took coming down from Little Rocky. Still sore today, I'm very glad and lucky that I didn't break my leg or neck!

I enjoy climbing the small peaks as well as the high ones and from looking at the Catskill maps have become very interested in exploring more of the ridgelines as well as the peaks. There are a lot of interesting places in the Catskills that aren't on the 3500 list or any other list for that matter, although I do look forward to doing more of those pesky peaks on the Catskill 100/NE 770 lists.

By the way, would anyone know if there ever was a plane crash on Ashokan High Point? Coming down on the west side of AHP Jay and I ran across some metal pieces that looked as if they might have been from a plane right by the red blazed trail.

 

[Peakbagr]

Good Catskills thread.