My first Catskill Hike

[Bobcat]

Hello,

I'm going to go for my first Catskill hike this weekend. Does anyone have an opinion on which route to take up Hunter; Devil's Path or Becker Hollow? I'm going to try to bring my girlfriend. I think she'll come. She has a couple of winter high peaks under her belt, but doesn't necesarily enjoy a 15 mile day on the snowshoes like I do. With the beautiful weather though, I bet she'll go. Anyway, I'm looking for any good advice for an area I'm not too familiar with. I'd even think about another peak, it just has to have a view. Hunter is probably going to be a zoo? Any advice apprecited.

Thanks,

 

[hikethe115]

The Becker Hollow Trail is the shortest (and steepest route), but I think the Devil's path is nicer when the leaves are off the trees. I'm sure you will enjoy either. Have fun!

 

[MattC]

Dr. Wu, Halite and myself hiked Hunter last Sat.-up Becker Hollow, back out on the DP, with cars at either end. You can find Wu's report in the trip reports forum of this site. In a nutshell, Becker Hollow is the shortest, steepest route, while the Spruceton Trail from the other side is the longest but most gentle grade. The DP is pretty steep and rough in places, while the short, yellow-blazed Hunter Mt Trail is pretty easy. Hunter is indeed a very popular peak, but for a good reason. If you do Hunter, be sure to check out the view point slightly to the west of the four-way junction clearing. Many find this view as good or better than that from the fire tower.

Matt

 

[askus3]

It should be above freezing even on top of Hunter Saturday! So that will be in your favor. So wear layers that you can shed as you will. Hunter will be a great peak and being winter, you might see several people there but I doubt highly it will be a zoo. It still takes a serious effort to climb the peak. Even if a few skiers decide to go up from the top of the chairlift which is still a good distance away, more than likely you will have the tower to yourself. A 6 mile hike in the Catskills is a good hike, that will be nice for your girlfriend and you to share some quality time in the woods. I would also second the motion of ascending the Becker and descending the Devils Path. If you get to Devils Acre early and you have the energy, push on to climb SW Hunter (no view but a cannister to sign). That would be a nice solitary addition to a great day.

 

[MattC]

The Becker Hollow-Devil's Path loop that we did last week makes for a great hike, but just remember, it requires either two cars, or a road-walk. We met Tony (a new VFTTer-Rocky Summit) up there and he was doing a loop from the other side: up Spruceton Trail, down to the DP, back down to Diamond Notch and out. That loop is longer, but doesn't require car spotting or roadwalking.

Matt

 

[Halite]

Both Becker Hollow and the Devil's Path are nice routes up Hunter. Becker Hollow is unrelentingly steep, apparently blazed in the days before the invention of the switchback. The DP is fairly steep as well, but swings around one of Hunter's shoulders for a bit--so not as continuously steep. I prefer the DP for all the rock features and more open views. It is rougher than Becker Hollow, with numerous 2 to 3 foot ledges to maneuver up or down.

The summit of Hunter and the trails in question are not easily accessible from the lift-serviced ski area on Hunter. So you'll see other back-country types, but not the crowds that descend on the Hunter ski area on winter weekends.

 

[erd]

I maintain the trail from Notch Lake up the Devil's Path over to the lean-to, so I'm biased, but I think the views from the upper section along the old Fenton rail grade are among the finest in the Catskills. No matter what route you go, have fun.

PS If you go via the DP and find any major deadfall has come down, would you e-mail me, please?

 

[woodstrider]

My favorite trail up Hunter

Is the old road up from the end of Spruceton Road. It is well graded and great for beginners. You can return via the trail that hooks into the Devil's Path and go past the lean-to. There is a short, maybe 1/4 mile road walk back to your car at the end.

Good luck and Happy Trails

 

[erd]

SW Hunter

One correspondent mentioned SW Hunter. SWH is very easy IF you know the old rail grade to follow and where to cut up to the Canister. However, it is one of the hardest bushwhack peaks in the Catskills from some directions e.g. going in from the lean-to. Brutal spruce/fir groves.

The turn-off for the rough path is about a half-mile W of the lean-to, on the left-hand side, where the shoulder of the peak comes down to meet the trail. It's pretty obvious. There may be a cairn, which comes and goes. It's an easy amble on the rail grade of less than a mile, then a quick climb of 200 feet.

As to where to head up, I usually go by feel but there is a carved "H" on a tree, just discernible, right at that spot. I'm sure you will see snowshoe tracks, but some will not necessarily be going up at the correct spot, so you need to be wary.

Having given you the easy route, I have to say that the more difficult routes are great fun, but only if you really enjoy scratchy bushwhacks. I do. I often go in from odd directions and play the ever popular game of "find the canister on SWH." The scars heal eventually <g>.

Ted