Tom Rankin
Well-known member
I led a Catskill 3500 Club hike to these peaks on 12/24. We had 11 people total, inlcuding Rocky Summit, Halfmoon, and AndrewS from the site, (not to mention Laurie the Lurker! 
). It was overcast and temperatures rose above freezing while we were out (more on that later!).
We met at Selena's in Tannersville, and formed a long line of cars to the Southern end of the Northern Mink Hollow Rd. (There are 2 Mink Hollow Roads, now that the road does not go over the Devil's Path). From there, it was a 20 minute walk to the DP, up a moderate grade.
We stopped at the leanto for a quick break, dropped some gear, and then headed up Sugarloaf. We found the trail well broken out. It was steep but not icy. The snow was still hard enough that we were able to make it up without too many slips. There were insteps, full crampons, and snowshoes on our feet. All of us made it with out incident to the summit and back down. A few people (including me) took a few minor falls on the cliffs, but we all made it safely. The ice on the cliffs was really cool, but my camera was DOA today! The view point was socked in too.
Back at the junction, we took another break at the leanto. 4 people opted to walk out to the cars at this point, so then we were 7. The Plateau side was barely broken out. I know MCorsar and ColdFeet were there recently, but it seems many more people have been up Sugarloaf. We took turns leading, and slowly worked our way up the steep path. There are fewer cliffs to climb on this side, but there are long steep sidehills and the trail was not broken out. As we ascended, the ice started melting off the trees and falling on us. You could look around and see ice falling everywhere. At one point, there was about an inch of ice covering the trail, that had just fallen that morning! Once we got into the fir trees, the ice assault stopped. We finished the climb and stopped at the top for a quick break. No views up here either. Going back down was much quicker then going up. I was down in 28 minutes, back at the now familiar leanto. Oddly enough, someone had started a fire in the fireplace, but there was no one there! We had only been gone 2 hours. At least they left our cached gear in peace.
Another break at the leato, then a short 14 minute walk back to the cars, and we were off to our separate ways.
I was amazed at the differences in the 2 ascents from the same valley on the same day. I don't think I've ever seen conditions change so quickly, and the sun never even came out at all, nor did the wind ever change from a gentle breeze. It just goes to show that you always have to be prepared!
This makes 34 of 35 Winter Catskills for me. I'll start a separate thread about doing my final W35, to Westkill. Y'all are invited!
). It was overcast and temperatures rose above freezing while we were out (more on that later!).We met at Selena's in Tannersville, and formed a long line of cars to the Southern end of the Northern Mink Hollow Rd. (There are 2 Mink Hollow Roads, now that the road does not go over the Devil's Path). From there, it was a 20 minute walk to the DP, up a moderate grade.
We stopped at the leanto for a quick break, dropped some gear, and then headed up Sugarloaf. We found the trail well broken out. It was steep but not icy. The snow was still hard enough that we were able to make it up without too many slips. There were insteps, full crampons, and snowshoes on our feet. All of us made it with out incident to the summit and back down. A few people (including me) took a few minor falls on the cliffs, but we all made it safely. The ice on the cliffs was really cool, but my camera was DOA today!
The view point was socked in too.Back at the junction, we took another break at the leanto. 4 people opted to walk out to the cars at this point, so then we were 7. The Plateau side was barely broken out. I know MCorsar and ColdFeet were there recently, but it seems many more people have been up Sugarloaf. We took turns leading, and slowly worked our way up the steep path. There are fewer cliffs to climb on this side, but there are long steep sidehills and the trail was not broken out. As we ascended, the ice started melting off the trees and falling on us. You could look around and see ice falling everywhere. At one point, there was about an inch of ice covering the trail, that had just fallen that morning!
Once we got into the fir trees, the ice assault stopped. We finished the climb and stopped at the top for a quick break. No views up here either. Going back down was much quicker then going up. I was down in 28 minutes, back at the now familiar leanto. Oddly enough, someone had started a fire in the fireplace, but there was no one there! We had only been gone 2 hours. At least they left our cached gear in peace.Another break at the leato, then a short 14 minute walk back to the cars, and we were off to our separate ways.
I was amazed at the differences in the 2 ascents from the same valley on the same day. I don't think I've ever seen conditions change so quickly, and the sun never even came out at all, nor did the wind ever change from a gentle breeze. It just goes to show that you always have to be prepared!
This makes 34 of 35 Winter Catskills for me. I'll start a separate thread about doing my final W35, to Westkill. Y'all are invited!
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