Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide

[CatskillsYeti]

Has anyone done the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide hike as a day hike? A friend and I are contemplating doing it in early October. We're in our 60s, but in good shape. Doable? Thanks!

 

[Tom Rankin]

Absolutely. Do you mean a thru-hike, or out and back? The latter is much tougher but still can be done in a long day.

If you start at the Slide end, you are walking down hill more than you are walking up.

 

[CatskillsYeti]

Absolutely. Do you mean a thru-hike, or out and back? The latter is much tougher but still can be done in a long day.

If you start at the Slide end, you are walking down hill more than you are walking up.

Hi, Tom.

Thanks for getting back to me. We intend to spot a car at each end and through-hike, starting at Woodland Valley. I've done Wittenberg and Slide, twice each, but have never done the three. I figure I better do it soon!

 

[Tom Rankin]

While there will be more climbing this way, the long gentle descent off of Slide could be appreciated by your knees.

 

[CatskillsYeti]

That was my thinking in planning to start at the Wittenberg end. Up and back on Wittenberg was my first Catskills hike, but that was in the mid-70s. My knees are now 40 years older and I've already had one 'scoped for a torn meniscus.

 

[MtnSister3]

Doable and very enjoyable. I always like to go down the C-O trail, instead of straight down Slide. Easier on the knees and views of Peek/Table.

 

[CatskillsYeti]

Doable and very enjoyable. I always like to go down the C-O trail, instead of straight down Slide. Easier on the knees and views of Peek/Table.

Thanks for the tip, MtnSister3. I'll pass it on to my hiking partner. He's never hiked in the Catskills, so I think he'll be ok. I've never been on the C-O trail, but from what I can see on the map, taking it would add about a mile and a quarter, but if it's easier on the knees and has better views, it might be worth it. Thanks again.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Definitely doable! It's one of my favorites and we most recently did it this early summer with our daughter. We like starting at Wittenberg. Enjoy your hike!

 

[CatskillsYeti]

Definitely doable! It's one of my favorites and we most recently did it this early summer with our daughter. We like starting at Wittenberg. Enjoy your hike!

We're going to start at Wittenberg as well, so descending Slide will seem like a walk in the park compared to what came before.

I've been on Slide and Wittenberg twice, but have never made the three-peak trip. This is the year!

 

[Jay H]

Doable and very enjoyable. I always like to go down the C-O trail, instead of straight down Slide. Easier on the knees and views of Peek/Table.

the viewpoint towards peek/table is getting really overgrown. As the maintainer of that section, I've put it in my maint. report to my handler the last 2 or 3 times. We're not supposed to maintain the viewpoints, plus the branches are too far away for me to reach...

The trail to CO from SR47 is .8 miles between the Burrough's Range trail and the C-O trail... this is without doing actual trail mile calculations

Jay

 

[Driver8]

I just did Slide by the direct western approach for my first Catskills hike. I would have preferred to do the longer C-O descent, but I got a late start and had a friend waiting for dinner in the Albany area, so I just kept it simple. This was a plenty pretty hike, though the views were limited. Look forward to further explorations out that way - am plotting a western Hunter loop to take in the notch and falls on its SW shoulder, maybe adding a bushwhack to SW Hunter on the way. Pretty place!

 

[blacknblue]

Follow-up question from a Catskill newbie...

What about doing a loop from Oliverea Rd / Rt. 47? The plan is to ascend Slide, do Cornell and Wittenberg, down to Woodland Valley, then up the Giant Ledge ridge back to Rt. 47. Looks like 13.2 miles of hiking trails, plus a little road walk. What about the extra 3 miles to go out-and-back to Panther? I don't know how rugged the trails are, though, and what pace to expect. I'm pretty seasoned in the Whites, Greens, and ADKs, but not the Catskills.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Follow-up question from a Catskill newbie...

What about doing a loop from Oliverea Rd / Rt. 47? The plan is to ascend Slide, do Cornell and Wittenberg, down to Woodland Valley, then up the Giant Ledge ridge back to Rt. 47. Looks like 13.2 miles of hiking trails, plus a little road walk. What about the extra 3 miles to go out-and-back to Panther? I don't know how rugged the trails are, though, and what pace to expect. I'm pretty seasoned in the Whites, Greens, and ADKs, but not the Catskills.

I have never done that hike but I've done all the pieces. The ascent of Slide is gradual, and starts at a very high elevation (~2300'), so it's pretty tame. Down to Cornell is very steep, to the point of using ladders. Up to Cornell is easier but moderately steep. The stroll over to Wittenburg is easy. Descending to Woodland Valley alternates between steep and flat (even UP!) for several miles with a sharp drop down to the stream bed. The climb back up is moderate, along an old road. Adding Panther means up to Giant ledge which is close by at that point but steep, and then dropping down and back up to Panther itself, and of course, returning, and back down to the road. You are permitted to use the old road that heads towards the Winnisook club, but you have to get off it and road walk the last section. Or you could try to hitch. Both hikes are popular, you might be able to bum a ride with other hikers.

In general, Catskill trails are fairly rugged compared to other major ranges in the Northeast. The footing is slippery compared to the ADKs, (the rocks themselves, not any water or mud), and there are limited views. Some of the off trail peaks still have no established herd paths.

 

[Driver8]

I just did Slide by the direct western approach for my first Catskills hike. I would have preferred to do the longer C-O descent, but I got a late start and had a friend waiting for dinner in the Albany area, so I just kept it simple. This was a plenty pretty hike, though the views were limited. Look forward to further explorations out that way - am plotting a western Hunter loop to take in the notch and falls on its SW shoulder, maybe adding a bushwhack to SW Hunter on the way. Pretty place!

Got back to the Catskills last weekend and did the western Hunter loop. Skipped SW peak, as we got a late start. Views from the summit tower were about 20 miles at best, shorter in some directions - Slide and its neighbors on the Burroughs Range were clouded in. Good views of the Black Dome Range and eastward along the Devil's Path as well as of the valley stretching out below from Hunter to Tannersville.

Here are a few pics:

There was a lot of work underway "improving" the Spruceton Trail, getting it closer to the Jeep Road it once was. There were lots of waterbars worked into bed of the trail/road. Near the Captain's Chair side trail, we saw the culprit. We speculated that the work was to accommodate a cell tower or windmills at the summit. The caretaker at the cabin later advised that the work was due to drainage issues, hence all the waterbars - no cell or windmill towers to come. The contrast between Spruceton, a graded road or close to it, and the rough and rocky Osceola Trail of four days before was remarkable. The two trails have similar elevation and distance profiles. O took me almost twice as long to climb as did Spruceton. My feet appreciated the break.

A shot of the summit tower, New York's highest, and the cabin from the summit rock. It was windy enough to cause the tower to sway, and quite a bit cooler at the top than where we started, more of a difference than usual.

The Black Dome Range from the tower. Hope to get out and hike that area soon.

My friend, Jared, liked the tower and scrambled up to the top with characteristic enthusiasm. Never comfortable with fire towers, and even less so with 30-40 mph winds, I went about 3/4 to the top, got views over the trees, and retreated after taking a few pics.

The summit caretaker, Michelle, had a dog who never tired of playing fetch with his beloved tennis ball.

Michelle is at left on the porch in this pic. There were a lot of hikers out, most were doing the same loop as we were, maybe half going clockwise as we did.

We enjoyed the trails descending Hunter - especially the Hunter Mountain Trail, traversing then clambering off the ridgeline, starting in fir and spruce and transitioning to hardwoods - though the had only a few distant views. Did get a nice view just SW of the Hunter Mountain-Becker Hollow junction via a yellow-blazed spur trail to a fine ledge, then another pretty overlook from another ledge at about 3400' maybe a mile after Devil's Acre lean-to, and the waterfall at the north end of Diamond Notch, even in very dry conditions, was still running nice, offering a welcome break. All in all, a very pleasant hike.

This very nice group of hikers came from Long Island and Queens and were very well provisioned. They kindly gave me excess of their food, a bit at the summit, more here at the falls. Not knowing the effect hiking two four-Ks only four day apart would have on my blood sugar, I well underpacked for food, even with extra fruit brought by Jared. Thank goodness for these lovely people - I was bonking when we reached the falls. Their snack bars and small bag of mixed nuts had me running strong again for the last time. Thanks, guys! Ended up one of their party, a bit older than most, got hurt just after this leaving the falls on easy, level trail, and Jared and I were able to help determine his condition and get him back on his feet. Nice to be able to return the favor.

 

[Tom Rankin]

The summit is state forest, no cell tower or wind farm would be permitted.