Hermit and I met early on the Peekamoose road, stashed a car and then drove up to Porcupine Rd where we met a resident who is a hiker and a handful of peaks short of the 3500.
He not only walked us over to a parking area to leave the car, but provided a bunch of interesting things to look for on the Van Wyck ridge.
With a couple of options as to where to begin our hike, we thought we'd try the 450' climb in 3/10's of a mile whack to Woodhull's summit ridge. Once off the portable rocks and gaining the ridge, the entire summit of Woodhull was a birch and fern forest. Zero blowdown and zero prickers a condition that stayed with us all day. We checked out both summit rock cairns, judging that the 3rd tiny bump was higher than both.
It was a stroll across Woodhull's summit and the woods were so open and so free of prickers and blowdown you could literally walk with your arms out to your sides and never touch a tree.
The woods down to the col with VW was nothing but beech, maple and birch. While we heard there was a 'donkey road' from the col to VW, we never spotted it. In its place, though was an occasional animal path that got a little more distinct the higher we got on VW.
If we thought the woods were open on Woodhull, it was even more so on VW and when the ridge finally doglegged, it was ferm glade after fern glade, with more large beech, cherry and birch interspersed. Nearing the top of VW, we encountered the ampitheater we'd been told that Native Americans used for rituals. It completely bisected the ridge. We'd also been told to look out for a small cave at the base of the ampitheater and that someone had driven a pipe out of which water came out of the mountain. Bookah enjoyed the pool of cool water that flowed out of the pipe...will wonders ever cease.
The views up VW's ridged were extensive and only the leaves on the small beech blocked the views of the intermittent rock gardens and fern glades.
The higher we climbed, the narrower the ridge got and there were extensive screened views of the higher peaks in the distance. One more surprise was in store for us. We were told that above the amphitheater there were ancient rock steps. We found them and they led thru another rock band. We could only wonder who placed them there as they'd been in place for ages.
The top of VW was a cherry tree and fern glades and after the obligatory picture, we headed over to a lookout that rivaled Hurricane Ledge for views and Ralph, Bookah and I ate lunch and took in the views from the shady grass near the ledge.
Our descent was down a VERY steep face of VW toward Bear Hole brook, and Grid-Master Ralph took us right to a pair of Bear Holes for which the brook was named. Hard to believe the amount of work some people had done to excavate the holes to trap bears.
Ralph then took us on a direct route to a '77 plane crash and nice open woods most of the way down until locating a woods road that led us back to the Peekamoose Rd a short distance from the car.
The weather was warm but not humid. The breeze kept the flies manageable, we explored a wonderful series of ridges, the views, 'whacking and company were great.
Just an overall terrific day. Van Wyck and the ridge from Woodhull to VW is now among my top 3 ridge 'whacks in the Catskills. Can't wait to get back another time before the leaves come out or in the Autumn. What a great hike.
Ralph was the usual great host, sharing his backyard mountains with Bookah and I.
Pictures to follow.
Alan
He not only walked us over to a parking area to leave the car, but provided a bunch of interesting things to look for on the Van Wyck ridge.
With a couple of options as to where to begin our hike, we thought we'd try the 450' climb in 3/10's of a mile whack to Woodhull's summit ridge. Once off the portable rocks and gaining the ridge, the entire summit of Woodhull was a birch and fern forest. Zero blowdown and zero prickers a condition that stayed with us all day. We checked out both summit rock cairns, judging that the 3rd tiny bump was higher than both.
It was a stroll across Woodhull's summit and the woods were so open and so free of prickers and blowdown you could literally walk with your arms out to your sides and never touch a tree.
The woods down to the col with VW was nothing but beech, maple and birch. While we heard there was a 'donkey road' from the col to VW, we never spotted it. In its place, though was an occasional animal path that got a little more distinct the higher we got on VW.
If we thought the woods were open on Woodhull, it was even more so on VW and when the ridge finally doglegged, it was ferm glade after fern glade, with more large beech, cherry and birch interspersed. Nearing the top of VW, we encountered the ampitheater we'd been told that Native Americans used for rituals. It completely bisected the ridge. We'd also been told to look out for a small cave at the base of the ampitheater and that someone had driven a pipe out of which water came out of the mountain. Bookah enjoyed the pool of cool water that flowed out of the pipe...will wonders ever cease.
The views up VW's ridged were extensive and only the leaves on the small beech blocked the views of the intermittent rock gardens and fern glades.
The higher we climbed, the narrower the ridge got and there were extensive screened views of the higher peaks in the distance. One more surprise was in store for us. We were told that above the amphitheater there were ancient rock steps. We found them and they led thru another rock band. We could only wonder who placed them there as they'd been in place for ages.
The top of VW was a cherry tree and fern glades and after the obligatory picture, we headed over to a lookout that rivaled Hurricane Ledge for views and Ralph, Bookah and I ate lunch and took in the views from the shady grass near the ledge.
Our descent was down a VERY steep face of VW toward Bear Hole brook, and Grid-Master Ralph took us right to a pair of Bear Holes for which the brook was named. Hard to believe the amount of work some people had done to excavate the holes to trap bears.
Ralph then took us on a direct route to a '77 plane crash and nice open woods most of the way down until locating a woods road that led us back to the Peekamoose Rd a short distance from the car.
The weather was warm but not humid. The breeze kept the flies manageable, we explored a wonderful series of ridges, the views, 'whacking and company were great.
Just an overall terrific day. Van Wyck and the ridge from Woodhull to VW is now among my top 3 ridge 'whacks in the Catskills. Can't wait to get back another time before the leaves come out or in the Autumn. What a great hike.
Ralph was the usual great host, sharing his backyard mountains with Bookah and I.
Pictures to follow.
Alan
