Mount Utsayuntha

The legend of Utsayuntha

I haven't been getting out much recently, but today is my memorial hike for my cat Morton who passed away  7 years ago.  It's hard to believe that much time has gone by.

Indian maid's "grave"

A merciless walk up a dirt road

Mount Utsayuntha would be the destination.  I had been here once, over ten years ago.  I didn't recall much except for the view of the Town of Stamford below.  Upon arriving at the summit, I realized why this hadn't been all that memorable.  The summit is littered with radio towers.  I counted five of them, with a sixth just off the summit.  It's a shame, because without doubt, Utsayuntha would live up to its billing as Queen of the Catskills.

Look at all those beautiful radio towers

When it comes to names of mountains, it seems the Indian names are the best.  Peekamoose, Algonquin, Katahdin just to name a few.  Like those, Utsayuntha is one of my favorite names.  Utsayuntha takes its name from a fictional Indian Princess.  In the late 1800s different versions of the legend showed up and were used to promote tourism in the area.  At that time the Village of Stamford and Mount Utsayuntha were two of the top tourist spots in the Catskills.

Today the summit is covered with radio towers.  It's also a site (or former site) for hanggliding.  At least two hanggliding decks can be found on the summit.  I cannot blame them because it appears to be the perfect spot.  The views from Utsayuntha would be hard to rival if not for those lousy radio towers.  So many of the Catskill peaks are in view.  Slide, Table and Doubletop in the distance as well as much of the Escarpment peaks with barely a sign of civilization.  Huntersfield and the Windham ski slopes are in view.  An excellent view of the Schoharie Resevoir, except for the tower's obstruction.  Plenty of lovely farmland can be found to the north and south.  To the west the village of Stamford dominates.  

Schoharie Resevoir from hang gliding platform

The view north

View east toward Huntersfield and Windham

Almost no signs of civilization and mountains as far as the eye can see

The view south

Who doesn't like a radio tower as part of the view?

Despite all that, it's still I place I plan to return to.  Possibly sooner, rather than later.  The run up to the fire tower from the village looks far too tempting to pass up.