Kaaterskill High Peak

Kaaterskill High Peak from Ferncliff Forest

Part 5 of the 35 high peaks of the Catskills takes me to Kaaterskill High Peak.  Though this peak does not see the amount of hikers as many of the other mountains do, it may be the most recognizable mountain in the Catskills.  It is the most eastern of the 3500 foot peaks and along with the lower Rountop, it forms a shape resembling an airplane.  Kaaterskill High Peak is visible in much of the Hudson Valley.

Kaaterskill High Peak's location makes it the earliest recorded climb of any of the Catskill 3500 foot peaks.  Thomas Cole loved this mountain also.  It featured prominently in many paintings of the Hudson River School.  Who can blame them?  Before any of this, the mountain was the site of Fort Brant, a British fort used during the Revolutionary War.  Many of the people in this area stayed loyal to the crown.  So remember that the next time you're in this region.  

All this should make Kaaterskill a popular destination.  Unlike the late 1800s when the hotels in the region advertised Kaaterskill as the highest in the Catskills, today it's not a popular hiking destination.  Since it has no maintained trail to the summit, Kaaterskill attracts only the peakbaggers out to summit all the 3500 footers in the Catskills.  Another thing that most likely keeps the crowds away are the snowmobile trails that surround the mountain.  Although no fun breathing in the fumes of these loud machines, the trail is extremely wet and muddy when the snow is gone.

The wet snowmobile trail

Today I started from the parking lot at the top of Platte Clove Road.  For the first time here, I really noticed the brook that flows into the Plattekill.  It looks like it may need some further exploration.  I walked down from my car and there were a few small waterfalls.  I have to wonder if there are more along the way.  Maybe there is a lost swimming hole along the way.  That will have to be another day.

The walk starts out with a bit of a climb, but it's a snowmobile trail, so the ascent was not too strenuous.  It levels off a bit and that's where the route becomes quite muddy.  This trail also happens to be part of the long path.  the woods are mostly hardwoods, but there is quite a bit of spruce mixed in.  After 3.5 miles, the trail meets up with the snowmobile trail that circumnavigates both Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop.

Long Path

It's only dry early on

Usually there is no assistance

Autumn has set in nicely

Mostly past peak, but still some great colors

The leaves cannot escape the mud

The Long Path continues for another 4 to 5 miles to Kaaterskill Clove.  At this intersection, I swung a left north towards Kaaterskill High Peak.  After a couple minutes of walking, I came to the snowmobile trail and made a right on it and went west until I reached the unmaintained trail to high Peak.

At this junction we go left

The cairn marking the route to High Peak

Once on this trail, the going gets tough.  This apparently used to be the trail to the summit.  It most likely was one of the most popular trails in the Catskills.  With the recent rain we had, the trail was quite slippery.  There are also a few sections that require a bit of scrambling.  There is a view point not too far from the summit.  Though it's somewhat obstructed, I could see a lot of the Hudson, North Lake and the Blackhead Range.  Eventually the trail reaches an evergreen forest.  This is the first sign that I'm close to the summit.

The trail up

Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Hudson River

Blackhead Range

North Lake and South Mountain

Nearing the summit

The summit is the site of two airplane crashes.  The first time my friends and I came upon the wreckage of a plane near the summit.  We bushwacked to the summit.  Apparently this is the more difficult site to check out.  We were lucky that day.  The other plane wreck is near the snowmobile trail, but I would not be heading in that direction.

On the summit, there were some parts of one of the planes.  I had never seen this before.  After a little looking, Will (who I met along the way) found the USGS marker.  Will is originally from Florida but has done quite a bit of hiking and caving.  He's pretty hardcore in the fact he just showed up here without any trail maps and very little knowledge of the area.  He saw the mountain on the map and decided he'd like to go there.  That's definitely old school!

Parts from the plane wreck

Beautiful Fall Colors.  A shame it doesn't stay for long.

Chris Hiker

There are two exceptional view points just off the summit.  Herd paths lead to both of them.  Hurricane Ledge provides a great close up view of Overlook and the Devil's Path peaks.  I had been to this spot twice before. The first time, the view gave us a close up of the clouds.  The most recent time with the VPo Man, I recall being disappointed with the view.  Not today.  It's always a good thing to have the Devil's Path in view.  Also I noticed a pond below the summit of Indian Head.  I never realized there was a pond there.  Hurricane Ledge also provides views all the way out to the Hudson.

Hudson River and Kingston

Indian Head and Twin

Overlook with Platte Clove below

Tivoli Bays

I then made my way back to the summit and took one of the other herd paths that I figured led to a shortcut.  There would be no shortcut, but the path led to an amazing view point.  This may be one of the best in the Catskills.  Almost the entire Hudson River was in view from just south of Albany to just North of Poughkeepsie.  One would have to be in an airplane to have a more extensive view of the Hudson.

Overlook and Indian Head

Kaaterskill Clove

I love these colors

The Hudson Valley

Not wishing to go on a full scale bushwack with my camera, I returned to the summit and took the trails back to the car.  Overall, this has to be one of the best hikes I have been on in a long time.  When I first completed the 3500 Club Peaks, I listed Kaaterskill as my favorite.  I'm not sure why at the time.  But I really had no idea how great it really is.  Its history, prominence and amazing views all make it a great destination.  They most certainly offset the wet, muddy snowmobile trails.  Though I should note that the two previous times, there were no snowmobiles despite there being plenty of snow.  Unlike Bearpen which attracts many snowmobiles, apparently these trails are rarely used by snowmobilers.  Most certainly, Kaaterskill will require many more visits.

Late afternoon sun

Still has its colors

This trail would fit in well in the Adirondacks

Beauty all around

Despite the mud, it's a great walk

Sugarloaf and a crescent moon

Another look.  And a closer look reveals Venus.