Platte Clove (4th Anniversary of Hudson Valley Hiking)

I finally, finally, finally got outside during this remarkable winter we have had.  It has been quite a challenging 3 months with quite a few things going on all at the same time.  So today was an excellent day to be out.

With gentle skies and a steady light rain, my decision would be easy: Platte Clove.  I have been to Kaaterskill Falls and Plattekill Falls (at the upper end of Platte Clove) during the winter while they were frozen.  I have not been to the lower falls of the Plattekill in winter.  With some of the warmer weather we have experienced (near 60 yesterday), I have noticed the creeks near my house to be rather beautiful.  The combination of running water over the frozen ice makes for a wonderful sight.  Until recently, large creeks in the area have made for snowmobile terrain.  That's how cold this winter has been.  Rushing water has been tamed enough for thousand pound machines to run over.

Today's temps were in the 50s with a steady rain.  I did not bring a rain jacket or snowshoes.  I brought my stabilicers but never used them, though I would have been better off with them on.  Though they would not have prevented me from post-holing.  Still, snowshoes would have been overkill.  A short walk leads to the first major falls.  Despite the warmth, the waterfall is very much frozen.  Though the creek is running quite strong.  In a week or two, if it continues to warm, the creeks will be roaring.

Ice

Still largely frozen

I mistakenly passed the second waterfall, which I like to call the kiddy pool.  It's too bad, since there may have been some interesting ice formations to check out.  I soon came to the third major waterfall (and a great spot to cliff jump).  Like the previous waterfall, it still remained quite frozen.  But the warmth has had some effect, since there were chunks of ice floating in the swimming hole.  I hoped to see a giant chunk of ice crash down.  Not today.

Miniature iceburgs

There were plenty of cool ice formations along the way to the fourth set of waterfalls.  The ice near the waterfall looked similar to the terra cotta warriors.  At least I imagined them to be.  The going got a bit tougher to the last major waterfall.  Though I followed someone's tracks most of the way, they most likely were from the weekend.  They mostly walked on top of the creek.  I did some of that also, but there clearly were areas that were no longer suitable to walk.  Of course, I had to prove this point.

The clove

Lots of ice

Amazing how much ice that forms

Terra Cotta Warriors

Looks like somebody took a chainsaw to these icicles

Looking from a top at the waterfalls and ice formations

The last waterfall I came to happens to be my favorite.  For much of the walk, I wondered what it would look like.  It did not fail to impress.  There were beautiful, blue ice formations all around.  Much of the waterfall was still frozen, but I'm not sure how much longer the ice will be able to withstand the force of water.

The Plattekill

Snow bridge

Great spot for a polar plunge

Roaring water vs. ice

Gorgeous blue ice

While walking out of here, I decided to test a sketchy spot.  Luckily, I only fell in up to my knees.  I almost went in head first.  It would be a cold walk out.  Amazingly though, my feet warmed up rather quickly.  I then came up to another sketchy area of snow bridges.  I fell through, but this time my feet would not warm up.  By the time I reached the car, my right foot was quite numb.

A week ago, not a bad idea

Before Chris Hiker

After Chris Hiker

This all reminded me of the hike the VPo Man and I did almost four years ago to the day in Harriman.  Early into that hike we walked through water and ice up to our thighs.  I think my feet are still feel the cold from that hike.  That also happened to be my first post on this blog.