Mt Tremper

[billandjudy]

Our plans to do Dry Brook Ridge fell apart today. Not enough time. So we opted for a short run up Mt Tremper to the firetower. It's a short hike but you cram 2000 vertical in to 3 miles so it's not w/o some work. The trail up is a woods road, very easy on the feet. It was another semi- cloudy, somewhat hazy day, not as hot as Monday but humid. And the bugs were out in force! A PITA all the way to the summit. The south side of the mountain is completely defoliated. It looks like winter views through the trees. From the tower we had some nice, although hazy, views. The tower itself was covered in caterpillars. What a mess! As we looked around we could see alot of bare trees in the distance. If anyone takes a look at the pics , http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=551544280&security=FTPJza
take a look at #30737 I think I have the peaks ID'd right but it just didn't look right when looking at a map. Perspective maybe?
This would be a nice winter hike--steady slope all the way up
Good day except for bugs, hanging caterpillars, and humidity! :D
Met 3500'ers Andy and Ken on the summit. They were on a warm-up hike for an ADK trip--full packs! Have fun guys :)

[Mark Schaefer]

Tremper is a nice mountain. From the trailheads it does have more elevation gain than many of the 3500 peaks despite only being 2740'. It has always been hit hard when the caterpillars peak. The one in the photo P1030723 appears to be a forest tent caterpillar (white spots). Gypsy moth caterpillars are also on this mountain. Tremper was also hard hit by Gypsy Moth caterpillars when they overspread the Catskills in the 1980s.

In P1030732 Plattekill is to the right on Indian Head and Overlook appears on the right edge (Kaaterskill High Peak is probably behind Twin and/or Olderbark, or in the haze appears part of those).

In P1030734 Plattekill is near the left edge, and Overlook is the summit you have labeled Kaaterskill High Peak. What is labeled Plattekill and Overlook is Guardian. Cooper Lake is to the right with an unnamed 1580' hill behind it. P1030736 labels OK.

In P1030737 Ashokan High Point is below the Wittenberg label, and to the right is Little Rocky. The steeped slope mountain labeled Slide is Wittenberg. ??? is Slide. P1030738 labels OK.

[billandjudy]

Mark--Thanks for the corrections. We were struggling w/ map and compass trying to figure out what was what. We had never seen some of the peaks from this angle and it was a bit confusing.
Thanks Again