Plateau & Sugarloaf via Mink Hollow Trail Squared

[chip]

My plan was to get to Roaring Kill Rd and Trail Head by 5:30 friday night, hike the short distance up Mink Hollow Trail to the Mink Hollow Lean-To and meet Jay H there. His plan was to be about 1/2 hour ahead of me. I was alone at the trail head at 5:30 and got hiking by 5:45. I did not know the trail and knew I had limited light. Jay H was either late or had parked elsewhere. Either way, he knows the area better than me, so I figured I'd better get going.

An hour into the hike was sunset. I had, apparently, miscalculated the distance to the lean-to. I came to a Right-Turn trail marker that appeared to send me down a split rock cliff scramble (http://www.parazz.com/hires/55529652814_13281.jpg). The Catskills are full of these cliff scrambles (http://www.parazz.com/hires/43849951389_13281.jpg) so I would not have hesitated to decend during the day, but at sunset, not knowing the trail but understanding I had a ways to go, I made the decision to turn around and head back to sleep in my truck. The good part about this decision was that if Jay H was behind me, I'd run into him. Headlamp was doned and I was back to the truck by 7:45. No Jay H.

It got cold friday night, 35 degrees was what the truck displayed at 6:30am. At 6:45 I was headed back up Mink Hollow Trail (http://www.parazz.com/hires/16520662644_13281.jpg). At 7:30 I got to the Right Turn marker and realized it was a 160 degree right turn into a switch-back and not a 90 degree into the cliff scramble. I got to Mink Hollow Lean To at 8, missing Jay H by minutes, as I later retrieved a cell phone call from him made at about 8:30 wondering where the heck I was friday night ! Jay had parked at the end of Mink Hollow Road, made the short hike up the old road and had a restless night fending off all forms of animals, according to what I could read from the Log, but I'll let him tell that story. I recorded my apology after his entry and proceeded up Plateau.

This trail is The Devil's Path and it's fairly named. Plateau is pretty much straight up from Mink Hollow. The trail, featuring roots, mud, slick wet rock and rock scrambles quickly lead to some decent views norteast (http://www.parazz.com/hires/06160641699_13281.jpg) and the summit (http://www.parazz.com/hires/19586302955_13281.jpg) . Back down and through Mink Hollow towards Sugarloaf, I ran into two guys hiking the entire Path that day and a group doing Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf was more fun than Plateau, almost as steep, but not requiring as much concentration. The summit of Sugarloaf (http://www.parazz.com/hires/14889989065_13281.jpg) passed quickly to more great views further east. (http://www.parazz.com/hires/62741206878_13281.jpg) Decending Sugarloaf was no joke. Scrambles, jumps, slides and bumps. The Devils Path Day Hikers Club have my respect. At the intersection to continue to Twin (http://www.parazz.com/hires/51321592297_13281.jpg), which was in my original plan (as well as Indian Head) I decided an early (and uninjured) exit sounded good. The Pecoy Notch Trail has been redirected too close to abeaver's dam (http://www.parazz.com/hires/64867566288_13281.jpg) (the trail is actually ON the dam at one point). But you do get to pass through the old Blue Stone Quarry (http://www.parazz.com/hires/99604283333_13281.jpg) that the locals call The Chairs, I think (http://www.parazz.com/hires/42392063001_13281.jpg). It's a beautiful area, filled with a somewhat sad remembrance that men had once made a living here hauling this stone out of the mountains.

It was a good and worth-while hike, other than missing Jay H. Sorry dude, next time I'll ask EXACTLY where you are parking and meet you there.

[Jay H]

Cool, the Pecoy Notch trail is called "Dibble's Quarry".

Wow, I must have just missed you as I do remember packing up and leaving sometime around 8am. And if I called you at 8:30, I drove for about 5 minutes til I found good reception at Bloomer and Platte Clove Road.

I blame the mis-meeting saturday on my ti spork. I must of misplaced my Spork after spending a week paddling the Maine Island Trail with warren because friday night I noticed it was not in it's usual place with my stove and stuff. So I had to eat my ramen noodles with my pocketknife...

Anyway, saturday morning, I decided NOT to try to eat oatmeal with my pocketknife :eek: and just make some hot chocolate. I figured without Chip, I'm just going to go back down and grab a bite to eat in Phoenicia which is on the way to Claryville. So I probably saved a good 10 minutes of eating and cleaning and hence, missed Chip saturday morning.

As far as friday night, I really remember mentioning in my PMs that I was parking at Mink Hollow Road... Oh Well, at least you didn't get attacked and eaten by the nettles along the road there.. :) Hope you liked my Leanto journal entry, I don't get a chance to do that often and as you can see, I kind of got carried away.

In fact, while I was making dinner, a female hiker went by on the way north on the mink hollow trail. I thought it was you until I realized the he was a she and had long blond hair.... That was the only hiker I saw the entire weekend.

Jay

P.S. Your "decent Views Norteast" is of Kaaterskill High Peak on the right with RoundTop on the left. Round Top is on the hundred Highest but not the 3500' list...

[daLunartik]

I came to a Right-Turn trail marker that appeared to send me down a split rock cliff scramble .... At 7:30 I got to the Right Turn marker and realized it was a 160 degree right turn into a switch-back and not a 90 degree into the cliff scramble.

That spot is notorious for confusing hikers, even in daylight. I can imagine coming around that corner in the near dark, peering down the cliff face and not feeling too comfortable about going forward!

Sounds like you had a nice trip and a good introduction to the Devils Path. When you return for Indian Head and Twin, if it's a nice day it's worth the extra milage to ascend the eastern side of Indian Head - there's a great view of the Hudson Valley on the "chin" and another overlooking the Ashokan Resivior and Southern Catskills.

[Jay H]

What I've seen at switchbacks in various places, is instead of doing the "right turn" marker, I have seen that they use 2 markers right on top of each other in a vertical line. I don't know if that is the de facto approved mentiod but when I see that, I am now conditioned to look for a switchback....

Maybe the TC could be informed....

Jay

[chip]

That spot is notorious for confusing hikers, even in daylight. I can imagine coming around that corner in the near dark, peering down the cliff face and not feeling too comfortable about going forward!

Well I'm glad it's not just me ! :oops:

I took a picture of the intersection Saturday morning. (http://www.parazz.com/hires/21999986543_13281.jpg)

I'll admit here now (and I've already PM'd Jay this), my original description of the confusion friday night was not accurate. I just didn't feel like subjecting myself to the Monday Morning Quarterback's Inquisition at VFTT :oops: .

Okay, here's what really happened. I headed up Mink Hollow Trail at 5:45. At about 6:45 it's getting dark but I feel I'm close. I see a rock out-cropping and this great view ! Cool, that's Mink Hollow and Plateau, but the Hollow is still a ways off, so I keep heading south. In a few seconds I'm not seeing trail markers so I head back to the rock ledge out-cropping. I head east, no markers, back to the out-cropping (they CAN'T want me to scramble down there, it's full of brush, it's getting dark, where's the freaking trail...) Finally I realize that when I saw the view, I missed a hard-turn trail marker and that the trail doubled back on itself, so I head off again, feeling better. The trail rose a bit and then started to decend to the right then left and down more, just what I would expect. It's getting darker, but I'm seeing the markers so I'm fine, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, no Devil's Path intersection. I put on the head lamp. I keep thinking the trail and lean-to must be close, so I keep walking, 45 minutes...FINALLY a trail intersection ! I read the trail sign and it does not make sense. I read my map and re-read the sign several times. The only place in the Catskills this sign could be is 1/4 mile south of the Roaring Kill Trail Head that I had left 2 hours ago ! DOH ! I picked the wrong switchback and hiked right back to my truck ! FRIGG ! I stood there in disbelief, thought about hiking back up, but I still don't know how to get to the lean-to. Then there's the beer and 1/2 Pastrami Special grinder in the truck, so I decide Jay will have to forgive me ! Oh well, live and learn: Don't start too late on an unfamiliar trail and don't miss the markers for the view !

[daLunartik]

I'll admit here now (and I've already PM'd Jay this), my original description of the confusion friday night was not accurate. I just didn't feel like subjecting myself to the Monday Morning Quarterback's Inquisition at VFTT
Chip,

(now that I've wiped the tears from my eyes)If it makes you feel any better, I did pretty much the same thing on my first time there. I think I'd gotten about a tenth of mile before I realized I was seeing familiar territory. I'm sure it would have been difficult to recognize terrain features in the gloom of a twilight.

Even better, on a return trip a month later, we stopped at the view point for a snack after hiking Sugarloaf. I tell my hiking partner all about how I had gotten turned around the last time. Then we promptly backtracked down the wrong side of the switchback! As I think about it, we had also encountered a fellow just before the DP intersection, who was backpacking and had just doubled back from initial Trail Sign - so your definetly not the first one who's had that happen!

[mudhook]

Actually, I find its pretty easy to get "lost " on trails, I don't pay attention to where I'm going, and voila, where the hell am I now?
I looked last time I was at the outcropping and there is a nice camping spot about 100yds straight instead of turning down the trail.

[MattC]

Like DaLunartik, I've also took the wrong one, twice! Next time, no way!
The first time I was pretty green, and followed the trail back quite a ways.
The second time I had no excuse, but at least I caught my mistake quicker.
My theory is that you're looking for the trail to keep climbing-a careful look at the map does show the slight elevation loss. The trail switches back there because it immediately drops down below the lookout ledge, then continues to drop a little to the bridge crossing. So when at that switchback, just remember, "down and to the left"-just like the bullet in JFK. :rolleyes:

BTW, Chip, you could have just said you decided to head back because there was beer in the truck. Nobody would have asked any questions.

Matt

[chip]

BTW, Chip, you could have just said you decided to head back because there was beer in the truck. Nobody would have asked any questions.
Matt
Sure, but there's no self-deprecating humor there. :D

I'm certainly glad the rest of you have fessed-up. It's not an easy thing to admit, us all being mountain studs and all. But I did feel there was some humor and 1 or 2 lessons to be learned by sharing the REAL story. :tup:

[TFR]

Sure, but there's no self-deprecating humor there. :D

I'm certainly glad the rest of you have fessed-up. It's not an easy thing to admit, us all being mountain studs and all. But I did feel there was some humor and 1 or 2 lessons to be learned by sharing the REAL story. :tup:
Heck, I got lost on Giant in the middle of the day! :eek:

As you are going up from the huge parking lot across from Chapel Pond, there is a short stretch where the trail splits and rejoins. Nothing complicated. Well, coming up we were fine, but coming down, we were turned around by this little split. We thought we were heading down the wrong trail, and we went up and down and finally around the loop before we figured out what was going on!