Mark Schaefer
10-14-2006, 03:35 AM
I started from the Platte Clove Preserve trailhead for the Long Path just after noon. The trail begins with a Plattekill Stream crossing on a king post replica bridge. This is followed by an interpretive trail identifying trees and historical artifacts. The trail is marked with green diamond shaped blazes. At the start of state land the blazes switch to blue DEC markers. The fall foliage was at peak along the lower elevation trails, but getting thin at the mountain summits. The views of the Kaaterskill HP, Roundtop, and Devil's Path mountains were all well past peak, mostly bare trees. Wednesday night's rain and wind took down many leaves.
This is the long, but by far the more interesting approach to the Overlook fire tower. Without side trips it is a 5.2 mile hike one way with a 1440' elevation gain. The side trips are what makes this interesting, and brought the hike up to 13 miles and 2460' elevation gain.
Codfish Point Quarry, 0.1 mile off the old Overlook Rd, has great views of the Hudson Valley and Overlook Mt. I stopped here on the way in and out as the light was considerably different midday and late afternoon, both nice in their own way. The side trail (yellow) is 0.6 miles southeast of the Devils Kitchen Lean-to at a point where the Overlook Rd makes a bend to the south and levels off after a gentle climb. There is no trail sign at the junction, but it is not hard to find. The quarry gnomes have been busy constructing several rock chairs for your resting and viewing pleasure. As I recall there were two chairs here in 2003, now there are seven, some of these are down the bluestone slag slope a ways.
Echo Lake (0.7 mile side trip, and 480' climb on the way out) in an interesting mountain cirque. I made an additional loop around the lake on unmarked paths. There is some nice color at the lake, but going past peak.
It was quite chilly and windy on the Overlook fire tower. I hiked down on the unmarked path which starts to the right of the ranger's cabin and follows the Overlook cliffs (which gave the mountain its name). This rejoins the trail just above the trail junction of the red and blue trails.
After hiking Overlook Mt I bushwhacked Plattekill Mt on the way out. There are nice views of Echo Lake and Overlook Mt from ledges at about 2800' just west of the ridge line on the way up. On the way down I aimed for the bluestone quarry on the north side of the mountain at about 2800'. I managed to hit this straight on (been here before). There is a nice view of the Bruderhof community (former NYC Police Camp), Roundtop, and Kaaterskill High Peak. From the quarry there is a well travelled old quarry road which intersects the trail just a few yards south of the Cod Fish Point spur trail. If you want to climb Plattekill, and are unfamiliar with the area, I would recommend bushwhacking Plattekill Mountain on the way to Overlook. That way you start on the easy-to-find quarry road, and it will optimize your chance of finding the quarry with its worthwhile views. From the quarry it is a straightforward whack up to the Plattekill summit.
There is also another quarry on the Long Path just north of the two Devil's Path junctions. Since this past August there has been a proliferation of quarry chairs here also. Got to love those industrious quarry gnomes. :)
This is the long, but by far the more interesting approach to the Overlook fire tower. Without side trips it is a 5.2 mile hike one way with a 1440' elevation gain. The side trips are what makes this interesting, and brought the hike up to 13 miles and 2460' elevation gain.
Codfish Point Quarry, 0.1 mile off the old Overlook Rd, has great views of the Hudson Valley and Overlook Mt. I stopped here on the way in and out as the light was considerably different midday and late afternoon, both nice in their own way. The side trail (yellow) is 0.6 miles southeast of the Devils Kitchen Lean-to at a point where the Overlook Rd makes a bend to the south and levels off after a gentle climb. There is no trail sign at the junction, but it is not hard to find. The quarry gnomes have been busy constructing several rock chairs for your resting and viewing pleasure. As I recall there were two chairs here in 2003, now there are seven, some of these are down the bluestone slag slope a ways.
Echo Lake (0.7 mile side trip, and 480' climb on the way out) in an interesting mountain cirque. I made an additional loop around the lake on unmarked paths. There is some nice color at the lake, but going past peak.
It was quite chilly and windy on the Overlook fire tower. I hiked down on the unmarked path which starts to the right of the ranger's cabin and follows the Overlook cliffs (which gave the mountain its name). This rejoins the trail just above the trail junction of the red and blue trails.
After hiking Overlook Mt I bushwhacked Plattekill Mt on the way out. There are nice views of Echo Lake and Overlook Mt from ledges at about 2800' just west of the ridge line on the way up. On the way down I aimed for the bluestone quarry on the north side of the mountain at about 2800'. I managed to hit this straight on (been here before). There is a nice view of the Bruderhof community (former NYC Police Camp), Roundtop, and Kaaterskill High Peak. From the quarry there is a well travelled old quarry road which intersects the trail just a few yards south of the Cod Fish Point spur trail. If you want to climb Plattekill, and are unfamiliar with the area, I would recommend bushwhacking Plattekill Mountain on the way to Overlook. That way you start on the easy-to-find quarry road, and it will optimize your chance of finding the quarry with its worthwhile views. From the quarry it is a straightforward whack up to the Plattekill summit.
There is also another quarry on the Long Path just north of the two Devil's Path junctions. Since this past August there has been a proliferation of quarry chairs here also. Got to love those industrious quarry gnomes. :)