Kaaterskill High Peak 2-17-07

[hermit]

I started off from the Devil's Kitchen area on the Long Path snowmobile trail.I had to break trail with a little over a foot of snow. The snow amounts built the further up I went. I was getting a good workout.When I reached the Hurricane Ridge,I encountered some snow mobile tracks that passed the blue herd path. The blue herd path was not broken out either,and was not the easiest to follow,so I just went for the top.I did get into some high drifts in the ledges and some thick spruce. Some drifts in the ledges were 3 or 4 'deep,so I took a little bit more energy and time and soon I was at the summit.I decided to take the trail back down to Hurricane Ridge,where I heard more snowmobiles.Now the trail is broken to the base.My tracks coming off the mtn. are the ones to follow,the ones going up head into some serious ledges and deep powder.I was by myself so I really did not care how I got up there. If Maddy was with me she would not be too happy,:eek: but I like to explore.399/420

[Doodles]

Nice trip. Sounds like we finally got some real snow here in the Cats. You are really closing in on 420. Great job.

We are heading up to the Wildcats tomorrow. Never thought it would take this late in the season to break out the snowshoes.

George

[rockysummit]

Hey ralph nice job. That route up the blue marked trail must be a riot, especially if there's ice underneath.
-Tony

[mudhook]

I was floundering around in the snow up there a couple years ago, unable to find the north side trail, when I found a real nice little chute up thru the ledges on the N east side, which sometimes goes right by the upper wreck, and sometimes doesn't. You never know what you'll find exploring. Looked like a nice day to be out.

[hermit]

Hey Rocky Summit,
Welcome back from Alaska. The northern trail did
have some ice underneath that did send me quickly down the mtn. in a semi controlled fashion.There is some exposed rock in between some ice chutes which have powder snow covering them.The grid is finished for Feb.,so I will be skiing when ever I can the rest of the month. I would like to climb Friday and Balsam Cap for Nicole's finish if I can.There are very few deer tracks ,but I did take a picture of a very large dog track,which I will down load later.I doubt that it was a domestic breed because there were no other human tracks and it was way up in.

[AndrewS]

When I got to the Mill Brook Rd trailhead for Balsam Lake Mt at 9:30 Saturday, the trail was already more than well broken out. Sounds like I should have opted for Kaaterskill instead for a better chance of untracked snow.

But post hike cross country skiing at Belleayre was one of the reasons I was over that way. It was good skiing, except for the parking lot being jammed because the regular lots for downhill were full.

Andrew