Plattekill & Indian Head

imarchant · 05-22-2010, 10:25 PM

My return to the Catskills after a 1-1/2 year break to complete the ADK 46. I didn't intend to not hike for this long in the Catskills, but the few times I planned a high to a peak fell through.

I started from the Prediger Rd trailhead about 7:45. One other person had signed in before me. I took the Devil's path, then the Overlook Trail to Codfish Point. For some reason I had never taken the short side trail to the view point.

The view were hazy, but still good. i then continued up the old road towards the old blue stone quarries. After the second quarry the rood disappeared and I took a bearing to the summit. It a short while I was near what appeared to be the summit. a clearing with 3 large boulders and a partial view to the east. I wandered around to see if there were any higher spots, I found a small cairn nearby. I continued on a few hundred feet to where my GPS said the summit was. There was a clearing there, but it seamed lower than the other two spots.

From there i took a bearing to the col between Plattekill and IH. The going was easy with only a few steep sections. the col was a 1/2 mile from the summit. from the col I keept the same bearing and continued the steep, side-hilling climb. The navigation was not difficult, though there was some blowdown and cliffy areas to work around. The footing was difficult in some spots, and a took one tumble. the bearing I was on planned to bring me to the trail near Sherman's Lookout.

A I reached a particularly difficult cliff and soon noticed several bottles and candy wrappers on the ground. I surmised I must be below the lookout. I continued to find a way around the cliffs, low and behold, I came upon the trail. From here i continued on the trail across Indian Head to Jimmy Dolan Notch and back to the Car.

Nettles are starting to grow, about ankle high. Prickers are about knee high. Bugs were out and biting ,until I applied repellent. Trip Length about 8 miles, 6 Hours, 2,220 Elevation gain

pictures

the_swede · 05-22-2010, 10:33 PM

Very cool. That spruce-fir grove at the top of Plattekill seems like the kind of place Rip Van Winkle would have fallen asleep. Did you explore the ledges overlooking Echo Lake and Overlook Mountain?

billandjudy · 05-22-2010, 11:35 PM

Nice Ian..That's the biggest blueberry I've ever seen

Dick · 05-23-2010, 05:58 AM

Hi Ian,

We climbed Plattekill as well on the same day, and summited just a few minutes before noon. What time were you up there?

Dick

imarchant · 05-23-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick

Hi Ian,

We climbed Plattekill as well on the same day, and summited just a few minutes before noon. What time were you up there?

Dick

I was there about 9:30. I was on my final approach to Indian Head at the time you were on Plattekill. I summited IH a few minutes after 12.

rockysummit · 05-24-2010, 07:45 AM

Hey Ian nice report and pics. If you headed down hill a bit towards Overlook you come to some real nice views down to the lake and across to Overlook and beyond. Glad to see your back in the Cats!
-Tony

TFR · 05-24-2010, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockysummit

Glad to see your back in the Cats!

Glad to see your front as well!

rockysummit · 05-24-2010, 10:40 PM

Oh behave!!!

05-22-2010, 10:25 PM	#1
imarchant Consultant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Avatar: ADK 46 Finish on Big Slide Posts: 366	Plattekill & Indian Head My return to the Catskills after a 1-1/2 year break to complete the ADK 46. I didn't intend to not hike for this long in the Catskills, but the few times I planned a high to a peak fell through. I started from the Prediger Rd trailhead about 7:45. One other person had signed in before me. I took the Devil's path, then the Overlook Trail to Codfish Point. For some reason I had never taken the short side trail to the view point. The view were hazy, but still good. i then continued up the old road towards the old blue stone quarries. After the second quarry the rood disappeared and I took a bearing to the summit. It a short while I was near what appeared to be the summit. a clearing with 3 large boulders and a partial view to the east. I wandered around to see if there were any higher spots, I found a small cairn nearby. I continued on a few hundred feet to where my GPS said the summit was. There was a clearing there, but it seamed lower than the other two spots. From there i took a bearing to the col between Plattekill and IH. The going was easy with only a few steep sections. the col was a 1/2 mile from the summit. from the col I keept the same bearing and continued the steep, side-hilling climb. The navigation was not difficult, though there was some blowdown and cliffy areas to work around. The footing was difficult in some spots, and a took one tumble. the bearing I was on planned to bring me to the trail near Sherman's Lookout. A I reached a particularly difficult cliff and soon noticed several bottles and candy wrappers on the ground. I surmised I must be below the lookout. I continued to find a way around the cliffs, low and behold, I came upon the trail. From here i continued on the trail across Indian Head to Jimmy Dolan Notch and back to the Car. Nettles are starting to grow, about ankle high. Prickers are about knee high. Bugs were out and biting ,until I applied repellent. Trip Length about 8 miles, 6 Hours, 2,220 Elevation gain pictures __________________ I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. - E. B. White

05-22-2010, 10:33 PM	#2
the_swede Swedeboy McGee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dirty Jersey Posts: 773	Very cool. That spruce-fir grove at the top of Plattekill seems like the kind of place Rip Van Winkle would have fallen asleep. Did you explore the ledges overlooking Echo Lake and Overlook Mountain? __________________ "In a long ramble of the kind on a fine autumnal day, Rip had unconsciously scrambled to one of the highest parts of the Kaatskill Mountains. ... From an opening between the trees he could overlook all the lower country for many a mile of rich woodland. He saw at a distance the lordly Hudson, far, far below him, moving on its silent but majestic course, with the reflection of a purple cloud, or the sail of a lagging bark, here and there sleeping on its glassy bosom, and at last losing itself in the blue highlands." —Washington Irving New Jersey 1K Club My Climb List Catskill 35: 39/39 (finished 3/7/2010) Catskill HH: 60/102 ADK 46: 20/47 NE 67: 17/67 NJ 1K: 52/52 (finished 1/10/2010)

05-23-2010, 05:58 AM	#4
Dick Elder Statesman Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Voorheesville NY Posts: 1,619	Hi Ian, We climbed Plattekill as well on the same day, and summited just a few minutes before noon. What time were you up there? Dick __________________ "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while care will drop off like autumn leaves." John Muir

05-24-2010, 07:45 AM	#6
rockysummit Commander Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NJ and Delaware Cty.NY Posts: 1,552	Hey Ian nice report and pics. If you headed down hill a bit towards Overlook you come to some real nice views down to the lake and across to Overlook and beyond. Glad to see your back in the Cats! -Tony __________________ And because of all their tears Their eyes can't hope to see The beauty that surrounds them Isn't it a pity -George Harrison

05-24-2010, 10:40 PM	#8
rockysummit Commander Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NJ and Delaware Cty.NY Posts: 1,552	Oh behave!!! __________________ And because of all their tears Their eyes can't hope to see The beauty that surrounds them Isn't it a pity -George Harrison

05-22-2010, 11:35 PM	#3
billandjudy Jimmy Dolan Notch Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 4,020	Nice Ian..That's the biggest blueberry I've ever seen

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