lonely, foggy, Halcott

[mudhook]

Hiked to Halcott Mt. this afternoon from the Rt. 42 parking area used to acsess Sherril and North Dome, not the traditional lot up the rd . I was hoping to avoid the nettles, which I did for the most part. This is a longer route which basically follows the SE ridge right to the cannister. There are alot of old growth trees along this BW, great towering oaks, maples, ash,and cherry, but lacks the ancient hemlocks of the traditional route. Instead of neetles, the ground was covered with some low viney thing, much like a morning glory vine. A PItA but much nicer than the other. It was very foggy, about 100' visibility,compass was always in hand . I was surprised to see that 48 people had signed the log since 5/6/06, 3 of them repeaters, myself one, so only 41 really,on about 20 seperate trips. Hows that for solitude on a 3500 peak?
This would be a good route with about 2 feet of snow, can't wait.
Again,no bears. If I'm not careful I'm going to walk off a ledge while looking up into all the cherry trees.

[Peakbagr]

If I hadn't come down with a head cold, Dick and I may have run into you up there.

[MattC]

I've never done that route up Halcott. Doing that along w/ ND and Sherril was a possibility last weekend, but I opted for that Rusk-West Kill loop instead. Did you ever find any view going that way? The TC map has a lookout marked somewhere on that side.

Matt

Hey Mudhook,
Still no Bears? I even saw one while I was riding the chair lift yesterday at Hunter Mtn.I was at the micro brewery- wine fest.And I wasn't seeing things either my friends son who was riding up with me and others saw it too.I will have to try that rt.you mentioned,I will be climbing Hallcott in Oct.The traditional rt.has those viney type plants and nettles and picker bushes.On Hunter yesterday,the bear was not too far off from where people were coming down off the mtn. on mtn. bikes,he did not seem to care.He was probably eating berries off the side of the trail.Hey Matt,you want to join me in Oct.?I was looking at my grid,and I have climbed Hallcott 6 x this year ,and I haven't seen any bears up there either.Thank's for the report Jim,I will take your rt.next time,maybe in the beginning of Oct.

[mudhook]

Matt, no views, I was going to look for that view point but the fog was just too thick.
Ralph, across the rd from the Sherrill acesss is a State forrest sign, private property to the left. I started there. While I was hiking , my son saw a small bear just down the road from our house and there was a Great Blue Heron,8 turkeys, and a couple deer in the yard when I got home.

[Deb]

Originally Posted by hermit

Hey Mudhook,
Still no Bears? I even saw one riding the chair lift yesterday at Hunter Mtn.I was at the micro brewery- wine fest.And I wasn't seeing things either...

Unlikely, but OK I believe you.

[Deb]

Just kidding Hermit!
You have to admit it's a great image...

Amen,
Happy hiking!

[mudhook]

Originally Posted by hermit

Deb,If you knew me,and knew who I was there would be no question in your mind at all about what I say I saw.Others who know me personally from this site and VFTT will vouch for me on that.

True, I've met you a couple of times and I believe you! There were no bears on BP or Vly this afternoon, but Rockysummit showed me a picture of one he saw sliding on Slide last weekend. I could also see the claw marks and broken branches on the cherry trees on Vly. I'm getting closer.

[rockysummit]

Hey Jim if it doesn't happen this fall, maybe we can follow some tracks in the snow right up and into a den...yeah, that oughta do it!

[MattC]

Originally Posted by hermit

Still no Bears? I even saw one riding the chair lift yesterday at Hunter Mtn.

I think Deb may have been asking simply because of the wording of that sentence. One could read it as either:

1) You were on the chair lift and saw a bear on the ground, or

2) You were on the ground and saw a bear riding the chairlift!

I assume it was the former. If it was in fact the later, my next question would be, did the Hunter Mt. people make the bear buy a ticket?!

Either way, Ralph, you certainly have had a lot of bear sightings this year-closest I've come was seeing the scat of the one you saw on Vly, right around the same elevation you had mentioned. I still think you should start a "Bears of the Catskills" photo album, or maybe a calendar. Of course, if it was a calendar, it might be a little hard to get the pics from the winter months!

I probably won't get up Halcott again until next spring or summer, since I'm working on the four season thing and have already climbed it in the autumn. Maybe we can hook up on something else though. Some time this fall I'd like to climb Balsam Lake and Graham from the south side-I have a route in mind.
Some others possibilities for fall are Sugarloaf, Kaaterskill High Peak, Balsam/Eagle, and Wittenberg/Cornell (maybe from Moonhaw). Any of those on your agenda for October? I'll probably do several Catskill dayhikes in October, and maybe one backpack as well.

Matt

Hey Matt,
I will e-mail you my list of what I have left to do on the grid to finish up on 6-2007.The bear was quite aways off moving up from where the bikers were.It did sound kind of funny.I edited my first post,sorry Deb your are right. I need to lighten up some.

[mudhook]

First, I assumed the bear was riding the chair,
Second,Matt, I did an interesting trip up Graham and BLMt. from the south last spring, (I think). RS and I plan on doing it again in Oct. when the leaves turn.There are some great views on this route. The down side is there are hunting camps in the area and if they are bow hunters ,they will be there after mid oct.

[MattC]

Originally Posted by mudhook

First, I assumed the bear was riding the chair,
Second,Matt, I did an interesting trip up Graham and BLMt. from the south last spring, (I think). RS and I plan on doing it again in Oct. when the leaves turn.There are some great views on this route. The down side is there are hunting camps in the area and if they are bow hunters ,they will be there after mid oct.

Okay, chairlift-riding bears aside, here's what I had in mind for Graham/BLM-
take the Neversink-Hardenburgh Trail for 2 or 3 miles or so and 'whack up Graham using a bearing based off of one of the landmarks-a stream crossing or bridge probably. I am interested in this route as much to check out the headwaters of the Beaver Kill as to climb the peaks. It would be nice to go past Tunis Pond if possible. After summiting Graham, just take the herd path back, the trail up to the fire tower and back down. If you guys are interested, October would be ideal for me. Not this weekend, but either of the two weekends after that would be fine for me. I have the three-day weekend for Columbus Day and plan to spend most or all of it in the hills.

Matt

[mudhook]

Originally Posted by MattC

Okay, chairlift-riding bears aside, here's what I had in mind for Graham/BLM-
take the Neversink-Hardenburgh Trail for 2 or 3 miles or so and 'whack up Graham using a bearing based off of one of the landmarks-a stream crossing or bridge probably. I am interested in this route as much to check out the headwaters of the Beaver Kill as to climb the peaks. It would be nice to go past Tunis Pond if possible. After summiting Graham, just take the herd path back, the trail up to the fire tower and back down. If you guys are interested, October would be ideal for me. Not this weekend, but either of the two weekends after that would be fine for me. I have the three-day weekend for Columbus Day and plan to spend most or all of it in the hills.

Matt

Sounds good to me. The trip past Tunis pond ( well worth visiting)would be different than my route thru the gulf of mexico and would avoid all private properties. this also puts DT in range if exploring the upper beaverkill. That long of a hike, 10-14, would have to be a sunday one for me right now.

[MattC]

I wouldn't have any great desire to climb Doubletop. It would be nice to see Tunis Pond though. According to Peter Kick's trail guide, Tunis was one of the last of the Delaware, and he lived on this pond. Going this route is a bit more walking before leaving the trail, but it looks like it would result in a pretty direct line most of the way to Graham. I could do Saturday or Sunday, whatever works for you guys. I reserve the right to chicken out if the weather is bad. Otherwise, I look forward to it. Hopefully the colors will be happening by then. Colors, man...

Matt

[rockysummit]

That sunday sounds like a plan. Colors are usually peak by that weekend (if the caterpillars didn't do too much damage).

[Jay H]

If it's NOT columbus day weekend, I might be up for this too.

I have plans to go to the ADKs that weekend as I'm off the friday but NOT columbus day. Arm is finishing his 46 and I am trying to go up, do Marshall on Friday and then do perhaps Basin and Saddleback for Arm's finish. Funkyfred might come along too...

Jay

[mudhook]

The Tunis loop works anytime as its farther from camps and its not real bow hunting terrain so should be OK. The leaves so far are kind of :p , falling off,little color, brownish, Catapillar stress maybe? Theres lot more to come.

[Laurie Rankin]

Not sure what trail you guys took from Halcott to Balsam Lake and Graham........but I just had to chime in and say that Tunis Pond is a gem that should never be bypassed, though part of it's beauty may be that it is often overlooked. One can access it in somewhat less than 500 yards from the trail if you know where to go. As you lunch on the shores on a clear day, you look right up at the Balsam Lake fire tower and may even be fortunate enough to see a pair of otters play ( I was so lucky that I even got to hear some chatter as well). Back to the trail and instead of crossing the Beaverkill, stay with it to the col between Graham and Doubletop passing some lovely beaver ponds, or take a side trip to an anti-rent war cave (coffee can there to sign in last time I was there).

Perhaps instead of summiting Balsam Lake you might descend along the Gulf of Mexico as Mudhook was thinking of? Make the loop in any way you choose, back to your car. A great place to explore and enjoy on a fall day!