Westkill - 10/28/07

[mountainmeijin]

I started this hike from the southern end of Diamond Notch at 9:05 am. Apparently the end of daylight savings time was pushed back this year so my watch read 8:05 from me prematurely resetting it.

It was crisp and clear this morning. Finally feels like this time of year should. The trees seems roughly a week to a week and a half behind where they were last year. The old road through Diamond Notch makes for a nice moderate beginning, particularly with the roaring Hollow Tree Brook nearby. Diamond Notch itself is still as spooky as ever. The deep, narrow notch, the steep walls, the sharp drop-off just next to the narrow trail, the rocky slide on the eastern wall, the rugged cliffs complete with twisted trees on the western wall, that one lonely boulder and tree just south of the height of land, and that southern viewpoint the shows not the slightest hint of humanity or civilization anywhere, with the Burroughs Range standing massive in the background, all combine to make Diamond Notch a veritable fantasy landscape.

The notch itself acts like a wind tunnel, channeling the breeze in odd directions, so that a whipping wind was blowing, oddly enough, from the northeast rim of the notch, as if Leavitt was try to push you back. I was worried that the winds would be whipping atop Westkill.

I soon reached Diamond Notch falls, having hiked down what was now a rocky brook more than a trail. The falls were flowing heavily after the rain yesterday, kicking up mist as they hit the pool below, something I've not seen them do before. I started towards Westkill on the Devil's Path.

The hike up Westkill is easier than the trail guides make it out to be. It alternates between steep and moderate grades most of the way up to the main ridge, and is really a straightforward ascent. The mossy ledges in the upper reaches of the trail were showing tiny icicles, the first I've seen in the Catskills this fall. I soon hit the ridge, from which point it was a pleasant stroll up Westkill's eastern summit, down into a shallow col, then onto the true summit.

I tagged the summit first, then headed back down for some relaxation at the Lookout. I rate this as the second best view in the Catskills, behind Wittenberg. Twin's southern summit is a close third. I looked at my watch and noticed that it was only 11:45 (the watch read 10:45), amazed that I had averaged almost two miles an hour considering the many picture-taking breaks I took. I thought that I would definitely have time to visit St. Anne's Peak, but decided that Westkill was good enough for me today. Around 12:30 I was started by a sharp, loud rumbling sound from the east. My immediate reaction was that the Leavitt slide must be acting up again. I hoped that a rock slide hadn't made the trail impossible.

Taking a long rest at the Lookout, I started my descent at 1:30. When I got back to Diamond Notch, I found no sign that the slide had moved, but I did find an enormous freshly fallen tree. It was big, but I doubted that it could make that much noise to be heard all the way on top of Westkill. So it remains a bit of a conundrum.

At the height of land at Diamond Notch, I noticed white particles drifting through the air. I looked at the darker clouds that had rolled in and realized I was witnessing the first snowflakes this season. They were few and far between, and would melt instantly on the ground, but still brought some bright-eyes winter fantasies into my head for the rest of the hike down.

I was back at my car by 4:05 (3:05 by the watch). Wonderful hike today.

Additionally, I found a nice-looking pair of sunglasses along the trail between the false and true summits on Westkill. Anybody lose sunglasses there recently?

Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/561211321BLrCZP
Sadly my camera refuses to take good pictures of moving water...

[Mark Schaefer]

Nice report and photos. I also like Diamond Notch. It seems like something out of Middle Earth. I half expect to meet a Hobbit, Elf, Ent, Troll, or some such being. The gnarly trees are sure twisted. It is perhaps spookier than the spooky forest on Windham HP.

I have often done a loop of Hunter after starting from the southern trailhead. However, it has been a few years since I have done that. Was there much problem driving the last part of the road to the trailhead parking area?

[mountainmeijin]

Well, I'm a bit more cautious now since I had a whole new exhaust put on my car back in February. I have no doubt I could have driven in with my Nissan but I might have scraped my tailpipe in a few places.

The property owner was out and about and he gave me permission to park on his land, right before the rough part of the road. Most of the road isn't bad, but there are a few big rocks poking up that might give pause to someone with a low car.

[Mark Schaefer]

I have made it into the trailhead parking area once (maybe twice) with a car, but it seems that the land owner has been outside most of the times I have hiked there. So I have usually just asked for permission to park, and he has always been very accommodating. It is a rough drive in, and I wish they would improve the road a bit, or establish a parking area further out. I do like that trail.

[mountainmeijin]

All it really needs is a few of the bigger rocks broken up or removed. If the state gave me $50 I'd be happy to go in there with a sledgehammer and bust them up.

[Jay H]

I've driven up to the true trailhead before in winter and in summer but then I have a Subaru with pretty good clearance (8.5")... I've also parked at the turnaround by the house there without a problem...

Jay