Table and Peekamoose Mountains with a post hike swim
An easy to moderate out and back covering 2 Catskills 3500 peaks. Afterwards, take a dip in the ice cold waters of the Peekamoose Blue Hole.
Parking: 41.914922,-74.429044 Peekamoose Trailhead parking. There are 3 other lots after this one, but this is the one in which the trail begins.
Miles: 9.5
Hours: 5-6
What I took:
Begin climbing from the parking lot on the Blue Peekamoose Table Trail. After 10 minutes the register appears. Continue on the moderate ascent for another few minutes before the trail levels off a bit, then begins to rise gently. There are very few steep sections. After 3 miles there is a really nice view point, just above 3500'.
We had not stopped until we reached this view, making great time. The summit of Peekamoose Mountain (3,843') is .9 miles away and a few hundred feet higher. The ascent is relatively easy with short steeper spots. The high point is not marked, but there is an unmarked trail that leads to another fantastic view to the right. The actual summit is past this lookout. There is a small clearing with a large boulder just beyond the lookout trail.
Table Mountain (3,847') is also .9 miles from Peekamoose. The distance and terrain are easy along the way. Based on my semi-accurate altimeter (and more accurate phone GPS), the summit is marked on a left turn with a cairn. Shortly after this cairn there is another clearing and unmarked trail that leads to a view point on the left. Further down this trail is the Bouston Memorial lean-to. Continuing this way links you up with Phoenicia East Branch Trail that leads to the Burroughs Range (Slide, Wittenberg, Cornell). We took another break at this lookout before turning around the way we came.
The return trip was much easier and faster. I don't think we took any breaks on the way back. We completed this hike is 4 hours 45 minutes. Pretty good timing I think.
Just down the road to the north of the parking lot is the Peekamoose Blue Hole. A well known swimming hole, this deep pool fed by the rushing Roundout Creak can be a day all by itself. The pool is deep enough to dive and jump off the rocks; it gets shallow enough to relax and cool off without swimming much. I was warned the water was ice cold, and it certainly was. My heart rate exploded as soon as I jumped in. The cold totally sapped my lungs and I felt like I had just run for miles. Now I know what they mean when they say that cold water kills. I swam around a bit trying to get warm then got out. There were a lot of people there as was expected so I didn't stay long. It was a refreshing dip. I will definitely come back to this spot next summer.
Parking: 41.914922,-74.429044 Peekamoose Trailhead parking. There are 3 other lots after this one, but this is the one in which the trail begins.
Miles: 9.5
Hours: 5-6
What I took:
- daypack
- 3L of water
- lunch, snacks
- first aid
- tape
- knife
- bug repellent
- compass
- map - New York New Jersey Trail Conference #143
- hiking boots or trail running shoes
- NO COTTON - Why no cotton? Cotton is a thicker material and isn't as breathable as synthetic materials. Once it's wet, it becomes heavier and takes longer to dry.
Begin climbing from the parking lot on the Blue Peekamoose Table Trail. After 10 minutes the register appears. Continue on the moderate ascent for another few minutes before the trail levels off a bit, then begins to rise gently. There are very few steep sections. After 3 miles there is a really nice view point, just above 3500'.
We had not stopped until we reached this view, making great time. The summit of Peekamoose Mountain (3,843') is .9 miles away and a few hundred feet higher. The ascent is relatively easy with short steeper spots. The high point is not marked, but there is an unmarked trail that leads to another fantastic view to the right. The actual summit is past this lookout. There is a small clearing with a large boulder just beyond the lookout trail.
Table Mountain (3,847') is also .9 miles from Peekamoose. The distance and terrain are easy along the way. Based on my semi-accurate altimeter (and more accurate phone GPS), the summit is marked on a left turn with a cairn. Shortly after this cairn there is another clearing and unmarked trail that leads to a view point on the left. Further down this trail is the Bouston Memorial lean-to. Continuing this way links you up with Phoenicia East Branch Trail that leads to the Burroughs Range (Slide, Wittenberg, Cornell). We took another break at this lookout before turning around the way we came.
The return trip was much easier and faster. I don't think we took any breaks on the way back. We completed this hike is 4 hours 45 minutes. Pretty good timing I think.
Just down the road to the north of the parking lot is the Peekamoose Blue Hole. A well known swimming hole, this deep pool fed by the rushing Roundout Creak can be a day all by itself. The pool is deep enough to dive and jump off the rocks; it gets shallow enough to relax and cool off without swimming much. I was warned the water was ice cold, and it certainly was. My heart rate exploded as soon as I jumped in. The cold totally sapped my lungs and I felt like I had just run for miles. Now I know what they mean when they say that cold water kills. I swam around a bit trying to get warm then got out. There were a lot of people there as was expected so I didn't stay long. It was a refreshing dip. I will definitely come back to this spot next summer.
Comments
Post a Comment