I took the long route on this round-trip hike covering 2 peaks, 12 miles and over 3,500' of elevation gain.
Parking: 42.284039, -74.461473 Heisinger Rd, Prattsville, NY 12468, USA
Miles: 11.5-12
Hours: 5-8
Parking: 42.284039, -74.461473 Heisinger Rd, Prattsville, NY 12468, USA
Miles: 11.5-12
Hours: 5-8
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| This is the snowmobile entrance; you can sneak through the gate
Gear:
This hike was done after I completed Rusk Mountain, so it was the 2nd hike of a day that saw over 5,000' of elevation gain. I finished just before sunset, only because I was hauling ass and I didn't take any photos after I bagged Bearpen. I should've started Rusk earlier, but sleep is my friend =)
A few weeks ago I had wanted to trek to these 2 peaks via the southern trail access, but I was unsure of parking since there were no other hikers out that day (private property and snowplow turnaround). I would later discover that you are permitted to park on the side of the road just before the plow turnaround on County Route 3, Fleischmanns, NY. The southern approach is the shorter round-trip hike.
This northern trailhead begins with a 2 mile climb on an old woods road. It is not difficult at all except that it is persistent and does not offer any level sections. As I inched higher and higher the wind howled louder and louder. Snow that was just a coating on the sides of the trail began to cover everything. Ice appeared on the rocky path as I passed 3,000' above sea level. I move quickly so it took me just under an hour to reach the peak of Bearpen Mountain at 3,600'. There was a nice view of the cloud cover; a few hundred yards to the west there was another viewpoint. At both of these locations there were old rusted out skeletons of trucks; the remnants of automobile's not able to make it back down the mountain. I reckon they're over 40 years old.         At this point it was almost 1 pm; only 3 hours and 40 minutes of daylight remaining. To top it off it was cloudy and overcast so there wasn't much light to begin with. Temperatures were in the mid 20's and with the wind gusting 30-40 mph it felt like it was in the single digits. I quickly ate my lunch and begin moving swiftly. Making the time crunch more challenging was the terrain. From the summit the trail would descent almost 1,000'. Along the way it was intermittently muddy and rocky with frozen pools of wet earth dead center of the path. Two of the steep slopes where lined with rocks and water runoff from small streams, rainwater and melting snow or ice. The gaiters really came in handy, keeping the wet out of my boots. About 2-2.5 miles from Bearpen at an elevation of 2,700', there was a private hunter's cabin. This marked an intersection of unmarked paths and roads. Referencing my map and GPS, I made a left at the intersection just past the cabin and began to look for a trail or depressed section of ground on my right. This would be the bushwhack to Vly Mountain. To my pleasant surprise the trail was lined with large blue blazes. Since this wilderness lies outside of Catskill Park, it is maintained by a different group of volunteers. Thankfully for me they decided to mark this trail. Following the trail markers I noticed footprints in the snow. Someone had been out here before more, likely the same day. I proceeded with speed as best I could. I hadn't taken a break since lunch and the trail began to rise steeply and with unsure footing. At around 3,000' the terrain leveled off, a welcome site for me at this point in the day. For a few hundred yards I was able to catch my breath and give my legs a break. Within minutes I arrived at the base of my final 500 foot climb. It was steeper than the previous climb from the cabin intersection. Man up! I proceeded up the face of the mountain slowly but at a constant and unwavering pace. Without stopping I pounded the proverbial pavement until I spotted the summit register. What a relief! I reached the peak at 2:21 pm (and I was right; two people had bagged this peak earlier in the day). Only a little more than 2 hours of daylight remaining.  I had to backtrack and hit Bearpen again. I knew that once I got there it would take me less than hour to reach my car. The hard part would be those wet rocky sections of trail I encountered on my way down. I took solace in the level sections of trail that awaited. After a quick snack I pressed on and moved fast down Vly's steep western slope. Nearly reaching the level section at 3,000', I slipped and fell backwards. In the process my left arm flailed up and I caught my trekking pole with my nose. Great! The last thing I needed with sunset approaching was a bloody injury. I paused for a few moments, tilting my head back to make sure my nose wasn't bleeding. When I was sure I was in the clear I traveled on with great haste. It was 3:40 by the time I reached Bearpen Mountain once again. I exhaled some of my worry. I had felt the onset of cramps in both my quadriceps and began to fall weak on the way. I was starving! Never before had I scarfed down 2 heavy protein bars consecutively and gorged about 3/4 of a liter of water. Full and energized I made my way down the woods road from which I began my trek. I reflected on my day and the accomplishments made. Three Catskill 35's, 2 trailheads and over 5,000' of elevation gain. One of my hardest days, and done with single digit wind chills. Not too shabby! That makes 23 climbs out of the required 39 for the Catskill 3500 Club. When I started these peak I hadn't planned on reaching all 35; I was doing it because the Adirondack's were too far and Harriman began to bore me. Now that I am within striking distance and live within a 2 hour drive, I certainly planned on finishing what I started. |
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