05-22-2019: South Mountain

Alternating days of heat, rain, and wind has kept me inside far more than I anticipated this past week. After an attempt to bushwhack my way to the top of Kaaterskill High Peak over the weekend proved unsuccessful, I wasn't able to get out much. Yesterday, however, I found some time in the late afternoon to climb South Mountain in Conesville, NY. A number of dilapidated shale roads climb nearly to the top of the mountain, and while I was there I decided to go the extra few hundred feet to the summit. An old quarry below the summit offered spectacular views, as did the shrub-lined trails that run through South Mountain State Forest.

Young trees along CCC Road. This area was once a spruce plantation that was harvested relatively recently.

View west from the top of the old quarry along CCC Road. Bald Hill, Mine Hill, and Mount Jefferson are at the left.

A view to the northwest shows much of Schoharie County, including the Blenheim Reservoir above center.

The fire tower atop Leonard Mountain is visible here from seven miles away.

A view farther west, over the limb of Ashland Pinnacle. From left to right: Mount Utsayantha, Bald Hill, Mine Hill.

A view to the north shows the northern Schoharie Highlands fading into the horizon.

To the northwest, High Knob and its surrounding ridge dominate the view.

Looking southwest, Bearpen Mountain appears right of center over Ashland Pinnacle's flank.

Another shot to the west, showing peaks as far east as Woodchuck Hill.

A shot of the landscape looking more to the northwest. The scale of it all was tremendous.

A closer look at Mount Utsayantha, with the towers at its summit visible.

Zooming into the valley gave an almost fake look to the land below, such as this field along Bush Road in Conesville.

Both Vly (L) and Bearpen (R) Mountains are prominent looking to the southwest.

A stripped dead spruce tree stands guard over its children, splitting the view of the hills to the north.

Spring forest at the summit of South Mountain. The mountain has no formal trails to the summit, and I ended up there sort of accidentally.

Trees and a view along CCC Road, just below the col between South Mountain and Richmond Mountain, its northeastern neighbor.

Leonard and Hubbard Hills are prominent in this shot from along the road.

Clouds moved in just as I left, giving some very oblique lighting to the valley below.