2020-12-15: Kaaterskill High Peak

Known officially as just "High Peak", Kaaterskill HP is one of the most history-rich mountains in the Catskills. This 3654 foot mountain was once believed to be the range's tallest (it actually ranks 22nd) and was home to many hotels and attractions in the 19th century. The mountain featured prominently in paintings from the Hudson River School, and is perhaps the most easily recognizable of the Catskill peaks. Until Tuesday, it was also one of the range's only trailed High Peaks I hadn't hiked yet.

There are two main approaches to Kaaterskill's summit, and I took the south approach, which is the shortest. Starting at Platte Cove Road, the route covers a number of footpaths, snowmobile routes, and an unblazed herdpath to the summit over its nine-mile round-trip length. This is notably the coldest temperatures I've yet hiked in, around 15 F at the summit with a windchill approaching 0 F. Snow and ice along the trail didn't hamper my progress as much as I had feared.

Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera on this hike, so the images are all taken with my phone. I tried to balance out glare and color issues in some of them but they're still not as good as the camera pictures.

Snowy hemlock trees along the Long Path low on the mountain.

After approaching from the south, the Long Path circles around Kaaterskill to the north; spruce forest covers the bend.

Late morning sun glints off the bluish powdery coating of snow on High Peak's north slope.

The official Kaaterskill High Peak Trail encircles the summit, but an unofficial herd path actually climbs the mountain. This is the view up that path at their junction.

The herdpath climbed through many dangerous ice-encrusted areas, which would be beautiful waterfalls in warmer weather.

An overlook near the deciduous treeline provides the only northward view from Kaaterskill. The Blackhead Range is at the left, and Stoppel Point rises to the right.

Catskill High Peaks without official trails have canisters at their summits, placed by the Catskill 3500 Club, a local mountaineering group. I photographed this because the USGS summit marker was buried under snow, and I was unable to find it.

Snow carpets the dense spruce forest typical of high-elevation Catskill peaks.

A view south from Hurricane Ledge, a famous overlook just below the summit. Platte Cove, where I parked, is visible as a gorge at the left.

The Hudson River splits the southeast view from Hurricane Ledge, looking past Huckleberry Point (center).

A panorama from the upper overlook on Hurricane Ledge.

A view from the ledge's lower overlook. The peaks from left to right are Plattekill, Indian Head, and Twin.

A panorama from the second overlook at Hurricane Ledge. Part of Sugarloaf Mountain is visible to the right of Twin.

Snow clung to the thick understory of young spruce saplings.

Afternoon sun shines through hemlock trees and snow on descent.

The last glimpse of the mountains to the south before dropping back into the valley.