News & Culture
Catskills hiking news, hiking product reviews, hiking tips, trail info, best practices, product reviews, history, culture, flora, fauna…
Bramley Mountain Fire Tower (Kaatscast)
At Bramley Mountain, in the western Catskills, the fire tower was dismantled in the 1970s, but a local family has been keeping it safe in a nearby barn…
Solar Eclipse 2021
Nothing beats watching the sun come up from a mountain summit — except maybe walking into the woods in the dead of night, alone, to catch an eclipse.
Death at Kaaterskill Falls
A young man from Yonkers went missing. After several days, his body was recovered from the base of the falls.
Proposed Hydroelectric Plant at Ashokan Reservoir Raises Concerns
Officials are urging local residents to participate in the process to determine if developers can move forward with an underground hydroelectric power station on the banks of the Ashokan Reservoir.
Catskill Mountains Happy Hikers Facebook Group
A new social group has launched on Facebook that provides a much-needed positive social hub for Catskills hikers.
New Red Hill Hiking Trail & Trailhead
The newly constructed Red Hill Fire Tower trail is now open for use.
Doubletop & Graham CLOSED PERMANENTLY!
Latest info for hiking Graham & Doubletop. Please read. Important changes are being instituted…
How to Make Pine Needle Tea
This article explains how to harvest various kinds of pine needles and turn them into deliciously distinctive teas in your kitchen — in just a few minutes!
How to Make Shagbark Hickory Syrup
This article describes how to harvest shagbark hickory bark sustainably to whip up a ridiculously tasty syrup at home.
How Long Does Trash Last on the Trail?
Many people don’t know how long it takes natural items to decompose, assuming that whatever biological matter they discard will break down quickly. But many of our most common scraps take an astonishing amount of time to fully disintegrate…
DEC Update on Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment
Approximately 2,500 hemlock trees were treated to kill any present HWA and protect from any future infestations.
Tackling High Use & Overuse in New York’s Forest Preserves
Problems and solutions for tackling high use and overuse in New York's forest preserves.
Cairns Are Bad News
TL;DR — Building cairns disturbs fragile, sensitive habitats and stresses whatever environment they’re built in. I didn’t know people also built them in streams…
DEC Announces Addition of 241 Acres to Catskill Forest Preserve
This has been some time in the planning. It’s great news for the area just east of the Ashokan Reservoir. The new parcel sits between Jockey Hill and Onteora Lake. Its acquisition connects all three parcels, and allows for the the construction of connecting trails to unify the area.
The Great Twin Reroute Controversy of 2019
Until the middle of 2019, the trail from Pecoy Notch to the summit of Twin Mountain included a rock ledge that required a semi-technical lift to pass. It epitomized the ruggedness of the Devil’s Path. Then, during the summer, a rock-slide tore the place apart.
Trail Terms: Mountain Terrain
Trail Terms: a glossary of the most important mountain hiking lingo. This page tackles basic mountain terrain jargon.
