Recommended Reads
Backcountry Camping in the Catskills: A Beginner’s Guide
If you want to camp out in the Catskills backcountry, it’s probably because you want to experience the wilderness on your own terms. This comprehensive list of resources, regulations and gear will help get you ready for your first Catskills campout.
5½ Catskills Fire Tower Hikes You Can Absolutely Do
All about the five classic Catskills towers — plus the newest (sixth) addition. Includes links to the gear and maps you’ll need to hike safely.
40+ Tips to Capture the Perfect Sunrise or Sunset Photo
Dawn and dusk: there’s no better time of day to shoot landscapes than when the sun is low on the horizon. Here’s everything you need to know to plan, prepare, and pull off the perfect sunrise photo shoot.
PSA: Cairns Are Bad
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…
The Ultimate Guide to Peakbagging the Catskills
The most efficient way to bag all 35 Classic Catskills High Peaks is to do as many of them in groups as possible. These lists of pairs and triplets combine the Catskills in their most common groupings. Minimize your travel. Maximize your peak-bagging!
Hiking Pace Formula: How Long Will My Hike Take?
Mountain hikes are not easy hikes One of the simplest things you need to know about any hike is: how long will it take? Knowing a planned hike’s duration is crucial to being able to figure out what to bring in terms of safety supplies, water and food.
The Best Hiking Apps for 2020
The best hiking apps broken into four categories: navigation/planning, field identification, photography, and fun. Whether you enjoy easy scenic trails or challenging mountain hikes, these apps will help you plan, plot and prepare for your next adventure.
Best Places to Eat in the Catskills for Hikers 2020
This up-to-date list of the best Catskills cafes and restaurants will help make your next pre- or post-hike chow extra-awesome Best Catskills Eats I love Phoenicia Diner on Rte 28 for a glorious post-hike chow. So many great dishes, and their Bourbon Milkshake is such a fantastic adult treat.
What to Pack: The Ten Essentials
The ten essentials is a list of items you should carry on every trip into the backcountry. This essential gear can keep you safe and on track. In an emergency, it might save your life. You may not need these items on every trip but, if you only ever need them on one trip, you’ll be so relieved you packed them.
The 3 Best Ways to Not Die in the Catskills
Every month, people get into trouble in the Catskills, almost always because they are under-prepared. Here are the three best things you can do to stay safe on your hike, while making sure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Kit List: Basic Mountain Hiking Gear
While hiking gear can change from trail to trail, and from season to season, the following items will serve you well on every hike. They are a fleshing out of The Ten Essentials (the absolute bare minimum you should pack for every hike). This hiking gear list focuses on day-hiking.
