Summer
Hike reports listed below are from hikes done in the summer.
Death at Kaaterskill Falls
A young man from Yonkers went missing April 24. His rented car was found April 30 at the main Laurel House Road parking lot. Later the same day, his body was recovered from the base of the falls.
Where Are The Catskills?
The Catskill Mountains are located in New York State, just south of Albany and just west of the Hudson River.
Tick Season
Tick season sucks. When to worry, where to look, how to avoid, the best ways to prevent, and how to treat any tick bites you find.
Hiking & Camping Gear List
There’s so much to read and learn about hiking gear. Here’s a basic list of the things you’ll use most often on your day hikes and campouts.
PSA: 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…
How Windy is Too Windy To Hike?
I moved my hike from a windy Friday to a less windy (but much colder) Saturday. 80% of my online followers agreed with me. Here’s why.
Catskill 3500 Trail Conditions Google Spreadsheet
For current trail conditions, this shared Google spreadsheet is a great resource to check before (and after) your next Catskill 3500 hike.
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.
Slide, Cornell, Wittenberg: Epic Catskills Hiking
This is my favorite tough-but-beautiful Catskills hike. Long, rugged, technical and remote, it brings you over three summits to some of the most stunning lookouts in the Catskill Park.
Hunter Mountain Hiking Trail (Full Loop)
An absolutely wonderful loop over Hunter’s massive, gorgeous and super-scenic summit. Descend via the Devil’s Path for a rugged walk-out, with a short side-quest to visit Southwest Hunter.
Ginseng & Hayden: Quiet Northern Catskills
A very quiet and peaceful section of the Northern Catskill Escarpment / Long Path, free of Classic Catskills crowds.
Catskills Fire Towers
Everything you need to know about the five classic Catskills towers — plus the newest (sixth) addition. Includes links to the gear and maps you’ll need to hike safely.
Hike Windham High Peak from Cross Road
This might be my new favorite way to hike WHP. The easy first mile and the hemlock-rich woods at the start of this route make it such a pleasant way to begin and end this beautiful day hike.
Panther Peak via Santanoni Road
This is a long, steep, beautiful hike up one of the more challenging ranges in the Adirondacks: the Santanoni range.
Red Hill Fire Tower Classic Hiking Trail
This short, easy hike up beautifully-maintained trail in bucolic New York leads to dramatic views of the Southern and Western Catskills.
Overlook Mountain Trail
One of the most popular hikes in the Catskills can be completed in 2-3 hours. Overlook’s fire tower is 60 ft tall and is placed for one of the best views in the Catskills. An excellent view from a large ledge near the summit trail caps an insanely scenic hike.
