Winter
Winter mountain hikes are spectacular: snow-blasted forests, bleached valley views, and bright blue skies. The days are shorter, the nights are longer — and the temperature is lethal. Make sure you have the best winter hiking info…
Before heading out, please review Winter Hiking Essentials, Survive & Thrive in the Cold and Winter Gear Checklist.
This list of Best Winter Hiking Tips will help keep you safe in the harshest conditions.
Winter Gear: Neck Gaiter / Buff
Sometimes small tweaks yield big benefits, and that’s exactly what wearing a neck gaiter does.
The 3 Best Ways to Not Die on a Hike
Every month, people get into trouble in the Catskills, almost always because they are under-prepared. Here are the 3 best things you can do to stay safe on your hike, while making sure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Backpack Basics
Your backpack is a fundamental and very personal choice. There are lots of excellent brands to choose from. Here’s the skinny.
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.
Hike Table & Peekamoose from Denning
I was not prepared for how much I would fall in love with this hike. I’d heard both summits were low on scenic views so my plan was to just check both peaks off my 3500 list and move on. Wrong. So wrong. 100% dead-ass wrong.
Hike Blackhead & Black Dome from Big Hollow via Lockwood Gap
An outstanding double-bill that combines an epic view of Black Dome from Blackhead with an epic view of Blackhead from Black Dome. This is one of my favorite hikes in the Catskills.
Traverse Panther from Oliverea to Fox Hollow
The views on this hiking trail are some of the best in the Catskills. The route crosses the entire ridge of Panther Mountain, from south to north. This was one of the first group hikes I went on. Giant Ledge in particular is one of the most popular hikes in the area.
