A first-person account of climbing two trailless peaks (Big Haystack and Little Haystack) in the Debar Mountain Wild Forest north of Saranac Lake. Big Haystack involved bushwhacking through steep terrain with rocky outcroppings at the summit, but poor visibility from cloud cover obscured views. Little Haystack featured a well-defined herd path from Buck Pond Campground with a steep climb to a viewpoint overlooking Lake Kushaqua.

A solo hiking adventure exploring Ragged Mountain and its satellites in the Boreas Ponds Tract, involving scrambling, bushwhacking, and route-finding among several unnamed peaks with views of high peaks like Gothics, Basin, and Haystack. The day featured good trail maintenance to the base cliffs, then off-trail exploration with steep terrain, exposed ledges, and beetle-infested conditions.

A June hike to Marshall via closed Cold Brook Pass trail and herd paths from Lake Colden, encountering wet overgrown trail conditions, a recent landslide near Avalanche Pass, and variable weather from rain to sun. Notable dry conditions on descent and cold water at a pool near Indian Pass.

A challenging slide route from Elk Pass involving significant bushwhacking through blowdown and difficult creek navigation, followed by a steep and wet ascent of Blake Slide with overgrown central section, culminating in ascending Blake and Colvin mountains via a remote ridge route. The hike covered 16 miles with 4,500 feet of elevation gain over 13 hours total.

First-person account of a challenging traverse of three Sawtooth peaks (8, 7, and 1) with difficult bushwhacking between peaks 7 and 1 taking 3 hours to cover approximately one mile. Woods conditions have become more overgrown and chaotic in the 11 years since the author last hiked the traverse, with increased blowdown and loss of views from the summits.

First-person bushwhack ascent of Halcott Mountain via Shaft Road and an old road up the ridge, with descent via a herd path south of the standard ravine route. Route features steep terrain, cliff bands, prickers, and historic structures; best attempted in winter or early spring.

Route guide for the Catskill 6 traverse covering Friday, Balsam Cap, Rocky, Lone, Table, and Peekamoose peaks. The hike involves 4,000 feet of elevation gain over 10-12 hours, with an unrelenting 2,400-foot climb on Friday Mountain followed by tricky off-trail navigation through remote bushwhack sections and a long descent.

Two hikers became lost off-trail in the area between the Brothers and Phelps trails/Cold Brook Pass on May 9 after a dropped 911 call. They were located by Lake Colden Caretaker and assisted to shelter, then escorted out via Marcy Dam Outpost to the South Meadows trailhead.

A solo backcountry hike in the MacIntyre West tract near Newcomb exploring Lake Andrew and two unnamed peaks (approximately 2800' and 3100') on a dry, leaf-off day in early May. Conditions were dry and pleasant with minimal trail obstacles beyond some overgrown sections and scrambling on the steep south slope of Mount Andrew.

Solo bushwhack ascent of Sentinel Mountain via an off-trail route from Bartlett Road with significant blowdown and cliff navigation challenges. Descent route-finding involved compass/phone navigation in whiteout conditions to find an open descent corridor avoiding cliffs and dense woods.

A bushwhack loop up Windham High Peak starting from Big Hollow Road, crossing old logging roads and first-growth forest, connecting to the Escarpment Trail for the final push to the summit, and returning via a different descent bushwhack. The hike emphasized forest history and first-growth forest mapping during the ascent and descent.

Three hikers became lost and unprepared for weather conditions on Haystack Mountain and required assistance from Forest Rangers to return to the trail. Rangers provided food and water and advised checking weather forecasts before hiking.

First-person account of a bushwhack ascent of Nippletop via Walker Brook on April 7, 2026, involving a waist-deep cold river crossing, deep snow with supportive conditions, significant cliff-finding challenges in the col between the two summits, and exposed icy terrain near the summit with strong winds.

First-person hike on Table, Peekamoose, and Lone on March 28, 2026, with crusty supportive snow and ice in shaded areas. Route-finding was challenging on the descent to Lone due to remaining snowpack obscuring the trail, requiring GPS and compass navigation. The return route from Lone down to the Neversink was also faint with intermittent snow cover and fallen leaves obscuring the path.

Hiker ascended Sentinel Mountain via Liscomb Brook and a bushwhack up steep slopes to 3250 feet on March 28, 2026, encountering 2–5 feet of snow, supportive crust, extensive blowdown, and tight spruce growth near the final cone before turning back. The return descent via tracked route was uneventful.

A backcountry trail guide describing an unofficial route on Kaaterskill High Peak that stays below 3,110 feet, combining scenic views via Paradise Point and Huckleberry Point with exploratory sections through the amphitheater area and hemlock groves.

A demanding winter bushwhack route to North Dome and Mount Sherrill from Timber Lake Camp, requiring navigation skills, snowshoes, and possible traction devices. The route involves marked trail followed by off-trail navigation through wooded terrain; snow depth and winter conditions significantly impact difficulty.

Winter ascent of Nippletop and Dial on 1/17/26 with snowshoeing on a 3-6 inch fresh snow base, including trail breaking on steep sections with windier summits and a bushwhack descent via Gill Brook drainage.

Hikers broke trail in roughly one foot of snow on a steep off-trail climb to Washburn Ridge Peak, requiring snowshoes and bushwhacking through open woods with significant elevation gain over a short distance. The descent was easier due to established tracks in soft snow.

Route description for a north-side approach to Bearpen and Vly from a col, featuring a long road walk, partial trail and bushwhack sections, with modest summit views. The author characterizes this route as slightly less undesirable than the southern approach but with greater elevation gain and distance.

Guide to the Rocky, Lone, and Table Mountains loop from Denning Trailhead, a strenuous 12.5-mile Catskill 3500 route involving marked trails, unmaintained paths, and significant bushwhacking with stream crossings and dense forest terrain.

First-person account of a 17–18 mile loop through the Seward range summitting Donaldson, Emmons, and Seward on October 3, 2025. Trail conditions were mostly dry underfoot with minimal mud on the approach and maintained sections, but significant mud encountered on the ridgeline between Donaldson and Emmons; the route featured unmarked/unmaintained terrain with stream crossings and some minor scrambling.

A challenging bushwhack route up Panther Mountain via an unnamed ridge (Bear Poop Ridge) featuring steep terrain, open forest, ledges, and requiring strong navigation skills. The route connects to the main Panther trail and includes a plane wreck easter egg.

First-person account of climbing Henderson Mountain via the southwest ridge and descending via direct drainage to Santanoni lean-to. The ascent was slow through dense trees with scattered blowdown, while the descent via drainage was quick and open. The report notes bushwhacking challenges and a subsequent loop to Duck Hole and Preston Ponds with excellent fall weather.

A challenging bushwhack ascent of two small sub-summits—WNW Seward and NW Seward—featuring thick forest, blowdown navigation, cliff bands, and limited trail exposure. Conditions were generally dry with tight forest canopy on the ridges.

Two hikers completed a full day loop from Santanoni Trailhead to Duck Hole and the summit of Sawtooth #13 via bushwhack, covering approximately 8.5 hours total. Conditions were generally pleasant with clear skies, dry trails, and minimal bug pressure until the return leg.

Hiker completed a counterclockwise loop of Cat and Thomas mountains, finding Thomas easy with bushwhacking to the summit and Cat with better views and minimal mud. A milk snake encounter on Cat's summit highlighted the wildlife experience.

Two hikers completed a challenging 8-hour day hike across four remote peaks in the West Canada Lakes Wilderness: Deep Lake Peak, Kitty Cobble, West Lake Peak, and Brooktrout Lake Peak. Trails varied from well-defined to overgrown, with dense woods and steep cliff sections requiring bushwhacking and scrambling. Black flies, deer flies, horse flies, and mosquitoes were abundant throughout the day.

The Catskill 9 is a challenging 19-21 mile loop hike in the Catskills that combines marked trails, herd paths, and extensive bushwhacking through dense forest. The route tags nine high peaks and requires experienced off-trail navigation skills, particularly between Lone and Balsam Cap; it includes steep ascents, rock scrambles, ledges, ladders, and boardwalks.

Solo ascent of Sentinel Peak via off-trail route, with 2-3" of fresh snow on the summit and challenging navigation around multiple cliff bands. Hiker descended via previous ascent route with some disorientation near cliffs but eventually returned safely to the trailhead.

This is an evergreen trail guide for the Marble Mountain/Wilmington Trail route to Whiteface Mountain, describing a steep 3,400-foot climb via a direct ridge approach. The author mentions winter conditions (early March, bitter cold, 40+ mph winds) but the guide itself is not dated and covers general route characteristics and hazards year-round.

An evergreen trail guide describing an off-trail bushwhack route from Round Top to Kaaterskill High Peak in the Catskills. The route is entirely untrailed, requires strong backcountry navigation skills, passes through steep terrain with stream crossings, and reportedly has less mud than standard trails to this peak.

First-person trip report of a three-peak loop through Carl Mountain, Hoyt Hollow, and Mt. Tremper. Cool and cloudy in the morning becoming sunny and warm (50s°F) in the afternoon with no snow or ice encountered. Light bushwhacking on Carl and Hoyt Hollow with established cairns; Mt. Tremper fire tower visited with views of remaining snow on Slide and man-made snow at Hunter.

Completed a winter ascent of Friday, Cornell, and Wittenberg via Moon Haw Road, encountering significant ice on the trails, dense off-trail navigation between peaks, and an iced-over Cornell Crack that required careful route-finding around via a tree-assisted descent. Temperatures were in the 20s with mostly bare soil at lower elevations and varying snow and ice conditions at higher elevations.

On March 5, conditions on the Santanoni Range ridge connecting Santanoni to Panther were extremely difficult with rotten snow, spruce traps up to chin height, and poor visibility of the path. The reporter attempted Santanoni, Panther, and Couchsachraga but turned back partway through due to time constraints and dangerous postholing conditions, ultimately bagging only Santanoni.

A sunny winter day with slushy conditions at lower elevations and deep snow (2+ feet) at the summits. The hiker and companion summited North Dome and Sherrill via a long out-and-back route from Shaft Road, switching from spikes to snowshoes early on and enjoying spectacular viewpoints on the descent and re-ascent.

Solo winter ascent of Owls Head via Black Pond bushwhack and Brutus herd path on 2/24/25, with steep snow conditions and excellent traction from microspikes. Reporter encountered soft base snow in a well-packed trench, found the Brutus bushwhack extremely steep, and encountered no other hikers despite good weather bringing traffic.

Winter snowshoe hike up Sleeping Lion and Halcott with 18–24 inches of snow at elevation, mild temperatures in the 20s with partial sun. Navigation was challenging with fresh snow and steep terrain, particularly on the approach to Sleeping Lion and the ridge traverse to Halcott.

The author and friend Max hiked Roundtop and Kaaterskill High Peak on a cold, sunny winter day, wearing snowshoes throughout most of the hike. The ascent to Roundtop was steep and bushwhacky with good views; they descended via tracks to Kaaterskill High Peak, then took Hurricane Ledge trail down to a snowmobile track. The return on the snowmobile track was unexpectedly difficult with six to twelve inches of crusty snow requiring trail-breaking for three miles.

First-person winter hike on Rusk from Spruceton Road on January 18, 2025. Light snow (~1 inch) at the base with deeper accumulation (~1 foot) on the summit; cold temperatures (20s at base, colder aloft) with windless, mostly cloudy conditions. Route required bushwhacking and navigation past rock ledges to reach the summit.

A hiker who started late on Table Mountain expanded their route to include Lone, Peekamoose, Table, and Rocky Mountains. After falling into the Neversink River while attempting a trailless descent via Fisherman's Path in the early morning, the hiker developed rapid-onset hypothermia and was rescued by DEC rangers after several hours in winter conditions.

The Van Benschoten Trail is a challenging bushwhack route in the Moonhaw area featuring old woods roads, stream crossings, loose terrain, boulders, cliffs, caves, and one of the steepest headwalls in the Catskills. Fall after leaf-drop is recommended as the best hiking season to avoid ice and snow complications.

First-person account of off-trail winter hike to Northeast Moose Peak on November 30, featuring fresh snow, blowdowns, bushwhacking through spruce, and navigation challenges with minimal visibility and white trail markers obscured by snow cover.

A bushwhacking trip on November 18 to Table Top Mountain (4427') and its Middle peak (4306'), undertaken in fresh snow with excellent visibility. The hiker found deep drifts, thick vegetation, and cliff bands with icicles, but manageable terrain and safe workarounds throughout the off-trail ascent and descent.

Hiker completed an off-trail winter ascent of a 3,363-foot peak east of Loch Bonnie and Moose Mountain, navigating blowdown, coniferous snow, stream crossings, and partial water submersion. Conditions included blowing snow, fluff-covered obstacles, drifted snow, slush ice, and wintry weather with poor visibility.

A fast-paced loop hike over South Plattekill, North Plattekill, and Roundtop on November 9, 2024, with excellent views and mostly open terrain, completed in under 3 hours. The Plattekill Turnpike trail was in great shape, though the descent from Roundtop featured rocky, leaf-covered forest floor.

First-person account of a solo bushwhack ascent of Van Dorrien Mountain on October 29. The hiker encountered pleasant autumn conditions with clear skies, mid-50s temperatures, and dry terrain, noting hair ice on decomposing wood and excellent summit views of Ampersand Lake and the surrounding High Peaks.

Solo bushwhack completion of Sawtooth #2 South, the final 3000-foot peak in the Sawtooth Range for the reporter. Route involved approach from Seward Trailhead to No. 4 Lean-to, off-trail traverse through open hardwoods, navigation through blowdown and dense conifers, and technical rock scrambling up cliffs to reach the wooded summit.

Hiker completed Mount Mansfield via the Hellbrook Trail in heavy rain with slippery rock and fog at the summit, then pivoted to Killington the next day after weather improved, climbing via an unmaintained bushwhack to Bucklin Trail and experiencing steep final pitches to the summit lodge.

Two hikers completed "the six" Catskill peaks from Denning base camp on August 27, encountering well-established herd paths, occasional thick vegetation, and rock shelves while navigating between summits and returning via Fisherman's Path.