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.

The authors hiked Giant Mountain via the Ridge Trail on Route 73 during a surprise spring snowstorm, encountering steep rocky terrain, exposed ridge walking, and challenging winter conditions that made the normally difficult High Peaks climb significantly more serious.

The Blackhead Range Horseshoe is a long and popular Catskill route featuring Class 3 rock scrambling, particularly on the north slope of Blackhead, with scenic views and technical terrain requiring strong fitness and route-finding skills.

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.

Route guide for a moderate 7-mile loop hike to Slide Mountain via Phoenicia East Branch, Curtis-Ormsbee, and Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide trails. The route describes trail junction locations, elevation gain of approximately 1800 feet, and highlights the summit views and surrounding wilderness area.

Diamond Notch Falls is an easy to moderate family-friendly hike in the Catskills starting from Spruceton Road, featuring creekside walking and a scenic waterfall, with optional extension to Diamond Notch Lean-to. Trail conditions include some steep and rocky sections along with typical muddy areas, requiring standard footwear precautions.

On May 21, a 53-year-old climber fell 30 feet from the Arrow Wall at Mohonk Preserve in the Town of Gardiner, Ulster County, suffering spine and pelvis injuries. A rope rescue was required to evacuate the climber from a steep slope above rocky terrain, with the patient ultimately transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital.

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.

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.

The Falls Trail Loop in Keystone Ancient Forest, Oklahoma is a 4.5-mile moderate loop with waterfalls, creek crossings, and rocky descents. Best conditions occur in spring/fall and 1-2 days after rainfall when waterfalls are flowing.

Comprehensive evergreen guide to Catskill Park hiking covering trail conditions, seasonal weather, camping rules, and hiking challenges. Highlights that trails are steeper and rockier than their elevations suggest, with winter ice on ledges requiring microspikes or crampons; spring and fall bring variable conditions at higher elevations.

Trail guide for the Moat Mountain Traverse via South and Middle Moat Mountains and Red Ridge Trail in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Describes a 9-mile point-to-point hike with rocky ridge terrain, exposed ledges, and panoramic summit views, suitable for moderate to strenuous hikers in late spring through fall.

The Ashokan Quarry Trail is an easy 2-mile lollipop loop through Catskill foothills with views, historic quarry ruins, and gentle grades suitable for families and beginners. The trail features open ledges above the quarry, stone foundations, and a railroad grade, with terrain that is mostly smooth but rocky and muddy in places.

Caribou Mountain is a 7-mile loop hike in Maine's White Mountain National Forest featuring steady climbing, rugged ridgelines, and 360-degree summit views from open rocky terrain. The trail includes rocky and steep sections with some stream crossings, and Route 113 access is seasonal (closed in winter).

A mostly easy-to-navigate route featuring Wright, Algonquin, and Iroquois peaks in the MacIntyre Range. The trail follows MacIntyre Brook initially, includes some technical scrambling and steep slab climbing, and offers exceptional views from the three summits. Wright Peak is noted as particularly windy and requires relentless steep slab climbing from the junction.</summary> <parameter name="confidence">Low

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.

This is an evergreen trail guide describing the Platte Clove to Codfish Point route, a moderate 4.2-mile round-trip hike featuring forested paths, historic bluestone quarry remnants, and Hudson Valley views. The trail includes rocky and muddy sections with some steep terrain, creek crossings, and a lean-to shelter.</summary> <parameter name="confidence">Low

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 two-day backpacking trip to climb Gray and Skylight peaks in the High Peaks, with camping at Herbert Brook Lean-to. Trail conditions included recent trail work on Calamity Brook, a steep herd path ascent to Gray, and a 15-minute scramble to Skylight over exposed rock slabs with clear alpine conditions and excellent visibility.

This is an evergreen trail guide to the Cherry Mountain Trail and the Mount Martha/Owl's Head loop in New Hampshire's White Mountains, describing the route, terrain features, views, and general hiking considerations without dated conditions.

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.

Mount Crescent is a moderate 3.1-mile loop hike in the White Mountains offering views of the Presidential Range and open ledges. The route features forested sections, a short steep rock scramble, and scenic viewpoints with views of Mount Adams, Madison, and Jefferson.

Bonticou Crag is a short loop hike featuring an intense rock scramble with exposure and tricky hand-and-feet sections through a talus field, culminating in dramatic ridge views overlooking the Hudson Valley and Catskills.

Mount Tammany's Red Dot Trail is a steep, rocky ascent gaining 1,200+ feet in under 1.5 miles with scrambly sections and open ledges, followed by a gentler descent via the Blue Dot Trail through forest past Dunfield Creek. The full 3.5-mile loop is well-marked and popular but challenging in heat or wet conditions.

A loop hike at Plattekill Mountain Ski Resort in the Catskills offering 2–3 hours of moderately challenging ridge walking with two summits over 3,400 feet elevation and views across the Northern Catskills. The route follows work roads, ski access paths, and single-track ridgeline trails through forest and open ski terrain; permission required but easily obtained at the lodge.

An evergreen trail guide to Peaked Mountain near Thirteenth Lake in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness, describing a moderate 4–5 hour out-and-back hike with lake views, forest, beaver ponds, and a rocky open summit. The author notes the trail is unblazed, requires map navigation, and includes muddy spots and slippery roots, especially after rain.

The Bramley Mountain Fire Tower has been restored and reinstalled at the 2,817-foot summit as of early 2025, now featuring a completed 4-mile loop trail with forest, rock outcroppings, caves, quarry ruins, and panoramic views. The moderate hike offers excellent trail conditions with rocky sections near the summit and pleasant woodland walking. Tower cab staffing is seasonal (weekends/holidays May–October) with good views available even when unstaffed.

A guide to Ampersand Mountain describing the route characteristics: an easy first half through forest followed by steep rock scrambles and exposed roots leading to an open summit with 360° views. The author's winter hike encountered extremely hard, diamond-hard ice on the summit and very cold, windy conditions.

Debar Mountain is a moderate hike near Meacham Lake in the northern Adirondacks featuring a scenic summit with expansive views. The trail includes an easy carriage road section, mixed forest terrain, and a final steep climb to the open rock ledge summit.

Echo Cliffs trail near Piseco is a short, well-marked out-and-back hike with steady climbing through mixed hardwood forest to open rock ledges offering views of Piseco Lake and surrounding hills. The trail is moderately steep, gaining about 675 feet in under a mile, and is particularly scenic in fall.

Good Luck Cliffs is a 3.6-mile round-trip hike near Caroga Lake featuring a flat lakeside section through hardwood forest to Good Luck Lake, followed by a steep climb through boulder-strewn terrain to open ledges with panoramic views. The trail includes glacial erratics and rocky footing on the ascent.

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.

A detailed evergreen trail guide for the Burroughs Range Loop, a challenging 15-17 mile Catskills loop connecting Slide, Cornell, and Wittenberg peaks with rocky scrambles, scenic views, and primitive camping options. The author includes a first-person account of an April 2025 day hike completion in approximately 9.5 hours.

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.

A two-day backpacking trip over Santanoni, Couchsachraga, and Panther in the ADK, with muddy and wet conditions throughout. The Santanoni Brook trail featured slippery rocks and rotting log infrastructure; the Couchsachraga bog proved manageable with good log placement, and the descent of Panther Brook was challenging via water and boulders.

An evergreen trail guide to the popular Hurricane Mountain southern approach from Route 9N. The route passes through forest and boardwalks, with rock scrambles and an open fire tower summit. Best tackled late spring to early fall to avoid icy conditions.

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.

A challenging out-and-back route to Blackhead via the Arizona trail from Stork's Nest Road featuring dense forests, rock scrambles, a ridge walk, and scenic views. The route is described as physically demanding with steep sections and varied terrain suited for experienced hikers seeking solitude.

Crane Mountain Loop is a short but intense hike featuring rocky scrambles, two cliff ladders, and a scenic summit ridge. The trail is challenging due to steep rocky sections and ladder navigation, best enjoyed May through October.

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.

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.

First-person account of a fall day hike to Westkill Mountain via the Devil's Path trail on October 10, 2024. Conditions were mostly sunny, cool, and dry with excellent fall foliage and colorful trees throughout the hike.

A traverse of Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge on October 1st featuring excellent fall foliage and open slab climbing with views of 36 High Peaks. The day included additional climbing of several smaller peaks and ridgeline walking before finishing a 6.7-mile descent. A follow-up hike of Mount Jo the next morning provided views of colorful leaves reflecting in Heart Lake.

A five-day backpacking thru-hike from Sewards to Upper Works via Ouluska Pass involving a grueling 8.5-hour bushwhack through dense spruce-balsam thickets with extensive blowdown, followed by hiking the Northern Peaks Trail and horse trails via Duck Hole and Preston Ponds.

Evergreen trail guide describing seven popular hikes near Woodstock, NY, ranging from short gorge walks and nature preserves to the classic Overlook Mountain Fire Tower hike with hotel ruins. Routes emphasize scenic views, accessibility, and family-friendly terrain in the Catskills.

Croagh Patrick is a steep, scenic out-and-back hike featuring a scree-filled summit cone with loose footing and dramatic views over Clew Bay. The trail is very popular, especially for pilgrimages, and footwear and poles are recommended for safe passage.

Monument Mountain is a short rugged loop hike in the Berkshires with a knife-edge rocky summit and views of surrounding valleys; the trail features a steep rocky ascent, a waterfall, and multiple scenic viewpoints including Devil's Pulpit.

A three-day wilderness bushwhacking trip (May 1-3) in the Pharaoh Mountain area featuring ascents of Bear Mountain, Antwine, Pine Hill, Potter Mountain, and Treadway Mountain with open rock, good views, and mostly pleasant spring conditions.

A challenging bushwhack route over North Dome and Mount Sherrill, typically completed in approximately 3.5 hours to the Mount Sherrill summit. The author hiked this route on April 30 with patches of ice in shaded spots but no spikes needed, and found nettles had not yet come in.