35 Peaks in 30 Days: Southwest Hunter Mountain (3740 feet)

35 Peaks in 30 Days

With retirement quickly approaching, I needed to find something to challenge myself both physically and mentally. Since my first idea of a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail was out of the question, (sleeping on the ground every night for six months is not a just a challenge, it's slightly suicidal) I decided to attempt to hike all 35 peaks in the New York Catskill Mountains that are over 3500 feet in elevation in 30 days.

The Catskill Mountain 3500 Club awards certificates and patches to those who make all these required climbs.

Almost immediately after retiring, I traveled to New York and did manage to make it to the top of 32 of those mountains in the first 30 days including signing in at 11 cannisters on trail-less summits.

I later continued the quest by coming back after only a month away and finished out the last three "in season" hikes. The unique part of this quest is that in a departure from the requirements of several other such "peak bagger" mountain clubs, you have to return once again and re-climb four select mountains during the winter season.

Three of those winter climbs have been done. Only one remains. It will be completed in December 2011, hopefully with my close family standing on the top of the last mountain with me.

If you happen on this blog and find any of it of interest to you, please understand that each post shows up as most recent first but, the story actually began back in September-2010. Please scroll back and feel free to look at all of it...

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Southwest Hunter Mountain (3740 feet)

Southwest Hunter is the most recently added summit to the 3500 club. It was originally thought to be a sub-peak of Hunter Mountain, but since it fit the criteria of a separation of at least a half mile between summits and at least a 250' drop at the Col, it qualifies as a peak in its own right. It does not have a maintained trail to the summit, but the Devil's Path leads up out of Diamond Notch to an unmarked trail indicated by the stone cairn pictured below. It was not as steep of a trail like I have experienced the last couple of days, but once you entered the woods and started up hill, it went on "seemingly forever." A narrow and rocky trail that made footing incredibly difficult.

The summit canister is in the picture to the right..

The rock cairn that points to the summit..

Geiger Point is the only good view once you reach this rock ledge.

And Sarge could not resist jumping into the incredibly clear, but really cold mountain stream at the bottom of Diamond Notch Falls. Altogether about a six mile hike, but kind of bone jarring on the way down. Number 11 in eight days, 14 all together. Dave and two other Raleigh Police officers come in to join me tomorrow. Sarge was back with me on the trail today, but it will be nice to see some humans tomorrow...

35 Peaks in 30 Days