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...




Friday, October 1, 2010

Indian Head & Twin Mountains (3573 & 3640 ft. respectively)

September 27th, 2010 - Indian Head and Twin (pictured to the left) are named because one vaguely resembles the profile of an Indian lying down and the other has two matching summits. Both are considered difficult climbs due to several rock scrambles, but add in the fact that it poured rain all day on freshly fallen leaves and footing becomes slick. It had rained most of the previous night, but in the morning it had stopped long enough for me to decide to make a go of it. About 3/4 of a mile into the hike, the rain started back and never let up all day.

We did have a rain plan in place for the day... "We got wet." We put on our ponchos and trudged on. It was a long hike over two mountains and you couldn't see anything from any of the vantage points because of the weather.
There were a number of times throughout the day that the phrase "WTF was I thinking" ran through my mind. The guys never complained, but I could turn around and see in John Black's face that he was ready to be off the mountain.


The pay off for our persistence came towards the end of the hike when we came across a huge beaver dam and pond on the side of the mountain, (not pictured) and a castle...






Some people with "entirely too much free time on their hands" had created a castle like area on the back side of Twin Mountain with the natural slate that had broken free in a slide years and years ago. There were several "thrones", pillars, cathedral stairs and even a kitchen. It was so complex and meticulous that, about 2700 ft., it seemed kinda like Stonehenge. It could have been built by aliens. (or Mexicans...)

It was one of those days when the best sight in the world is that green Chevy truck at the end of the trail. Hot showers and cold beers followed...

1 comment:

  1. Those slate structures are unreal! That really looks like someone had a lot of time on their hands.---maybe they were retired?!! The pictures, I am sure do not do it justice. That tree in the background has such brilliant color!

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