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, October 7, 2010

Peekamoose Mountain - 3843 ft.


The overcast skies finally started to break up around 11 am and I saw the sun for the first time in days. The climb to the summit of Peekamoose went surprising quick since there was only 0.85 miles distance between the two and drop to the col was minimal.

The summit has a great photo opportunity with the large rock pictured below to pose on. The trail opened up onto a couple of rock ledges that afforded the first good views in several days.
The final walk out to the parking area was 3 miles of steady descent through open woods. Sarge tested my patience by constantly chasing birds, chipmunks and squirrels off the trail and disappearing for long periods of time. He gets so fixated that he won't listen to anything or come when he is called. Although beating him with my hiking stick came to mind, I chose to put him on a short lease and have him walk right next to me for the rest of the way out. Since this was the last trail hike and everything that is left are bushwhack's, he may have done his last mountain.
The trip down took us past "Reconnoiter Rock" A large stone that appears to be literally balancing on the edge of a large rock conglomerate.
We reached the parking area at 12:30 am. Four hours for an almost nine mile hike over two mountains. I had to call my brother-in-law from the top of the mountain and let him know that we would be coming out earlier than when I had originally planned for him to meet us. I forget lately when I am making my time estimates that I am a lot stronger than I was three weeks ago. We got to the Peekamoose parking area and I had just sat down on a stone to wait and Mike came driving around the corner 20 seconds later. Perfect timing.



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