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, March 25, 2011

Panther Mountain - Winter Hike #3 (03/20/2011)

I'm not exactly sure what criteria the 3500 Club used to choose Slide, Blackhead, Panther and Balsam as the select mountains that would be required for the Club's "four" Winter hikes, (maybe I could have researched that a little better before I open my mouth) but I'll go out on a limb and guess that at least one of the reasons was location. These mountains represent the Southern, Northern, Central and Western areas of a mountain range that spreads out over four counties in a huge part of upstate New York. Many people forget, or just don't know that upstate New York, (well beyond the confines of New York City) really has some of the most incredible scenery as well as having been a witness to much of the most important early history of our country. The geographical separation of the these mountains makes it difficult to do more than one summit in a day especially during the shortened daylight hours of the winter season. The trail heads for Slide and Panther are relatively close together compared to the others, but given the fact that a trip to Panther actually includes a climb over a second mountain (Giant Ledge) and back, it became our single goal for the day to get to the top of Panther and back to the car before we started the long drive back to North Carolina. The weather was perfect. You can't beat temperatures in the high 40's for mountain climbing when there is no threat of rain. This is one of those climbs that as soon as you step into the woods, you immediately start going up. You continue that climb until you get near the top of Giant Ledge. This is a mountain summit in its own right, but due to the fact that it's only 3200 feet, it doesn't count for the 3500 Club. The views however are spectacular and it is a very popular destination. The real climbers continue on to Panther. To get to Panther, we actually have to go back down in elevation to a col before we start the climb back up to the summit. I'm very lucky because Sandy is one of the toughest girls that I have ever met. She sticks with me, never complains and climbs mountains as well as any of the strong, young police dudes that my son Dave brought up with him back in the Fall. We (of course) made it to the top... Kind of surreal only because there is just one mountain left to go.







I won't get done on this trip. But...






After some careful consideration; I think that a trip back up in December with all of my family with me while I finish this on the top of Balsam Mountain might bring the perfect end to a long but fun journey... Hollywood couldn't have written a better script...
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