Catskills Fall Foliage Hike

Bag three Catskill High Peaks and get your legs ready for snowshoeing season with a three peak traverse over the Slide-Cornell-Wittenburgh traverse. If the seasons and the weather cooperate, we will be blessed with amazing autumn foliage.

The beloved Twentieth Century Naturalist and Nature Writer John Burroughs compared the Slide Mountain range to a "gigantic horse. The horse has his head down grazing; the shoulders are high, and the descent from them down his neck very steep ... the high round shoulders and the smooth strong back of steel are alone visible." Our journey will be up the horse's nose, over his head (the summit of Slide) and down down his neck to the twin shoulders of Cornell and Wittenburgh. Then we re-trace our steps back to our starting point for a 12-mile roundtrip hike.

It is a 2.9 mile moderate uphill hike from the Slide Mt. Parking Lot on Olivera Rd to the summit of Slide (4,180 feet). Then a 2.3 down and up trek to Cornell (3,860 feet), followed by a 0.7 hike over to Wittenburgh (3,780 feet). Burroughs claimed that the spruce-coned Wittenburgh has the best views: "The view from Wittenburgh is to many respects more striking, as you are perched immediately above a broader and more distant sweep of country ... You are on the eastern bank of the southern Catskills and the earth falls at your feet and curves down through an immense stretch of forest til it joins the plain of Shokan, and thence sweeps away to the Hudson and beyond."

Climbing a mountain can be taxing on the body. This hike will have us climbing three different mountains, two of them twice on the there-and-back. Some of the cliffs have wooden ladders that we ascend and descend. Sturdy hiking boots are a necessity as is a good amount of water and energy foods. Hiking poles are recommended. Dress in layers and pack a jacket and winter hat for use on the summits if need-be.

Our pace will be moderate, which means steady but not so rushed as not to take time to appreciate the views, vistas, and nature specimens along the way. Everyone is encouraged to hike at their own pace, with the group coming together on the summits. Everyone is encouraged to have their own hike such that anyone is welcome to turn back at any time such that the mileage or ruggedness of the trail should not intimidate.

We will start this hike at 10am to permit travelers from afar the morning leisure to join us; the drawback is we may finish in the dark. Bring a headlamp with fresh batteries. If we time it right we might be able to watch the sun set while on our return hike over Slide Mt.

Anyone wishing to set up a carpool is encouraged to use the Event Chat to discuss this with other participants.

OVERNIGHT CAMPING OPTION: Anyone wishing to drive to the Trailhead on Saturday night is welcome to join the Event Host in camping atop the Giant Ledges. The parking lot for the Giant Ledges is 1.9 miles past the Slide Mt. Parking Lot on Oliverea Road. We will backpack (tents, sleeping bag, etc.) up a 0.8 trail to connect with the Giant Ledges and then look for a good camping spot somewhere over the next mile of trail. The Giant Ledges offers an amazing view over the Ashokan Valley including the Hudson River in the distance, a view made more incredible when the leaves and trees are in their autumn best. The view makes for a great sunrise too for the early risers. After breakfast and morning tea we will hike back to the cars where we leave our camping gear and then prepare to hike Slide-Cornell-Wittenburgh. Let the Event Host know if you plan to camp over so we can meet-up.