Mountain Top Historical Society Hikes 2005 Subject to change. Call or check web site prior to hike. Permission is granted to newspapers, magazines etc. to excerpt or publish this schedule.  Please ALWAYS include reference to this web site and notice that the schedule is SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  Notification of schedule changes including cancellation due to weather will be made here up to the day of any given hike.

Links to: Topo Maps  Meeting places

April 16 -   Traps to Gertrude's Nose. Beautiful views continuously open as we walk along the narrow edge.  Distance 8 1/2 miles, vertical rise 800 ft. Moderate.  Meet Thruway Exit 18, New Paltz. 8:30 return 5:00 PM

May 14 -  Westkill Mountain Westkill Mountain.   Spectacular Views of the Catskills from this mountain on the Western Edge of the Devil's Path.  Vertical Rise 1750 ft. Distance 7 miles  Meet Westkill Flagpole on Route 42  9:00 AM Return 5:00 PM Moderate to difficult.

May 28  -  Poet's Ledge  Poet's Ledge.  After a 500 ft. ascent, we walk along the south side of Kaaterskill Clove and pass waterfalls with beautiful views of the Clove.  A  side trail leads to Poet's ledge with an unusual view taking in virtually all of Kaaterskill clove. We will descend to Palenville where we will have a car to bring us back to the starting point. Meets at the society's  Haines Falls Campus at 9:00AM.  

June 4 - Booksigning and hike. 1:00 p.m.    Read a detailed description of the event.
In the Footsteps of the Hudson River School. - Robert Gildersleeve U & D station at the society's campus on Route 23A in Haines Falls
Lecture, book premier, photography exhibit featuring the work of Francis X. Driscoll, guided hike, and inauguration of "The Artist's Trail."  Slide lecture by Robert A. Gildersleeve, author of the new book, Catskill Mountain House Trail Guide: In the footsteps of the Hudson River School, reveals how a careful reading of primary texts, plus the modern technology of GPS locators enables the modern hiker to follow the footsteps of the 19th century. Where is Sunset Rock? How about Artist's Rock? The Cellar? Moses Rock, and all the other lost trails and locations that were highlights of any Mountain House ramble during its Victorian-era heyday?.  Book signing and photography exhibit from 1-3 pm, program at 2 pm, followed by a classic Mountain House hike at 3 p.m.  Free Admission (hike may require a day-use fee at North-South Lake Campground).  This is part of a two-day event.  Be sure to visit The Thomas Cole Historic Site in Catskill their program:  The Hudson River School Art Trail on Sunday, June 5.

June 11 - Luncheon at Winter Clove.  Details will be posted at http://www.mths.org  as they are developed.  Registration, and prepayment of fee is required.
We plan to use Winter Clove, a Catskills resort owned and operated by the Witcomb family since the 1830's as a starting point for a walk to Rip's Ledge and other sites of interest in the area.  The resort is possibly the oldest family operated inn in the US.

July 9 - - Overlook Mountain and Echo Lake.  An old carriage road, a secluded lake, stone quarries, ruins of the Overlook Mountain House and numerous 19th Century points of interest have made this hike a favorite.  (Overlook is also noted for rattlesnakes)  Ten miles 1200 ft climb.  Moderate to difficult.  Meet at St. Francis deSales Church, Elka Park. at 9:00 AM  return at 5 PM.  We plan to make this a one way trip by leaving cars at Meads.  Give Bob or Larry a call if you are able to leave your car there or transport some of  us back to St. Francis deSales. Rained out.

July 23 - Huntersfield Mountain and Pratt's Rocks Huntersfield Mountain and Pratt's Rocks.  In the morning we will climb Huntersfield and enjoy views looking South from this peak on the Northern edge of the Catskills. At noon, we will drive to Pratt's Rocks where we will eat our lunches and climb to the rocks carvings commemorating Zadock Pratt. Meet Ashland Town Hall Parking Lot (on Route 23 Ashland) 9:00 AM Return 3:30 PM Vertical Rise 600 ft. 3 1/2 Miles. Easy to Moderate  View photos from our 2001 hike to these areas.

August 6 - Huckleberry Point  Relatively flat walk leading to views of the Hudson Valley and Platt Clove. Meet St. Francis de Sales church parking lot Rt. 16 near Elka Park 9:00 AM. return 5:00 P.M. Easy with an optional more difficult excursion.  After lunch, we will return to our cars and some of us may visit some waterfalls that are off the beaten path.

August 20 - To be determined by the interests of the participants.  -- We will do the hike originally scheduled for July 9:
Overlook Mountain and Echo Lake.  An old carriage road, a secluded lake, stone quarries, ruins of the Overlook Mountain House and numerous 19th Century points of interest have made this hike a favorite.  (Overlook is also noted for rattlesnakes)  Ten miles 1200 ft climb.  Moderate to difficult.  Meet at St. Francis deSales Church, Elka Park. at 9:00 AM  return at 5 PM.  We plan to make this a one way trip by leaving cars at Meads.  Give Bob or Larry a call if you are able to leave your car there or transport some of  us back to St. Francis deSales.


September 10 -  Mountain Turnpike and Palenville Overlook We will climb the carriage road that took 19th century visitors to The Catskill Mountain House.  Along the way, we will see the sites of The Rip Van Winkle House and Otis Railway.  A possible excursion is to Moses' Rock, a rarely seen destination of 19th-century Mountain House guests.  Vertical Climb 1500 ft. 6 miles Moderate to difficult.  Meet 9:00 AM at the Roman Catholic Church Parking Lot Rt. 32A in Palenville.

October 1 Sugarloaf and Twin Mountain A steep climb to some of the best views in the Catskills. Vertical Rise 2400 feet total in two climbs of 1400 ft. and 1000 ft. distance 7 1/2 miles. Meet St. Francis de Sales church parking lot Rt. 16 near Elka Park 9:00 AM. return 5:30 P.M. Difficult.

Hikes of previous years: 2004 2003 2002 2001  2000 1999 1998 1997