Mountain Top Historical Society Hikes 2007 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 21 -   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.  Hike report: Weather was excellent with good views of Platte Clove and the Hudson Valley. Two warn days and direct sunshine melted all but a few traces of the heavy wet snow of the week before. Some Photos.

May 12 - Peekamoose.    A vertical rise of 2300 ft. makes this the greatest gain in elevation of Catskill trails. We will stop at overlooks at the 3500 ft. level of this 3843 ft. mountain. Distance 6 miles  Meet: Bread Alone parking lot in Boiceville.  9:00 AM Return 5:00 PM Difficult.

June 2  -  Bonticou Crag and the region around. Beautiful views to the west of the Shawangunks. Vertical Rise 750 ft. Distance: 6 miles Meet Thruway exit 18 New Paltz. Additional afternoon activities to be determined perhaps to Table Rocks.  8:30 AM return 5:00 PM. Moderate with an optional rock scramble  (The Mohonk Preserve charges a per-person fee for using this trail. Hikers will be responsible for the fee.)

Postponed -- Date to be announced:  - Kaaterskill Clove.  An historic walk from Fawn's Leap in Kaaterskill Clove past old tannery ruins and the site of a once active community.  We will follow an old road and stream beds ending at Bastion Falls on Route 23A in the heart of Kaaterskill Clove (If conditions permit, we may alternately end at Five Cascades).  Difficult.  Meet Historical Society Campus Route 23A in Haines Falls 9:00 AM Return 5:00 PM.  Vertical Rise 900 ft. Difficult with some rock scrambling and wading through the stream.  The Clove road may be under construction this Spring and Summer.  Check for a possible schedule change for this hike.
 
July 7 - - Overlook Mountain and Echo Lake.  An old carriage road,  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)  Four miles 1200 ft climb.  Easy to moderate.  Meet at parking lot across from visitor's center on Rock City Road, Woodstock at 9:00 AM  return at 5 PM. 

July 21 - Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting. Dramatic ledges, shaded carriage roads, waterfalls and a swimming area at Lake Awosting make this one of our most requested hikes.  Vertical Rise: minimal. Distance: 10 miles Moderate due to length. Meeting place: Thruway Exit 18.  8:30 AM. return 5:00 P.M.  (There is a modest parking fee.)

August 4 - 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.    The Clove road may be under construction again this Spring and Summer.  Check for a possible schedule change for this hike.

August 18 - To be determined by the interests of the participants.

September 8 -  The Road that couldn't be built.  This road was built in 1881 to provide access to the Kaaterskill Hotel.  It still provides beautiful views of Kaaterskill Clove and a pleasant wooded climb from the valley into the mountains. Moderate. Meet at the parking area of the Roman Catholic Church on Rt. 32A near junction with Rt. 23A in Palenville.  9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

September 23 (Sunday) Hudson Valley Ramble Hike with Bob Titus and Bob Gildersleeve See the Ramble Web Site for full details of this hike of South Mountain emphasizing the History and Geology of the area.  Note the Ramble's web site has a typo - September 23rd is Sunday, not Saturday.

October 6 Plateau Mountain  A new trail to Plateau is due to open this year  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: 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001  2000 1999 1998 1997