Was dreading this hike a bit since I heard it’s the toughest bushwhack in the Catskills 35, but it isn’t bad at all IF you stay on the worn path! We veered off a bit on the way up to Balsam Cap but other than that found this one very enjoyable. Clocked in at under 4 hours, 7.15mi. Good views at both Friday and just before the Balsam Cap peak. Bring bug spray!
(Note: we didn’t start the recording until ~1 mi in, so the distance & elevation is more than this shows)
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Long and steep but very quiet and rarely hiked. Lots of wildlife. The scenic view at 3250 is excellent. And the north side of Panther’s summit is rich Catskills fun.
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Challenging bushwhack hike. This route cuts over to the site of a B-25 bomber crash site before heading up to Friday.
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Challenging but very fun hike. Moderately steep 3.4 miles to Wittenberg summit with epic 180 degree+ views. Continuing another mile or so to Cornell you must traverse a fairly tight scramble known as the Cornell Crack. I had no trouble but others in my party had reservations, so I dropped a rope to give them some assurance on the way up. Our dog also needed a boost up; it was harder for her on the way down. Cornell has very limited views. After the return trip down to Woodland Valley we had a nice birthday celebration in the parking lot. Note that parking at the state park is $6 per car. Bathrooms and water available there.
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