Wild Geraniums everywhere.
Once you get to Carmel’s Hump the scent of Black Spruce is amazing.
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A lovely hike on a clear, cool & sunny Fall day. Definitely recommend. Stunning views. Beautiful forest!
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Beautiful trail with great views. Fun climbing. I went during peak foliage season and the colors were breathtaking.
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Beautiful blue sky. Snow and ice but manageable. Had crampons, no snowshoes and it was a very pleasant hike! Few rock scrambles toward the top, otherwise moderate grade with a bunch of switchbacks.
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Fantastic views from several ledges, looking north and south
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This is one of the easier hikes I’ve done in the Catskills. I got immediately off trail (which is easy to do at the start) and walked into Elm Ridge Forest, passing a long line of dramatic rock outcroppings. (I would recommend doing this: take a slight left at the sign for the LEAN TO.) Back on the main trail, there are some beautiful woods to walk through, especially two tall hardwood forests which were really magical; I’ll come here again just to walk through these two stands. Some views of the Blacks on the way up to the summit which is flat and exposed, with wonderfully gnarly trees on either side of the trail. On a clear day, the view north from the eastern ledge must be pretty good.
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