According to the NWS, the snowfall in the GNC on Saturday night into Sunday ranged from over 16 inches in Elka Park to about 4 inches in Cairo. In my neck of the woods (literally, it is a neck of the woods), the actual total, measured by me with a yard stick stuck into the railing on the front deck, when it was all over was 8.75 inches. But that was before I started talking about it.
When worried relatives called to check on the power situation, we minimized, "Oh - it was nothing. Just a little over 6 inches - barely covered the driveway. Nothing to worry about...we didn't even lose power."
But for friends calling from the Midwest, who always brag to me about how much snow they get and how rugged they are, I said, "Damn! Pretty heavy snowstorm here for October. Cold, windy -- I'd say we got about a foot, give or take an inch. Was out shoveling by 7am so I could go out for some groceries. Roads will be plowed soon, I guess", though the roads had been plowed hours ago. We love our county plowmen.
Skier-friends starting checking in around noon, wondering if Hunter Mountain was opening for the weekend. "Well, you can hike up and ski down if you like. We got at least 14 inches - probably more at the summit. Not too wet - not the usual Catskill Concrete. You can make some nice turns but bring your rock skis. Fourteen inches of snow doesn't cover 15 inches of rock!"
The last person to call was a friend in the valley who wanted me to come down and help him move furniture. "Gee, I'd love to, really, but we got over a foot-and-a-half of heavy, wet snow and the roads haven't been plowed or sanded yet. Don't think I want to go down the mountain today - you know, there's still one lane out on 23A near Moore's Bridge. Sorry...why don't you call Jim from Palenville. They hardly got any snow down there."
If you want a reliable weather report from a reliable source on the Mountaintop, you had better not call me.
What happens when Mr. Midtown moves to an isolated acre in the Great Northern Catskills? It's Inconceivable!
Showing posts with label Palenville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palenville. Show all posts
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Visit Poet's Ledge...while you still can!
Due to previous commitments, I'll miss the June 25 hike sponsored by the Mountain Top Historical Society, but it sounds like a great one, so I hope you go and tell me all about it.
The destination is Poet's Ledge which provides spectacular views from the south side of Kaaterskill Clove. The starting point is the MTHS compound, just past the entrance to Twilight Park in Haines Falls as you climb Route 23A from Palenville. Meet there at 9am on Saturday, prepared to hike all day -- they say you won't return to the compound until 4pm. You'll pass three different waterfalls not seen from the road and arrive at Poet's Ledge mid-day. Given you are arriving at such a romantic destination, you should no doubt have with you camera with long-distance lens (none of the cell phone cameras will do for this vista) and notebook to record the poetry that will sprout from you like ash from a virulent volcano.
They say the difficulty of the hike is "moderate" which means espadrilles won't work. My experience is pants work better than shorts, since pants protect you from thistles, insect bites and poison ivy about the ankles. True hiking boots work better than sandals, sneakers or flip-flops since you are likely to be hiking in mud, shallow streams and slippery terrain. I spray generous doses of heavy-duty insect repellent on the brim of my baseball cap, on a bandanna around my neck and on my socks so that the reminders of the event are my photographs and poems, not my rash and itchy bites.
There's no concession stand at Poet's Ledge, though I understand there are negotiations underway for a casino to be built there.
The destination is Poet's Ledge which provides spectacular views from the south side of Kaaterskill Clove. The starting point is the MTHS compound, just past the entrance to Twilight Park in Haines Falls as you climb Route 23A from Palenville. Meet there at 9am on Saturday, prepared to hike all day -- they say you won't return to the compound until 4pm. You'll pass three different waterfalls not seen from the road and arrive at Poet's Ledge mid-day. Given you are arriving at such a romantic destination, you should no doubt have with you camera with long-distance lens (none of the cell phone cameras will do for this vista) and notebook to record the poetry that will sprout from you like ash from a virulent volcano.
They say the difficulty of the hike is "moderate" which means espadrilles won't work. My experience is pants work better than shorts, since pants protect you from thistles, insect bites and poison ivy about the ankles. True hiking boots work better than sandals, sneakers or flip-flops since you are likely to be hiking in mud, shallow streams and slippery terrain. I spray generous doses of heavy-duty insect repellent on the brim of my baseball cap, on a bandanna around my neck and on my socks so that the reminders of the event are my photographs and poems, not my rash and itchy bites.
There's no concession stand at Poet's Ledge, though I understand there are negotiations underway for a casino to be built there.
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