Lone and Rocky - 10/13/2012

[TrunksWD]

Two friends and I hiked Lone and Rocky mountains on October 13, 2012. These were my 32nd and 33rd high peaks out of 39. (If you include the 4 winter ones that I've done already). The first thing I must say is that the trees on top of Rocky are nowhere near as bad as on top of Friday. I hope the trees on top of Balsam Cap are more like Rocky than Friday, but I will find out this weekend or possibly the next.

Two log bridge over the Neversink.


Rock formations while going up Lone.


On top of Lone with the canister. That is me on the left.


One of my friends on top of Rocky with the canister.

[mike]

Congrats! Lone/Rocky is probably the hardest hike of the 35 peaks. BC isn't that bad. Just an elevation climb from Moon Haw Road. They moved the canister on Friday, so it is now harder. But, the old location was a long ways from the true summit. Haven't been back up there to see where the new location is.

[TrunksWD]

Congrats! Lone/Rocky is probably the hardest hike of the 35 peaks. BC isn't that bad. Just an elevation climb from Moon Haw Road. They moved the canister on Friday, so it is now harder. But, the old location was a long ways from the true summit. Haven't been back up there to see where the new location is.

I actually didn't find the hike too hard, other than the last few miles when I was getting tired. I hiked Friday along with Slide, so I feel that was a much harder hike. We hiked up Slide then down the steep side to about halfway between Slide and Cornell. We then bushwhacked to the top of Friday and then back over Slide.

I'm undecided on which way I should hike Balsam Cap. While starting from Denning and hiking along the Neversink is a lot more gradual, it is also a lot longer. The problem I see from Moon Haw is trying to find the best way up all those ledges since there is no trail. Which way do you think is better?

After I finish Balsam Cap, Fir and Big Indian is the longest hike I have left. I also have to hike Halcott, Balsam (I hiked up McKinley Hollow in the Winter and I'll probably start from Rider Hollow next time and add in Belleayre), and most likely finish with West Kill.

Once I'm done with the Catskill 35, either in the Spring or Next Fall, I hope to hike Slide, Cornell and Wittenberg as one hike and to do the entire Devil's Path over two days. I just hope my hiking partners are up for those hikes.

[Jon]

I am in the 30's as well, only need the last trailess; northdome, sherill, bearpen, vly, graham, fir and halcott. If you would like to get together for some hikes you can message me, I can show you the way up to balsam cap from moonhaw. It is not as difficult and there is a sort-of-trail most of the way. There are also a lot of logging roads that you can follow for most of the way. I am ready to go on weekends, or Fridays even. I am in NJ though so can't realistically meet at most trail-heads until around 9-10.

I do need someone to go with for the last 7 of my hikes though, and the NJ people I know don't really want to do the trailess ones. Seriously I want to finish before the winter, but it is looking more and more like I won't get it done.

[TrunksWD]

I am in the 30's as well, only need the last trailess; northdome, sherill, bearpen, vly, graham, fir and halcott. If you would like to get together for some hikes you can message me, I can show you the way up to balsam cap from moonhaw. It is not as difficult and there is a sort-of-trail most of the way. There are also a lot of logging roads that you can follow for most of the way. I am ready to go on weekends, or Fridays even. I am in NJ though so can't realistically meet at most trail-heads until around 9-10.

I do need someone to go with for the last 7 of my hikes though, and the NJ people I know don't really want to do the trailess ones. Seriously I want to finish before the winter, but it is looking more and more like I won't get it done.

Vly and Bearpen if you can find your way up the road to the hunting cabin are really easy. Just make sure to wear bright colors or one of those contruction type vests during hunting season. Bearpen has snowmobile trails that are easy to follow and Vly has a marked trail, though no DEC markers, just paint on the trees. I suggest doing North Dome and Sherrill from the parking lot on Shaft Rd off of Rt 42 and hiking over Sherrill twice. It avoids all the ledges on the other side of North Dome by the Devil's Path.

My main hiking partner can only go hiking on the weekends, though he did finish the Catskill 35 in April, so he doesn't have to go. I'm about 2 to 2.5 hours from the Catskills depending upon the hike, so I've got no problem waiting until 10am to meet up. I'm probably doing Balsam Cap this weekend and Fir and Big Indian the weekend of November 3 / 4.