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Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 3:56 pm
by Christian
Update: August 2016

Due to recent events, the Town of Saugerties now strictly enforces no trespassing and no parking rules at the bottom of Platte Clove Road -- handing out tickets like candy in both cases. The lower part of the Clove is inaccessible to the general public as a result.

I've heard some disturbing stories from locals. There are relatively simple rules to live by when hiking Plattekill Creek: carry in/out, park in DEC/Preserve lots, be respectful, and don't get hurt. All four of these have been egregiously broken. It's preventing those that can enjoy nature responsibly from experiencing this beautiful and pristine region.

My original post has been removed.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 7:28 pm
by Jon
TLDR.
Just kidding!
=)
Great pics chris. Come next Thurs we gonna do KHP maybe.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 11:38 am
by mike
Great TR! Love all those pictures. I really need to go in there and finish off the waterfalls in that section. But, I need to go with someone else.

I have been down in Hell's Hole. That is one scary place. The side walls are where most people get killed. They end up sliding off the edge to their death.

A great vantage point is Bridal Veil Falls Lookout. It doesn't appear dangerous, but it is much more dangerous place then people realize. I think we have some pictures posted from there in the Waterfall section.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 10:01 pm
by Scott T
Awesome guide! Beautiful pictures! Thank you for posting this. :D

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:49 pm
by biscut
Thank you for putting in the time for this post. I was just there last week getting familiar with the area. Can't wait to shoot these falls. I drove up Platte Clove Road from W. Saugerties. Caught a frisky black bear by the side of the road. About 150 - 200lbs so not yet mature. Seeing your pics and reading your description will help a lot. Great area.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:40 am
by mike
Just be careful. Especially Hell's Hole. It is a very dangerous area. A lot of people have been killed there. But, it is a very beautiful area. About 18 waterfalls in total. We have started to document them, but we still have quite a ways to go.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:16 pm
by Christian
Hey everybody. Thanks for the compliments!

To expand upon what Mike said, I do not recommend going up Hell's Hole without ropes and a harness. You will get to a point where you must rock climb to get past Hell's Hole's "funnel point". As far as the Bridal Veil Lookout, I only discovered this recently. The area's pine slopes are dangerous for the unexperienced. However, this might be the best way to get a clear view of Platte Clove out towards Hudson Valley. The view of Bridal Veil is very impressive, almost a "frontier-ish" feel to it. Bridal Veil actually looks much taller from this view than it does from the base of the falls. If you're making one trip to Platte Clove, you might not want to miss this view. But did we mention it's dangerous?

It's been a few months, but I'll soon be posting an update in order to clear up some of the more fuzzy aspects of the route, along with some updated pictures and new ones as well. Stay tuned!

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:35 pm
by mike
Look forward to additional pics.

I really like the Bridal Veil Lookout. It seems very safe, but the danger is very deceiving. If you fall on the Hell's Hole side it is a 100' drop. Bill Costello fell there in 2010, and died instantly. Fall on the Devil's Kitchen side and it is a 200' drop. Hundreds of people have died on that small ledge. I should also note that people are always trying to get a clear view of Hell's Hole, and that is often what causes them to fall off the ledge to their deaths.

Image
View from Bridal Veil Lookout at high water.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 9:11 pm
by Christian
First update complete! Remember to reply or PM me with any questions, corrections, or suggestions.

Re: Platte Clove and Hell's Hole (Memorial Day Weekend 2014)

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:10 am
by Jon
watch out now that it's late fall the ice will start changing a lot about the clove. I would suggest if your going to continue in the winter buying or borrowing some technical gear.