Roundtop

[erik7181]

I took a drive to mark the lot leading to the west access of round top and i had a question, the lot didn't look like it did in the photo on the info page. my question is when you park on cortina, is the trail the one straight ahead that looks like a driveway or is it to the left following the cortina sign? i only saw some DEC sign on the one that was stright ahead as you enter the parking lot but no trail markers. Im lost can anyone help, im hopeing to go there this weekend.

[mike]

I will have to make a map. But, we usually use the parking lot at the very end of Gillespie Road. The road is rough and looks like a driveway. You should see DEP signs on the left side of the road. Do NOT take a left up Cortina Lane. Continue straight.

Here is a map:

You need to get where the red 'X' is. Don't get confused about Cortina Lane. When you come to Cortina Lane, the road gets rough.

Hope this helps.

[erik7181]

Ok it looks like i was at the small lot by cortina and i thought the road was the trail. Are there trail markers from the 2nd lot? because my trail conference map shows the trail going from up on cortina lane.

[mike]

Okay, the 2010 TC map is wrong. Check out the map on this page: http://www.catskillmountaineer.com/KM-brantfort.html . It will give you a better idea of where you can go. If you start at the 2nd Parking Area, and hike up the road. You can follow the old horse wagon trail. There is a muddy spot at the top of the hill. Looks like the KHP snowmobile trail. Muddy and wet. We usually bushwhack at the top of the hill. This cuts out about a 1-1/2 miles of hiking. I have hiked it from all directions and ways. Hope this helps.

[erik7181]

so from lot #1 i go up cortina? because there was a no tresspassing sign. Also the trail junction where you go left , can i go right and take that trail to tory fort and to the plane crash?

[mike]

From PA #1, it goes from Cortina Lane to land owned by Cortina. But, some of the local owners don't like hikers. But, from what I understand you can hike there. I will have to check it out.

From PA #2, there is a road that goes right. This will end, and you have bushwhack up to the snowmobile trail. There is a ledge, you have to find an opening on. From there, you can hike down to Brant Fort. Difficult to get to the lower plane crash. To get to the Tory Fort, you have to get to the col between Roundtop and KHP. Difficult to find.

If you want to hike the west access trail, you should park at PA #2. Then walk up the trail. When you get to the top of the hill and the trail turns left, you should bushwhack up the hill. This will save you 1-1/2 miles and a lot of mud. You should come out just west of the trail junction for the snowmobile trail. Then you have to hike up the north side of the snowmobile trail. Once at the top of the trial, the west access trail starts. Hard to follow the trail. See this site's instructions of how to hike it.

We might do the west access trail this Fall if you are interested.

[rkugel]

Mike,

I would definitely be up for another hike on the West Access Trail. I see from the posts that several other folks also have interest.

Last fall, Mike and I did an awesome hike that included the West Access Trail, Round Top summit (with a spectacular view of KHP to the east), Tory Fort (very difficult to find without either a GPS or an experienced hiker), the hanging ledges, Hurricane Ledge, and the KHP summit plane crash (also difficult to find).

Rich K.

[mike]

I would be willing to do a hike this Fall if a good group wanted to do it.

[erik7181]

If you guys are still going to do the hike please let me know as I would be intrested. Thanks Erik

[erik7181]

When I went I hiked up from lot 2. We walked up the hill to where the trail split we stayed stright and went up the hill and followed a creed up to the top of the hill, we then hiked stright up a steep hill with a lot of rocks up to where it leveled off, we found the trail a little before the trail junction.
But I would like to fine the acess from lot# 1 on cortina. My girlfriend is not in as good of shape as I am and id like to make it easy. But it bugs me to that I don't know where the trail starts. I'm going up next weekend and I'm gonna follow the directions from the tory fort page. I found the ski lift on the way down but bushwacked to the lot because I. Was unsure of the trail.