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Stone Hollow Falls

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 9:34 am
by TobiasTicetonyk
Link goes to an album.

Two photo excursions into a carved out section of Hunter Mountain I like to call Stone Hollow. These were taken in mid-April 2011 during the SUNY spring break, and these seasonal waterfalls (like dozensssss of others in the Catskills) are only alive when the temperature is warm enough to melt a few feet of snow remaining on the summits.

Other times of year, either after intense rains or Irene, the water here will flow again, but the sweet smell of snowmelt and mud will not fill the air.

http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pict ... es&album=8

Here is the 2nd excursion, 2 days later and a little bit less water, and a very very very very angry bear cub- that's a whole other story but worth seeing the picture that I was incredibly stupid to stay and take, but hey, bears in the Catskills are not very intimidating when you grow up around them- they're like big dogs (that can kill you)

http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pict ... &album=410


In case anyone wonders- the main reason I was standing there for enough time to take the camera out was because I was stunned the bear was alone and was wondering if it was abandoned or something. I decided to turn around and leave (this was under a gigantic rock overhang) around one corner, the last split second that my peripheral vision was able to see into the ledge as I went around and above it, I saw a rather large bear head come around the other other side across from me, as it came downhill... so one second in there too long and I might not have been able to post these. The side I was going up had all the cliffs and waterfalls, while the side the mother came down was where it was a normally hellish steep Catskill slope, and this cave was the divider. Yes yes yes it was stupid, and maybe even dumber that I didn't decide to grab the cub and raise it as my own personal attack bear?

Re: Stone Hollow Falls

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:20 pm
by mike
Nice photos! Are these seasonal falls near Becker Hollow Trail (stream that crosses it)? Or, are they up by the lake? Always be careful around waterfalls. The wet rocks can be so slippery.

When I first saw the second trip, I caught the bear cub immediately. Wow! Bear cubs usually mean angry mommy bear is coming for you. Especially if the bear cub is screaming. Yikes! Looks like you left just in time. Bear cubs can venture out of the cave, so when I see one, I usually turn around immediately. Good thing you didn't pick it up. That would make mommy bear go absolutely nuts on you.

But, you are right, black bears are usually very docile, and pose no threat to hikers. But, in the wrong situation they can be quite dangerous.

Re: Stone Hollow Falls

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:18 pm
by dave
Wecome to the forum.

We have a waterfall section coming for the web site. But, it will not include seasonal waterfalls.

A bear tale with pictures to prove it. Nice!

Re: Stone Hollow Falls

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:51 pm
by TobiasTicetonyk
This is directly above the lake, the water comes down in line with the dam. If you ever hike up Hunter via the Devil's Path and the very beginning has water flowing over it, before the sign in box, these pictures are the source of that water. If you go up there are some old old cliff campsites and even higher to the spring area there are some large rock cairns, covered in moss and soil development (OLD) that lead to some interesting cliffs, where the view photos were taken from.

Re: Stone Hollow Falls

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 10:25 pm
by mtnclimber
Nice pictures. At first I missed the bear cubs. Sure were cute looking. But, i bet if mom bear came after you she wouldn't look so cute. Liked some of the pictures of the waterfalls.