One of my hiking books described how ascending Round Top from the south was very easy with no high ledges or steep ascents to contend with. Saturday 12/03/2011 was forecast to be sunny, but chilly with a high temperature near 40 degrees. I decided to take advantage of the good weather, since we probably only have a couple of weekends before winter really sets in.
I arrived at the Platte Clove parking area around 8:30 am and headed up the Long Path. After cutting over through the Mohawk Camp and intersecting the Snowmobile Trail near the plane wreck, I headed west and arrived at the cairn marking the south approach to KHP at around 10:00 am. I continued west on the SMT until I arrived at the south base of Round Top at 10:50 am. From there, I turned north (leaving the SMT) and proceeded up Round Top.
In spite of what I read, the ascent was steep and there were two high ledges to contend with. The first ledge was encountered after climbing about 250 vertical feet. I had to walk about 200 feet to the west before I found a suitable access way to the top. From there, the vegetation grew thicker and the ascent grew steeper. Just below the summit, I encountered a second high ledge. Fortunately, I spotted an opening in the ledge that offered relatively easy access to the top.
Once at the top of the second ledge, I found myself in a small meadow that I remembered from when Mike and I climbed Round Top back in September 2010. After walking a short distance to the east, I ascended a third (much smaller) ledge and arrived at the actual summit, where I was greeted with a stone cairn.
My arrival time at the summit was 11:35 am, making for a total ascent time of 45 minutes – not too bad, considering I stopped several times to rest and catch my breath.
Although Round Top’s summit is quite small, walking around is somewhat challenging due to the thick conifer forest that blankets the area. I explored the north edge of the summit and descended a small ledge where I was greeted with a grand view of Kaaterskill Clove and North/South Lakes. The scene was truly breathtaking!
From there, I walked over to the east facing ledge and found the small rock outcrop overlooking KHP. Mike and I discovered this view when we first climbed Round Top and we are both convinced this is where Thomas Cole painted his famous work “Sunny Morning on the Hudson River”. KHP simply fills and overwhelms the entire scene. The Hudson Valley can only struggle to be seen behind KHP’s massive form.
By this time, it was nearly 12:30 pm and I knew it was time to head back to my car since it would be dark in four hours. I reluctantly left the summit and descended Round Top. I rejoined the SMT at 1:10 pm, passed the south cairn for KHP at 1:50 pm and arrived back at my car at 3:50 pm. Although the climb was much more strenuous than I thought, it was still a great day with magnificent views and perfect weather.
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Round Top on 12/03/2011
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rkugel
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:54 am
Round Top on 12/03/2011
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mike
- Posts: 1444
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- Location: Ravena, NY
Re: Round Top on 12/03/2011
I think it is shorter if you hike from Gillespie Road. But, you have to bushwhack from the side road up to the snowmobile trail. The south route is still more difficult then the west access trail. But, getting up to the top of Round Top is difficult from any direction. But, the easiest way is from the west. There is a trail on the west side up the final part of RT.
But, nice pictures. Sounds like you had a good time.
But, nice pictures. Sounds like you had a good time.
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rkugel
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:54 am
Re: Round Top on 12/03/2011
Hi Mike,
I agree Gillespie Road would have been shorter. My concern was the passability of the road with frozen surfaces and ice patches, since it is a dirt road. That is why I opted for Platte Clove.
I also agree the West Access Trail provides the easiest route to Round Top. If I had more time, I would have descended the north side of the summit and searched for the "3250 foot Ledge" of the West Access Trail. Perhaps that is something we can do some time. If nothing else, I would love to show you the viewpoint I found on the north side of the summit. It's well hidden behind conifers, but provides an awesome view of Kaaterskill Clove and the North/South Lake area.
I believe I located the trail you mentioned up the west side of Round Top. I used the trail to ascend the second high ledge to the summit. If you remember, we spotted the trail when we climbed Round Top in September 2010. The trail was even marked with blue blazes.
Rich
I agree Gillespie Road would have been shorter. My concern was the passability of the road with frozen surfaces and ice patches, since it is a dirt road. That is why I opted for Platte Clove.
I also agree the West Access Trail provides the easiest route to Round Top. If I had more time, I would have descended the north side of the summit and searched for the "3250 foot Ledge" of the West Access Trail. Perhaps that is something we can do some time. If nothing else, I would love to show you the viewpoint I found on the north side of the summit. It's well hidden behind conifers, but provides an awesome view of Kaaterskill Clove and the North/South Lake area.
I believe I located the trail you mentioned up the west side of Round Top. I used the trail to ascend the second high ledge to the summit. If you remember, we spotted the trail when we climbed Round Top in September 2010. The trail was even marked with blue blazes.
Rich