3rd Ledge - escarpment

[ssjamk65]

On Fri. Sept. 14 my brother and I headed over to the Mountain House site to pick up the 3rd Ledge Trail. We stopped and explored the area where the Mountain House barns used to be and then headed up the trail. ( found a small well I had never seen before) I had never hiked this unmarked trail before but had heard good things about it from this website and it did not dissapoint. We checked out the old Mnt. House water tower as well as Puddingstone Hall and Druid rocks and then continued over to the Kaaterskill Hotel stage road. We took the stage road up to the Kaaterskill Hotel site and took the trail around the hotel grounds by the Annex, pond, and cistern. We then took the trail along the clove past Inspiration Point and Layman's Monument and onto Kaaterskill Falls. From here we hit the old Kaaterskill Laundry site near the end of Schutt road and then followed the old rail line back to S. Lake. Instead of taking the nice two track along the lake we headed up the hill and took the other rail line so we could stop and see the water tower. From there it was back to the campsite. We saw a few other hikers up near the Kaaterskil Hotel site but that was it. Overall a great hike. Loved the 3rd ledge trail. I did not realize until I read Mike's report of his hike that he took a few days after ours that the Third Ledge Trail doesn't end at the stage road but actually crosses it and continues on towards Schutt Road. I'll have to check that part of the trail out another day.

Scott

[mike]

The 3rd ledge is such a sweet trail. After you get to the hotel road, you walk up hill for a couple hundred feet. When the hotel road turns to the left, look for an opening on the right. This is the OTHER side of the 3rd ledge trail. Not as well traveled, but still nice. It comes out by the 4-corners near the end of Scutt Road.

The Pine Orchard is a true treasure. And, so many people never even know that it is there.

Your route is a real good route. Get to see so much in a short distance. KF must have been flowing well too.

Great pics!

[mtnclimber]

Pine Orchard and the 3rd ledge trail are fabulous! The 3rd ledge trail seems to be preferred in the Winter for some reason. But, I am sure there are people hiking it in the summer too.

[dundee]

Where can I get a copy of the topo map in your thread?

[kennykb]

It looks as if it's an older (1970s?) version of what is currently the inset on NY/NJ Trail Conference Map #141: "Northeastern Catskill Trails." Not all the points of interest are on the current trail map. One of these months I'm going to take the time to download the scan of the old Arrowhead trail map (http://www.catskillmountaineer.com/maps-11.html) and georeference it, so that it'll display on a smartphone or a GPS that can handle GeoTIFF or GeoPDF maps. For all the times I've been up to North-South Lakes, I haven't actually poked around the Pine Orchard that much. I haven't even been to Alligator Rock for the obligatory selfie. Having a map that shows the points of interest in there would help.

[dundee]

Thanks for the link. That map will help.

[kennykb]

Warning: It's 65 years old. Not all the trails are even there anymore.

[dundee]

Right! I'm fairly familiar with the area, but there's always something new to find.

[ssjamk65]

The topo map that I used was from an old Mountain Top Historical Society newsletter from around 1980. The map was originally from Walking News INC. and has a date of 1975. The map is labeled " Map NO.35- Kaaterskill Clove & North Lake Campsite, Haines Falls, Palenville section". I did a quick google search for it but came up empty.

[dundee]

Thanks, I'll check with MTHS next time I'm thru.