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How Prevalent?

General Topics about Hiking in the Catskill Mountains that are not trail related
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biscut
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Hopewell Jct.

How Prevalent?

Unread post by biscut »

Pretty new to the Catskills. I've seen black bear so far (Platte Clove area). Beautiful animals but sure can be a pest a times. I've never worried much about them; I guess through all my hiking years and where I grew up, they were always there. I read plenty about the timber rattlesnake and now and then about copperheads in the area. How prevalent are the snakes inn the Catskills? I grew up t the base of Mt. Tom range in MA. We were pretty much the northern terminus for the timber rattler and there were dens on the cliffs. They were protected and studied by students at UMASS.

How often do hikers come across rattlers or copperheads? Seems like Tremper is mentioned often but maybe that is a coincidence. There are very few things int his world that I am "scared" of.....snakes are 1 of em! :evil:
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kennykb
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Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by kennykb »

The Catskill high peaks are too cold for copperheads. There are a few on the front of the Escarpment around West Saugerties, but I have never heard of any on the Mountain Top or in the peaks.

There are timber rattlers, but there are only a few dens of them left. There is the one that you mentioned on Tremper. There are others on Overlook near the fire tower, Echo Lake (the south-facing ledges), Codfish Point in the old quarry, Fawn's Leap, and the SW ridge of Plateau Mountain. Below the Escarpment, there's one near the Devil's Kitchen falls above West Saugerties, but that's really hard for humans to get to. The snakes never go more than a couple of miles from their den, so if you're not doing the new Long Path section on Plateau, the Tremper fire tower, or the Overlook Turnpike, you have nothing to worry about. I've heard of a couple more dens down toward the Shawangunks, but peakbaggers don't often get down that way, unless they take a trip over to Vernooy Kill Falls. There are some near the falls.

You will see a lot of harmless snakes in your travels. Windham High Peak and the Camel's Hump west of Thomas Cole Mountain both have big dens of garter snakes, and I've seen thirty or forty at a time basking on the rocks up there.

More at http://www.catskillmountaineer.com/animals-snakes.html
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dundee
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:01 pm

Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by dundee »

It's odd, but in all of my travels in the Catskills, I've never seen a rattler or CH. I see rattlers on occasion on Tongue Mt. in the ADKs, but not in the Catskills.
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mike
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Location: Ravena, NY

Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by mike »

Overlook Mtn has the most. there are 7 dens that I know of. About 700 on the Mtn and surrounding area. I see one 50% of the time I hike to the tower. It needs to be sunny and above 52 degrees. When it gets cloudy, they will go back into their underground locations. There is a den right by the fire tower. That is usually where I see them. You could probably see them tomorrow because it is going to be warm. Overlook is nice because the jeep trail is wide, so it is very safe to view them. There is also a den just south of Palenville and below Hawkeye Ledge. Once in a great while one will get into the Kaaterskill Clove. There are a lot more in the Gunks. The highest concentration is around Middletown, NY.

Last Fall someone I know saw a copperhead right below the summit of WHP. Very odd place for them. Like Kevin said, they are in West Saugerties. They are also in Oak Hill (NE side of the Catskills).

Very few snakes in the Catskills. But, in the right places you can see them. This is because there are very few rodents for them to prey on. But, rodents are starting to make a comeback. If you don't like snakes, then the Catskills are an excellent place to hike.
biscut
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Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Hopewell Jct.

Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by biscut »

Thanks for the info guys. Very informative. I've seen them before (not in Catskills) and they sure are thick! I've gone up Giant Ledge 2xs this summer and if it's sunny and early enough, they garter's seem to like the cliff's as much as we do! Saw a dozen of them all intertwined soaking in the rays! The small population of rodents did have me wondering what they were eating.
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mike
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Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by mike »

Garter snakes usually eat crickets, worms, lizards, etc. Most garter snakes are too small to eat a mouse or vole.

As Kevin said, there is a den of garter snakes on the top of WHP. In the Fall you will see lots of them up there. They are also on other summits in the Catskills. But, they are small and harmless when compared to a Timber Rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes are as thick as a man's arm. Overlook is a great place to safely see them.
biscut
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Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Hopewell Jct.

Re: How Prevalent?

Unread post by biscut »

Thanks Mike. A lot of good information.
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