Doubletop Mountain with Friends

[mike]

On Saturday we met at the Seager Parking Lot to hike Doubletop with friends. The four of us headed out of the parking lot around 8:30 am. We headed up the trail, which was snow covered. Not a lot of snow, but it did have an inch or two on the ground. After about a mile, we then left the trail and headed up to ridge line to the summit.

The beginning of the bushwhack was steep, but there was not ledge climbs. Then it leveled out a bit, and the climb was fairly easy. About 2/3 of the way up, we had a small boulder field to get up. Nothing terrible. As we approached the top, the conifer trees started to appear. Once on top the Balsam Firs got thick. But, we found the canister without a problem.

We had a bite to eat and then headed down. Going down was easy and enjoyable. We then headed down the trail.

When we were just about to the car, we could hear someone shooting a gun. Just as we were within a couple hundred feet of the car, the guy then started to shoot at us. One bullet came within a couple feet of our head. It came from a local house. Sadly it marred the trip slightly.

Here are a couple pictures:


View of the valley when we were near the peak


DEC Trail


About 1/2 way up the ridge line to the summit of Doubletop Mountain


Boulder Field


Conifer trees near the top of Doubletop Mountain


Summit of Doubletop - Canister

[Jon]

wow that's crazy. You gonna press charges? Why were they shooting?

[mike]

The guy was about 500' away. I couldn't identify him. Not sure why he shot at us. Maybe he doesn't like hikers. Or, maybe he was just having an emotional meltdown and was taking it out on anyone he could. I certainly was not going to go ask him why. That would be like showing up to a gun fight without a gun. I did contact the DEC.

[Jon]

Why wouldn't you call the police? Is there none with jurisdiction there?

[Sam]

I hiked up Eagle Mtn on tuesday, alone. It seems as though I had the area to myself all day, minus one guy who signed in and noted that he was just taking his dog for a walk. I plan on hiking up to doubletop this coming Sunday.

There is some sort of a small sports man club that is very close to the Trail Head...ther was a bluish grey Cadillac sedan parked outside of the residence...if my memory serves me truely this is the last house, before the trail head...I'm not going to stay off of public land due to this incident, although it is unnerving. Do you have a vague idea of the area from which the man was firing from?
Thanks , Sam

[Jon]

in the back country there are lot of crooks who may see someone parking at a trailhead with a nice car - its such an easy target for someone to steal that car

Whew I guess I don't have to worry about that! They'd hop in my car and hop right back out.

I always thought that the people in NY were more trustworthy than the people in NJ. Cars get broken into and windows smashed a lot at trailheads down here. Mostly kids looking for drugs and money or ipods. It never really occured to me that people are being robbed at gunpoint in the Catskills. I always thought it was more laid back. Hope I don't have to start hiking with a taser.

This is also why hiking in large groups is good I suppose. People will be less inclined to shoot at or rob 10 people than just 1 or 2.

Still, this incident, combined with what happened at the Windham Lean-to is making me second guess bringing my kids up there on any more hikes.

[mike]

I didn't call the police because I didn't have a cell phone. Additionally, I could not identify the guy. He also drove off. I did see him further down the road having a psychotic episode. The police wouldn't be able to arrest him even if he did stay. I did tell the Rangers about it. They will probably watch the PA after this. I think the DEC will take the matter more seriously then the police. I am sure they will put up cameras, and visit much more often now.

The guy was shooting from the gun club a couple houses down. My take on it was that this is a one-time episode. I wouldn't hesitate to return and hike there again.

Hard to say if he was target practicing. He was firing his gun within close range of other houses. You have to stay 500' away from a house to target practice, unless it is your own home and land. He also fired across a road, which is also illegal. When he shoot at me, he missed a house by a couple feet. When this happen, I yelled at him. He did stop firing, and left in his truck. We were on State property.

On people breaking into cars at trail heads. It was a common problem in Vermont for years. They finally caught the guy. From time-to-time people do break into cars at trail heads in NY, but not very often. They seem to know that the Rangers sometimes put up cameras, so they are afraid of getting caught.

[Sam]

Thanks for filling me in mike. new york state doesnt take these things ligtly. our state has the most ubiquitious law enforcement that i know of...on a lighter note...i guess i should stop relieving myself of coffee and water, after an hours drive to the trail head...due to the cameras. Just kidding. Be safe everyone and enjoy.

[mike]

i guess i should stop relieving myself of coffee and water, after an hours drive to the trail head...due to the cameras

Geez...Didn't think about that either. I do the same thing. Maybe I need to walk a little further into the woods next time.

[Sam]

Lol. i couldnt make it further into the woods....im sure theyve got a montage of me at this point. Maybe a ranger will approach me one of these days and give me a slap on the wrists. a camera is the last thing on my mind when i take to the hills. big brother can go take a hike..