Devil's Path - Catskills

[iceboxsteve]

I have a sister going to college in NY state as an added bonus to possibly going to see her one long weekend I thought I'd tackle some of the Devil's Path.

A quick search turned up good info online, but nothing here. I also like the forums for advice so here I am. Because of time constraints this would likely be a half day hike, so I wouldn't do it all. Instead I'm looking for a loop on the eastern half that can get some good summits without much road walking. Up Devil's Path over to Mink Hollow down to roaring Kill seems to get three of the eastern peaks in with some road walking back to the car.

Advice? Further suggestions? Anything is helpful and thanks!

[Starchild]

Some rough terrain overall, tough for 1/2 a day hike to hit 3 peaks + roadwalk. I would suggest the loop over Sugarloaf (including Dibbles Quarry, large beaver dam), if you want to add to that then side up/down to Twin and/or Plateau and forget the road walk. Also great piped spring on the lower side of Plateau on the Sugarloaf side though I heard talk about removing it.

[Another Kevin]

The Indian Head loop (http://dftscript.blogspot.com/2013/08/indian-head-mountain-2013-08-03.html) is also a hike with breathtaking views that's about the right length for you - start from either the Platte Clove Preserve (very limited parking) or Prediger Road (lots of parking, not quite as pretty an approach). If you do the loop clockwise (which takes the steepest scrambles going up) you get to decide when you get to Jimmy Dolan Notch whether or not you want to add an out-n-back to Twin.

The Sugarloaf loop (http://www.catskillhiker.net/Catskill35/peaks/sugarloaf.shtml) is similar - you can do optional side trips to Twin or Plateau. But I'd save Plateau for when you decide to do the whole eastern half and come down to Devil's Tombstone - because the mile-and-a-half of walk across its flat ridge through the balsam forest is not to be missed. The Sugarloaf loop with the two side trips, at 8.6 miles, might look like a 4-hour hike, but it is not. It has over 4300 feet of elevation gained (and lost again), including four sections of hands-over-feet scrambling.

The Devil's Path is not to be underestimated. It's comparable in difficulty to the tough trails in the Whites or Maine, except for the fact that it has no above-timberline stretches.

By the way, if you're looking to do one of these loops, and you're willing to spend 5.5-6 hours to do one peak (I'm not a fast hiker), shoot me a PM. I'd like company to do almost any of them, and if the loop doesn't quite close, we can shuttle cars instead of roadwalking.

[stranger]

Devils Path is rough...but beautiful and rewarding, the Escarpment trail is another great one...

We climbed Sugarloaf outta Mink Hollow on snowshoes back in 1994, great hike

[stranger]

Devils Path is rough...but beautiful and rewarding, the Escarpment trail is another great one...

We climbed Sugarloaf outta Mink Hollow on snowshoes back in 1994, great hike