Peekamoose Mountain, February 17, 2013, Slide Mountain Wilderness, Catskill Park

View to the south, from 3500 elevation sign

With a name like "Peekamoose," how hard can it be? This simple phrase summed up my thought process before a recent, last minute solo outing in the Catskills. In the winter, I find it wise to avoid long, steep, above-treeline treks when going out alone. Better safe than sorry. Peekamoose fit the bill nicely as the summit is a viewless spot under low cover offering protection from the elements. Furthermore, the trail itself - only 7 miles up and back - is known for long level sections in between climbs. Seemed easy enough on paper and perfect for snowshoes.

With the unwelcome addition of frigid temps, deep snow drifts, and screaming winds, however, Peekamoose turned out to be a little more than I expected.

Initial ascent

I was happy to find the parking area for Peekamoose-Table Mountain trailhead to be well-cleared and empty and managed to hit the trail at 7:20 AM. I found easy walking on the initial ascent as there was little snow or ice in the lower elevations. At Reconnoiter Rock, I had the chance to test out a new pair of snowshoes and wore them the rest of the way. The only views of the day came just past the sign marking 3500 feet elevation where a ledge opens to the south. The high winds, however, prevented me from enjoying it for more than a few seconds.

At the summit - marked by a big boulder - I took a quick break in order to don another pair of wool pants and change into dry socks. I briefly thought about pressing on to Table Mountain, but quickly decided against it. The real feel temperature had to be around 0. After a few energy shakes (which I managed to keep from freezing) I headed back down. Arrived at the parking lot at 11:30 AM.

Frozen face

All in all, it turned out to be a good day in the woods. The howling winds and creaking trees, however, gave the day an aura of eeriness.

As a 3,500 foot mountain, Peekamoose falls on the "Catskill 3500" list - a goal-oriented hiking list similar to the White Mountain 4,000 footers and the Adirondack 46ers.

Chalk off my first.

Peak: Peekamoose Mountain
Elevation: 3,843 feet (Gain: 2,343)
Distance: 7 miles, up and back
Conditions: Clear, 17 degrees F, high winds, gusts 45 MPH

Mount Tammany, January 12, 2013, Worthington State Forest

Mount Minsi, from Tammany Summit

Although the state doesn't have any 4,000-foot mountains, there are some very picturesque outdoor areas in New Jersey. The Delaware Water Gap is one of them. The Appalachian Mountain Club, or AMC, runs their Mohican Outdoor Center here, offering programs, tent sites, and cabins to its members and providing a nice jumping off point for section hikes on the Appalachian Trail.

Mount Tammany, named for a Lenni Lenape chieftain, is one of the two prominent peaks in the Water Gap, offering nice vistas across the Delaware River to Mount Minsi - its partner peak on the Pennsylvania side. In the winter months, when the White Mountains and Adirondacks become less accessible, Mount Tammany is a good option for an ascendant outing. It is wise to hike these trails early, as they get heavy use. The off-season is definitely the time to go. Early morning hiking in the winter, though, means a chance for ice on the trails and fog-enshrouded summit views.

We encountered both. Snow-covered with sporadic ice patches, the rocky trail called for yak tracks or microspikes. We had neither. The red dot trail up to Mount Tammany is short and steep, covering about 1,200 feet of vertical rise, followed by a gradual, but rocky, descent down the blue dot trail. Despite the conditions, it was certainly not impossible.

We made it to the summit fairly quickly and enjoyed a leisurely lunch on some brand-spanking new (in a sense) trail seats that K had re-purposed from a feed back we found down in the Pinelands.

Nothing better than a dry rear end on a cold day in the woods.

Feed Bag Turned Trail Seat

Peak: Mount Tammany
Elevation: 1,526 Feet (Gain: 1,200)
Distance: 3.5 miles, circuit
Route: Red Dot Trail; Blue Dot Trail; Appalachian Trail
Conditions: Dense Fog, 40 degrees F

Into the Fog Hole

Mount Misery, January 6, 2013, Brendan Byrne State Forest - The Pinelands

Cranberry Bog en route to Mt. Misery

Mount Misery, despite the name, isn't a peak hike at all. It is actually no more than an almost-imperceptible hill. In southern New Jersey, things called "mount" - Mount Holly, Mount Laurel, Mount Misery - are simply the highest points in an otherwise overwhelmingly flat part of the state. The creeks and little rivers on one side of this low-altitude New Jersey spine drain to the Delaware River; those on the other to the Atlantic Ocean.

The hike to Mount Misery, however, has the potential to provide a feeling of wilderness seclusion in one of the most densely-populated states in the country. And if piney woods are your thing, there is no place quite like the Pinelands. The added bonus with any New Jersey hike is the potential for bird sightings... The state, mainly because of its location on migratory paths, is an absolute haven for birders. We caught sight (and sound) of a huge gaggle of tundra swans as they rambunctiously splashed around in one of the many cranberry bogs here. Sadly, we forgot the binoculars once again.

Down on the Bog

The trails in Brendan Byrne State Forest - named for a conservation-minded former governor - are pretty well marked. From the ranger station, we simply took the red trail towards Pakim Pond. At 2 miles, we veered off the red trail onto the white trail - aka Mount Misery Trail - and followed it to the "top." Cranberry bogs, pine trees, and long, straight hiking paths provide most of the scenery until you reach Mount Misery, which is still occupied by the buildings of a former CCC camp turned Methodist retreat. We had designs on the loop trail around to Pakim pond, but decided to turn it into an up and back as the day was getting later and trail use, therefore, getting heavier.

Destination: Mount Misery
Distance: 10.5 miles, out and back
Elevation Gain: Nominal
Conditions: Sunny, 38 degrees F
Route: Cranberry Trail (Red), Mt. Misery Trail (White)

 

Deep Pool

Swirling Current