OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN Catskills xc ski

 



Mar 1, 2010 - OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN from the N, Catskills.  4' of snow (snow was up to handrails on a bridge), on the dense side of powder.  Looked at Prediger Rd access but nowhere to park.  Parked on Platte Clove Rd & started on Long Path thru Platte Clove Preserve - the narrow winding trail goes uphill & can be a challenge on return.  After ~1 mile junctions of blue & red trails obscured by blowdown but we persist & are eventually on the blue-marked old road to Overlook.  Leanto was cave-like under all the snow & outhouse was half buried.  Mid part of route levels out some (we were breaking trail here) & there are views of the Hudson Valley.  Occasional overhanging trees & blowdown but trail is fairly wide & obvious.  Trail later wraps around W side of Overlook & views open up to the W.  Met a tele skier & a bare-booter (gotta be nuts to post-hole like that).  Porcupine in a tree.  Great views from the top.  Did not have a lot of time to linger at firetower.  Took about half the time to return.  Intermediate skiing.  11.8 miles, 6.2 hours, 1,300' el gain.







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