Blackhead Mountain Bushwhack to Arizona Mountain(Catskills)

Met up with my buddy Jim to do an interesting traverse bushwhack/ trail hike to a familiar mountain, but with a different twist.   We both thought it would be interesting to bushwhack up the long southern ridge line of Blackhead from the Colgate Lake area and then head up and over Arizona Mountain, before dropping down to Dutcher Notch and eventually down the eastern escarpment to a spotted car.  We left my car at the end of Storks Nest Road and then drove Jim's car over to Colgate Lake's second parking area to get the day started.  The hike started on the yellow blazed trail through open fields with views of the surrounding peaks, at a fairly high elevation of about 2160 feet.

After about a third of a mile,  at a bend in the trail, we began the bushwhack, entering the wide open hardwood forest.

There were several steep grades we had to negotiate but nothing terribly difficult.  We took our time and really enjoyed the gorgeous late summer conditions. 

We were both quite astonished by the open woods that we were climbing with very little dead fall or anything to slow us down.

Fall colors are really starting to show up, with the best still yet to come!

 We found lots of berries still on the vine, making the many animals that call these mountains home quite happy.

 

As we climbed, we hit several classic Catskill stair-steps, which took turns with the steeper sections until we emerged at a large area of witch hobble and berries around 3600 feet.  The trees began to grow shorter in stature as well, allowing us to catch occasional glimpses towards the valley and neighboring Black Dome.

After fighting and clawing through a stretch of thicker witch hobble we emerged at a clearing with beautiful rock ledges above, just calling our names!

Jim arriving at the top of the clearing, scoping things out.

From our rocky perch, we enjoyed a magnificent vista back over the long ridgeline we had just climbed.  Lake Capra(L) and Colgate Lake(R) sit down in the valley with the long ridge of West Stoppel Point above.

Jim really soaking in the views.  This made a perfect lunch spot with a gentle breeze to keep us cool.

A view to the southwest into the East Kill Valley with a drainage sandwiched between the lower slopes of Blackhead(L) and Black Dome(R).

Early fall colors on Blackhead's southern ridge.

Hard to beat this view!  The Devils Path peaks can be seen rising beyond in the distance.

Turning left provided a view back towards Arizona Mountain and Stoppel Point beyond.

The wide open meadow like area above the ledges.  Hard to believe we were over 3700 feet here.

We found our way down to a nice view towards 3450 foot Arizona Mountain, our next peak(not enough prominence to count officially as its own separate peak).

Stumbled across this conifer, which looks like it has succumbed to an unfortunate fate.

After a very short area of dense conifers, we suddenly emerged at the blue marked escarpment trail.  From here it would be an easy day.  We continued over to hit the 3940 foot summit, which we have both hit on multiple occasions, before heading south towards Arizona.

The drop off Blackhead is pretty steep, losing 500 feet in less than half a mile.  At the base of the drop is a nice view towards Acra Point and the valley below.

Arizona's summit bump ahead.

Swirling clouds over the valley quickly breaking up as they hit the escarpment.

More vibrant colors of fall.

Emerging at a large clearing on the summit of Arizona.  A really nice spot.

 From the meadow like summit of Arizona is a nice little view back towards Blackhead, which rises 500 vertical feet above.

Continuing south along the trail, we found another view spot over the valley with clouds casting shadows far below.

As we lost a little more elevation the trail passes through a beautiful, dark coniferous forest before arriving at an informal path that leads several yards away to an incredible view spot.

The views from this location, while not open or unobstructed are great nonetheless.  Here is a look down towards Lake Capra and the East Kill Valley, framed beautifully with the surrounding foliage.

 A few feet away is a view down over Dutcher Notch and across to Stoppel Point.  The long ridge of North Mountain can be seen beyond.

Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop can be seen just beyond the col between Stoppel Point and West Stoppel Point.

 

A zoom loo at the imposing eastern escarpment.

A very cool rock formation forms a natural tunnel that you can pass through.

After a very steep descent off Arizona, we arrived at 2550 foot Dutcher Notch.  This is a four way trail intersection in a small level clearing at a low point between the peaks.  We turned left here, heading east down towards our first spotted car.

The yellow blazed Dutcher Notch Trail loses 1400 feet in less than 2 miles on an old, rocky road that was used as a farm to market passage in the nineteenth century.  This was one of the more pleasant stretches as the trail drops off the eastern escarpment down to Storks Nest Road.

Arrived back at the car feeling great.  A little over 7 miles RT with about 2200 feet elevation gain(mostly on the bushwhack).