Old Clump & Hardscrabble Mountain(Catskills)

Headed down to the Catskills to do some more off trail exploring with my buddy Jim today.  One of my favorite parts of driving down to the Catskills is that I can get creative with my route, often exploring backroads and finding hidden off the beaten path views.  Today, I caught this early morning shot of mist rising over the rolling farmland of the northern Cats.

Our agenda today was to hit a pair of less traveled peaks in the western Catskills. 3000 foot Old Clump is one of the hunded highest Catskill peaks and has DEP access on probably 3/4 of the mountain, but unfortunately the summit is private.  Our approach today was to start from DEP land along Andrew Gray Road at about 1900 feet elevation.

A short distance into the open meadows, we stumbled across this beautiful small pond, accentuated by East Gray Hill in the distance.

A Catskill staple. Stone fences can be found throughout these forests, serving as a reminder to our past.

The woods were mostly open and easy going.

More stone fences.

The ascent was nearly 1100 feet in about 1.3 miles, but was never too steep.

Our route to the top was pretty easy and straightforward, but the summit was marred by thick pricker canes.

We continued to explore DEP land, even finding a small view back towards Old Clump's summit.

Old Clump summit with the valley of Roses Brook sprawling to the west.

The open woods made for very pleasant bushwhacking as I got my 94th CHH. 94/102.

Our second mountain of the day was a nearby 2900 foot peak with DEP access all the way to the summit on this one.  The mountain has no official name, but we called it "Hardscrabble Mountain".  DEP access is found on the north side of Duggan Hill Road.  There is virtually no room for parking so you must make sure your car is all the way off the shoulder.
Right from the start of the hike, across the open meadows, there is a great view west to the long ridge of Narrow Notch Mountain's east side.

Although the calendar reads late August, some of the leaves are already beginning to change color in spots.

A solitary red maple leaf.

One of the drawbacks to bushwhacking in the summer months is that you are constantly going through webs..while I'm not the biggest fan of these animals, they are still quite beautiful.

On the lower slopes of Hardscrabble Mountain, we passed through a stoic old pine plantation. 

Woods roads are abundant on many of these hundred highest peaks.  Sometimes they work to your advantage.

The woods road began to peter out in spots, only to return moments later.

The 2900 foot summit is mostly open hardwoods and completely wooded.  A 900 foot climb in just about one mile will get you to the top.

An easy descent got us back to the car feeling good. A bit humid and sweaty, but still good.  Nearly 2100 feet of ascent on the day.
As I said many times before, one of the perks of exploring this area of the Catskills, is the tremendous beauty all around you. Whether you are driving or hiking, the farmland and mountains are virtually all around you.  This is a shot SW off of Andrew Gray Road on DEP land.

Near the Woodchuck Lodge are tremendous views.  This SE view is towards Cator Roundtop, Vega Mountain, and Red Kill Ridge.

Woodchuck Lodge, built back in the mid 19th century, was the summertime home of naturalist John Burroughs and can be found on the south slopes of Old Clump.

SE Moresville and its radio tower from Mac More Road.

Purple Loosestrife along the East Branch of the Delaware River.

Once again, taking the scenic route home, I stopped by a DEC access to the Basic Creek in Greenville, washing off some dirt, sweat and grime accumulated through the day.