Took advantage of a beautiful fall day and headed down to the Catskills to take a different route up a familiar mountain. There are a few different trail options to access 3524 foot Windham High Peak, but today my objective was to bushwhack up to the summit from DEP land(NYC Watershed) along Big Hollow Road to the south. I parked in a large field near a DEP sign(Elevation 1965 feet) and headed north through the field and into the woods.
Within just a couple of minutes, I picked up a wide and easy to follow woods road that was ablaze in fall foliage.There are a myriad of woods roads on the south slopes of Windham High Peak, but I stuck to the one that closely hugs a drainage to gain some elevation. As I got higher up on the mountain, I opted to leave the woods road and do some true bushwhacking through the beautiful forest.
Fall colors are well past peak at this elevation, but there are small pockets were the foliage is still hanging on and even "popping".Nearing the set of ledges that were today's main objective, around 3200 feet.From atop these ledges, views south towards the across Big Hollow began to really open up.
From an open, off trail ledge, this view provides a unique SE view towards Burnt Knob and Acra Point.
From the same ledge, nice views towards the Blackheads.Lesser SW views across Big Hollow towards Hunter Mountain from a different off trail ledge.After enjoying the views from the ledges, I continued my ascent up through a couple more large cliff bands.
Eventually I made my way up to the blue Escarpment Trail, where it was an easy climb up towards the summit.Summit views east towards edge of the escarpment and into the Hudson Valley.Broad NE views towards Albany and the Hudson Valley.Continued up and over the true summit and onto another ledge, with great views towards the Blackhead Range(Left to Right-Blackhead, Black Dome and Thomas Cole).After enjoying the summit views, and only seeing one couple on trail, it was back into the woods to bushwhack back down the mountain. I quickly picked up the woods road once again and easily made my way back down towards the car.Utilizing woods roads made for a speedy descent, and I covered about 5.2 miles RT, with 1650 feet of total climbing. An absolutely beautiful fall day in the northern Catskills.
Map below. Blue P=Parking Blue X=Summit Black X=Ledges