On the last full day of our Catskill trip, Carol and I did some geocaching and enjoyed one of our favorite short hikes in the Catskills into Diamond Notch, the wild cut between West Kill Mountain and Southwest Hunter. This was the first hike Carol and I ever did together in the Catskills, back in 2004.
On the way to the trailhead we stopped on CR 42 in Deep Notch for a look at Halcott Falls. This parking spot is the launching point for the bushwhack/herd path up Halcott (pronounced Hawk-it) Mountain, one of the 3500-ft. peaks. When I climbed Halcott in 2014, the only obvious herd path I found was up on the final approach to the broad summit. It sounds as if there is much more of a beaten herd path nowadays.
From CR 42, we took the scenic six-mile drive up the Spruceton valley to the trailhead at its end and set off around noontime on the Diamond Notch Trail, which follows an old, easy-graded woods road to West Kill Falls (aka Diamond Notch Falls).
The trail offers several nice views of the West Kill. (Kill is a Dutch word for a waterway or stream.)
This would be a nice place to hang out on a hot summer day.
This hardy trio were on their way out after climbing West Kill Mountain (3,880 ft.). Along the way they encountered plenty of ice. Carol and I climbed West Kill back in 2005. My friend Dean MacGeorge is the volunteer maintainer of the portion of Devil's Path that ascends West Kill.
West Kill Falls is located by the junction of
Diamond Notch Trail and the Devil's Path. For the best view you must
descend a short but steep and somewhat sketchy side path. We made an unsuccessful search for a geocache on that slope.
Closer look.
From the falls we crossed a footbridge over the brook and continued past the junction with the trail up West Kill Mountain.
The trail is somewhat rocky as it climbs gradually towards Diamond Notch, with the slope
of Southwest Hunter (aka Leavitt Peak) rising on the left.
Happy hiker.
The Diamond Notch Lean-to occupies a secluded setting near the top of the pass.
Nice stretch of trail through a hemlock stand.
Approaching the open stretch in the heart of the notch. Uh-oh, time to get out the spikes.
Still plenty of snow down in the deep cut.
Shaly talus on the slope of Southwest Hunter.
This trail shelf reminds me of the Ethan Pond Trail through Zealand Notch in the Whites. This route was an old road, not a logging railroad. There was a logging railroad line up on Southwest Hunter, and its bed serves as part of the unofficial route to that 3740-ft. peak.
A very neat section of trail.
Peering down to the floor of the notch. No snow on this south-facing part of the cut.
Looking up at the steep slope of West Kill Mountain.
Just south of the height-of-land a flat rock provides a view south to the distant Burroughs Range,
From L to R: Balsam Cap, Wittenberg, Cornell, Peekamoose, Lone, Table and the mighty Slide Mountain.
Time to recline for a while in the 60-degree sun.
Heading back through the notch after an hour's sojourn. This 3 1/2 mile round trip, with 550-ft. elevation gain, is one of the best short hikes in the Catskills.
On our way home the next day, we stopped at the excellent Catskills Visitor Center on NY 28 in Mount Tremper, operated by the non-profit Catskill Center. On the grounds of the Center, reached by a short, easy walk, is an 80-foot fire tower that was originally used for fire surveillance in Venice, FL. It was moved here and reassembled in 2019. Now known as the Upper Esopus Fire Tower, it is part of the NY DEC 's Catskill Fire Tower Challenge, along with towers on Tremper Mountain, Overlook Mountain, Hunter Mountain, Red Hill and Balsam Lake Mountain.
The winds were gusty up in the tower, but it was worth the climb. Tremper Mountain is close by to the north.
Off to the south is the iconic peak of Ashokan High Point.
Looking down. This is a lofty tower! Then it was time for the long drive back to New Hampshire.
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