"Have I taken good care of the land Mother? What do they say, the Nature spirits?"
"You are doing well my son. But... you wander."
My mother's words to me
So my dear Steemit explorer friends, we return from the great mountains of the Colorado front range, to the fair green Catskill mountains of the east that are just entering early summer. They are nowhere near as large as the great peaks of this world; even Slide, the very tallest among them only climbs to a bit over 4000 feet. But they are great in beauty and spirit.
In a significant way, telling of them is in part to introduce myself for I grew up in the foothills of these venerable mountains and have learned much there. I have yet to do so altogether because I am still not entirely yet sure how but I hope to be able to do so soon. In sharing I suppose I am learning how to do that, however halting and clumsy my words.
Plattekill Falls, Plattekill Clove
The Catskills
These are my home, this mighty garden of hills within the Wall of Manitou, the wall of Heaven as the Native Americans called it.
the cliffs of Overlook Mountain
It's verdant peaks glow with pink mountain azalea and white abundance of mountain laurel. Beneath the summits trillium flowers rise from beneath the leaves and sparkling springs curl and bubble from beneath craggy rocks.
mountain azalea
trillium on the path to echo lake
History
"Sunrise over the Hudson" by the famous landscape painter Thomas Cole
The life of the Catskills is deeply enmeshed with the history of ancient Native American cultures, early history of the United States, and the birthplace of an entire school of landscape art and writing. Famous naturalists, artists and poets have found inspiration here ( I am a sculptor and do also). Here many a berry has been picked, many a stone house built, and upon the clifftops, intrepid lovers and friends long departed have left their names inscribed into the stone. And not a few lumberjacks with nasty hangovers have staggered back to their camps from taverns using deep notched valleys as a navigational aid :) We'll retrace a backwoods journey I took late one night returning through one of these.
Tragedy
Kaaterskill High Point June 1967 plane crash
The Catskills are treacherous too. Many a plane has crashed among them when the clouds suddenly descended and the world vanished from view. VFR ,visual flight rules create a deadly dilemma; we'll learn about this and it's place in these tragedies. Their wreckage still remains and the overland navigator, using the same compass and altimeter as they did can find them. We will go visit some and learn the tools of overland navigation survival.
Birth
And, long before humans joined the species inhabiting this world these mountains were but sediments beneath the sea washed from the giant Acadian range, as tall as the Himalayas as those vast mountains slowly died over millions of years eroding into a vast delta. There were visitors from space too, glowing orbs of iron that entered our world in flaming fury and met their end in that sea. We will go and visit a Catskill mountain that holds a tomb for one of these space travellers beneath its rocky heart.
And, as you might guess, there will be science mixed in there- I am a bit of a science nerd by nature and profession...
Home
And for me, they have been a home and a school, where I have learned the skills, strength and nerve to climb higher. I honor them, these Grandmothers and Grandfathers. They are my protector deities and sponsors as I visit other great high and wild places of the world. "I am Alan from the Wall of Manitou, a child of these mountains , a small student of these hills. Please allow my visit."
Sunset looking over the Wall of Manitou from the Southwest
And I imagine a vast presences, older than any human can think or feel might stir and answer.
Indian Head mountain at sunset in the early spring
Indian Head mountain in early summer from the opposite side of the Clove
Friends Along the Way
They are home to many other living things from bobcats,rattlesnakes, porcupine and deer to lichen slowly growing upon the cliffs for thousands of years. We will meet many in our travels through the Catskills. Sometimes I am observant and quick enough with the camera, sometimes not. But I'll do my best.
whitetailed deer in foothills of Catskills
The Journey
Come with me as we visit them and climb their ageless cliffs and promontories. We will gaze out from massive cliffs over verdant valleys above the gently rumpled green mounds below the cliffs so different from the hard brown shaded cobbly climbs that approach them from terra firma. Up here our eyes can flit in an instant a distance our legs would struggle to carry us in a day.
Kaaterskill High Point and Round Top Mountain
View from Giant Ledge
gear in Gregory 75 L pack. there's some winter gear mixed in there for training weight.
We will visit at all times of year, in all weather and at all hours. We will travel on trails and in unmarked wilderness. Bring your compass, your wits and your mettle for we will need all three!
Sportiva ice boots, automatic crampons and gaiters
the cliffs of North Dome mountain at 3000 ft elevation
And so my friends, welcome to the Catskills, land of my training, home of my childhood.
I update and refine my posts as I can ( and reception issues can make it quite difficult at times) please return frequently. And of course, please Upvote and Follow me for more adventures if you find them interesting and would like me to continue.
If you see this guy we are either playing Pokemon Go or getting hypothermic. *Pikachu->
I emphasize practical application of the experience I have gained in my rambles so far, high altitude and otherwise, sharing what I have found to work and what might help you get home safely.
Your comments are very much welcomed and they give me the opportunity to share more ideas and learn from you as well- because that is how travellers learn, from other travellers...even when that sharing happens shouting in a raging wind.
*(Photography notes:
All Photographs (unless otherwise note) were taken by me with a Canon EOS 70D. (Some I regard as good photography, some are admittedly subpar but are retained to help tell the story.) It's a solid camera and I have knocked it about quite a lot; weight considerations don't allow for a carry bag most of the time. I use an 18-55 mm lens that came with it and it works just fine. An 11-16 wide angle would also be very good. I use carabiners to lock it to the front straps of my pack and my hiking poles to steady it in low light. Like everything else, it stays clipped in at all times; if you lose it you may not be able to get it back!)*
Your journeys are amazing. Do you hike alone? What is your plan when there is something like an emergency situation on the mountains?
Thanks @cryptopie!:) Actually I generally do travel alone. My general plan is to always carry the equipment that will:
1)enable me to survive and sit put in the worst conditions found in that particular location for at least 72 hours as well as enable me to signal rescuers(whistle = 2 miles, mirror = 10 miles)
I always give my trip plan to someone I trust which describes where I am going and when I expect to return.
If I then do not return by that time the trusted person calls for rescue and supplies the location information to speed the search.
Of course unti the "trip plan expires" I will have to sit tight.
In the future I may get a PLB (personal locator beacon) which would allow me to use a satellite signal service
to request help.
In general, I spend a lot of time developing overland navigation and outfitting skills because when you are alone you must depend on yourself. Also of course there are some things I would not do alone (eg. cross a glacier ).
Ah that is good. Your plan for that locator beacon is really a good investment for a kind of work that you are doing. It's a must-have.
Telling someone or some authorities where you will be going , when, and how is also a good practice. All in all we just have to really prepare and plan otherwise we could face a serious problem like in hiking especially if we go on alone.
Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
Well I have gotten by without it so far. :) But yes, a good idea!
Yes true. It is important to note that proper preparation and attentiveness that one has when going solo can be better than the false security of a group where individual travellers are unprepared/not focused. (ie it doesn't matter how many people are with you if you misstep and fall off a cliff in an unguarded moment...alas yes, this does happen.)
Thank you for your excellent thoughts and questions! Have a good weekend also...
Very nice post and pictures! up!
Thanks @nikitinskiy! :)
Beautiful description of the Catskills. I've never actually been there, even after spending a year and a half in the Finger Lakes region of New York. I've often wished I would've visited while I was there. I would love to visit some day!