Nipplehonker Takes Plateau Mt.

After the Goodfellas emotional reunion on Graham Mt., this past Saturday Nipplehonker was rolling solo again in the Catskills. I approached Plateau from Rt. 214/Stoney Clove via the Devil's Path. The first mile is hell. Between the heat that day and the fact that the trail gains nearly 2000 feet of elevation in the first mile, I was pretty depressed. The best views come from Orchard Point, an open ledge 1 mile in, after which the climbing ceases.




After snapping these pics, I strolled along the flat summit for nearly two miles. I was moving pretty quickly, so I didn't really notice much. Most folks write that they enjoy the summit of Plateau, but I found nothing special about it. In fact, I found it somewhat boring. From Orchard Point the trail gains 240 feet over 2 miles. The difference in elevation is not noticeable and one is hardly aware when they pass over the actual summit. At the far end is a small view of Kaaterskill and Roundtop Mts. through the trees. All in all, I completed the nearly 8 mile hike in 3 hrs and 20 minutes. The climb was difficult, but the recent training helped some.

Nipplehonker