Saturday, I did the 2 "high peaks" of the Catskills.  First up was Kaaterskill High Peak.  I started off at Platte Clove road and started up the Long Path.  The trail started as a road, and it was essentially that the whole way up until the crossovers to the snowmobile trails.  It wasn't that steep, and overall rather easy to go up.  At 2 miles I crossed over using a herd path to get to the snowmobile trail.  This path took me past a lovely little camp site and ended next to an airplane wreckage.  At that point, I turned left and went around to go up the south side of KHP.  This is the side that has you climbing the ledges.  The views of the Indian Head range were spectacular, and I can't wait to do those peaks.  I then went down the north side, and that was a challenge.  It was a lot of loose rocks and washed out trail.  Overall, not bad, but challenging.  After I got down off the peak, I hit the LP and hiked out.  Again, the section of the LP that was new to me was in really good shape.  7.8 miles and just under 4 hours to do.  The 2 nature things on this hike were hearing the raven croak, and seeing the totally black squirrel as I was almost back to the car.

I then drove off to Windham High Peak which is about 12 miles away as the raven flies, or 20 min as the car drives.  I came in from Peck Road and was surprised that at 1 in the afternoon there were only 3 other cars there, considering when I left the Platte Clove parking area, people were illegally parked and the lot was overflowing.  This trail was a palate cleanser of a trail for me.  It was in amazingly good condition.  The trail started on a road, and before I knew it, I had gone the 0.6 miles to the spring that was barely trickling.  The next mile went about as quick.  It was only the last mile that started to wear on me... .this is where the trail is steepest (20% max grade, so not that steep!) and my legs were getting tired as I was about 10 miles in for the day.  Finally I got to the top after about 2 hours of hiking the 3 miles.  The views were amazing.  Looking to the north, I could believe you could possibly see Albany on a clear day... it was hazy though.  To the south, Blackhead, Black Dome, and Thomas Cole were front and center.  I realized at this point that I should stop and put come calories in me as I hadn't eaten since the breakfast sandwich on the way down the thruway.  Coming down was again a rather quick trip.  I met a wolf hound that didn't want me to leave.  I only stopped for a few minutes about a quarter mile from the trailhead because my feet told me I should stop and sit for a bit.  This was 6.4 miles in a hair under 3.5 hours.

What was amazing to see was the difference in the plants between the 2 peaks.  HKP had a little bit of wet here and there and the underbrush was vibrant and ready to attack you (nettles).  WHP on the other hand, the underbrush was wilted for the middle 1/3 of the trail.  Amazing what 12 miles can do for rainfall.