Today, I completed my Catskill 3500 on Slide.  I did this exact same hike in December, and remembered it being a rather easy one overall, nothing too steep, a nice view towards and just after the top, and relatively short (5.6 miles per the maps).

This was the first of 4 planned end of year "Winter" hikes.  Slide is the highest point in the Catskills, and the hike up was a challenge.  Started off on 47 and first thing you face is a big stream.  Thankfully it was frozen over for us.  The trail was then a mix of ice, snow, and bare spots pretty much up until the first trail junction.  After that it was just hard packed snow and ice to the top.  Absolutely beautiful scenery, the trees holding the snow looked almost alien.  When we got to the top, the views were just amazing.  Overall, the trail wa