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Hike Devil's Path and Hunter Mountain in Catskill Park, New York - Stav is Lost

Hike Devil's Path and Hunter Mountain Catskill Park, NY

Class 2 27.1 miles 8900 gain 11-15 hrs One Way
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Jun 26, 2020 — The Devil's Path is an officially named trail that summits a bunch of peaks in the Catskills and requires two cars to set up a shuttle. Adam and I have been talking about doing this route for years, and finally got to coordinate a hike. Although the official Devil's Path route doesn't unclude Hunter Mountain, we added into the mix since it was right off the Devil's Path trail and I woud have been pretty upset if we had walked right by this major summit. The peaks along our route included Indian Head, Twin Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, Plateau Mountain, Hunter Mountain, West Kill Mountain, and Saint Annes Peak, as well as a couple of minor named bumps along the way. We parked the end car at the Mink Hollow Trailhead (42.19173, -74.32491), the start car at the coordinates listed for this trip report at the Prediger Road Trailhead. Overall I'd say the Devil's Path is a great route for the first half, but loses its luster after that.

Photos and captions below might be more helpful for describing this route. It's a long day with lots of forested peaks, green tunnels, occasional views, and some nice Class 2 scrambling that added some fun to the well-maintained trail. We lost daylight after West Kill Mountain, but it was more of the same stuff: rocky trail through a forest, with some minor Class 2.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Indian Head
3573 ft
453 rise
2
Twin Mountain-South Peak
3580+ ft
100 rise
3
Twin Mountain
3640+ ft
820 rise
4
Sugarloaf Mountain
3800+ ft
1180 rise
5
Plateau Mountain
3840+ ft
1760 rise
6
Hunter Mountain
4040+ ft
2140 rise
7
West Kill Mountain-East Peak
3720+ ft
60 rise
8
West Kill Mountain
3880+ ft
1220 rise
9
Saint Annes Peak
3420+ ft
200 rise

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photo protector Prediger Road Trail Head, starting along the Devil's Path.
Prediger Road Trail Head, starting along the Devil's Path.
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photo protector Heading up to Indian Head.
Heading up to Indian Head.
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photo protector View along the way up to Indian Head.
View along the way up to Indian Head.
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photo protector A fun Class 2 section on an eroded section of trail.
A fun Class 2 section on an eroded section of trail.
photo protector Looking back down the Class 2 section.
Looking back down the Class 2 section.
photo protector Lookout on the way to Indian Head.
Lookout on the way to Indian Head.
photo protector Traversing the ridge leading up to Indian Head.
Traversing the ridge leading up to Indian Head.
photo protector A fun little notch leading up a cliff band on the way to Indian Head.
A fun little notch leading up a cliff band on the way to Indian Head.
photo protector The Devil's Path goes over Indian Head's summit, which is forested.
The Devil's Path goes over Indian Head's summit, which is forested.
photo protector Heading down off Indian Head, Twin Mountain visible on the left.
Heading down off Indian Head, Twin Mountain visible on the left.
photo protector Jimmy Nolan Notch, the saddle between Indian Head and Twin Mountain.
Jimmy Nolan Notch, the saddle between Indian Head and Twin Mountain.
photo protector Heading up to Twin Mountain.
Heading up to Twin Mountain.
photo protector Some short Class 2 sections along the way up to Twin Mountain.
Some short Class 2 sections along the way up to Twin Mountain.
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photo protector Views on Twin Mountain.
Views on Twin Mountain.
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photo protector Sugarloaf Mountain visible ahead as we descend off Twin Mountain.
Sugarloaf Mountain visible ahead as we descend off Twin Mountain.
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photo protector View toward Sugarloaf Mountain as we descend off Twin Mountain.
View toward Sugarloaf Mountain as we descend off Twin Mountain.
photo protector Pecoy Notch, separating Twin Mountain from Sugarloaf Mountain. Onward to Sugarloaf.
Pecoy Notch, separating Twin Mountain from Sugarloaf Mountain. Onward to Sugarloaf.
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photo protector An interesting short scramble using a tree's roots.
An interesting short scramble using a tree's roots.
photo protector Looking back toward Twin Mountain.
Looking back toward Twin Mountain.
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photo protector Ascending to Sugarloaf Mountain.
Ascending to Sugarloaf Mountain.
photo protector Sugarloaf Mountain summit somewhere.
Sugarloaf Mountain summit somewhere.
photo protector Descending from Sugarloaf Mountain, Plateau Mountain visible ahead.
Descending from Sugarloaf Mountain, Plateau Mountain visible ahead.
photo protector Ascending Plateau Mountain.
Ascending Plateau Mountain.
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photo protector There are a bunch of short Class 2 moves like this one.
There are a bunch of short Class 2 moves like this one.
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photo protector Another small notch along the trail to Plateau Mountain.
Another small notch along the trail to Plateau Mountain.
photo protector Views along Plateau Mountain.
Views along Plateau Mountain.
photo protector Most of Plateau Mountain's summit ridge looks like this, forested.
Most of Plateau Mountain's summit ridge looks like this, forested.
photo protector View before descending off Plateau Mountain's west side.
View before descending off Plateau Mountain's west side.
photo protector West side of Plateau Mountain, view toward Hunter Mountain, our next peak.
West side of Plateau Mountain, view toward Hunter Mountain, our next peak.
photo protector Descending from Plateau Mountain.
Descending from Plateau Mountain.
photo protector Long descent from Plateau Mountain.
Long descent from Plateau Mountain.
photo protector Junction with NY-214, a cute little pond.
Junction with NY-214, a cute little pond.
photo protector Just after crossing NY-214, a footbridge and the second half of the Devil's Path.
Just after crossing NY-214, a footbridge and the second half of the Devil's Path.
photo protector I loved the ascent up to Hunter Mountain. It's steep and lush and has a few fun little scrambles.
I loved the ascent up to Hunter Mountain. It's steep and lush and has a few fun little scrambles.
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photo protector Continuing up toward Hunter Mountain.
Continuing up toward Hunter Mountain.
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photo protector Junction with the trail to Hunter Mountain. We would leave the Devil's Path temporarily (goes left) to hit Hunter Mountain (right).
Junction with the trail to Hunter Mountain. We would leave the Devil's Path temporarily (goes left) to hit Hunter Mountain (right).
photo protector Very boring trail up to Hunter Mountain.
Very boring trail up to Hunter Mountain.
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photo protector Hunter Mountain lookout tower.
Hunter Mountain lookout tower.
photo protector View from the lookout tower on Hunter Mountain.
View from the lookout tower on Hunter Mountain.
photo protector Back at the junction with the Devil's Path, continuing west. We passed this shelter.
Back at the junction with the Devil's Path, continuing west. We passed this shelter.
photo protector Descending from Hunter Mountain.
Descending from Hunter Mountain.
photo protector Unfortunately, the Hunter Mountain Trail descends farther than it has to. Instead of sticking to the ridge, it descends about 600 feet of vertical loss farther to the north.
Unfortunately, the Hunter Mountain Trail descends farther than it has to. Instead of sticking to the ridge, it descends about 600 feet of vertical loss farther to the north.
photo protector Fortunately, there is a gorgeous little waterfall once the Devil's Path descends from Hunter Mountain, just before ascending to West Kill Mountain.
Fortunately, there is a gorgeous little waterfall once the Devil's Path descends from Hunter Mountain, just before ascending to West Kill Mountain.
photo protector The trail crosses over a dirt road and then a footbridge.
The trail crosses over a dirt road and then a footbridge.
photo protector Close-up of the waterfall, the footbridge we crossed over above. I took a minute to cool off before we would start the final major ascent. This waterfall was probably my favorite part of the hike and was a nice reprieve from the otherwise sometimes monotonous forest walking.
Close-up of the waterfall, the footbridge we crossed over above. I took a minute to cool off before we would start the final major ascent. This waterfall was probably my favorite part of the hike and was a nice reprieve from the otherwise sometimes monotonous forest walking.
photo protector No caption.
photo protector Ascending to West Kill Mountain.
Ascending to West Kill Mountain.
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photo protector More typical Class 2 fun sections, but nothing particularly of note.
More typical Class 2 fun sections, but nothing particularly of note.
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photo protector Just before the summit of West Kill Mountain, a nice view.
Just before the summit of West Kill Mountain, a nice view.
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photo protector West Kill Mountain summit. We ran out of daylight, but the descent from West Kill Mountain passes of Saint Annes Peak and through more forest and whatnot. Really at this point we were getting a bit bored of the monotony.
West Kill Mountain summit. We ran out of daylight, but the descent from West Kill Mountain passes of Saint Annes Peak and through more forest and whatnot. Really at this point we were getting a bit bored of the monotony.

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