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September 9, 2002 |
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Ginseng Ridge
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As usual in the Catskills, Labor Day weekend proved to be a very busy time if you found yourself driving along Route 28 or trying to get a seat in one of Shandaken's great restaurants. It was also a busy weekend for us with family gatherings, barbeques, live entertainment at the Full Moon, and of course a hike. We led a hike as part of The Catskill Center's outdoor event program. Our destination this time, which turned out to be far removed from all of the weekend crowds, was a portion of the Long Path along Ginseng Ridge, in northern Greene County.
Dedicated readers may recall that last winter we took a trek up Windham High Peak, beginning at the trailhead on Route 23 east of Windham. This time nine of us met at the same trailhead, but instead of heading south along the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail, we signed in and began following the blue markers to the north. The first 0.3 miles of the trail is bound by Route 23 and an old stone wall until it enters a dark hemlock forest. Only mosses at the base of the towering hemlocks could live here, as virtually no sunlight penetrated to the forest floor. After 0.75 miles, we reached Old Road and left State land and the Catskill Park.
As we crossed Old Road and began walking along Jennie Notch Road, the trail markers changed to the aqua-colored paint blazes that indicated we were still on the Long Path. The Long Path is a 349-mile trail that stretches from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Village of Altamont, in northern Albany County. Ideas for building the Long Path started back in the 1930s, but construction of the trail did not occur until the 60s and 70s. There are plans to extend the trail through the Mohawk Valley and into the Adirondack Park.
At the end of the town road (1.3 miles from the start) we followed a gravel road up to Jennie Notch (2,400'). This portion is private land, so you must remain on the trail, and this section is also closed during hunting season. The trail is all that remains of an old turnpike that connected the Durham and Windham Valleys. It climbs steeply after leaving Jennie Notch and heading up 2,800' Ginseng Mountain. We encountered numerous logging roads as the Path veered off of one and onto another. Because the Path is not on State land and subsequently not as well traveled, the trail is easy to lose. Some members of the group jokingly referred to our route as "bushwhacking".
At 2.8 miles we neared the summit of Ginseng Mountain, however the trail veers off to the east and descends gradually along a ridge over a few un-named knobs. At 3.7 miles, we began to lose elevation quickly until we reached the grassy-bottom of Barlow Notch (2,300') and had lunch under a bright green canopy of oaks. After lunch we realized we had a choice to either climb 2,900' Mt. Hayden or head back the 4 miles we came. We decided on the latter.
During its 94-mile stint inside the Catskill Park, the Long Path traverses 11 of our highest peaks in addition to Tremper Mountain. Currently a 5.75-mile portion of the Long Path follows Woodland Valley Road (look for the aqua paint blazes on the telephone poles). Relocation of the trail from the road to the ridgeline comprised of Cross, Pleasant, and Romer Mountains has been approved however. This year the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference has just published its 5th edition of The Long Path Guide. Because this book contains trail descriptions, elevation profiles, and all of the rules and regulations for each portion of the Long Path, we highly recommend that anyone interested in hiking all or portions of the trail buy this guide.
- Chris and Aaron
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