Skytop bop

On a decidedly humid but sunny day, I went up to New Paltz with Maggie, Dan, and Dino to get a little trail mileage under our belts. Our goal was a laid-back 8 mile hike along Undercliff and Overcliff roads and through the Crevice up to Skytop (this was the originally intended route last year before we were foiled by the Mohonk Mountain House's canine policies).

It was a beautiful day, not too humid or hot given the relative shade of much of the path. After huffing and puffing our way up the stairmaster steps from the lower parking lots, we headed west on the wide, comfortable Undercliff carriage road. Lured by the warm weather, climbers dotted the Trapps both at the carriage road and up through the trees (saw a leader starting Double Clutch [5.9+] - looks awesome).


After crossing the back side of the ridge on the Overcliff road, we dropped down and crossed over into Mohonk territory, headed for the prominent outcropping of Sky Top. The trails are a bit of a mess there, but you're not far from the cliff face which is clearly visible through the trees. Easy scrambling up and over boulders led us to the Crevice, a fairly narrow chimney where a large section of the cliff face sits detached from the rocks behind. We negotiated the chimney and chockstones - narrow enough to require shedding backpacks - aided by a series of wooden ladders, finally emerging to be rewarded with a grand, hazy vista of the Trapps across the way.


We hung out a bit on the top, enjoying the views and taking a breather before scampering around and up to the tower. Eventually we made our way back towards the car, headed to the Gilded Otter for a little post-exertion refreshment. Lots of wildlife on the way, including turkey vultures both in the air and on the ground.