New Peak Requirements Starting in Spring 2021

For the purpose of all milestones and patches offered and recognized by Hikers Anonymous™ a full round of the Catskill High Peaks shall consist of 35 peaks thus preserving continuity of the 140 climbs and 420 climbs which constitute the requirements for the Catskill High Peaks 4 Seasons and Catskill 420 Grid milestones.

Doubletop, the highest elevation trailless peak in the Catskills, remains on the list with an adjustment to the summit location as described below.

Roundtop, the sibling of Kaaterskill High Peak in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest, replaces Graham, which is no longer accessible to hikers.

Doubletop

Hikers are fortunate that Doubletop can be climbed from multiple approaches entirely on State Land with a small adjustment to the agreed upon location which represents the summit destination. The Catskill 3500 Club canister has been removed from its location near the actual summit (3,874') which is inaccessible on private land. Don't go there anymore as you are no longer welcome. Instead, hike to the south top (blue pin) of Doubletop where you'll find a State Land Wilderness Area sign at 42.02386, -74.52496, elevation 3,849'.

Additionally, as we update our various tally cards, sheets, forms and reports, we will continue to use Doubletop as the name of the peak. We see no reason to make up a new name for a slightly different location on the summit of a well known Catskill High Peak.

If you are interested in exploring this further, visiting the Doubletop page on peakbagger.com is a fine starting point.

Introducing Roundtop

More Majestic than Previously Thought

Two authoritative references were used to determine that Roundtop is the 36th tallest Catskill High Peak: Alan Via's book, The Catskill 67 and the 2018 New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Catskills Trails Map.

The Catskill 100 Highest Peak List in Via's book which lists the 102 highest peaks in the Catskills was used to identify the ten highest candidate peaks for consideration as a replacement for Graham. The Catskill 67 was published in 2012 before more accurate LIDAR based contours and summit elevations were available. The 2018 New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Catskill Trails Map, which contains the most accurate LIDAR based contours and summit elevations, was used to rerank the candidate peaks by elevation. The result is shown in the following table.

In addition to Roundtop being at the top of the list in terms of elevation, there are many additional reasons why we think it is the most worthy peak to replace Graham.

Here's a small excerpt from Alan Via's book, The Catskill 67, describing the wonders of Roundtop.

Unlike most of the trailless Catskill 100 peaks, Roundtop has a large rock cairn marking the obvious top. When the leaves are on the trees the views are mostly of the here-and-there variety; go from late autumn untile early spring for the best ones. Otherwise, look for the beautiful, grassy view point a couple of minutes from the summit. You won't be disappointed by the great views of the surrounding mountains. During the winter a few of the cliff bands are a bit more challenging, but the continual views through openings in the trees make the extra effort worth it.

Sounds like a winner!

Roundtop is accessible from multiple trailheads: Platte Clove, Gillespie Road and Palenville. It can be bushwhacked from all four compass directions. Myriad possibilites exist for an enriching hiking experience whether hiking Roundtop alone or with its sibling to the east, Kaaterskill High Peak. If you're looking for a challenging marathon hike, you could try the Kaaterskill Horseshoe, a six peak horseshoe shaped traverse around the peaks of Elka Park and Platte Clove, requiring only a short car shuttle.

The history associated with Roundtop and Kaaterskill High Peak is extensive. Thomas Cole of Catskill, NY found Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop to be worthy subjects of his Hudson River School paintings. These peaks were considered the tallest in the Catskills and were frequently visited and marvelled at during the era of the big hotels: the Catskill Mountain House, Hotel Kaaterskill and Laurel House. Look up the history of military usage of the area and search for the remains of the Tory Fort.

If you are interested in exploring Roundtop further, visiting the Roundtop page on peakbagger.com is a fine starting point. You'll find plenty of suggestions for great hike itineraries in the area at the Catskill Mountaineer website.

Goodbye Graham

Hikers are no longer welcome on the 5,457 acre parcel owned by Gould Properties LLLP which includes the entire summit of Graham Mountain and a portion of the summit of Doubletop Mountain.

Temporary Requirements for Winter 2021

Doubletop

Hike to the south top (blue pin) of Doubletop where you'll find a State Land Wilderness Area sign at 42.02386, -74.52496, elevation 3,849'.

Graham

Choose one of these three options to satisfy the Graham requirement for Winter 2021.

1. 1) Hike to Roundtop (elevation 3,465' at 42.16842, -74.09462) and record it as a Graham climb.
2. 2) Hike to Mill Brook Ridge (elevation 3,465') and record it as a Graham climb.
3. 3) Hike to Doubletop a second time, record it as a Doubletop climb and email us to let us know to apply it to the Graham requirement.

These requirements apply to all milestones and patches offered and recognized by Hikers Anonymous™.

If you have questions or comments regarding our requirements email us. If you have questions regarding the requirements for membership in the Catskill 3500 Club email them.

Hiking Milestones and Patches

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Catskill Single Season 35'R

The Catskill Single Season 35'R patches are a series of four 3” by 1.5” triangular embroidered patches designed and produced by the Hikers Anonymous™ Arts and Crafts Department.

Hiker has climbed each of the 35 Catskill High Peaks in a single season.

The climbs have to be completed in a single season.

You can receive these patches for single season rounds completed in past years. In fact, we encourage you to do so!

Hikers earning multiple patches can arrange them in many creative ways, including a 3” square or a 6” x 3” pyramid.

Here's what you need to do:

1. 1) Record your peaks and dates using the Progress Form as you hike throughout the season.
2. 2) View your progress on the Track Your Progress page.
3. 3) When you have completed the required climbs, email us. Let us know your mailing address, how many patches you'd like, and your final peak.
4. 4) Make an online donation of three dollars for each patch.
5. 5) Your accomplishment will be added to our Recent Milestones listing.

Having trouble? Email us and we'll try to assist you through the process.

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Catskill High Peaks 4 Seasons

The Catskill High Peaks 4 Seasons patch is a 3” circular embroidered patch designed and produced by the Hikers Anonymous™ Arts and Crafts Department. We have been offering this patch to Catskill High Peaks hikers since 2017, no club membership required.

Hiker has climbed each of the 35 Catskill High Peaks in each of the 4 seasons.

Winter: December 21 through March 21
Spring: March 22 through June 21
Summer: June 22 through September 21
Fall: September 22 through December 20

The climbs do not have to be completed in the same year or consecutive years. There is no time limit.

Here's what you need to do:

1. 1) Record your peaks and dates using the Progress Form as you hike throughout the season.
2. 2) View your progress on the Track Your Progress page.
3. 3) When you have completed the required climbs, email us. Let us know your mailing address, how many patches you'd like, and your final peak.
4. 4) Make an online donation of three dollars for each patch.
5. 5) Your accomplishment will be added to our Recent Milestones listing.

Having trouble? Email us and we'll try to assist you through the process.

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History of the Catskill 420 Grid

        

As described in an article written by Edwina Henderson and appearing on page 23 of the June 1, 1980 issue of the Sunday Freeman, Richard Davis and Sam Steen set out to climb each of the mountains required for membership in the Catskill 3500 Club in each month of the year. At that time, there were 34 such mountains, and thus, they made 408 ascents to accomplish their goal. Also accomplishing this feat were Joan Dean, Angie Mahdavian, and Bill Riemvis. The order of their completion is not definitively known.

Additional information about the first known completion of the Catskill 408 Grid including a letter from Sam Steen and a mention in the THE PERIPATETIC PORCUPINE can be found in the Catskill 3500 Club Canister, Volume 13 (1980) from the Canister Archive. As stated in Sam's letter, "The final climb was witnessed by Bill Riemvis and Friedel Schunk; two stout-hearted observers who pretend to have no such aspirations for themselves", but as you can see from the list below, at least one of those observers, Bill Riemvis, seems to have changed his mind at some point.

In 1990, the Catskill 3500 Club added Southwest Hunter as the 35th required peak.

Hikers now make 420 ascents (35 X 12) to complete the Catskill 420 Grid.

Catskill 420 Gridders

No.	Name / 3500 Club Numbers	Completion
-	Richard Davis #234 W76	May 17, 1980
-	Sam Steen #92 W22	May 17, 1980
-	Joan Dean #360 W135
-	Angie Mahdavian #372 W121
-	Bill Riemvis #171 W81
1	Bob Consadine #646 W209	December 31, 2003
2	Dave Galvin #1201 W461	January 16, 2005
3	Connie Sciutto #1234 W460	January 20, 2005 December 2, 2008 June 2, 2019
4	Harry Rampe #877 W321	March 23, 2005
5	Alvin Buechele #1292 W454	October 10, 2006
6	Ralph Ryndak #1186 W451	June 16, 2007
7	Donna Wamsley #1333 W473	October 1, 2007
8	Jim Bouton #1539 W614	November 16, 2008 December 8, 2013 December 9, 2018
9	Julie Ebert #1450 W550	April 1, 2010
10	Ellen Dwyer #1452 W611	July 4, 2010
11	Mike Dwyer #1453 W610	July 4, 2010 July 18, 2018
12	Edna Blanchfield #1245 W505	December 11, 2010
13	Juanita Wilsey #1518 W657	December 1, 2011
14	Moira Colangelo #1585 W664	February 21, 2012
15	Patrick Colangelo #1586 W665	February 21, 2012
16	Marguerite Munch-Weber #892 W336	February 25, 2012
17	Jack Sexton #1437 W686	April 13, 2013
18	George Dudar #1635 W651	September 7, 2013
19	George Kugler #1782 W713	November 1, 2013
20	Ron Cusmano #1574 W641	February 1, 2015
21	Rick Taylor #841 W299	July 12, 2015 July 8, 2018
22	Steve Emanuel #1940 W773	August 9, 2015 August 19, 2018
23	Mike Siudy #1728 W695	August 24, 2016
24	Laurie Rankin #1337 W531	November 18, 2016
31	Charlie Lutomski #786 W629	December 8, 2016
25	Wae Dany Davis #2000 W904	October 1, 2017
26	Linda VanSteenburg #2274 W968	October 7, 2017
-	Douglas Garrity #1757 W701	October 14, 2017
27	Valerie Schaff #2168 W905	November 18, 2017
28	Marv Freedman #2242 W951	March 17, 2018
29	Rob Stewart #2186 W1036	March 25, 2018
30	Ted Shemella #1550 W789	May 5, 2018
33	Laura Sanford #2449 W989	July 8, 2018
32	Tom Martone #2454 W1010	July 8, 2018 September 7, 2019
-	Kenneth Posner #2573 W1108	December 22, 2018
-	Terri Baker #1955 W888	September 7, 2019
-	Scott Baker #1956 W889	September 7, 2019
-	John Fellows #2153 W882	November 23, 2019
-	John Barringer #2178 W990	November 23, 2019
-	Tonda Highley #1944 W857	December 13, 2019
-	Andy VanderPoel #2154 W881	December 28, 2019
-	Joe Ferri #2223 W945	March 18, 2020
-	Tim Bender #2879 W1180	May 14, 2020
-	Margaret McGrath #2009 W939	August 23, 2020
-	Peter Manning #1281 W834	August 23, 2020
-	Tom deHaan #747	October 25, 2020

We strive to maintain the most complete, acurate and timely listing of Catskill 420 Gridders. If you have any additions or corrections, please let us know.