Catskills (Ice)

Description 

The Catskills are home to a surprising amount of high-quality ice; however, you have to go get it. At only a few places does it condescend to be close to the road; normally, getting to the ice involves a hefty hike or bushwack. In a normal season, you can start to see ice in mid-December; it will usually last until mid-March.

Getting There 

There are lots of different "areas"; please see each area separately for exact locations. In general, you take I-87 to either Exit 19 or 20, depending on which areas you want.

THE gear shop for ice climbing in the Catskills is Rock & Snow; they have everything you could possibly need for purchase or rent, as well as local-knowledge directions and conditions reports.

The only guidebook for the iceclimbing in the Catskills is posted under the "Books" section: "An Ice Climber's Guide to the Catskill Mountains", second edition, written by Marty Molitoris and available where advertised. What I've written on these pages is here solely due to his efforts to put out an understandable guidebook for the region; I in no way am trying to plagarize it. I've only put in the routes/sections I've climbed/traveled to myself, and the descriptions - while they might be close to the guidebook - are my own. Thanks, Marty.

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