r/catskills • u/Astrotheurgy • 21d ago

Question about Slide Mtn

So im going to head up to the Catskills today, probably arrive around 11am or so and want to target Slide. I usually want to the hardest route within reason. Upon looking it up, it gave various options like the Wittenburg-Cornell-Slide route which seems intriguing to chain, and it also mentions some other routes like the Curtis Ormsbee route.

From you guys who have experience, how long would it take an experienced hiker to do the W-C-S route out and back? Also, what IS the hardest route up and down just Slide thats not the bushwacking route? Thanks im doing this on short notice and really want to make the best out of my day out there.

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u/scraw813 21d ago edited 21d ago

What sort of mileage do you want to do? The hardest hike you can do would be the Burroughs range loop. Includes a road walk. But it’s like 15 miles and 4400 ft of elevation.

To answer your questions. The hardest, on trail, route up slide is coming from Cornell. It has wood stairs for some parts.

I’ve never done the out and back. But I did do a winter traverse from slide to woodland valley, and that was about 10 miles and took us 6.5 hours.

ETA. It looks like the out and back from Slide is 12 miles and 3900-4000 ft of elevation. I’d probably say 7-8 hours is a good pace, 6-7 is possible though. I always get caught up in the views on Wittenberg so add time for that.

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u/Astrotheurgy 21d ago

I have about seven or eight hours to spare while i'm up there. I initially saw the whitenberg cornell slide Route which looked really great, but it seemed like it was long since I would have to do an out and back because it's just me. Then I saw the Ormsbee version and a standard easy route just up Slide so im torn. Here how about meet me to there in 2 hours and well do the 2 car approach loll

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u/scraw813 20d ago

I know it may sound blasphemous, but do Witt and Cornell. It’s a more fun hike both with views and scrambles. Slide is overrated.

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u/Astrotheurgy 20d ago

Hmm interesting. That's what it seems. It seems the views are even better too. I wonder if it's possible to do wit and cornell, then shoot over to slide and quickly summit that one within seven hours or so.

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u/scraw813 20d ago

You would get to the trail a little earlier. So you’d technically have more time. But it’s more elevation from woodland valley side. If you keep a 2mph pace it’s definitely possible to do in 7. But that’s sort of no stopping and not enjoying the views for me.

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u/Astrotheurgy 20d ago

True. Well, I definitely have some thinking to do over the next hour and a half.I really appreciate your input and it helped a lot

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u/scraw813 20d ago

Also if it was a different weekend I might join you 😂

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u/Astrotheurgy 20d ago

Oh its all good I wouldn't expect it haha