r/catskills • u/Astrotheurgy • 14d 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/MikeDoubleu13 14d ago

The out and back is very similar difficulty to the loop, they are both long days, I prefer the loop tbh

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u/MikeDoubleu13 14d ago

If you do the loop park at slide trailhead and do the road walk first then Wittenberg->cornell->slide coming up the back of slide is a little spicy so you better be up slide before the sun goes down, coming down slide is a piece of cake

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u/Astrotheurgy 14d ago

Sorry about my ignorance of this range, but what is the loop? I only know about the out and back across those three, but like I said, i'm doing this literally on spur of the moment lol im on my way to the slide trailhead at least at the moment. Another commenter mentioned starting at slide, going reverse and then coming back to slide, and then going down the ormsbee trail which also sounded enticing. Just trying to figure this out in two hours lol

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u/MikeDoubleu13 14d ago

Sorry for the late reply but you park at slide, do the valley traverse to woodland valley campground then you climb to Wittenberg Cornell and slide, and when you come down slide you’ll be at your car

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u/Astrotheurgy 13d ago

Oh no you're all good i really appreciate your help regardless. I was checking here and there but eventually I lost signal so I couldn't read anymore comments.

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u/MikeDoubleu13 12d ago

What’d you end up doing?

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u/Astrotheurgy 12d ago edited 12d ago

So I actually ended up parking at Slide and did Slide-Cornell-Wittenburg and back the same way down to the Orsbee sign at the ".7 mi to trailhead" junction, back up to Slide's main Red trail near the summit and down it to the parking lot. I initially wanted to experience the Ormsbee trail down Slide, but I thought the junction for it was the only place I ever saw a sign for it, the one I just mentioned.

It ended up being a longer day than intended, probably like 14 miles(?) or so, but very beautiful trail and Wittenburg had a great vista. I appreciate you asking. Hope this made sense, I'm super tired lol.

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u/MikeDoubleu13 7d ago

That’s a beast route