On Sunday, October 4th, SheJumpers (and a couple of HeJumpers too!) conquered Overlook Mountain. This was our first Hudson Valley event and it started with a beautiful autumn breeze and an abundance of fall foliage.
Along the 2.5 mile hike to the summit we encountered streams, wildlife, and of course those colorful leaves! It was hard not to smile and laugh as we made our way up. As we neared the summit we passed along the abandoned shell of what was once the Overlook Mountain House. The eerie ruins of ill-fated hotel, have now been reclaimed by Mother Nature. After stopping to take in the disturbingly beautiful sight, we ventured on to make our final half mile push to the summit. Once we reached the summit, we were greeted by one of the NYS DEC volunteers, who invited us to view the Overlook exhibit in the nearby cabin. After visiting the exhibit, we headed to the fire tower. The Overlook fire tower is one of only five remaining towers in the Catskill Mountains. We braved the whipping autumn wind and climbed to the top of the tower. The sights were unbelievable! From the tower you could see the Ashokan Reservoir, the Hudson River, the Taconic Range, the rest of the Catskills and everything in between! It was truly beautiful. After climbing down very cautiously, we ventured over to the Ledges. The Ledges are a rock outcropping/cliffs that give you a magnificent view of the area. We made sure to stop and enjoy the view, as well as take some pictures with our Girafficorn gear! After all of the laughs, smile, and photos, we made our way back down to the trailhead. We couldn’t have asked for a better day!
A huge thank you to the rad ladies and gents that made this hike so much fun! We look forward to more Hudson Valley events in the near future!