Utsayantha Mountain

Mount Utsayantha is a village park, high above Stamford, NY.

At 3,200 feet, it’s the tallest peak in the North-Western Catskills, with views of Stamford, the Burnt-Rossman State Forest and lands around Summit, views west toward Oneonta, views south of the Western Catskills and other lands.

The views are somewhat broken in various directions by the many radio towers on the mountain.

It is accessible either by driving or hiking up a steep one-lane truck trail. The road is minimally maintained in the winter (plowed only for maintenance of radio towers), and may not be accessible except by hiking.

http://www.cnyhiking.com/MountUtsayantha.htm

http://www.catskillhiker.net/CHH/peaks/utsayantha.shtml

Mount Utsayathana in Early Spring

Two weekends ago I was planning to go hiking up Huntersfield Mountain, but when the trail conditions and time remaining wouldn’t cooperate, I decided to head over to Mount Utsayathana in Stamford.

I fully expected to have to hike up the mountain because the steep and narrow truck trail would be unplowed, very muddy, and possibility icy. With the truck trail hanging right along the shoulder of the mountain without guard rail, you don’t want to fool around.

Ice and Mud

Quite to my surprise, it was only a little muddy up top, but the rest of the trail was dry. The top of the mountain had some snow drifts, but it had been plowed throughout the winter.

Truck Trail to Fire Tower

It was a beautiful early spring day out there, looking down at Stamford from the porch of the Utsayathana Mountain House. Things are starting to green up down there, and signs of spring are in the air.

Boot

Walked over to the fire tower, and climbed on up.

Firetower and Radio Tower

View out of the Firetower windows.

Tower Windows

Looking East towards Huntersfield Mountain and the low lands towards Grand George.

East

And the western mountains of the Catskills, and the deep agricultural valleys within in them.

House at End of Township Valley

Towards the North the ridge continues on a little ways to Bald Mountain, then you get into the standard ridged landscape that covers most of Upstate New York.

North

Here is a map.

Do make sure to check out the same great views from when I was up there six months ago in peak folliage of October.