Foliage Report

Catskill Mountains, New York. October 1, 2021

Land Acknowledgement: Catskill Mountains are home to the Mohican and Haudenosaunee ancestral lands.

“Can you even imagine the whole range red,” I wondered aloud while staring out onto the Catskills from atop Slide Mountain.

Just hours before while driving back roads on a spontaneous road trip to the area I didn’t know I would end up hiking the tallest mountain in the Catskills. I had planned to stop at the first trailhead I came upon just to get out and stretch my legs, but after glancing at the yellow marked sign stating the mileage to Slide Mountain was just 2.8 miles that way→, I figured, why not. So I rummaged around in my trunk, pulled out two layers and a fleece jacket, and slipped on my well-worn trail runners that have over 500 miles on them from this past summer’s hikes.

With the first whiff of pine and balsam fir I was suddenly awakened from my focus on navigating the uphill rock field. “I see you pine trees. I smell you,” I regarded aloud. The scent triggered a memory and I was suddenly transported back to the Long Trail in Vermont. I reminisced over fond memories hiking through those green mountains during Autumn a few years ago.

All along the ridge-line I eagerly peeked through gaps between the trees, anxiously trying to get a glimpse of the much-anticipated fruity pebble mountains. But alas, once I reached a wider opening with views of mountains for as far as the eye could see, I only noticed small groupings of reds and oranges on distant mountain tops. I anticipated as much, since the foliage report I checked before the trip noted the leaves hadn’t quite arrived at mid point in their change yet, but I had hoped the reports were wrong and that the leaves had miraculously changed overnight.

After reaching the anticlimactic peak, only marked by a concrete block on the ground, I headed back down with my hands in my pockets to keep them warm against the higher elevation chill. I mused that even though the colors weren’t popping I was still glad I hiked because I got to move my body, explore a new mountain range, and smell the forest. What a great way to spend the first day of October.

Originally published on Medium, here