I headed up to the Catskills for a few last winter days, hoping to get in at least one winter peak. Alas, I got a slow start out of the city Sunday morning, and snow was blowing in by the time I finally arrived at the trailhead, a bit after noon.
I was planning to hike Indian Head, and maybe Twin, via Jimmy Dolan Notch. I'm a little more cautious when winter solo hiking, for obvious reasons, than I would be with a group or in balmier weather.
Unfortunately, along with the snow came some nasty wind. It became clear, as I dragged myself up to the top of the notch, that while I could make it to the top of the mountain, I wouldn't enjoy it at all. So I turned back at the notch.
Skip forward to Tuesday, and to trying again.
The trail was still postholed and icy, but nothing was falling from the sky. The only wind I encountered was at the Notch itself, which is always breezy.
From there I pushed on to the top, my legs complaining about being out of shape the whole way. Indian Head is a reasonably safe solo hike for winter, as there is only one modest ledge to climb. I was more likely to injure an ankle in a hidden posthole than to take a fall. Twin is a bit dicier, so I didn't add it on.
The trip down was uneventful; I ran into two couples (separately) going to each of the peaks, but that was it for people all day.
So that was my first winter solo 3500 peak! And my only one of 2021, at least until December.
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