Balsam and Eagle Mountain

My friend John is looking to complete the 3500 list. I decided to take him, his friend Geoff and Travis on an easy hike. Our objective would be two mountains today. We will be climbing up Balsam Mountain then back down and head up Eagle Mountain which is right next door. Balsam was my first 3500 hike and my first hike in the Catskills, so it means a lot to me. Eagle Mountain is a view less peak(unless you search for it). A lot of people dislike Eagle because it doesn't have that classic Catskill viewpoint, but after this hike, it was one of my top hikes due to many things. I'll tell you that soon.

I always monitor the weather for about a week before we hike, so I can plan were we go according to the weather. If it's going to be a day where we can't see a view, I will schedule a hike without a view. If it's going to be a nice day, then it will be one with a good view. Today was on the verge of being a 50/50 day, so I scheduled a hike with and without a view. Just in case!!

Both Balsam and Eagle are probably the easiest hikes of the 3500 list. I did Balsam in 2015 for my first Catskill hike. It was early spring that day and the view was extraordinary. It blew my mind. Today, it was the beginning of summer and it was misty out. Rain was possibly on the way, but we didn't know. A slight chance in the mountains means a good chance. But we got lucky today because it never rained.

We went up Balsam first. You can go multiple ways up Balsam. The usual way is doing a loop up to the top, then going down into the col of Balsam and Eagle, then back to the trail head. Today we are going up in between Balsam and Eagle, climbing up Balsam, back down Balsam, then going up Eagle, then back to the trail head. It's pretty simple and straightforward. Both have trails and both are pretty easy hikes. Balsam has a tiny bit of difficulty on it, but nothing that would be considered too difficult for anyone.

Anyway, the trail runs along an unnamed creek, but I call it Rider Hollow Creek. We had to cross the creek multiple times till we reached the head wall of the creek. It was flowing nicely from the rain on the previous night. The hike up isn't difficult at all but the area is very mossy and the rain from the night before made everything extra slippery. We had to take it slow, so we didn't slip and break something. Plus, there are nettles all over the place. If you don't know what nettles are, don't go and find out. They stand up around a couple feet and they have leaves with stinging hairs. When you touch it, it leaves a itchy feeling on your skin that can last up to thirty minutes. It doesn't hurt, but it's annoying and a pain in the ass.

The hike up to the col was dark and gloomy. It definitely felt like it was going to rain the rest of the day. So I decided we should to go to the top of Balsam first, get the difficult part out of the way, then if it's raining, do Eagle. Maybe, just maybe, the clouds might clear up and we could get a view on Balsam. But we got nothing. The clouds lingered around the high peaks and blocked the view. We had a quick little snack and headed on over to Eagle.

When we got out of the col and started on our way up Eagle, I thought, 'why do people dislike Eagle?' This is pure beauty. It has everything a hike has to offer minus the view. It was secluded. wildlife was everywhere, the trail was narrow and the trees hung low. It almost felt like a jungle. It was stunning. I kept complimenting the hike as we went along.

"Wow, look at how old that tree is!"

"Wow! Look at that beautiful patch of ferns!"

The picture below is an edible mushroom called Laetiporus or chicken of the woods. I have never tried it, but I've heard it tastes just like chicken when you boil it, hence the name. People use it for making soups sometimes. I think I haven't tried it yet because I don't really know what it is until someone who knows about it points it out. Just to be 100% sure that I'm not setting myself up for a bad day.

I was in awe of this hike. For some reason, it just felt different. It felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, totally lost and enjoying it. Since it was the middle of summer, everything was so lush and full of green. The fern patches were giving off a beautiful aroma and the rain from the previous night made the scent of the forest stronger than it usually is. A lot of people complain when the trail isn't maintained. Trees and branches that have fallen on the trail is one thing, but when the trail is overgrown with grass or ferns, it makes it look and feel magical. If you don't like the overgrown trails, THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HIKING!! It's a hike. It's supposed to be filled with nature. If you want a wide path, go to a city, don't come out here in the middle of nowhere and complain. You're supposed to become one with nature when you hike.

We finally reached the summit on Eagle, took a rest and had lunch. The summit was a nice, flat area with a stack of cairns to mark it. I am usually against the stacking of rocks because it doesn't mean anything, but this marked the summit, so I'll let it pass ;-)

The sun was starting to break out and the skies started to clear. I was upset at this because I didn't want the guys to miss the viewpoint on Balsam. That time had passed and we were ready to go back down the mountain. Oh well, I guess if they want to see the view on Balsam, they will have to climb it again!!

We had lunch at the summit and talked about the hike. Usually, people are bummed about not having a view, but today it seemed like they were full of energy and happy about the hike. To me, it was a phenomenal hike that showed everything the Catskills has to offer(besides a view). The forest was just full of beauty today and it was a time to reflect that hiking, to me and for others, is not just about the view, but the respect for mother nature!