Chapter 679

Oct 21, 2024

Mohonk Experience

a place of beauty

The Mohonk Mountain Resort is visible from it's Smiley Tower and my drone. Can't launch from their property so I launched from 2 miles away.

The Labyrinth Lemon Squeeze (red) trail has been a goal of mine. It starts near the Hotel and comes up through the rock boulders at the bottom of the cliff to the rock plateau on the right before ascending to Whittier Summer House then to the tower and back down the Skytop Path.

This Hayes Summer House overlooking Mohonk Lake is on the Skytop Path on the way up to the tower.

The Whittier is at the end of Labyrinth on the Skytop Path overlooking the Shawngunk escarpment. Straight aheas is the break between the West Trapps and East Trapps rock climbing areas our families visited the last two summers.

I did only a few segments of this Labyrinth before bailing out. 

The dive down into the narrow dark cave portion looked too uncomfortable but these kids loved it. I had already hiked a few miles uphill in the heat (80 degrees) and my skin bleeds with the least amount of rock abrasion.

Asked the family if it was ok to photo, no problem. Mom carried the 3 yr old a good portion. Met them later and they had accomplished most of the trail but opted out of Lemon Squeeze portion.

Colleen and I want to accomplish the whole route- best when cooler with more protective clothing and mid week with less people. Perhaps this fall ?

Didn't realize where the Labyrinth resurfaced on top of the cliff until I scanned my drone shots. Can see the climbers on the plateau just under Whittier Summer House and the Skytop Tower here.

The trail is well documented by a Youtube couple here.

Sent the drone up again at the end of my hike for a setting sun over the gunks looking down the Hudson Valley.