CatskillSearch had a late start to the day and our trip destination was Boulder Rock. Both Walton Van Loan and Vly Rusk use an alternate spelling for Boulder Rock on their Catskill maps from the 1800s- They use the spelling “Bowlder”. Earlier in the day we photographed the 360 degree view from the Mount Utsayantha Fire Tower (View the Mount Utsayantha Fire Tower 360 View).

We first explored around the area of the former site of  the Kaaterskill Railroad Station inside the North Lake South Lake Campground. The Kaaterskill Railroad Station was a stop on the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. We found nothing to note compared to our last visit to the former site of the Kaaterskill Railroad Station this year on August 5, 2010.

We then continued to Boulder Rock on foot from the North Lake parking area passing the former site of the Catskill Mountain House.

On the return trip to the former Catskill Mountain House site from Boulder Rock it was nearly dark as the sun was near finished for the day. We encountered a bear just below the trailhead for the blue and red marked trail. This bear was much smaller than the bear that crossed our path on May 27, 2010 while hiking back from the former site of the Hotel Kaaterskill. However we were much closer this time to the bear. The bear also seemed just as startled to see someone and just ran off in the opposite direction after just a few seconds of the encounter.

The view from postcards and drawings of Boulder Rock from the past years are impressive. However there is much vegetation growth and there is almost no view of the Hudson Valley from the ledge where Boulder Rock is located.

Boot Jack Rock is located south of the former Catskill Mountain House. Boot Jack Rock and a rock located nearby to Boot Jack have pre-Civil War engravings.

Notable occurrences in American History with the dates engraved by these visitors:

1850- Compromise of 1850

1857- Dred Scott v. Sanford

1858- Lincoln-Douglas Debates

1859- John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry

South Lake is located in the North South Lake Campgrounds of the Catskills. This walk crossed Schutt Road. A previous posting of CatskillSearch showcased a caboose that is located at the end of Schutt Road. (Historic Note: Peter Schutt was the original founder and builder of the Laurel House.) VIEW LINK: ULSTER & DELAWARE RAILROAD CABOOSE

CatskillSearch stood on the top of the eastern side of  U&D Railroad abutment that crossed Spruce Creek in regards to this outing. On a previous outing we stood below and on the west side abutment of the crossing of Spruce Creek. VIEW LINK- LAUREL HOUSE ROAD

It also should be noted CatskillSearch spoke with a young artist very recently who was painting along Spruce Creek. The artist was Palden Hamilton. (VIEW LINK: PALDEN HAMILTON)

Spruce Creek is the waterway that accumulates the waterflow over the famed Kaaterskill Falls (VIEW LINK- KAATERSKILL FALLS)

More information below about the U&D Kaaterskill Railroad Station:

The Kaaterskill Railroad Station, branch MP 19.1, was one of the busiest railroad stations on the branch lines of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad (U&D). It was near the banks of South Lake in Kaaterskill, NY, and was a major stop for people who wished to stay at the Hotel Kaaterskill or the Catskill Mountain House, which was 0.93 miles from the station.

It was left to fall apart until it was consumed by fire in the 1960s. (Source: Wikipedia)

The Google Map below is an aerial image of the area explored. It is interesting because as it currently appears the ROW of both the U&D and C&T can still be observed in several distinct areas.

This was my second hike to Newman’s Ledge. On a prior visit I could not see beyond 10 feet as cloud cover/ fog was very low and dense. This is probably worth a third trip to shoot a 360×180 QTVR at the edge of the ledge.

Photos of my father at Newman’s Ledge:

Cloud cover was very low today (August 20 2005) over the North South Lake Campground located in the Catskills of New York. Visibility was zero at Newman’s Ledge.