DIRECTIONS to Catskill Ice Climbing Locations

  • Take the New York State Thruway north to exit 20, Saugerties.

  • Now reset your trip odometer to help orient yourself below.

  • From the toll booth, make a left at the light onto Rt. 32N and follow Rt. 32N until it intersects with Rt. 32A (6 miles from the toll booth).

  • Merge onto Rt. 32A and follow it into Palenville to its intersection with Rt. 23A at the traffic light (8.1 miles from toll booth).

  • Bear left onto Rt. 23A and follow it up the mountain into Kaaterskill Clove.

  • At 9.3 miles from the toll booth, there is a pull out on the right hand side of the road. (This will fit four cars if you park considerately)

  • Right across the creek are the Palenville Corner and Palenville Pillar, below is the Chasm, and upstream is Jeff ’s Wet Dream.

  • At 9.6 miles from the toll booth there is a large parking lot and trail head on the left hand side of the road. This is currently CLOSED. Parking may be possible alongside the barriers if you can stay right of the white line - conditions permitting. This is the best place for Moore's Bridge, and Hillyer, Viloa and Wildcat Ravines.

  • At 10 miles from the toll booth you will come upon Moore’s Bridge.

  • At 10.8 miles, just before the “Right Lane Ends” sign, you can look up and left into the ravine and see Buttermilk Falls.

  • At 11.1 miles from the toll booth, you will come to a parking lot on the left, which gets plowed most of the time. This is where you should park for Buttermilk Ravine, and the Asbestos Wall. The Asbestos Wall is located across from the parking lot; it has a good number of nice top-ropable routes on it. However, it does face south and gets much sunlight causing it to come and go frequently.

  • At 11.5 miles from the toll booth, you will see a sharp bend in the road and the trailhead to Kaaterskill Falls.

  • At 11.8 miles, you will come to another parking lot on your left. This is the one to use if you are hiking into Kaaterskill Falls.

  • At 15.2 miles from the toll booth, you will come to the traffic light in Tannersville. For access to the Platte Clove Ravine, Covert Actions, Devil’s Kitchen, Dark Side, Black Chasm, Plattekill Mountain Gully, and Platte Clove High Cliff, make a left here onto country Rt. 16 (Railroad Ave) and continue until you merge with Platte Clove Rd. Follow Platte Clove road to the end of the maintained section and park in the Long Path Trailhead parking lot on the left. Please do not park on or at the end of the road because the plows need this space to turn around.

  • At 17.5 miles (if you did not make the left onto country Rt.16 at the traffic light), you will come to the intersection of Rt. 214 and Rt. 23A. If you take a left here, you will be at Stoney Clove, then Phoenicia and Rt. 28.

  • Continuing on Rt. 23A will take you into the town of Hunter.

  • Continuing farther on Rt. 23A will take you to Lexington. Turning left onto Rt. 42 will take you to Deep Notch and eventually to Rt. 28.