OK, Team! The holidays are here, and in between the hustle and bustle, this is an opportunity to make a little time for yourself. We are ending the year on a gentle, beautiful note. This hike has little elevation gain and loss, so it’s great for getting back into nature. It’s also a perfect way to ease into cooler-weather hiking. You can take your time on the trail and enjoy the beauty it has to offer. This route is all about the lakes – three total! We are going to be around water features for most of the day. So, relax, enjoy, and reconnect with old friends. And make some new ones! Take a self-care day during the holiday season!

What’s included:

Not doing anything for Christmas? Come with us for a relaxing winter hike!

We are going to one of the most beautiful views in the Delaware Water Gap! Mt. Minsi, here we come! For this adventure, we are back on the Kittatinny Ridge. With only 700 feet of climbing, this hike is an easier day with some big rewards in views. You’ll have a relaxing day on trail, enjoy nature, and spend time in good company.

And since it’s a holiday, you know what that means – TRAIL TREATS!

What’s included:

Join us on this cool hike from the Anthony Wayne Area!

Whether 2024 has been great, challenging, or somewhere in between, say goodbye to it the proper way. Let’s go for one last hike together in 2024. Spend the end of the year in a company of good friends, or make new ones! Check out some mountain views! This hike is just right – not too hard, not too easy. You will encounter plenty of rolling hills to get your blood pumping, but it won’t be so hard you can’t keep the conversation going. And what AU hike would be complete without some treats? We’ll end at Bear Mountain Inn, where you’ll be able to say goodbye to 2024 over some hot chocolate with your fellow hikers. Let’s do it!

And as a bonus, this one is close to the City, so no long drive home.

What’s included:

This has become an annual tradition for Adventure Untamed! As we enter a new year, we get together, drive to the heart of the largest park in the contiguous United States – Adirondacks – and climb a 46er. 46ers are 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks, each over 4,000 feet tall. We ring in the new year with mountain climbing, games, and great company! Oh, and did we mention a really cozy lodge (actual picture of the lodge above)?

So, how do you plan to say hello to 2025? How do you want to greet the new year? Join us on this beautiful adventure! Our journey will take us on a gorgeous hike of Big Slide. If you are looking for amazing scenery, this is the hike for you. The summit offers incredible, 360 views. And the route we are taking traverses a ridge with three mountains knows as the brothers. That means beautiful, above-treeline views for most of the day. It’s lovely!

For the first half of the day, it’s a steady climb, and it will feel anywhere between INTERMEDIATE and CHALLENGING, depending on your experience and conditions. But we plan to keep the pace very moderate, to allow for a relaxing and enjoyable day. If you can do a Catskill 3500 mountain, you can do this peak (as long as the weather cooperates, of course)! We’ll also provide crampons and/or snowshoes, so you don’t have to worry about traction. This peak is above treeline, so the views at the top are absolutely fantastic! On a clear day, we will be able to see countless mountains in the High Peaks region.

When not hiking, we’ll spend our nights in front of the fireplace at the Adirondack Loj, relaxing and enjoying board games and great conversation.

Experience: Prior winter hiking experience strongly encouraged. Please email us if you don’t have winter hiking experience. Please contact us with any questions at info@adventureuntamed.com. We can help you put together a training plan! This trip is rated INTERMEDIATE due to easier pace, but it may feel more challenging depending on conditions. This trip has CHALLENGING terrain and (sometimes) conditions.

Accommodations: Shared (with our group) loft room at ADK Loj. Limited private rooms available for an extra $100 per night. Please email us at info@adventureuntamed.com with questions and requests.

Food: We will have lunch on the road the first day and the last day. Other than that, all meals are included.

Day 1 (January 3rd)

We’ll depart at 7:00 am, stopping for lunch on the road. After arriving at the Loj we’ll go for a short warm-up hike. On the trail, we’ll discuss winter hiking and layering techniques to set us up for success the next day. After a moderate scramble to the top, gorgeous views of the Adirondacks will open up right in front of us. That evening we’ll enjoy a tasty dinner and and get ready for our climb.

Day 2 (January 4th)

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll start the summit attempt of Big Slide. We’ll take our time on the trail and make consistent, steady progress, admiring the ridge and summit views. That night, we’ll relax in front of the fire after a delicious dinner and welcome 2025!

Day 3 (January 5th)

After a good night’s rest, we’ll pack and relax for the leisurely drive back to New York City, stopping for lunch along the way. For those interested, we’ll do a short morning hike to ring in the new year!

WINTER CHALLENGE 2025! We are doing all four 3500 peaks that have to be climbed in winter to join the 3500. If you climb all four with us this winter, you will get our Winter Challenge patch! Panther is the first mountain of the challenge!

This hike goes through the region’s most popular wilderness area and traverses the scenic cliffs of an ancient meteorite-impact zone. Giant Ledge, named for its high, vertical cliffs, is famous for its numerous spectacular Catskill views and easier access. For the second half of our adventure, we climb more open rock terraces and continue on to Panther Mountain.

Panther is a required peak for Catskill 3500 Club Membership and #17 Catskill Tall Peak (elevation 3,726′). Panther is one of the four peaks that must be climbed twice, at least once in winter (December 21 – March 21).

What’s included:

Come along on an adventure to Thunder Mountain. Dunderberg, historically referred to as Donderberg, is a Dutch word that means “thunder mountain.” The mountain earned its name from the Dutch settlers because of frequent thunderstorms in its vicinity. As we explore the area, we’ll enjoy a quieter, less-traveled part of Harriman State Park. We’ll pass by the tunnels of the long-abandoned Dunderberg Spiral Railway, traverse a pass used by the British military commander in the Revolutionary War, and take in beautiful views of the Hudson Valley.

What’s included:

Fall in love with winter!

If rocks and walls are meant for climbing, then so are frozen waterfalls! Whether you have experienced the unbridled joy of climbing or are a first-timer, join us for a trip to the Catskill Mountains to climb water that has frozen solid running down vertical rocks. Our ice guides will set up multiple ropes, so you will get a chance to try routes of varying difficulty and climb as much as you want throughout the day. We will teach you the technique and give feedback and beta throughout the day. This amazing, unique winter experience is a must-try for every adventurer!

We will provide all the equipment that you need, including harnesses, helmets, mountaineering boots, and crampons. Please email us your shoe size.

Please note, if we are having a warm winter and there it’s too warm or there is no ice, we will do our best to run this as a rock climbing trip (if the conditions allow).

What’s included:

Fall in love with winter!

If rocks and walls are meant for climbing, then so are frozen waterfalls! Whether you have experienced the unbridled joy of climbing or are a first-timer, join us for a trip to the Catskill Mountains to climb water that has frozen solid running down vertical rocks. Our ice guides will set up multiple ropes, so you will get a chance to try routes of varying difficulty and climb as much as you want throughout the day. We will teach you the technique and give feedback and beta throughout the day. This amazing, unique winter experience is a must-try for every adventurer!

We will provide all the equipment that you need, including harnesses, helmets, mountaineering boots, and crampons. Please email us your shoe size.

Please note, if we are having a warm winter and there it’s too warm or there is no ice, we will do our best to run this as a rock climbing trip (if the conditions allow).

What’s included:

Join us on a classic climb of the tallest mountain in the Northeast, with an extra challenge of doing it in precarious winter conditions. At 6,288 feet, boasting 4,000 feet of elevation gain over 4 miles, and harsh, unpredictable weather above treeline, this thrilling hike will challenge even experienced hikers.

Our adventure will take us up and down the classic Winter Lion’s Head Route, and we’ll experience everything from forest trails to the heart-pounding climbs up the steep, snow-covered slopes. Finally, we’ll make our way above the treeline and to the exposed summit cone.

If you are lucky enough to summit on a clear day,  you will enjoy gorgeous views of the White Mountains and be able to see as far as Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Experience: This trip is for experienced hikers with prior winter hiking experience. Please contact us at info@adventureuntamed.com for more information. We can help you create a training plan!

Accommodations: 4-person bunk rooms at the Joe Dodge Lodge, 2 nights.

Food: We will have lunch on the road the first day and the last day. Other than that, all meals are included.

Day 1

We’ll depart at 7:00 am, stopping for lunch on the road. After arriving at the Joe Dodge Lodge, we’ll go for a short warm-up hike. We’ll test out our gear and learn crampon and ice axe use, as well as the skills to stay warm, dry, and safe in unpredictable winter conditions. After a moderate scramble to the top, gorgeous views of Mt. Washington will open up right in front of us, and you can trace the route you’ll be taking to the summit the next day. That evening we’ll enjoy dinner, do a gear check, and get a good night’s sleep before the summit attempt the following morning.

Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll start the summit attempt of Mount Washington. The snowy terrain will get the blood pumping right away. Be prepared for steep ascents, especially as the day goes on and you enter the Alpine Zone and make your way up the summit cone. Once above the treeline, you may encounter extreme weather, but our guides will be there every step of the way to keep you safe. If the day is clear, winter-wonderland views of the White Mountains will open up at the top. The hike down, with its steep descents, can be just as challenging as the way up. Back at the lodge, we’ll unwind, relax, and have a delicious dinner to celebrate the day’s adventures.

Day 3

After a good night’s rest, we’ll pack up, eat breakfast, and relax for the leisurely drive back to New York City, stopping for lunch along the way. You have a choice to sleep in or go on an optional pre-breakfast hike!