Catlin Hollow TR

“I have long known about Catlin Hollow, near Lovelton. Although located on public land, the easy and direct access was blocked by private land. I've been able to hike to the top of the hollow, but never in it to see all the falls.

For years, I've driven on PA 87 and seen the falls leaping down the mountain, and ice flows that lingered into May. Yesterday, I finally got there since we were able to get permission to cross private land.

The creek drops from the plateau and plummets 1,000 feet in less than a mile. Along the way are many waterfalls and cascades. The terrain is insanely steep, with loose rock and soil. No trail. Side streams and springs cascade over ledges and cliffs. It was slow going and taxing, battling your way up the steep slopes to falls after falls. I was amazed by the number of trilliums growing in this glen, about the bloom.

I wanted to get to the ice flow and highest falls, but it was encased in an innaccessible inner gorge above another falls. It can be reached from the bottom, but conditions were too treacherous. It was too steep to get to it from the side. I looked down to see the towering cascading falls and a huge ice flow that will take another two weeks are so to melt.

At the plateau rim were huge boulders, crevasses, and caves, carpeted with moss. We went through a think hemlock forest and circumvented a bog. The forests were beautiful. We reached a vast wet meadow that is the source of this creek when a snow squall arrived. These plateaus have very different weather than the valleys below. The squall passed and we bushwhacked to a pond and descended from the plateau back to the car.

Although stark now with no leaves on the trees, this is an incredibly rugged and beautiful place. I'm glad I finally go to it. Enjoy the pics.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/580090573fpXXHL?vhost=outdoors”

“nice pics j. it looks like a beautiful place.
are state game lands like crown land up here or is it completely protected?”

“How high is the highest fall? Looks like it could give Dingmans a run for its money. I always wonder if Dingmans Falls really is the highest in PA.”

“looks like a fun hike and an awesome place. Thanks jmitch!”

“State game lands are public land, most of them have been purchased by hunter's license fees. It is usually protected, though some logging is allowed.

ENS- the falls near the ice may be the highest in PA.”