Area Overview

Platte Clove is a beautiful rugged clove. The steep hillsides are blanketed with large hemlock trees that obscure the many vertical cliffs throughout the area. Climbers of all abilities will find appealing climbing here. Many of the roadside areas in Platte Clove can become quite crowded on a busy weekend. The backcountry areas, however, usually remain uncrowded.

The Black Chasm and Devil’s Kitchen are among the finest single pitch ice climbing areas in the United States. With an “ice park” style concentration of challenging climbs each of these areas offers an array of arm-busting ice and mixed routes. There’s room to explore in Platte Clove too. Covert Action, Platte Clove High Cliff, the Dark Side and the Abyss are all rarely visited spots that deserve more attention.

The juxtaposition of rock, water and ice is something that makes the Catskills an attractive and unusual place to climb. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Platte Clove. More than half of the areas lie in creek beds or are substantial waterfalls.

Platte Clove is a great spot to do a daylong tour. It’s possible to climb at the Dark Side, The Kitchen, Bridalveil, Japanese Falls and Plattekill Falls all in one day. A fun filled day of movement like this will give one a good feeling for one of the East’s most rugged wooded places.