Month: April 2018

Snake Pond in the fall

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  Snake Pond is the trail that I use that is the furthest West in my Catskills hiking routine. The trail head sits just to the north side of the boat loading ramp on the Pepacton Reservoir. The pond sits about one mile above the trail head on a well maintained dirt road. After the … Read more

First Snow: Pakatakan Trail

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  The Pakatakan Trail is part of the Dry Brook Ridge. The trail head sits just outside Margaretville, NY. The first snows in the Catskills usually fall mid-October. By December it is not unusual to find a couple of inches on the ground. By late fall, a hiker should be wearing ice capons on their hiking … Read more

Devil’s Kitchen

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 Devil’s Kitchen is an old blue slate quarry found at the split between the Overlook trail and Devil’s path. It is about a mile hike up from the Platte Clove trail head. Hikers have arranges the piles of loose blue stone into tables and chairs around the deserted quarry. The quarries go back to pre-colonial … Read more

Mushrooms of Platte Clove

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  • Milky Caps Lactarius volemus
    Milky Caps Lactarius volemus -poisonous

 

Honey Mushroom: Armillaria Gallica

Identification: Cap tan to golden yellow; prominent ring on stem; white spore print; black “shoestring” cords (rhizomorphs) that transport food to growing hyphae

All Armillaria are edible 
 

 Emetic Russula: Stropharia rugusoannulata —Russula emetica

 stored on branches of black spruce by squirrels.
 

Crown-topped Coral Fungus: 
Clavicorona pyxidata

Another cool fungus I spotted is the Crown-tipped Coral Fungus growing on the forest floor. It’s scientific name is Clavicorona pyxidata. This was new one for me and I found it growing on the forest floor in a grove of old growth red pine and spruce trees.
   
 
 
 
Fly Agaric : Amanita muscaria
 
Identification: Cap yellow to orange with white scales that are remnants of the universal veil; white gills free from stalk; white veil; an amanita mushroom, beautiful, but hallucinogenic and poisonous.

 

 

 
 

 Milky Caps Lactarius volemus

Identification: Cap rounded, center often depressed; all members of this group contain a latex that is exuded when the gills are cut Season of fruiting: Summer-fall Ecosystem function: Mycorrhizal with conifer and hardwood trees Edibility: Not recommended; mushrooms with a latex that turns yellow or lilac color are poisonous 
 

 Psilocybe caerulipes – psychotropic mushroom

 
   

Lactarius mammosus
 

Oyster mushrooms in the hood : these are very edible.  Eat them when they are young and soft.