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Published: June 30th 2009
Mohonk Mountain House
A view from the Skyline path.My wife and I had the opportunity to spend a day at the Mohonk Mountain House just outside of New Paltz, NY, south of the Catskill Mountains. It is about 90 miles north of New York City. We were attending my mother-in-law’s wedding and were able to spend a great day of fun with friends and family. Truly, Mohonk (meaning “lake in the sky”), built around 1879, though the property dates Smiley family ownership back to 1869, with nearly 300 rooms, has a whimsical Victorian quality, much like coming upon Belvedere Castle in Central Park. The massive hotel rises from the lake’s edge, and is surrounded by trees as far as the eye can see (which on a clear day turns out to be many, many miles).
We arrived at around nine in the morning and, after indulging in a $3 valet, began exploring the structure’s numerous historic parlors and sitting rooms. The main building is old, no doubt, and at times the interior smelled of a mildewy patina before the morning dew had completely burned away, including the obscene amounts of rainfall the area had been experiencing. However, for a history buff like me, this only enhanced the experience
Sky Top Tower
Built in the 1920s. of being in a historic mountain house, one whose same hallways Teddy Roosevelt and John Burroughs once strolled. However, unlike them, I was able to enjoy a cocktail (the Smiley brothers who built the hotel were strict adherents of the temperance movement).
We next attempted the Labyrinth hike, which is an arduous path of craggy squeezes and perilous drops. Had the stones been dryer and my shoes less slippery, I might have finished it, but sliding across wet rocks into dark chasms isn’t an idea of a fun day, and I opted instead for the Skyline Path. My wife, brother, and others chose to go on, and despite scraped hands and tired muscles, were glad that they did. My path was smooth but steep, but my hands were unscathed, and I was fortunate to have others who bailed on the Labyrinth with me. Both paths lead to the same epoch - the Albert K. Smiley Memorial Observation Tower, also known as “Sky Top Tower.” This tower offers incredible views of the surrounding mountains and countryside. Isolated storm clouds passed in the distance, casting shadows and draping rain across the land, but never clouding our mountaintop overlook. We celebrated the
occasion with mimosas and laughs.
After the hiking we then met up for lunch and some drinks at McGillicuddy’s, a bar on the main strip of New Paltz. The rest of the evening was spent back at Mohonk at the wedding, which took place on a large porch that stretched over the lake, and then took pictures out in the Victorian gardens. The reception was memorable - the wait staff was stellar, and the food was well-prepared, if not to my tastes. The family danced the night away as curious guests peered into the room, often making jealous comments as they did. These I overheard while sitting alone in a nearby parlor I had taken solace in, examining the antique furniture - I had become ill the night before and regretfully my fever began to return, and it was therefore necessary to find a cool, quiet room to escape from the heat and thumping bass of the dance hall. I took company with the atmosphere of the building, and sometimes, as then, that is enough to lift my spirits.
My wife and I had to take turns driving the more-than-hour’s ride home due to cramped muscles and tired
eyes. Despite a few personal setbacks, it was a good day, and a destination worthy of future daytrips.
Note: Some photos were taken by Gabor J. Szabo
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Nathan
non-member comment
This was a great snapshot of your weekend at Mohonk. The photos turned out beautiful too. That last shot of Kristen is really great. I wish I could have gone with you all. The one thing that stands out tremendously is the scale of the place. I mean far away photos capture a part of it, but its the pictures of the courtyard and from inside the place that you really can tell how massive the whole structure is.