Devils Path Traverse East-to-West, with bonus miles up Hunter and SW Hunter, today June 8th. Azaleas in bloom along the eastern half of the range added a splash of color to the morning. A big,stoic bear lingered around Mink Hollow when we passed through. There’s great, flowing water just west of Mink Hollow at 42.13846, -74.16486, but this is the only reliable water on the eastern ridge until the spigot at Stony Clove Notch. The trail west of Stony passes many running sources right now, so no refill worries on that side. Hunter and SW Hunter were lively in the afternoon, so we didn’t linger. Mud was mostly minimal along the trail save for the regular culprit spots, like between Devils Acre and Geiger Point, and navigating these mini bogs was straightforward. Bugs were minimal until late afternoon when winds subsided, and the late-day feasters were largely of the mosquitoe variety. Nettles added a little extra discomfort to the trail, and they were particularly bad hiking out of stony clove towards Devils Acre. In general the trail seemed a bit brushier than usual throughout. Tick hitchhikers are a real concern right now. Check those crevices when you’re done with your hikes! 👀