Vly is often climbed in conjunction with Bearpen. Both are outside of the "blue line". Vly has a canister and a very obvious herd path to it. Bearpen can be accessed through snowmobile trails. Either peak can be climbed alone by following the directions and simply leaving out the other peak.

Quick Look - Vly and Bearpen from Route 3 (south)
Difficulty	Round trip	Total climb	Location	Internet Maps
	6.4 mi.	2150 ft.	N42.2652 W74.4741	AllTrails

In Fleischmanns on Rt. 28 turn onto Lake St. (Rt. 37) or the Halcott Center Road. Continue on this road for about 4 miles until it becomes County Rt. 3. After 2.75 miles the road splits. Stay right and DO NOT turn left onto Johnson Hollow Rd. County Rt. 3 continues to the right for .7 miles. At the snowplow turnaround on the left turn around and park on the left just below the white house. There is not much room to park but the traffic is minimal. If it is not the season for snow, park in the snowplow turnaround

Walk up the road for about 1 mile until there is a hunting cabin on the left. Just after the cabin, turn right here into the woods where you will see some signs marking the edge of state land. Head up and southeast for about .8 miles on a herd path to the summit of Vly Mt. (3529 ft.) As of August 2020, the herd path is really a trail without official blazes. The blue property markers are good indicators if there is snow on the ground and the tread is not visible. The route begins with a short steep climb followed by a flatter area which is brief. The final climb is challenging with a short walk to the canister at the top. The canister is one of the easier ones to find. You may want to wander around the rather large summit plateau to find a view. Views are hard to come by unless there are no leaves on the trees. Turn around and retrace your steps back to the hunting cabin.

At the hunting cabin there is a road/path that heads toward Bearpen to the northwest. Try to stay on the old roads and snowmobile trails which will take you to the summit. On many maps the peak that is marked as Bearpen is in Deleware County and is not the 3500 foot peak you want. AVOID going to the left and out to the further peak. Walk about .6 miles from the cabin on the snowmobile trails always going up and to the north or northwest. Walk through one sharp turn and continue up. At the next turn walk up the hill and watch for a footpath on the right. This path will go into the woods and then turn left and start to climb. This is and old and now abandoned snowmobile trail. If you miss this trail simply continue on the snowmobile trails. The footpath climbs and then levels out and eventually comes to and end on a snowmobile trail near the summit. Turn right and hike slightly uphill to the summit and a lookout. After hiking for about 1.5 miles from the cabin you should be near the summit of Bearpen (3600 ft.) There is evidence of the ski area that was once here in the ski slopes cut down the mountain and some old rope tow machinery. The ski slopes offer a good view to the north where you can see the Schoharie Reservoir, Huntersfield Mountain, Ashland Pinnacle and Richmond Mountain. Retrace your path to the hunting shack and then walk back down the road to the car.

Quick Look - Bearpen and Vly from Route 3 (South)
Difficulty	Round trip	Total climb	Location	Internet Maps
	6.4 mi.	2150 ft.	N42.2652 W74.4741	AllTrails

In Fleischmanns on Rt. 28 turn onto Lake St. (Rt. 37) or the Halcott Center Road. Continue on this road for about 4 miles until it becomes County Rt. 3. After 2.75 miles the road splits. Stay right and DO NOT turn left onto Johnson Hollow Rd. County Rt. 3 continues to the right for .7 miles. At the snowplow turnaround on the left turn around and park on the left just below the white house. There is not much room to park but the traffic is minimal. If it is not the season for snow, park in the snowplow turnaround

Walk up the road for about 1 mile until there is a hunting cabin on the left. Turn left at the hunting cabin where there is a road/path that heads toward Bearpen to the northwest. Try to stay on the old roads and snowmobile trails which will take you to the summit. On many maps the peak that is marked as Bearpen is in Deleware County and is not the 3500 foot peak you want. AVOID going to the left and out to the further peak. Walk about .6 miles from the cabin on the snowmobile trails always going up and to the north or northwest. Walk through one sharp turn and continue up. At the next turn walk up the hill and watch for a footpath on the right. This path will go into the woods and then turn left and start to climb. This is and old and now abandoned snowmobile trail. If you miss this trail simply continue on the snowmobile trails. The footpath climbs and then levels out and eventually comes to and end on a snowmobile trail near the summit. Turn right and hike slightly uphill to the summit and a lookout. After hiking for about 1.5 miles from the cabin you should be near the summit of Bearpen (3600 ft.) There is evidence of the ski area that was once here in the ski slopes cut down the mountain and some old rope tow machinery. The ski slopes offer a good view to the north where you can see the Schoharie Reservoir, Huntersfield Mountain, Ashland Pinnacle and Richmond Mountain. Retrace your path to the road that runs passed the hunting shack.

Turn left on the road and then turn right into the woods where you will see some signs marking the edge of state land. Head up and southeast for about .8 miles on a herd path to the summit of Vly Mt. (3529 ft.) As of August 2020, the herd path is really a trail without official blazes. The blue property markers are good indicators if there is snow on the ground and the tread is not visible. The route begins with a short steep climb followed by a flatter area which is brief. The final climb is challenging with a short walk to the canister at the top. The canister is one of the easier ones to find. You may want to wander around the rather large summit plateau to find a view. Views are hard to come by unless there are no leaves on the trees. Turn around and retrace your steps back to the hunting cabin and then walk back down the road to the car.