Well its winter again... but only just. After a couple weeks of revisiting fall and a green Christmas the snows have returned. Tuesday we got a mini dump of wet snow. I tried to ski on it but it was terrible. Wet, sticky and none too deep made for an awful (and short) ski. Lafleur came to the rescue though on Tuesday night. As the temperature plummeted from +2 to -10C they went out and groomed the parkway and ridge - at exactly the right moment - so that a hard, skiable surface was ready on Wednesday morning. The Lafleur groomers have it down pat and can make (white) gold from lemons I'm sure.
Today another few centimeters of powder fell and I did my first long ski of the season. Skated about 25km on mostly perfect snow. Still too thin to groom a classic track although people have worked one in and it looks pretty nice (I’ll try it tomorrow and report back). In some areas the skis break through to the asphalt and there are a few rocks visible on Ridge road but for the most part it was great. No more precip. called for until the new year so I'll have to make due with what we've got. Time to put some miles on.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Argggggh
Not enough snow left to ski.... too much ice to ride.
I tried to go for a ride today on the Parkway. +10C is not our typical pre-Christmas weather but its been like this for a week. The rain earlier in the week more or less washed the snow away but it left a thin sheet of ice. The ice wasn't everywhere - just enough places to make it awkward. Getting to a stretch like this forced you to get off and walk on the shoulder (which was too squishy to ride). I guess it was kind of a Duatholon, walk/ride/walk/ride.... but I'd like a little snow as soon as possible if it isn't too much trouble. Christmas break is coming up and I'm not sure what I'll do if there isn't any snow.
I took this picture at 3pm...... sunset?
Dark days indeed.
I tried to go for a ride today on the Parkway. +10C is not our typical pre-Christmas weather but its been like this for a week. The rain earlier in the week more or less washed the snow away but it left a thin sheet of ice. The ice wasn't everywhere - just enough places to make it awkward. Getting to a stretch like this forced you to get off and walk on the shoulder (which was too squishy to ride). I guess it was kind of a Duatholon, walk/ride/walk/ride.... but I'd like a little snow as soon as possible if it isn't too much trouble. Christmas break is coming up and I'm not sure what I'll do if there isn't any snow.
I took this picture at 3pm...... sunset?
Dark days indeed.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Black Lake hill
Got a lot of good skiing in this weekend despite it being somewhat gray and bleak out. I did 3 long slow skis and felt good (as good as can be expected) on each one. Topped off Sunday with a 20km loop that took me off the parkway and onto Ridge road for the first time. The trail was in pretty reasonable shape although it hadn't been groomed and there were a few rocks poking through. What killed me were the little drainage ditches the NCC cut to prevent erosion of the trails in summer. With another foot of snow they will get smoothed over but for now they are jagged gullies that destroy any momentum. Frustrating.
The snow on the trails continues to hold up well although I am pretty pessimistic about what will happen this week. Rain and warm air don't bode well.... could be back to dry land training by next weekend. I guess well see.
The snow on the trails continues to hold up well although I am pretty pessimistic about what will happen this week. Rain and warm air don't bode well.... could be back to dry land training by next weekend. I guess well see.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
LT badges
A nice early Christmas present arrived Friday in the mail. My Long Trail badges! My trip report has been accepted and stored in the Vermont Long Trail storage locker in a fine government facility in Montpelier for all eternity. Now the thousands (tens of thousands?) of curious folk who delve into the third subterranean basement (with a flashlight cause the light is burned out) of Vermont state building 6C, to dig through the thousands of trip reports (3376 so far), can read about my journey and feel inspired. My patches are now ready to be installed on my pack. I guess I have to figure out what will be the best way to do it.... duct tape, caulking or perhaps epoxy ;-) I’ve got all winter to figure out the best procedure.
Skiing continues to be good but I fear we may lose the little snow we have next week as a warm front is heading our way with rain. Afraid my colleague Tripper may come back from his business trip to find the same green (ish) grass as when he left. Sorry man. Fingers crossed tho’. One never knows what the weather will actually be until it happens so it may turn in to snow up in the park….. It could happen!!
Skiing continues to be good but I fear we may lose the little snow we have next week as a warm front is heading our way with rain. Afraid my colleague Tripper may come back from his business trip to find the same green (ish) grass as when he left. Sorry man. Fingers crossed tho’. One never knows what the weather will actually be until it happens so it may turn in to snow up in the park….. It could happen!!
Monday, December 04, 2006
Snow.....
Finally some snow that stayed. We actually didn't get much snow on Friday. It was a crazy mix of snow... then rain... then some freezing rain... then ice pellets... and finally some more snow to top it off. A bit of everything! This strange concoction of precipitation seems to have done the trick. There's maybe only 2 inches of ... . of ..... uhmmm, stuff (?!) on the parkways but its hard packed (no grooming necassary) yet with sufficient texture to hold a ski edge. It makes for great skating and somewhat less excellent classic skiing. No grooming as of yet - it's probably too thin to get the groomers on it. It was however durable enough to withstand the traffic of hordes of eager skiers who flocked to the Park over the weekend for the first ski of the season.
I got three skis in over the last two days. Did a '2fer' on Sunday and then took my flex day to ski on the less crowded Monday with the retirees and the unemployed ;-) . I'm now aching in places I didn't know I had! It never fails to surprise me that - no matter how much dryland training one does - there are always some muscles (usually small ones) that haven't been used since I took my ski boots off last April. These muscles traditionally dictate the pace for the first week or two but little by little I'll get up to speed and the distance will of course come.
So it begins.....
I got three skis in over the last two days. Did a '2fer' on Sunday and then took my flex day to ski on the less crowded Monday with the retirees and the unemployed ;-) . I'm now aching in places I didn't know I had! It never fails to surprise me that - no matter how much dryland training one does - there are always some muscles (usually small ones) that haven't been used since I took my ski boots off last April. These muscles traditionally dictate the pace for the first week or two but little by little I'll get up to speed and the distance will of course come.
So it begins.....
Sunday, November 26, 2006
“If we don’t get some snow soon, I think I might Nye”. Those were my words – more or less – last weekend and we have no snow as yet so I decided there was nothing for it. True to my word I headed back this Saturday to the Adirondacks and hiked up Nye mountain (and Street Mt. which is on the same ridge). The hike to these “lesser” peaks (lesser in popularity) is relatively short, which was good considering the hours of daylight we have these days. A 5 hour round trip hike almost makes me question the 6 hour round trip drive down to Lake Placid but it was a great hike that turned out much better then I had expected it would. Nye Mountain has a wooded summit so there’s no view to speak of. That said the trail approaching the ridgeline has a few areas of significant blow down which open up the views along the way. The trail up is not too long but unrelentingly steep so it seems like there is never a chance to catch ones breath. Finally cresting the ridgeline I overtook a group of hikers who decided that the fork in the trail (right to Nye, left to Street) was the spot for lunch and they had spread out all their gear mid trail (to make it homey I suppose). Took me a minute to see the continuation of the trail – behind their clothesline of gear - and head over to Nye mountain (5 minutes away). When I came back to the junction they were gone but when I reached the summit of Street they had taken up residence there and had again spread all their gear around forcing me to pick my way over them to get to the view. Fortunately Street Mountain has a little opening just beyond the summit (probably cut by disgruntled hikers) that looks over the McIntyre range. It made for a nice spot to have lunch and take a few shots. My colleagues (for the day) didn’t seem interested in the view and instead remained seated in the wooded summit area. Their loss.
This time of year is always strange. The days seem to get incredibly short and often the daylight hours are gray and rainy. Today’s sunshine was a rare treat – about 0C when I started, and +3 or 4 when I got to the summit. As I was heading down the mountain the alpine glow of twilight overtook me and I started to pick up my pace thinking I would shortly run out of daylight. Moments later I did a double take on my watch as I realized it was only 1:15pm!! Hardly time for the sun to set (we don’t live that far north!) but the low angle of the sun at this time of year makes it feel like perpetual impending dusk. Returning to the car, it felt more like fall then winter. I lounged a bit around Heart Lake in 8C conditions enjoying the warmth of the sinking sun. December is around the corner so this certainly didn’t feel quite right…. But all the other hikers I saw had no complaints and for that matter, nor did I… so perhaps I was glad to Nye without snow….
Street 21 of 46
Nye 20 of 46
This time of year is always strange. The days seem to get incredibly short and often the daylight hours are gray and rainy. Today’s sunshine was a rare treat – about 0C when I started, and +3 or 4 when I got to the summit. As I was heading down the mountain the alpine glow of twilight overtook me and I started to pick up my pace thinking I would shortly run out of daylight. Moments later I did a double take on my watch as I realized it was only 1:15pm!! Hardly time for the sun to set (we don’t live that far north!) but the low angle of the sun at this time of year makes it feel like perpetual impending dusk. Returning to the car, it felt more like fall then winter. I lounged a bit around Heart Lake in 8C conditions enjoying the warmth of the sinking sun. December is around the corner so this certainly didn’t feel quite right…. But all the other hikers I saw had no complaints and for that matter, nor did I… so perhaps I was glad to Nye without snow….
Street 21 of 46
Nye 20 of 46
Monday, November 13, 2006
Booth estate
Waiting for snow. Not much activity of late. Doing a little riding, rollerskiing a bit, running occasionally and hiking now and then. But nothing planned and all to fill time until it snows. Twice it has snowed in the Park - enough to leave a blanket of white. Too quickly it melted down to nothing and I was left waiting.
Sunday I went for a hike with Mike and Bryan. Made a loop around Black lake and along the Hermits trail. Good hike on an otherwise gray day... at least it didn't rain on us. Stopped by the J.R. Booth estate. Not much left of this lumber barons summer mansion. Just the rock wall pictured seperating the house site from the lower garden. Also a few stone columns marking the entry gates.
Waiting for snow....
Sunday I went for a hike with Mike and Bryan. Made a loop around Black lake and along the Hermits trail. Good hike on an otherwise gray day... at least it didn't rain on us. Stopped by the J.R. Booth estate. Not much left of this lumber barons summer mansion. Just the rock wall pictured seperating the house site from the lower garden. Also a few stone columns marking the entry gates.
Waiting for snow....
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
17th hole
Found this shot while I scanning through this seasons hiking photos. It was taken as I walked across the Ausable club to the hiker entrance to start my walk last weekend. I like the way the band of early morning sunlight cuts across the mountain above the club seperating the fall (below) from the winter above. Winter seems to be creeping down the mountain towards the clubhouse and the golfcourse. The sunlight is holding strong for now but it's fleeting and will soon fade. While it might hold off the encroaching snows for a while, soon enough winter will press down the mountain. I think its time for me to start getting ready for those coming snows and therefore its perhaps time to put away my summer hiking gear, clean up my bike and pull out my skis. Its been a good summer but its time to move on.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Sawteeth
I drove back to the AMR this Saturday for one more kick at the Adirondacks. Friday night had snowed heavily in Lake Placid. As I drove through town at 6am there was 4 or 5 inches of snow on the ground... why hadn't I brought my skiis!?! As I made my way around to St. Huberts and the AMR the depth of snow lessend and there was only a dusting of snow in the valley when I pulled in to park. Despite this I figured I wouldn't go up any peaks today but just explore the trails around the Ausable river. As I strolled through the golf course to the trailhead I got a good view of Sawteeth. It had a little cloud stuck on its summmit but it didn't look too bad. I decided to make for this trail and see how far I could get. The watchman at the sign-in hut advised against high mountain travel as there had been a lot of snow and ice on the summits. I advised him I would take care and not go too far beyond my abilities... little did I know. The club has closed up for the winter and there was little activity on the lake road or at the boathouse. I was early on the trails and didn't see anyone else until later in the day - what a difference from the Columbus/Thanksgiving weekend when I was last here. It was shaping up to be a great (albiet somewhat snowy) day on the trails.
The snows of November come early
Lots of snow on the ground at higher elevation. I hadn't planned to try the ascent of Sawteeth but as I made my way closer and closer the summit started to have a pull on me. I couldn't make it all the way up here and not go to the summit? Just before the final push to the summit I met someone coming down. "Pretty treacherous up there!" he said. He was wearing shorts and trail runners. The weather was 29F with a strong wind blowing through the trees. Could this guy be relied upon for wise trail advice? I chose to disregard his wisdom and pushed on.
Nevertheless it proved a difficult task as, reaching the 4000ft mark, the trails were coated in thick ice and footing became a challenge. By this point my hands were pretty cold (I'd only brought my fingerless wool gloves thinking I wouldn't be going for the top) and now they were required to grab snow covered trees and frozen rocks to insure I could pull myself up. By the time I reached the summit my hands were frozen solid. The views were less then spectacular as a low cloud clung to the summit and the Great Range was fully clouded over. I could see a little of the valley below but it was not the view I had hoped for. Nor was it the relaxing summit upon which I could enjoy my lunch and take a few pictures. With a treacherous descent waiting for me and my hands like blocks of ice I didn't stay long on top but slowly headed back down to safer trail conditions. Once I got to a lower elevation - and regained the use of my hands - I set up this shot using my hiking stick as a unipod. It was a beautiful day and - had I been better prepared - I would have enjoyed summiting the mountain a little more.
Nevertheless it proved a difficult task as, reaching the 4000ft mark, the trails were coated in thick ice and footing became a challenge. By this point my hands were pretty cold (I'd only brought my fingerless wool gloves thinking I wouldn't be going for the top) and now they were required to grab snow covered trees and frozen rocks to insure I could pull myself up. By the time I reached the summit my hands were frozen solid. The views were less then spectacular as a low cloud clung to the summit and the Great Range was fully clouded over. I could see a little of the valley below but it was not the view I had hoped for. Nor was it the relaxing summit upon which I could enjoy my lunch and take a few pictures. With a treacherous descent waiting for me and my hands like blocks of ice I didn't stay long on top but slowly headed back down to safer trail conditions. Once I got to a lower elevation - and regained the use of my hands - I set up this shot using my hiking stick as a unipod. It was a beautiful day and - had I been better prepared - I would have enjoyed summiting the mountain a little more.
Beaver Meadow Falls
After the climb up Sawteeth I worked my way back to the car along the West River trail. This trail follows along the Ausable river which has dozens of waterfalls and rapids. Along the trail are large tributary flumes of water coming down the mountains to fill up the river. They were probably flowing at their peak as it had rained for the last week and now with the snow melting there was lots of water pouring down every stream and creek. The day had actually warmed up in the sun and the snow at lower elevation was melting fast. It was actually a little annoying as it seemed like it was raining under the tree canopy with the snow rapidly melting in the sun. Still there was lots to see and I enjoyed the walk out stopping often to catch another picture of a waterfall such as this one.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Northern logging road
After a rest day on Sunday I decided to head out on the holiday Monday for a ride in the Gatineaus. I was well aware that - with such nice weather - the southern end of the park would be overrun with leaf peepers so instead I made the long drive up to the northern end of the park and went riding on the abandoned logging roads that weave through the park. I met no one all day!
This photo is of a handy sign posted on an abandoned logging road which reminds me that I am on a two way abandoned road. Its always wise to stay to the right on abandoned roads in case you come across a deer, moose or bear heading in the opposite direction. Hate to have a head on collision as animals never use their turn signals properly and it would be tough to check for their insurance forms.
This photo is of a handy sign posted on an abandoned logging road which reminds me that I am on a two way abandoned road. Its always wise to stay to the right on abandoned roads in case you come across a deer, moose or bear heading in the opposite direction. Hate to have a head on collision as animals never use their turn signals properly and it would be tough to check for their insurance forms.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Upper Ausable
I drove down to the Ausable club hoping to get a late start which would let the ice melt (if there was any) off the trails. When I got to the parking lot I was stunned to see it was full (50 cars at 8:30am!). I drove down the road to another lot but it was the same deal. Upon returning to the Ausable club lot I spotted one hiker parking his car on the shoulder of the highway so I decided to do the same. I grabbed a spot in front of him (checking first for no parking signs ) and then hustled to get my gear together and head up the road to the trail head. When I returned later in the day there were many cars parked along roads clear labeled as "no parking" and they all had tickets on their windshield... but I managed to avoid that fate.
The trailhead at the Ausable club is unique in that you have to park ~ 1km away and then walk up through their private golf course and country club to the trailhead. Once signed in there is a relatively flat 3 mile walk along a gravel road(private) which gives club members access to their boathouse on the Lower Ausable lake. Foot traffic is permited on this road and finally one gets to the actual trail. I climbed up over Colvin and Blake peak today.
The summit of Colvin provides a super vista over the Upper (pictured) and Lower Ausable lakes and the great range. I enjoyed its summit under sunny skies and to my surprise mostly by myself. The walk over to Blake peak is an out and back affair (most high peaks hikers hate this part) over some fun scrambly terrain. No view on Blake (probably what irks the high peaks hikers) as the summit is in the trees so I didn't stay long but upon turning back to Colvin I started to hit the holiday crowds.
These peaks are usually pretty quiet but the beautiful weather and the long weekend brought out a lot of people and I started to feel like I needed turn signals to get in and out of the lines of hikers. The main summit of Colvin (on my return trip ) was jammed with hikers. People were forced to stand in the trail and wait their turn to get up on the summit rocks for a look at the view. This was not the wilderness experience I was looking for so I was glad to have been the "front edge" of the hiking crowd today getting my turns on the summits in relative quiet before the crowds arrived.
The trailhead at the Ausable club is unique in that you have to park ~ 1km away and then walk up through their private golf course and country club to the trailhead. Once signed in there is a relatively flat 3 mile walk along a gravel road(private) which gives club members access to their boathouse on the Lower Ausable lake. Foot traffic is permited on this road and finally one gets to the actual trail. I climbed up over Colvin and Blake peak today.
The summit of Colvin provides a super vista over the Upper (pictured) and Lower Ausable lakes and the great range. I enjoyed its summit under sunny skies and to my surprise mostly by myself. The walk over to Blake peak is an out and back affair (most high peaks hikers hate this part) over some fun scrambly terrain. No view on Blake (probably what irks the high peaks hikers) as the summit is in the trees so I didn't stay long but upon turning back to Colvin I started to hit the holiday crowds.
These peaks are usually pretty quiet but the beautiful weather and the long weekend brought out a lot of people and I started to feel like I needed turn signals to get in and out of the lines of hikers. The main summit of Colvin (on my return trip ) was jammed with hikers. People were forced to stand in the trail and wait their turn to get up on the summit rocks for a look at the view. This was not the wilderness experience I was looking for so I was glad to have been the "front edge" of the hiking crowd today getting my turns on the summits in relative quiet before the crowds arrived.
Lower Ausable
After returning over Colvin and Blake I decided to descend down to the Fishhawk cliffs and Indian Head. They are nice promintories that stick out over Lower Ausable lake. It was a beautiful fall day by this point and there was (again) a big crowd on the summit of Indian Head. I took a moment to click some pics and eat a small snack before heading down the Lake road to the car. The crowds were returning from all the various trails and a long string of groups could be seen on the Lake road out to the Ausable club. A lot of happy hikers.
When I got back to my car there was a huge number of parked cars along the highway. Close to a mile (on both sides) of the road was lined. This didn't bode well for me finding accomadations. The two state parks were full, motels were full and I decided there would be no point checking on South Meadow. As a result of the large crowds I decided to head for home rather then spend another night in the truck. It had been two great days of hiking so I was only a little disappointed - besides the two hikes had taken there toll on me so a rest day was welcomed.
When I got back to my car there was a huge number of parked cars along the highway. Close to a mile (on both sides) of the road was lined. This didn't bode well for me finding accomadations. The two state parks were full, motels were full and I decided there would be no point checking on South Meadow. As a result of the large crowds I decided to head for home rather then spend another night in the truck. It had been two great days of hiking so I was only a little disappointed - besides the two hikes had taken there toll on me so a rest day was welcomed.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Lake Placid
After our hike on Friday Mike had planned to hit a motel - he's not a camper... yet - while I was going to camp somewhere. It quickly became apparent that there was no vacancies to be had. Leaf peepers( and apparently circus performers, and car show enthusiasts and.... ) had taken all the motel rooms. In the end Mike decided to head for home but not before we had dinner and a beer to celebrate the (almost) end of hiking season and the successes of the '06 climbing campaign. After he headed home I went back to South Meadow and was able to squeeze my car into a spot and slept in the back. All night long, more and more cars arrived (South Meadow is free camping!). They would park in various places and set up tents in the woods nearby. When I got up at 7 in the morning the place was looking incredibly crowded (apparently it would get worse through the day). This was my first indication (or perhaps second after Mikes motel issues) that this weekend was not going to be a typical weekend in the mountains.
I took this shot driving back out from South Meadow to the highway. The morning light and fog coming up from Mirror lake looked quite spectacular.
I took this shot driving back out from South Meadow to the highway. The morning light and fog coming up from Mirror lake looked quite spectacular.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Algonquin
This past weekend was the Thanksgiving long weekend. Three whole days off!!! I decided to take Friday off as well to beat the crowds and get a jump on the weekend. Well the weatherman finally complied and I was feeling healthy so it was back to the mountains for some more climbing. I planned on a 3 day trek but the "Leaf peepers" conspired against me by overrunning the Adirondacks and in the end I only stayed 2 days. First up on the agenda on Friday was the MacIntyre range. This is a popular hike so I figured it would be best to do it on Friday when the crowds would be somewhat reduced. It proved a good choice.
Algonquin,is the centerpiece of this range and at 5100 ft rivals Mount Marcy for top honours. The length of the hike isn't too bad - around 12 miles all told but the elevation adds up to close to 5000 ft for all three peaks - it made for a longer day then I expected and I was pretty beat by the end.
Mike came down Friday to do the hike with me. It was one of his favourites he told me (He says this before, during and after every hike so I've learned to ignore these comments ;-). This time tho' I think he was right. It's a challenging climb with lots of slabs and ledges, an exposed summit cone and stunning views. The upper reaches were pretty icy as the temps weren't much above 0C at 5000 feet but we were still able to make our way past the worst spots. The southern exposure, which I desended to get to Iroquois summit, was all melted and by the time we were coming back down the Northern side most of the icy slabs we had had to climb up had also melted through.
This photo is just above tree line as you push the last 800 feet to the summit. Wright mountain is just in the background. We did Wright last on our way back down. I felt it would be a shame to miss this peak since we were up here but in the end it might have been a little too much as I was really cooked by the time we got back. Either way I'll probably come back to these peaks for another stunning hike.
Algonquin,is the centerpiece of this range and at 5100 ft rivals Mount Marcy for top honours. The length of the hike isn't too bad - around 12 miles all told but the elevation adds up to close to 5000 ft for all three peaks - it made for a longer day then I expected and I was pretty beat by the end.
Mike came down Friday to do the hike with me. It was one of his favourites he told me (He says this before, during and after every hike so I've learned to ignore these comments ;-). This time tho' I think he was right. It's a challenging climb with lots of slabs and ledges, an exposed summit cone and stunning views. The upper reaches were pretty icy as the temps weren't much above 0C at 5000 feet but we were still able to make our way past the worst spots. The southern exposure, which I desended to get to Iroquois summit, was all melted and by the time we were coming back down the Northern side most of the icy slabs we had had to climb up had also melted through.
This photo is just above tree line as you push the last 800 feet to the summit. Wright mountain is just in the background. We did Wright last on our way back down. I felt it would be a shame to miss this peak since we were up here but in the end it might have been a little too much as I was really cooked by the time we got back. Either way I'll probably come back to these peaks for another stunning hike.
Iroquois
After we summited Algonquin, I headed over to Iroquois while Mike enjoyed the views and took pictures(He's already been to Iroquois before). He sent me this great shot from the Algonquin summit. You can see two little specks on the far summit. One is me while the other is the summit cairn. The trail over to Iroquois is a lot of fun with lots of little rock scrambles. I was lucky today as parts of it pass through some very wet boggy areas but the mud was a little thicker then usual thanks to the cold. It would still have been deep and muddy had I stepped in the wrong places but I was able to look for slightly more solid areas in the mud to step in rather then sinking to my knees. The return trek to Algonquin is.... ummm, somewhat less fun as the climb back up is pretty steep but it has to be done so onward I went.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Burma road
Unfortunately had to work on Saturday so I ended up staying in town this weekend. Saturday was a glorious fall day (I spent it closely analyzing a pair of concrete columns :( ) while Sunday was rainy and wet. In the end I went to the Gatineau for a run along Burma. Not sure why it is but the fall colours always look more impressive on a rainy day. Perhaps the stark contrast to the grey skies? At any rate the run was punctuated by lots of stops to take pictures along the way. Not too many people up in the park but I did run into a few diehards.
Most of the media reports on this years fall colours are saying that it will be a bust of a season. Too cold, too wet, too windy means the best colours will be lacking. From this photo you can see how terrible the colours are ;-) . Why anyone would bother to go outside and look at the foliage is beyond me ;-) I sometimes wonder why we listen to our modern media at all.... With the next few months going to be monochromatic in nature with the snowy landscape one would be well served to get out for a little overstimulation from the fall colours.
Most of the media reports on this years fall colours are saying that it will be a bust of a season. Too cold, too wet, too windy means the best colours will be lacking. From this photo you can see how terrible the colours are ;-) . Why anyone would bother to go outside and look at the foliage is beyond me ;-) I sometimes wonder why we listen to our modern media at all.... With the next few months going to be monochromatic in nature with the snowy landscape one would be well served to get out for a little overstimulation from the fall colours.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
The put in at Meech lake
Another quick picture from Meech lake. Things got really pretty as the sun started to go down. I didn't want to leave but its easier to put the canoe away while there's still some daylight so I had to make tracks. I'll definetely have to head back before the ice sets in the lake..
First day of autumn
The forecast looked pretty wet this weekend so I didn't make any big plans. By midday Saturday it wasn't raining and looked pretty calm so I decided to grab my canoe gear, go pick up my boat and head up to the park for a paddle. It turned out to be a wise choice. It didn't rain a drop while I paddled around Meech lake. There was next to no wind and the canoe seemed to skim across the water with little or no effort. Okay there was some effort as my hands blistered up nicely from the paddle but it felt good regardless.
Things were pretty quiet up in the park. A few people on their cottage docks, one or two mountain bikers and a few people fishing. I guess the rest of the crowds followed the weatherman's advice and stayed indoors.... a mistake I won't make anytime soon. The loons are still around as well. I guess they head off a little later in the fall.
Things were pretty quiet up in the park. A few people on their cottage docks, one or two mountain bikers and a few people fishing. I guess the rest of the crowds followed the weatherman's advice and stayed indoors.... a mistake I won't make anytime soon. The loons are still around as well. I guess they head off a little later in the fall.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Edmunds
This was another photo leftover from the New Hampshire trip. I took it from the north side of the Presidential mountains. The clouds have (interestingly) enveloped the high summits while just to the west is an open blue patch of sun. Mt Washington is known for its strange, extreme weather. I guess the clouds "stick" on the tops of the peaks rather then just blowing along. At any rate it was kind of a cool sight so I took a photo. The rain clouds that day were pretty much everywhere and the cloud patterns changed by the minute. The "patch of blue" was very much the oddity on an otherwise rainy day. If you look very closely you can just see Edmunds col between Adams and Jefferson opening up through the clouds. Must have been pretty wet up there.
Big Slide
I came down with a wicked cold after last weekends hike to Big Slide in the Adirondacks. Missed a couple days work and am only now finally downloading my pictures. Big Slide was a nice hike. Did it with my friend Pete - who hasn't been down to the 'daks in quite a few years. It was a bit hazy in the valley but the trail goes up across three lesser peaks with lots of open ridgeline walking so it made for a nice outing. Unfortunately, just as we got to the summit - like inside of ten minutes! - groups of people also started to arrive. I counted about 12 people all told! Having seen 2 people all day this was a bit overwhelming. Ah well, I guess the outside world finds you no matter where you go for some solitude. Headed down the mountain and filled up my water bottle at JBL before making the walk out to the car. A great day on the trail (except for the summit :( ).
Burrits
Went on a slightly more mundane trip this week. After last weekends trip I came down with a killer cold that knocked me out for a week. Still feeling the after effects, I decided I should rest up some more this weekend rather then sprinting off to distant mountains in a weakened state. I decided to go for a ride in the Marlborough forest which proved a good choice. The bugs are almost entirely gone and the trails are in good shape. Afterwards I stopped into the general store in Burrits Rapids for a soda. Went down to the canal and took this picture. Man, I wish I 'd brought my canoe. The water was really calm and looked incredibly inviting.... next time.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Alpine
Saturday night I camped near the Zealand pass. A nice little spot. I had prepared for the harsh rains of Ernesto to start falling through the night but they never came. Only Sunday morning when I stuck my head out of the tent did a light drizzle start to fall. I quickly packed up my gear and got driving and little by little the rain picked up. I guess the camping gods were with me today as nothing is worse then packing up in the rain so I dodged that bullet.
The cloud cover was low and the rain started to fall heavily so the hiking gods were against me. I was expecting this but had decided to hang out in NH and scout out some trailheads and camping spots for future trips. I even drove over to Grafton Notch in Maine to check it out.
The rain fell heavily all day and I didn't see any sign of clearing so after lunch I started to head for home. By the time I was near Montpelier in Vermont my legs were getting pretty stiff from being cramped in the car all day. I was driving right past Camels Hump and slowly a plan was hatched. Perhaps I should go and finish the LT. The last piece of the Long Trail(for me) was a 1 mile climb up to Camel's Hump on the North side. I had planned on waiting for a sunny day but it just seemed like the right answer. Get a hike in, stretch the legs, finish off the trail and still be home before too late. I had been saving this for the end to be a "glorious finish" on a sunny day but suddenly it didn't seem to matter. I just wanted to be done. So at 3:30pm I parked at Monroe state park and headed up the trail towards the summit.
Before getting to the top I cut across (and back down) the Alpine trail to pick up the LT below the summit. This was where I had been turned back in '03 by deep slippery snows. The alpine trail would be a gorgeous walk but for the low level clouds I was in so no views today(as seen in this photo). Another excuse to return to this great mountain. Once on the LT I was hoping the "last mile" would be a chance to reflect on all the other hikes I had done on the trail. The camping, the day hikes, the friends I'd been with, the views (or lack thereof) etc. But it was not to be. The 1 mile of trail up to the summit is brutally steep and I was only barely able to keep moving while my heart and lungs tried to rip out of my chest. One last time the Trail got to dictate to me how it would be…. As it should be. As it had always been... no surprise I guess.
The cloud cover was low and the rain started to fall heavily so the hiking gods were against me. I was expecting this but had decided to hang out in NH and scout out some trailheads and camping spots for future trips. I even drove over to Grafton Notch in Maine to check it out.
The rain fell heavily all day and I didn't see any sign of clearing so after lunch I started to head for home. By the time I was near Montpelier in Vermont my legs were getting pretty stiff from being cramped in the car all day. I was driving right past Camels Hump and slowly a plan was hatched. Perhaps I should go and finish the LT. The last piece of the Long Trail(for me) was a 1 mile climb up to Camel's Hump on the North side. I had planned on waiting for a sunny day but it just seemed like the right answer. Get a hike in, stretch the legs, finish off the trail and still be home before too late. I had been saving this for the end to be a "glorious finish" on a sunny day but suddenly it didn't seem to matter. I just wanted to be done. So at 3:30pm I parked at Monroe state park and headed up the trail towards the summit.
Before getting to the top I cut across (and back down) the Alpine trail to pick up the LT below the summit. This was where I had been turned back in '03 by deep slippery snows. The alpine trail would be a gorgeous walk but for the low level clouds I was in so no views today(as seen in this photo). Another excuse to return to this great mountain. Once on the LT I was hoping the "last mile" would be a chance to reflect on all the other hikes I had done on the trail. The camping, the day hikes, the friends I'd been with, the views (or lack thereof) etc. But it was not to be. The 1 mile of trail up to the summit is brutally steep and I was only barely able to keep moving while my heart and lungs tried to rip out of my chest. One last time the Trail got to dictate to me how it would be…. As it should be. As it had always been... no surprise I guess.
The End
That said, the trail eased with a few meters to the hut clearing and then, through the trees… there it was. The actual finish of the trail(for me) was the Hut clearing just below the summit. I'd been here before so the actual climb up to the summit cone (1/4 of a mile) was a repeat but - on a nice day - it would have been a bonus and a nice way to finish. This last mile was closing the final gap for me on the trail. With one last step I walked into the clearing and finished the Long Trail. It was a pretty special moment. I took a few snaps and then layered up for the summit push. No views today but it was nice to go up none the less. Ernesto was screaming with wind as I broke above the tree line. I had to crawl the last 100 meters to the summit marker and then crawl back down to the scrubby trees which provided some shelter. Just before the treeline I stood up and screamed into Ernesto's face… but I (nor he for that matter) heard a sound.
Back down to the hut clearing I started to head down to the car. It was 6 o’clock when I left so I was pushing darkness especially with the dark rainy conditions. I had my headlamp in my pack but on the bottom half of the trail I ran just to beat the impending dark. I signed out (with headlamp) and then had an LT ale to celebrate while I changed clothes at the car. The rain started to fall heavily so I was done just in time. Four hours later, a quick shower and I was in bed. All in all a successful weekend and I became an end-to-ender to boot.
Back down to the hut clearing I started to head down to the car. It was 6 o’clock when I left so I was pushing darkness especially with the dark rainy conditions. I had my headlamp in my pack but on the bottom half of the trail I ran just to beat the impending dark. I signed out (with headlamp) and then had an LT ale to celebrate while I changed clothes at the car. The rain started to fall heavily so I was done just in time. Four hours later, a quick shower and I was in bed. All in all a successful weekend and I became an end-to-ender to boot.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Moosilauke summit approach
Saturady brought a different challenge. After camping in Vermont at Gifford Woods (another favourite spot) I decided to head into the Whites to try a 4000 footer there. I picked Moosilauke as it had a bit of a mystic to it. It is one of the first really big mountains that the AT crosses as it comes into the Whites. Once on top, the AT thru-hiker can finally see the full White mountain range that they will be crossing for the next hard, long, painful week.
The drive was longer then I anticipated and I didn't get to the trailhead until close to 10:30. I chose a simpler approach then the AT trail, going up to the AMC/Dartmouth "Ravine lodge" east of the mountain. This would give me a relatively short approach on the gorge brook trail although I still had to climb some 2500 ft. Normally the Ravine lodge is open to hikers with bunkrooms and a kitchen but, when I arrived, it was closed for Dartmouth freshman orientation trips. I guess Dartmouth take their freshman hiking up and down mountains (with full packs) to welcome them to college - Nice! The lodge may have been closed but the parking lot was still open so I booted up and headed towards the summit. After getting lost (twice!) inside of the first 200m I finally found the Gorge brook trail and started on my hike. The trail itself started out in terrible condition but got better as I got higher. Huge boulders and rubble marked the early trail and lovely rock staircases met me higher up - strange. As I climbed I passed more and more groups. Some small (4 or 5 in a family) and some large (16 in a retiree backpacking group). Labour day weekend - and the only predicted nice weather day - had brought out hordes of hikers. I was surprised to find that most people here didn't know they should yield to faster hikers on the trail and I found myself trapped on narrow trails behind slower groups. Frustrating. The best behaved hikers were the Dartmouth kids (all in groups of 8 plus 2 leaders) whose leaders would yell out "hiker up!" and all the kids in their group would practically jump into the nearby trees to get out of my way. Perhaps a little excessive (okay, a lot excessive!) but I was glad for it compared to the "tourists" who just plodded along, glaring back at you, muttering "whose idea was this anyway.... vacation my #^#$^...." and not giving an inch.
All in all though - despite the crowds - I really enjoyed this mountain. The trail led me up several switchbacks with great lookouts finally coming out on a false summit as seen in the photo with a view of the open bald summit ahead. I decided to change into a dry shirt here as the wind sounded strong up top (little did I know :-O ). To my surprise I could only see one hiker at the summit. Perhaps I would be lucky enough to sit up top in relative solitude? Not to be....
The drive was longer then I anticipated and I didn't get to the trailhead until close to 10:30. I chose a simpler approach then the AT trail, going up to the AMC/Dartmouth "Ravine lodge" east of the mountain. This would give me a relatively short approach on the gorge brook trail although I still had to climb some 2500 ft. Normally the Ravine lodge is open to hikers with bunkrooms and a kitchen but, when I arrived, it was closed for Dartmouth freshman orientation trips. I guess Dartmouth take their freshman hiking up and down mountains (with full packs) to welcome them to college - Nice! The lodge may have been closed but the parking lot was still open so I booted up and headed towards the summit. After getting lost (twice!) inside of the first 200m I finally found the Gorge brook trail and started on my hike. The trail itself started out in terrible condition but got better as I got higher. Huge boulders and rubble marked the early trail and lovely rock staircases met me higher up - strange. As I climbed I passed more and more groups. Some small (4 or 5 in a family) and some large (16 in a retiree backpacking group). Labour day weekend - and the only predicted nice weather day - had brought out hordes of hikers. I was surprised to find that most people here didn't know they should yield to faster hikers on the trail and I found myself trapped on narrow trails behind slower groups. Frustrating. The best behaved hikers were the Dartmouth kids (all in groups of 8 plus 2 leaders) whose leaders would yell out "hiker up!" and all the kids in their group would practically jump into the nearby trees to get out of my way. Perhaps a little excessive (okay, a lot excessive!) but I was glad for it compared to the "tourists" who just plodded along, glaring back at you, muttering "whose idea was this anyway.... vacation my #^#$^...." and not giving an inch.
All in all though - despite the crowds - I really enjoyed this mountain. The trail led me up several switchbacks with great lookouts finally coming out on a false summit as seen in the photo with a view of the open bald summit ahead. I decided to change into a dry shirt here as the wind sounded strong up top (little did I know :-O ). To my surprise I could only see one hiker at the summit. Perhaps I would be lucky enough to sit up top in relative solitude? Not to be....
Moosilauke summit
The summit of the mountain was an amazing scene. When I crested the summit the winds were howling (50mph - according to Mt. Washington weather station). It was difficult to stand and I quickly searched for some rocks to shelter behind. Much to my surprise every rock, nook and cranny had people cowering behind it. There was even some old stone wall foundations for a Hotel that sat up here in the 20's. It was sheltering hordes of Dartmouth freshman on the orientation trips (welcome to college!). Finally I spotted a small rock just beneath the summit sign that looked like I could fit behind. Sure enough, if I slouched down, it did the trick. I had some snacks and water and snapped this picture with the sign in the background. Comfortably out of the wind I set about counting the number of people on the summit. My guess was close to 50 although there could have been a few wormed into the rocks looking for shelter that I missed. More people were arriving by the minute so I decided not to hang around too long. Just before heading out I helped a couple take some pictures by the summit sign. It was a challenge getting them over to the sign (under full bore of the wind) and then snapping a shot. They even took a shot of me(with my camera)... but it seems my camera froze up at this point as I don't have the picture. Everything safely stowed back in my pack I headed down to the south summit.
carriage road to south summit
The route down was gladly beneath the summit crest and out of the wind. This made for an easy transit over to the South summit. The trail itself, the "Carriage Road", which I took down to the Snapper trail (about a mile away) - was fun across the ridge but had all the charm of a ski station Cat track as I descended from the mountain. It was wide, covered in loose rocks and steep as all get out. I guess - based on the name - that this trail was used to bring carriages of tourists up to the summit where the old hotel used to stand. At any rate it wasn't a lot of fun to descend but I would have really hated it coming up so I'm glad I chose the route I did. I took a slight detour to spend a little time on the South summit. It was considerably quieter then the Main summit and less windy as well. With a view of the rapidly approaching storms of Ernesto I decided to head down, go find a late lunch and look for a place to camp. On the way down the Snapper trail I was treated to a rock band playing at the Ravine Lodge. I could hear it when I was still close to 1.5 miles away. I guess the Dartmouth Freshman were having a party! I wasn't invited :( but it made for a nice soundtrack as I worked my way down the mountain.
Monday, September 04, 2006
LT
This stretch of the trail was pretty much entirely treed over. Not much to see but the trail itself looked pretty. That said all of these flowering bushes can be deceiving. Hidden amongst them are hordes of stinging nettles. I spent the good part of the hike dodging them as best I could. Alas I couldn't dodge them all and as a result got a lot of searing, itchy sensations on my legs. Frustrating! In spite of that it made for a nice walk and I finally got to cross the stretch of trail from US 4 to the Brandon Gap off my list. Only 1 more mile to go to complete the trail!!
After a lunch at my favorite deli I decided to try an afternoon hike. I went for Mendon - a peak on the New England 100 highest list. I had read a couple of reports about how to approach it and it didn't sound too bad. Alas, my memory failed me. Trying to remember what I had read I thought there were 3 crossings of the stream and then start bushwhacking at the first cairn.... but there were four crossings of the stream and several cairns?!? Check the GPS. Look at the topo. I figured I was in the right place but there didn't seem to be any signs of a good herdpath and things weren't adding up. At that point - tired from my first hike and wanting to get a campsite before they filled up - on this the long weekend Friday - I decided to pull up stakes and head back down the mountain. Without proper notes, only a GPS point for the summit and a vague recollection of details regarding the bushwhack I decided to come back another day better armed to tackle this mountain. I felt a bit defeated but learned important lessons and will "get" to come back for another great hike in this area - never a bad thing.
After a lunch at my favorite deli I decided to try an afternoon hike. I went for Mendon - a peak on the New England 100 highest list. I had read a couple of reports about how to approach it and it didn't sound too bad. Alas, my memory failed me. Trying to remember what I had read I thought there were 3 crossings of the stream and then start bushwhacking at the first cairn.... but there were four crossings of the stream and several cairns?!? Check the GPS. Look at the topo. I figured I was in the right place but there didn't seem to be any signs of a good herdpath and things weren't adding up. At that point - tired from my first hike and wanting to get a campsite before they filled up - on this the long weekend Friday - I decided to pull up stakes and head back down the mountain. Without proper notes, only a GPS point for the summit and a vague recollection of details regarding the bushwhack I decided to come back another day better armed to tackle this mountain. I felt a bit defeated but learned important lessons and will "get" to come back for another great hike in this area - never a bad thing.
LT moose
Started out my weekend with a section of the Long Trail that I had to complete. Just a 2 or 3 mile stretch down near Chittenden. Unfortunately it didn't have much to offer in terms of views so I wasn't looking forward to it but I guess you have to hike it all to say you're and "end to ender". It actually turned out to be a beautiful day. The trail itself was non-descript but it was a nice day for a walk. Along the way I turned a corner and met this "professional hiker". She was standing in the trail not a few feet in front of me. Perhaps I was so surprised that - even though I had time to get out my camera the shot ended up pretty blurry. It could be just about anything in the photo - maybe even Bigfoot? No chance to take a better shot though. As soon as I moved - just a step - she took off up the trail not to be seen again.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Marcy dam
Did a short hike today. Well, that's not really accurate as I covered 13 miles or so. It was mostly easy walking and I was done by 3pm so it felt short. I did manage to get up two peaks so I still accomplished something.
I had planned to meet Mike and do something more ambitious but the prior Tuesday I tweaked some muscles in my back. Any movement resulted in blinding pain and I was forced to spend 24 hours flat on my living room floor(p.s. the ceiling needs painting). Strangely I was feeling much better the next day and by Saturday I 'felt' almost 100%. That said, I didn't want to attempt a huge trek deep into the bush only to reinjure my back. As a result, I opted out of Mike's plans and went for a shorter hike on my own. Phelps and Tabletop fit the bill. The route meant I was never too far from my car so, if I had a problem, I could always cut it short without spoiling someone elses day. Also the climbs aren't too fierce so I wouldn't be requiring a major effort. A further benefit was that the van Hovenberg trail is busy (really busy) so, should I require emergency assistance(hopefully not!), I'm not without the means of finding some help. The more remote trails Mike had planned on could mean a long, long... long wait before someone should happen along.
With the plan set I headed to South Meadow and walked up the truck trail to Marcy dam. This also gave me a nice stroll to warm up the back muscles before calling for more rigourous climbing. All went well. A nice morning and I was feeling good. Got to Marcy dam at 8:30 and the water was perfectly still. Made for a nice shot of the Avalanche pass in the background. From there it was off to Phelps and I was still ahead of the crowds on the van Hovenberg!
I had planned to meet Mike and do something more ambitious but the prior Tuesday I tweaked some muscles in my back. Any movement resulted in blinding pain and I was forced to spend 24 hours flat on my living room floor(p.s. the ceiling needs painting). Strangely I was feeling much better the next day and by Saturday I 'felt' almost 100%. That said, I didn't want to attempt a huge trek deep into the bush only to reinjure my back. As a result, I opted out of Mike's plans and went for a shorter hike on my own. Phelps and Tabletop fit the bill. The route meant I was never too far from my car so, if I had a problem, I could always cut it short without spoiling someone elses day. Also the climbs aren't too fierce so I wouldn't be requiring a major effort. A further benefit was that the van Hovenberg trail is busy (really busy) so, should I require emergency assistance(hopefully not!), I'm not without the means of finding some help. The more remote trails Mike had planned on could mean a long, long... long wait before someone should happen along.
With the plan set I headed to South Meadow and walked up the truck trail to Marcy dam. This also gave me a nice stroll to warm up the back muscles before calling for more rigourous climbing. All went well. A nice morning and I was feeling good. Got to Marcy dam at 8:30 and the water was perfectly still. Made for a nice shot of the Avalanche pass in the background. From there it was off to Phelps and I was still ahead of the crowds on the van Hovenberg!
Algonquin
The climb up Phelps was steady but not too technically difficult. It opens up to some nice ledges on the summit which provide these great vistas. I was up by 9:30 am so things were ticking along well. I had a snack and a little drink and then headed down and off towards Tabletop. Started to run into the crowds as I headed down and the Van Hovenburg trail was a bit of a zoo. Lots of folks headed to Marcy today.
The climb up Tabletop was steep but short (and really quiet). Very eroded and a lot of roots exposed. Not sure that bodes well for the trail. I would guess that the trees along the trail - roots washed from the soil will come down easily in winter storms leaving more and more blowdown to be cleared.... causing more erosion, causing more blowdown.... a bit of a vicious cycle.
The Tabletop summit was unremarkable. Mostly in the trees although there was a little view over to the Johns Brook valley beyond the top. I spent a few minutes here and then headed off to Indian Falls for lunch.
The climb up Tabletop was steep but short (and really quiet). Very eroded and a lot of roots exposed. Not sure that bodes well for the trail. I would guess that the trees along the trail - roots washed from the soil will come down easily in winter storms leaving more and more blowdown to be cleared.... causing more erosion, causing more blowdown.... a bit of a vicious cycle.
The Tabletop summit was unremarkable. Mostly in the trees although there was a little view over to the Johns Brook valley beyond the top. I spent a few minutes here and then headed off to Indian Falls for lunch.
indian falls
I stopped at Indian Falls to have lunch. I had it mostly to myself which is a rare treat. A few people stopped by but they didn't stay long. I pumped a couple of bottles of water and enjoyed the view for 45 minutes or so. A great spot. Many years ago Mark and I camped here and cooked dinner on the rocks above the Falls. Unfortunately they don't allow camping at this spot any more. Too heavy an impact on this fragile environment I suppose. You can still see the camp sites clearly in the woods along the trail. At one point - long before my time - there were also leantos here. I guess Mother nature will close up those clearings over time and return them to the dense forest that surrounds this area.
After lunch I headed down to the Avalanche camps, back to the Dam and out to the car. I debated heading up Colden as it was only 1pm and the mountain is really close from here but with my back issues I decided not to press my luck. Another excuse to come back to this gorgeous area...
After lunch I headed down to the Avalanche camps, back to the Dam and out to the car. I debated heading up Colden as it was only 1pm and the mountain is really close from here but with my back issues I decided not to press my luck. Another excuse to come back to this gorgeous area...
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Summit of Saddleback
Mike sent a few photos from the trip. Since he doesn't blog I figured - with due credit - that I would post them here. This is the summit of Saddleback with me standing on a nearby boulder. Down below is the Upper Ausable lake and the Colvin-Blake range behind. Nice shot showing how lucky we were with the weather. A beautiful day indeed.
climbing basin
This shot is one of mine. Mike is climbing up the trail to Basin with handy roots for hand holds. The trail was pretty steep in spots but unlike Saddleback you were almost always in the trees so you never felt too exposed. Haystack in the background looked really nice. We could see people hiking along the ridge. I must say - from here - it looked really easy to see them bounding along the ridge but of course I would find out it was not so speedy on Sunday when I made my way up Haystack.
Climbing Saddleback
This is a great shot of the climb up Saddleback. While it looks steep (and it is) there are easy crags to negotiate up to the safety of the next ledge. Mike (below) is standing on safe flat ground and I (above) am also on a nice ledge. The crack to the right has some nicely positioned rocks which allow for easy progress up from one ledge to another. The painted arrows help guide you so you don't end up in a "dead end" position where there are no easy ways up forcing you to down climb to refind the path. Great fun!
Haystack summit
Sunday came around and decisions were to be made. The guys had been telling me - for months it seems - all about their great hike last year to Haystack. Of course on Sunday they wanted to go up Mt. Marcy (a peak I’d been to)..... but I wanted to do Haystack !!! Actually it worked out really well. We were able to follow the same trail approaching these two mountians for most of the day. In the col between the two peaks I went left (to Haystack) and they went right (to Marcy). After my climb I went back down the col and then almost to the top of Marcy where I met the guys coming down and we then hiked back to the lodge. In the end we only hiked seperately for maybe 2 hours and we all got to do the peak we wanted so it worked out great.
Haystack has to be the one of the best hikes I've done in a long time. It is centrally located amongst a large group of the high peaks and the last 3/4 of a mile are above treeline with nice rock scrambles to the summit. I arrived on the summit completely alone. I had my lunch, took photos, dried my socks out and then finally packed up and headed down. Only then did I meet a group heading for the top.
In contrast, Mt Marcy - the highest mountain in NY - has a more gradual climbing trail and draws big crowds on a sunny day. Today was no exception. Once I got over to the Marcy trail it was like merging onto a superhighway. There was such a variety of people marching to the top. Some poorly equipped but all wanting to climb the highest peak. Families (their children toting teddy bears), college kids in running shoes, a kindly grandmother (who left clothes pins at the trail junctions to tell her "slower husband" which way she went(?)), young couples having heated discussions (because one was hell bent on summiting and the other "just wanted to go home!"). Dozens of people on the summit - it was a real zoo!! It certainly made for a contrast to my solo walk on Haystack just a short distance away.
That said it was a perfect day out and one I won't soon forget. We all made it back to a Mexican feast at the lodge and were in our bunks asleep by 9:30. A great weekend overall.
Haystack has to be the one of the best hikes I've done in a long time. It is centrally located amongst a large group of the high peaks and the last 3/4 of a mile are above treeline with nice rock scrambles to the summit. I arrived on the summit completely alone. I had my lunch, took photos, dried my socks out and then finally packed up and headed down. Only then did I meet a group heading for the top.
In contrast, Mt Marcy - the highest mountain in NY - has a more gradual climbing trail and draws big crowds on a sunny day. Today was no exception. Once I got over to the Marcy trail it was like merging onto a superhighway. There was such a variety of people marching to the top. Some poorly equipped but all wanting to climb the highest peak. Families (their children toting teddy bears), college kids in running shoes, a kindly grandmother (who left clothes pins at the trail junctions to tell her "slower husband" which way she went(?)), young couples having heated discussions (because one was hell bent on summiting and the other "just wanted to go home!"). Dozens of people on the summit - it was a real zoo!! It certainly made for a contrast to my solo walk on Haystack just a short distance away.
That said it was a perfect day out and one I won't soon forget. We all made it back to a Mexican feast at the lodge and were in our bunks asleep by 9:30. A great weekend overall.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Johns Brook Lodge
Spent the weekend at John's Brook Lodge in the heart of the Adirondacks. Truly an amazing place run by the ADK hiking club. Bunks and 3 meals a day are provided for a minimal fee which allows you to be situated in the heart of some amazing hiking trails. Mike, Mark and I went in on Friday and came out on Monday after two stunning days of climbing peaks. The weather - unlike my previous two trips to the 'Daks was gorgeous. Almost no clouds, warm - but not hot -, and a nice breeze as you worked your way out onto the summits.
The lodge crew cooks a big breakfast and provides a bag lunch for the trail. Dinner is on the table at 6:30 motivating hikers to come down off the peaks before nightfall. On the nights we were there, there were a few latecomers struggling back from over ambitious hiking agendas but no one went hungry as food was saved for all. All you need to bring in - other than day hiking gear - is a sleeping bag and clothes to last your stay. The food was great and in more then ample supply.
Perhaps the only drawback - and I'm stretching here - is that the only facilities to wash off in after a long sweaty outing is Johns Brook itself. The water temperature was probably in the mid 40's F which made for a bracing (invigorating?) bath! The cold water was beautiful to sink your feet into after a long day of hiking. In a few moments your feet went numb from the cold which is an incredibly good thing!
The lodge was also a great place to meet up with the fellow hikers staying the night and gather "intel" on our proposed routes as well as sharing any advice we had to offer. We even got to meet the ADK chairman of the JBL lodge committee who was up for a couple of days. He had endless stories of the lodge, the trails and his days in the woods. He even gave a slide show showing the lodges early days and how they outfit the lodge every spring with a helicopter fly in of supplies.
The lodge crew cooks a big breakfast and provides a bag lunch for the trail. Dinner is on the table at 6:30 motivating hikers to come down off the peaks before nightfall. On the nights we were there, there were a few latecomers struggling back from over ambitious hiking agendas but no one went hungry as food was saved for all. All you need to bring in - other than day hiking gear - is a sleeping bag and clothes to last your stay. The food was great and in more then ample supply.
Perhaps the only drawback - and I'm stretching here - is that the only facilities to wash off in after a long sweaty outing is Johns Brook itself. The water temperature was probably in the mid 40's F which made for a bracing (invigorating?) bath! The cold water was beautiful to sink your feet into after a long day of hiking. In a few moments your feet went numb from the cold which is an incredibly good thing!
The lodge was also a great place to meet up with the fellow hikers staying the night and gather "intel" on our proposed routes as well as sharing any advice we had to offer. We even got to meet the ADK chairman of the JBL lodge committee who was up for a couple of days. He had endless stories of the lodge, the trails and his days in the woods. He even gave a slide show showing the lodges early days and how they outfit the lodge every spring with a helicopter fly in of supplies.
High Peaks
Hiking from the Lodge our first agenda was Basin and Saddleback. These two 4000+ footers offered an excellent hike. In spite of the trail length being only (only?!?) 9 miles it took us all day as the trails were massive steep up and crazy steep down. No real flat sections to speak of so going was naturally slow. In many instances a false step could be your last so caution marked our progress. That said the summit views were stellar. Here is a look from Basin looking west towards Mt. Marcy(center) with some other high peaks surrounding her. The heart of the park offers an amazing wilderness experience. Views for miles in all directions and very little in the way of civilization to be seen.
Basin's ledge
After the summit of Basin we proceeded onto the infamous rockfaces of Saddleback. This photo is taken on a ledge just below the summit of Basin. Mark is looking down into the "abyss" as they walk along this cool little ledge. Remember what I said about false steps.... The ledge is only 30 feet long and marks the only horizontal part of the hike between these two peaks. All the rest was a steep rocky scramble down followed by the equally steep climb back up.
The "trail" actually climbs the rock face seen in the center of this shot. For the most part the rock climb looks much worse then it is. There are a few tricky moves up onto ledges that require some scrambling but on the most part the ledges are far from vertical. They are however totally exposed which makes them feel pretty scary. That said a slip and fall could send one slipping/sliding/rolling to a nasty injury and rescue out here is hard to come by. All in all it was a lot of fun and the anticipation builds as one sees the rock faces getting closer on the approach hike. Of course there was much discussion regarding this section of the hike over dinner - those that had done it vs those that were going to do it the next day.
The "trail" actually climbs the rock face seen in the center of this shot. For the most part the rock climb looks much worse then it is. There are a few tricky moves up onto ledges that require some scrambling but on the most part the ledges are far from vertical. They are however totally exposed which makes them feel pretty scary. That said a slip and fall could send one slipping/sliding/rolling to a nasty injury and rescue out here is hard to come by. All in all it was a lot of fun and the anticipation builds as one sees the rock faces getting closer on the approach hike. Of course there was much discussion regarding this section of the hike over dinner - those that had done it vs those that were going to do it the next day.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
The clouds break... momentarily
On the retreat down Cascade the clouds parted for a minute or two and I did manage to get some good snaps. All the heavy cloud cover is off to the left of the photo - which is of course where all the major mountain peaks are located as well. Still I was glad to get something to look at other then the inside of a cloud. Shortly after this cloud break opened up it closed and rain continued to fall. By the time I was in Lake Placid getting a bite to eat the rain was sheeting down.
Cascade summit
Saturday I decided to go down to the Adirondacks and avenge the previous weekends trudge. Mike and I had tried to do the Seward range but the rain clouds arrived just before we made the ridgeline. Limited views, cold, wet windy and the mud getting deeper with every footstep (no photos). Every footstep we hiked it rained harder and we ended up skipping the 3rd of three peaks. That hike is on my list as one of the worst hikes I've ever done.
Today I drove down to do a couple of peaks before nightfall, camp and then do a bigger hike on Sunday... but luck was against me again. A sunny drive down but the thunderheads started to grow when I got to Lake Placid. I decided to try a quick "run" up Cascade and Porter before the showers arrived... but I got to the summit of Cascade (as this photo will attest) just as the thick cloud cover did....Like by seconds!!!! I ran over to Porter with thunder and lightning crashing over my head. Not a lot of fun but it was too close to not grab the second summit. Another run back to Cascade and the trail back down to the car. Descended in the rain and got down soaked, a little blistered and put out. As I had a sub in Lake Placid it started to howl with rain and I decided to forget about camping and another hike and just drove home :( (Sunday was gloriously sunny!)
Next weekend is the big trip to Johns Brook lodge. 4 days of hiking from the interior outpost. Dry bunks, 3 squares a day. Should be great but I hope the rain gods have already had their fun with me and we get better weather.
Today I drove down to do a couple of peaks before nightfall, camp and then do a bigger hike on Sunday... but luck was against me again. A sunny drive down but the thunderheads started to grow when I got to Lake Placid. I decided to try a quick "run" up Cascade and Porter before the showers arrived... but I got to the summit of Cascade (as this photo will attest) just as the thick cloud cover did....Like by seconds!!!! I ran over to Porter with thunder and lightning crashing over my head. Not a lot of fun but it was too close to not grab the second summit. Another run back to Cascade and the trail back down to the car. Descended in the rain and got down soaked, a little blistered and put out. As I had a sub in Lake Placid it started to howl with rain and I decided to forget about camping and another hike and just drove home :( (Sunday was gloriously sunny!)
Next weekend is the big trip to Johns Brook lodge. 4 days of hiking from the interior outpost. Dry bunks, 3 squares a day. Should be great but I hope the rain gods have already had their fun with me and we get better weather.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
esther view
The summit of Esther is somewhat in the trees. Other reports suggested there were no views at all but we found this nice view up towards Whiteface. Not every summit can be a clear 360 degree panorama so having small vignettes for views was actually rather nice. You can see the toll road that carrys tourists up to the summit. Where the road ends there is a restaurant and a 300ft elevator to take you to the summit allowing the tourists to summit the peak without breaking a sweat. I, on the other hand, broke a sweat several times(well, for most of the day actually). I took a quick dip in the stream at the trailhead to wash the days salt and grime off me (I had a dinner in Alexandria to get too... ). Its amazing how cold a stream can be when the air temperature is in the 30's. Isn't thermodynamics wonderful.
mt esther
This is the summit plaque on Mt. Esther. Not every peak has a plaque - and story to go with it - so I took a shot. Nice use of epoxy to attach the plaque thus preventing theives from stealing it.. The summit of Esther is a "trailless" peak so you have to follow a herd path over to the summit for about a mile. The herd path was better then some trails I've been on so there may be some confusion as to how much maintenance goes on for "trailless" summits. I rate it an excellent hike. The climb was about 3000ft from the car with a few nice spots along the way. Only one "bog" in one of the cols but it was hardly 100ft long so it wasn't too tough to cross.
marble lookout
DId my first hike in the Adirondacks in quite a few years. I agreed to meet up with Mike and climb Whiteface and Esther. It was a pretty hot day but we pressed on regardless and had a great hike. The best view on the way up was the lookout from Marble mountain. We sat in the shade, had a snack and Mike got a good photo of a purple finch (kind of a crazy lookin' bird) that flitted onto a nearby tree. He's in this shot just getting ready to snap a pic of the bird.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Sunny field
The sun came out on Sunday. I did another unremarkable stretch of trail in the morning and headed for home. On my way home I stopped off at the new trail that cuts over to the Lamouille river suspension bridge. This is a new bridge that the Green Mountain Club put in last fall. It cuts out a 5 mile road walk which was the old route to get hikers across the river prior to the bridge construction. The bridge cost them $100,000 (with lots of donations and volunteer labour to install) so that was a big purchase for the club. I couldn't get a good picture of the bridge (you'll have to go visit it yourself) but the new trail cuts across this field and into a nice wooded glen before coming out on the river bank. It makes for a much nicer trail rather then following the road to the highway overpass the old route took. Money well spent.
trail sign
One of the highlights of Saturdays hike was this trail sign. It's painted on a wheel? pump? rusted piece of metal from a ... vehicle? Who knows. It's a relatively famous "sign" in terms of trail lore. Lots of trail journals have pictures of it... I didn't want to break with tradition so I took a picture.... but I don't know what it was. This typified the types of trails I was on. Not anything really exciting to see.
murky
My first significant trip back to the Long trail was this past weekend. I had 18miles of trail left to go and I managed to get 14.5 of them cleaned up. This doesn't sound like a lot but the trails were mostly out and back so I actually did 29 miles of hiking "on trail". Add a few more miles of access trails to get to the Long trail itself and it was a good early season of hiking.
The trails I have to hike are wholey unremarkable sections and I would only hike these sections so I can say I've hiked the whole thing. Saturday was damp, drizzly and humid as seen in this photo. An added bonus was lots of bugs :( Couple this with no real views or points of interest and it made for a long trudge in the woods. That said I met a bunch of AT hikers heading north. They were perhaps section hikers as the "thrus" are probably still a ways to the south yet. Still I had some interesting albiet brief chats with them.
The trails I have to hike are wholey unremarkable sections and I would only hike these sections so I can say I've hiked the whole thing. Saturday was damp, drizzly and humid as seen in this photo. An added bonus was lots of bugs :( Couple this with no real views or points of interest and it made for a long trudge in the woods. That said I met a bunch of AT hikers heading north. They were perhaps section hikers as the "thrus" are probably still a ways to the south yet. Still I had some interesting albiet brief chats with them.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Pilon gate climb
Haven't made a post in a while. I don't seem to carry my camera with me when I ride so I don't have photos. Today I went for a hike with Mike. We climbed up the escarpment near Luskville on the yellow blaze trails. It was strangely cool today (10C) compared to the 35C humidex days we have been having of late. Still it kept the bugs down to a minimum and made for comfortable climbing. Came across a couple of dead wolves along the trail. I wonder if either of them was the one I saw back in the winter? Perhaps there weren't enough skiers to eat and they starved?
Hopefully I'll make some more posts. Hiking season in Vermont and NY is starting to arrive so I should be out and about with my camera over the next little while.
PS I bought $100 worth of ski wax and a new pair of boards.... ski season can't be too far off.
Hopefully I'll make some more posts. Hiking season in Vermont and NY is starting to arrive so I should be out and about with my camera over the next little while.
PS I bought $100 worth of ski wax and a new pair of boards.... ski season can't be too far off.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
falls
On the way down I took a few shots of the falls - of which this is one. Couldn't help think that this was probably the snow I was skiing on last weekend..... Ah well, tomorrow another ride on the bike.
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