July 22, 2010 - Marcy, Skylight, and Gray Peak

For the first new hike of our JBL trip, we decided to tackle Mount Marcy; the biggest of the group. The forecast was for 40% chance of rain, but the morning started out very dismal with cool air and fog. Our plan was to get to the top of Marcy as fast as we could, and if we had enough time and energy, see if we could also conquer Skylight before getting back for dinner. We wasted no time getting out on the trail after breakfast, leading a pack of JBL guests that were also planning to climb Marcy. As we made our way up to the summit, if became increasingly clear that we were not going to get much of a view. As we worked our way to the top, the weather deteriorated even more with high winds and sleet. Luckily, we had a couple of pairs of gloves in the pack from our last winter hike (not that we expected to need them in July).

 

We spent very little time on the peak, since it was cold and uncomfortable. Once we reached the tree line on the trail down toward the Four Corners, we were able to warm up and regroup. Since we worked such a good pace in the early going, we had plenty of time to get over to Skylight before we needed to head back to the lodge. On the summit of Skylight, the temperature seemed a bit warmer, although we still needed to seek shelter from the wind in order to eat our lunch.

On our way back toward Marcy and JBL, we decided to make a small diversion to see the Lake Tear of the Clouds. A fellow hiker pointed out the cairns which marked the trail to Gray Peak, and we took a photo for us to use in finding it for some future hike. As we turned to leave, another hiker encouraged us to not waste the opportunity to climb Gray, being that we were so close. Even though we were worried about missing dinner, that was all the encouragement Jack needed to hop across the creek and start the climb. It only took us about 25 minutes to reach the top, and the views improved significantly as we climbed.

Once back to the summit of Marcy, the cloud cover still had not improved, but the winds had died down and the temperature was warmer. As we were about the leave, the clouds magically parted and we were treated some outstanding views of the entire range. We were significantly harming our chances to get dinner, but spent 30 minutes soaking up the sights anyway.

We worked hard down the trail to make it back to JBL just as they were serving dinner. It was fun describing our outstanding late afternoon views on Marcy, all while listening to all the other guests complain about heading back to the lodge long before the clouds parted. The total hike was a little over 15 miles in an exhausting 10:15. Nineteen (19) High Peaks down; 27 to go.

July 21, 2010 - Big Slide Mountain

Jack and Rich embarked on the annual Johns Brook Lodge trip with a hike to the top of Big Slide via The Brothers. We had been 0-2 as far as summit views went up to that point, and we were hoping that the weather would hold out as we raced the storms up the trail. The going was very slow, since we carried all our gear for a three day stay at the lodge, and the air was quite humid. On the route to the peak, we officially got lost for the first time, as we were following footprints instead of trail markers. Our confusion only lasted about 15 minutes, and after back-tracking about a quarter mile, we were able to pickup the trail again.

Once we got to the summit, we enjoyed the views that had eluded us during our previous hikes. However, the thunder from an approaching storm quickly chased us away, but not before we were able to share some of our sandwich with a chipmunk.

Ponchos were required for the trip down the mountain to JBL, but we made it in plenty of time to unpack and meet some of the other guests before dinner. Jack was excited that we were able to claim our same bunks from the previous Summer. The hike was 6.5 miles with full packs in 5:15. No new peaks (again), but big plans for the next couple of days.

July 2, 2010 - Porter & Cascade Mountains

Kids sports and busy social schedules dictated that we got a late start on our Summer hiking excursions this year. Sean wanted to get back into action, and since he was now the only family hiker who hadn't enjoyed the view from Cascade, we decided that would be a good warm-up to what we hope will be a busy hiking season. We got a jump on the holiday weekend crowds by hitting the trail very early, and took our time to get to the top of Porter before 11:00 AM. It was a perfect day for hiking in that it was very clear, and moderately cool.

We enjoyed the summit of Porter all by ourselves for a while, and after a little snack, headed over to Cascade. Once we reached that summit, we started to encounter some crowds, but had plenty of room to spread out and have a picnic lunch. Jack demonstrated his new field cooking skills by whipping up a chicken and salsa MRE. We were also greeted by a St. Lawrence University student working on a photo documentary project of hikers in the High Peaks; he interviewed all of us and took our pictures for his portfolio. Jack tried in vain to find the letter box that we had stumbled upon 2 years earlier, after having been informed by an unknown source that it had been returned to its hiding spot on the summit.

During the entire trip back to the car we were entertained by Sean who alternately provided conflicting advice to all the uphill hikers who asked the age old question, "Are we getting close yet?" He oscillated between, "The summit is just around the next bend" and "Oh, you have miles to go." A little over six miles in a relaxed 5:30. No new peaks for Jack or Dad, but Sean is now up to three (3).

January 18, 2010 - Phelps Mountain

It was Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, and the forecast called for a break from the recent frigid cold and wind that had been tormenting our ski trips over the previous month. Dad was anxious to try out the new snowshoes that he got for his birthday and get out of the house for a day. Unfortunately, none of the kids were willing to drag themselves away from the TV for the day, so Dad went by himself.

The temperature in the ADK Loj parking lot was about 32 degrees, and the trails were all hard packed with wet snow. I started out with multiple layers of shirts, ski jacket, hat and gloves. Within 30 minutes I was down to just a wet T-shirt. It was a perfect day for a winter hike, and the trails were packed with people taking advantage of the unusually warm weather. The only drawback was the lack of any kind of clear views from the peaks. Sitting on the summit of Phelps, you could only see about 50 feet, but it was dead calm and very peaceful.

Since I made such great time getting to the top of Phelps, I headed in the direction of Lake Arnold with the possible notion that I would summit Tabletop if I felt like I had enough energy. While resting at the trail juncture to Tabletop, a Giant glob of wet snow fell from a branch above and landed on the back of my neck. I took that as a sign from the Gods that I should loop back in the direction of the car. It was a good thing, because by the time I made it back to the trail toward Marcy Dam, I was exhausted. It's too bad none of the kids ventured out; it was a perfect Winter hiking day. The total hike was about 11.5 miles in 5:35 (no wonder I was tired). Seventeen high peaks down (for Dad); 29 to go.

October 25, 2009 - Nye & Street Mountains

The weather forecast called for a mostly cloudy, dreary day. Jack and Rich wanted to squeeze in another hike before the weather really went south, and since there is no view from the tops of Street and Nye, we decided it would be a perfect day to cross them off our list. We started from the ADK Loj parking lot on a surprisingly warm morning; there were reports of snow earlier in the week and there was heavy rain the day before. All of the above made for a very wet hike and tricky crossing of Indian Pass Brook. We quickly discovered that waterproof boots also mean that the water can't get out.

There were a lot of leaves on the ground, and as this is an unmarked trail, we were concerned that we wouldn't be able to find our way to the top (and back). We had to backtrack a few times when it was apparent that we were no longer on an establish route, but we eventually found our way to the top of each peak. It got a little exhausting trudging through the muck for so long, and the views did match our expectations (zero), but we had a good day.

 

We were rewarded at the end when the sun came out and we were able to soak up a few minutes of warmth sitting on a bench next to Heart Lake. The total trip was about 8.5 miles and took about 7 hours and 45 minutes. Sixteen (16) High Peaks down; 30 to go.

September 19, 2009 - Algonquin & Iroquois Peaks

Almost the last day of Summer, and Jack and Rich decided to take a break from Jack's heavy soccer and homework schedule to soak in a sunny and warm day on the trails. The forecast was for clear, sunny skies, so we resolved to try to take advantage of the view from Algonquin that we got cheated out of almost exactly a year earlier. The weather at the ADK Loj was colder than expected, but it wasn't long before we were warming up and losing layers. The trails were packed with hikers, and we met some very nice people along the route. As we neared the summit of Algonquin, it quickly turned colder, and we were treated to a thick layer of frost and some ice on everything in sight; a rare treat (for us) in what was still technically Summer.

After taking in some views on Algonquin, we made the short hike over to Iroquois and enjoyed lunch on that peak where we could take advantage of the sun and reduced wind than we had experienced on Algonquin. We met a nice family on Iroquois who suggested that we might enjoy the return trip down past Lake Colden, through Avalanche Pass, and over Marcy Dam to the ADK Loj. We decided to give it a shot. Other than the trip down to Lake Colden taking a lot longer than we thought (and us assuming that we had gotten lost), it was a great decision. Avalanche Pass was spectacular in the late Summer sun, and we got to enjoy our first trip through the Marcy Dam area.

The total trip was just over 13 miles, and our travel time was an impressive 9.5 hours. Fourteen (14) High Peaks down; 32 to go.

August 30, 2009 - Porter & Cascade Mountains

Only one year removed from her horrible lightening encounter on Buck Mountain, Ally decided that she was ready to head back out on the trails and wanted to climb her first high peak. Jack suggested Cascade, since it was the easiest hike with a good view (plus the shortest trip back to the car in case we had to cut it short). There were torrential rains the day before, but the morning looked promising and we got out the door by 6:00 AM. Unfortunately, both Sean and Otto elected to sleep in instead of coming along.

We made excellent time in the early going, and before we knew it we were at the junction to the trail for Porter Mountain. Ally recognized that no one else in the family had Porter as their first high peak, so in order for her to be different, she directed us towards Porter instead of continuing up Cascade. It was a good move, since a cloud had just come in, and the view on Cascade wouldn't have been very good if we had gotten there too early. By the time we made it over to Porter, the clouds parted and Ally got her first good view of the Great Range.

After enjoying a lunch of fresh banana bread (thanks Mom), we packed up and started the march back over to Cascade. Once we cleared the treeline and got near the summit, the wind really picked up and the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees. The view from the top was beautiful, although we had to huddle behind some rocks periodically to keep warm. Jack and Ally looked all over the summit for a letter box that we found last Summer, but to no avail. On the way back down, Ally announced that she was going to be a 46er. Also, I didn't have to worry about her keeping up with us; she and Jack were frequently stopping to wait for me.