Trap Dike - Best Hike in ADKs - hike or climb?

[Explorer Editor]

Just my opinion, of course ...

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Just my opinion, of course ...

From your article - "The Eagle and Trap Dike are both fourth-class climbs. That means the climbing is fairly simple and, depending on your confidence and skill level, you may or may not rope up. "

Is it a hike or a climb? Your title calls it a hike but your article a climb. They're not interchangeable.

 

[David Metsky]

I added the subject line "Best Hikes in the Adirondacks" based on the title of the link.

 

[iagreewithjamie]

Is it a hike or a climb? Your title calls it a hike but your article a climb. They're not interchangeable.

The article states: Lawyer recommends that people without rock-climbing experience use ropes in the Trap Dike. -

This kinda begs the question: if you aren't comfortable rock climbing, how in god's name do you expect to get a rope up there?

 

[Kevin Rooney]

And to carry this a bit further - I'm quite familiar with the Class system of hiking/climbing used extensively in the West. Once familar with it, most hikes/climbs clearly fall into a specific class (I thru V) without much disagreement. Class I is on trail, using only your feet. Class II may include offtrail, and occasionally 4 points of contact (you'll need to use your hands). Class I and Class II are hiking. Class III begins the climbing. Once Class III is reached, it's clear that a fall may result in injury, but probably not death. Class IV means that a fall will result in certain injury, and possible death.

So - when the author Phil Brown uses the term "fourth-class climbs" - does he mean Class IV in the system used extensively in the West and elsewhere, or is there yet another classification system he's referring to?

 

[iagreewithjamie]

]

If Class IV means falling may kill you... Imma think that's what he means.

Would you consider the following trails to be classed appropriately?
I. Lincoln Woods Trail
II. Castle Ridge Trail
III. North Tripyramid Slide
IV. Huntington Ravine / Capitol Peak CO
V. Rope dangling

Is that right?

 

[Snowflea]

I have not climbed Trap Dike but HAVE done both Huntington Ravine Trail and Capitol Peak in Colorado. Would put HRT as a Class 3 (probably a 2 in the Sierras). No way is it the same class as Capitol.

The classification of a route/peak is somewhat subjective of course...

 

[Puma concolor]

Trap Dike isn't a hike. Not under any reasonable definition ... particularly now that it's now been washed out by Irene. Might be a bit of an English understatement thing going on here.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I've not done Capital Peak in CO, but have done Huntington Ravine. By Sierra standards, it's probably a high Class II, possibly a low Class III. Pretty much what Sue just said.

 

[Puma concolor]

Folks argue all the time about the differences between ratings in California and Colorado. Silly really. College kid died in a fall on Trap Dike last year IIRC.

Edit - October 2011 to be exact ...

http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526918.html

 

[DougPaul]

III. North Tripyramid Slide
IV. Huntington Ravine

IMO, NT slide is 3rd class and there is a small amount of 3 on HRT.

Doug

 

[Chugach001]

I have done TD several times, solo, sometimes with a rope and sometimes not. I would recommend bringing a rope to anyone and I think the guidebook should recommend that. IMHO, luring people into danger with understatement is reckless and most descriptions of the TD come very close.

 

[Peakbagr]

Given the discussion, though in the Adirondacks, moving thread to General Backcountry.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Anything listed in the climber's guide books is just that, a climb, not a hike. It's a cool place, but it's way more than a rock scramble. I'd call it Class IV.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I have done TD several times, solo, sometimes with a rope and sometimes not. I would recommend bringing a rope to anyone and I think the guidebook should recommend that. IMHO, luring people into danger with understatement is reckless and most descriptions of the TD come very close.

Well said.

 

[sierra]

HRT is for sure not class 4, no hike in NE is for that matter.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

HRT is for sure not class 4, no hike in NE is for that matter.

Not to nitpick, but that's the point - when an "outing" shifts beyond Class 2, it becomes a climb, and no longer a hike, even though certain portions may involve Class I/Class II hiking.

 

[sierra]

That is nitpicking for sure, Ill give you that. I spend a lot of time out west, hiking/climbing to me I use them as interchangeable terms in general, maybe because I have a technical ice and rock background, when Im not roped, I'm hiking in general. Although I might say " I just climbed Long's" then the next day I might say'' I just hiked Capitol". I'm not that concerned with the verbage to be honest, no offense, but some times this board and its discussions can border on snobby.

 

[Puma concolor]

In defense of the article, although it does refer to the Dike as a hike/scramble in the opening paragraph, the rest of the story is pretty spot-on in terms of describing it as a climb. Also, Phil Brown has been writing a lot of great stories for a very long time.

 

[TEO]

To echo what sierra said, there isn't a hiking trail in the Northeast that I'm aware of that exceeds Class II, including the North Tri slide, Huntington Ravine, and even the old West Side Trail up North Percy. Trap Dike, at least pre-Irene was considered Class III--IIRC, it was listed as such in Mellor's guide--and Eagle Slide was Class IV. Unless there is a significantly more difficult crux on the new upper portion, I don't see why the rating should change simply because of the denudation of the dike by Irene.

For review, here are the class definitions from Wikepedia:

Class 1: Walking with a low chance of injury.
Class 2: Simple scrambling, with the possibility of occasional use of the hands. Little potential danger is encountered.
Class 3: Scrambling with increased exposure. A rope can be carried but is usually not required. Falls are not always fatal.
Class 4: Simple climbing, with exposure. A rope is often used. Natural protection can be easily found. Falls may well be fatal.
Class 5: Technical free climbing involving rope, belaying, and other protection hardware for safety. Un-roped falls can result in severe injury or death.

P.s. What? No love for Blake Peak as the best hike in the Adirondacks?