Doodles
Active member
Well my partner wasn't feeling well so could not go on this hike. I was thinking about alternate hikes, but at the last minute told the Boss I will be hiking plan "A".
Since I was by myself I had to make this a round trip.
I parked at the Mckenley Hollow PA, started at 8:00. Cold morning about 20 deg but the sun was shining with only a few puffy clouds in the sky. I went in a little ways to the lean-to and decided to bee line bushwack to the summit. I figured I could cut off some milage on the day. The climb was steep and steady all the way to the top. I reached the summit at 10:00 and hit precisely at the peak. I took a breather and continued my trip South on the PW trail.
At the summit there was about 3-4 in of new snow and about 4-6 in of crusty snow underneath. The fresh fallen snow that clung to the trees made for a very scenic hike. Very little ice so bare booting was the way I went. Temp started to warm up to 25 due to the abundant sunshine.
Haynes Mt was a pleasant walk and nothing more than a bump in the trail so I continued on to Eagle.
On Eagle the snow was a little deeper. With the sun still shining bright and 12:00 I decided to stop for a quick lunch and a break.
I departed Eagle about 12:15 and continued south on the PW. The trail seemed less traveled and overgrown heading south from Eagle. The snow was also getting deeper the further south I went.
I arrived at Big Indian about 1:15 and floundered around a bit triing to find the canister. At this time the skies had clouded over and a light snow was falling. I had seen no fresh tracks until I was at the canister. 5 or6 hikers had signed in before me. I had left my mark and pressed on for Fir at 1:30.
The tracks at the canister were also headed for Fir. I took my bearings and the fresh tracks were on the same heading. At this point of the trip it seems like there was 12+ in of snow in places, but still fairly easy walking. The trek from Big Indian to Fir seemed like a long way, but I was probably starting to tire some. The tracks did indeed lead right to the canister but continued on to the south. I arrived at 3:30, signed in and started back for a I had a bit of a trip to get back to McKenly Hollow.
I had retraced my tracks back for about a 1/2 mile then headed due North directly for Mckenly. This route proved to be an extreamly steap descent. I had skirted the end of Burnam Hollow road, but for my destination and bearing there was another ridge. At this point the last thing I wanted to see was another ridge, but the shortest distance between two points is a straight line so stop your complaining and get going. (daylight is burning).
I made it over the ridge and down below I could hear the stream, so I knew I was getting close. I broke thru to the road about 1/4 mi from the PA. I finished up at 5:30 and head for home.
This turned out to be a bit of a grueling hike. I knew I had walked when I was done.
George
Since I was by myself I had to make this a round trip.
I parked at the Mckenley Hollow PA, started at 8:00. Cold morning about 20 deg but the sun was shining with only a few puffy clouds in the sky. I went in a little ways to the lean-to and decided to bee line bushwack to the summit. I figured I could cut off some milage on the day. The climb was steep and steady all the way to the top. I reached the summit at 10:00 and hit precisely at the peak. I took a breather and continued my trip South on the PW trail.
At the summit there was about 3-4 in of new snow and about 4-6 in of crusty snow underneath. The fresh fallen snow that clung to the trees made for a very scenic hike. Very little ice so bare booting was the way I went. Temp started to warm up to 25 due to the abundant sunshine.
Haynes Mt was a pleasant walk and nothing more than a bump in the trail so I continued on to Eagle.
On Eagle the snow was a little deeper. With the sun still shining bright and 12:00 I decided to stop for a quick lunch and a break.
I departed Eagle about 12:15 and continued south on the PW. The trail seemed less traveled and overgrown heading south from Eagle. The snow was also getting deeper the further south I went.
I arrived at Big Indian about 1:15 and floundered around a bit triing to find the canister. At this time the skies had clouded over and a light snow was falling. I had seen no fresh tracks until I was at the canister. 5 or6 hikers had signed in before me. I had left my mark and pressed on for Fir at 1:30.
The tracks at the canister were also headed for Fir. I took my bearings and the fresh tracks were on the same heading. At this point of the trip it seems like there was 12+ in of snow in places, but still fairly easy walking. The trek from Big Indian to Fir seemed like a long way, but I was probably starting to tire some. The tracks did indeed lead right to the canister but continued on to the south. I arrived at 3:30, signed in and started back for a I had a bit of a trip to get back to McKenly Hollow.
I had retraced my tracks back for about a 1/2 mile then headed due North directly for Mckenly. This route proved to be an extreamly steap descent. I had skirted the end of Burnam Hollow road, but for my destination and bearing there was another ridge. At this point the last thing I wanted to see was another ridge, but the shortest distance between two points is a straight line so stop your complaining and get going. (daylight is burning).
I made it over the ridge and down below I could hear the stream, so I knew I was getting close. I broke thru to the road about 1/4 mi from the PA. I finished up at 5:30 and head for home.
This turned out to be a bit of a grueling hike. I knew I had walked when I was done.
George
