una_dogger
Well-known member
Mileage: 9.5
Gain:2800 ft; ADK46 Order of Height 27
Trails used: Blue No. 15 from the Garden to summit of Big Slide (4240 ft), Slide Mountain Brook Trail No.13, Yellow blazed Phelps Trail No. 1.
Time: 6 hrs 45 min
I left Vermont at 10:00 am and arrived at the Garden lot at Noon, one speeding ticket and one pit stop later. I laced on my boots, hoisted my pack and let Terra out of the car and we began our hike up Big Slide Mntn via the Brothers.
I felt well rested and well hydrated; and didn't feel I was particularly hiking fast, but I found myself feeling overexerted within about ten minutes. My heart was pounding in my chest and I decided to take a fifteen second break to let the rate go down. After a quick rest my rate recovered and I set off again. A few minutes later the same thing happened, and I began to check in with my body, any numbness in limbs? Nope. And pain anywhere? Nope. I took another break, then set off again. A few minutes later another rush of pounding heart came over me, and I decided to sit down. I took off my pack, pulled Terra close to me on her leash, and sat down. At that moment, an older gentleman came down the trail and asked me where I was going. I replied, "I'm on my way to Big Slide, but I got off to a fast start, and need a break". His other friends soon caught up, and no one said anything like "Are you OK?" so I assumed I wasn't looking peekid. I put my pack down, leaned back on it, and propped my legs up on a tree. After a few minutes, I sat up, drank a small sip of water, and ate some dried fruit. I felt better.
I decided to continue VERY slowly, and if I felt the pounding heart again, or didn't feel better by the time I reached the first Brother, I'd turn back. On the first Brother I stopped and took many pics of the amazing views that swept about 270 degrees, left to right I saw Hurricane with its fire tower, and Camel's Hump way in the distance, closer and continuing to arch to the right, Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge stood out across the valley. Next came RoosterComb, Upper and Lower Wolf Jaws, and Gothics so close and directly in front of me, I felt like I could reach out and touch it. It was amazing. The trail along the spine of Saddleback was visible; along with Marcy -- with its summit buried in clouds. With such great views so quickly into a hike, I knew that even if I didn't make Big Slide today, I had been blessed to be in such a beautiful and awe inspiring place this day.
As I hiked the open ledges and climbed the steep pitches leading up the Brothers, I heard a sound in the Valley that the Phelps Trail traces up to Marcy. I looked down and saw a rescue helicopter cruising below me above the forest canopy heading up toward Marcy. I snapped a couple pics. Then thought about how fragile we are in this environment, and having just experienced what I think was probably the combination of a bit of overexertion followed by a dip in blood pressure...well, it was a sobering experience to say the least, seeing the chopper.
I began to feel much better, and munched on some dried fruit and nuts and took my time up the ridge, taking lots of pictures and watching Terra playfully tackling the ledges in effortless leaps and bounds while I climbed hand-over-foot up them.
After about 2 miles the trail turned into the woods, and wound its way up the ridge, breaking out once more on the Third Brother, where a small herd path went to a small ledge with sweeping views of the peaks that surrounded it.
Into the woods again we went and the forest took on a primeval quality as we climbed. Lichen clung to the narrow and densely knit stand of fir (?) that shroud the ridgeline. Narly roots encircled moss covered rocks, and the forest was quiet and serene. There was no snow anywhere. The forest floor was alive with wood sorrel that grew right up to the edges of the narrow path. Occaisionally the trail wound to the left or the right around large boulders, but continued upward, always at an easy grade.
Soon the trail leveled and entered an area where the forest to the right of the trail resembled a boggy area, there were many downed trees and standing dead, devoid of bark and weathered an aged grey. To the right of the trail, a small stream began to form and trickled within a mossy rockbed. As we climbed, the stream increased in size, forming small alpine pools as it travelled. This stretch of trail made me think, "this is what it must be like to be a salamander living in a terrarium", because the scale and intimate interconnections between the rocks, the dead trees, the moss, the trail itself, seemed to all coexist in a very small, isolated world. It was very cool. I took my time through this stretch. I wish I had a better camera because my pics just don't come close to capturing it all.
I reached an area where the stream crossed the trail in a small sag. A few paces onward, I caught a glimpse of Big Slide jutting out above the forest, its huge slide visible.
I came to a three way juntion with the Slide Brook Trail, the trail up the Brothers, and a trail to the summit of Big Slide. It was only 0.29 miles up to that ragged peak I spotted through the break in the canopy; so I *knew* it was going to be steep. The trail immediately began to climb up very steep and wet slab. There were plenty of cracks to wedge toes into, and grab onto with my hands. Terra, as usually, made it look easy.
I heard some voices and soon saw two Canadians coming down the trail, the woman smiled and said, "The Adirondack Bear!" jokingly when she saw me holding Terra off to the side of the trail. We said some quick trail "hellos", made some small talk, and then parted ways.
The trail upward consisted of a series of steep slabby pitches. One steep open face bore two rock ladders, the first was very decrepit from years of use and weather, and large rusty industrial sized nails stuck out from the rungs where steps had once been. The second ladder was newer, steeper, and longer. Terra merely walked up the slab.
The trail reached a large ledge, and a herd path branched off to the left, leading to an amazing close-up view of the bare face of Big Slide. It was very cool!
After taking a few pictures I headed back to the ledge, and ran into two younger guys I saw leaving the trail register when I first started the hike. We talked for a few minutes, one exclaiming how he'd "lived here my whole life and just started hiking". They headed down, and I scrambled up the last few ledges and was rewarded with an amazing view and an empty, open summit!
Terra and I enjoyed lunch and I took many pictures, including one feeble attempt at a self portrait of us using the self timer and balancing my camera on a rock. We sat on a rock together, and smiled and just stared at the mountains. It truly is an amazing view of the Great Range, and of Gothics in particular. About 4:15pm I decided it was about time to head down. I still had about five and a half miles to go, and the descent of the Slide Brook Trail was described as steep and rocky by some info I had read. I took my time coming down from the summit, using roots as handholds and taking care sliding down the ledges. At five feet tall, the drops were pretty signifigant for me. Terra, as usual, made them all look easy.
The Slide Brook trail wasn't as rocky as I thought it would be, and I actually found it to be a nice trail. A small stream formed, and then was joined by another, both converging to make a larger stream that the trail crossed about five times. Further down, the trail crosses flat slide. Beautiful, groundcovering bright purple and white flowers are reclaiming the slide; striking a delicate balance between soft gentle flower and hard unforgiving rock. Up ahead, the stream and slide meet, forming a series of small cascades. Terra cooled her heels in the water, and had a drink.
A few moments later we began to see campsites, then a tent, then more empty sites, and we met up with the Phelps Trail. Turning left on the Phelps Trail, we passed some signs for the DEC Interior Outpost. I think that's a funny phrase...in-terior out-post. Ok, whatever. Probably a great place to work!!! Just beyond a side trail to a lean too, I saw a HUGE pile of bear scat right on the trail. Gotta love the Daks!
The Phelps Trail is a mellow trail and I walked it lost in thought. What a great day. And to think it almost never happened. I was feeling fine now, happily. Every-so-often a large erratic would appear on the trail. The Johns Brook could be heard intermittently throught the trees. Something caused me to look right, and I saw a familiar profile, a large mounded hill above a small leantoo where I had pitched a tent five years ago, on my first trip ever to the Daks, where I backpacked around the peaks and valleys of the High Peaks for 8 days, winding my way pretty serendipitously, and crossing over Marcy not once, but twice (because its so special). It was good to be back here.
Up ahead I saw the backs of the young men I saw first in the parking lot, then on the way down from the summit. I guess I wasn't so slow afterall.
Back at the lot I chatted with an older woman who works for the DEC. She asked me if I'd seen snow, and lamented about the postholers she'd encountered just a couple weekends ago. I said goodbye, put Terra in her kennel, and began the drive home, taking my time on 73 through the mountains. It was 7:00pm, and the sun was beginning to set and the lighting was quiet on the mountains.
Can't wait to go back.............
Totally out-of-hike order pictures are here, someday I may become as organized as MichaelJ
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EYuWzNs1buZg¬ag=1
Gain:2800 ft; ADK46 Order of Height 27
Trails used: Blue No. 15 from the Garden to summit of Big Slide (4240 ft), Slide Mountain Brook Trail No.13, Yellow blazed Phelps Trail No. 1.
Time: 6 hrs 45 min
I left Vermont at 10:00 am and arrived at the Garden lot at Noon, one speeding ticket and one pit stop later. I laced on my boots, hoisted my pack and let Terra out of the car and we began our hike up Big Slide Mntn via the Brothers.
I felt well rested and well hydrated; and didn't feel I was particularly hiking fast, but I found myself feeling overexerted within about ten minutes. My heart was pounding in my chest and I decided to take a fifteen second break to let the rate go down. After a quick rest my rate recovered and I set off again. A few minutes later the same thing happened, and I began to check in with my body, any numbness in limbs? Nope. And pain anywhere? Nope. I took another break, then set off again. A few minutes later another rush of pounding heart came over me, and I decided to sit down. I took off my pack, pulled Terra close to me on her leash, and sat down. At that moment, an older gentleman came down the trail and asked me where I was going. I replied, "I'm on my way to Big Slide, but I got off to a fast start, and need a break". His other friends soon caught up, and no one said anything like "Are you OK?" so I assumed I wasn't looking peekid. I put my pack down, leaned back on it, and propped my legs up on a tree. After a few minutes, I sat up, drank a small sip of water, and ate some dried fruit. I felt better.
I decided to continue VERY slowly, and if I felt the pounding heart again, or didn't feel better by the time I reached the first Brother, I'd turn back. On the first Brother I stopped and took many pics of the amazing views that swept about 270 degrees, left to right I saw Hurricane with its fire tower, and Camel's Hump way in the distance, closer and continuing to arch to the right, Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge stood out across the valley. Next came RoosterComb, Upper and Lower Wolf Jaws, and Gothics so close and directly in front of me, I felt like I could reach out and touch it. It was amazing. The trail along the spine of Saddleback was visible; along with Marcy -- with its summit buried in clouds. With such great views so quickly into a hike, I knew that even if I didn't make Big Slide today, I had been blessed to be in such a beautiful and awe inspiring place this day.
As I hiked the open ledges and climbed the steep pitches leading up the Brothers, I heard a sound in the Valley that the Phelps Trail traces up to Marcy. I looked down and saw a rescue helicopter cruising below me above the forest canopy heading up toward Marcy. I snapped a couple pics. Then thought about how fragile we are in this environment, and having just experienced what I think was probably the combination of a bit of overexertion followed by a dip in blood pressure...well, it was a sobering experience to say the least, seeing the chopper.
I began to feel much better, and munched on some dried fruit and nuts and took my time up the ridge, taking lots of pictures and watching Terra playfully tackling the ledges in effortless leaps and bounds while I climbed hand-over-foot up them.
After about 2 miles the trail turned into the woods, and wound its way up the ridge, breaking out once more on the Third Brother, where a small herd path went to a small ledge with sweeping views of the peaks that surrounded it.
Into the woods again we went and the forest took on a primeval quality as we climbed. Lichen clung to the narrow and densely knit stand of fir (?) that shroud the ridgeline. Narly roots encircled moss covered rocks, and the forest was quiet and serene. There was no snow anywhere. The forest floor was alive with wood sorrel that grew right up to the edges of the narrow path. Occaisionally the trail wound to the left or the right around large boulders, but continued upward, always at an easy grade.
Soon the trail leveled and entered an area where the forest to the right of the trail resembled a boggy area, there were many downed trees and standing dead, devoid of bark and weathered an aged grey. To the right of the trail, a small stream began to form and trickled within a mossy rockbed. As we climbed, the stream increased in size, forming small alpine pools as it travelled. This stretch of trail made me think, "this is what it must be like to be a salamander living in a terrarium", because the scale and intimate interconnections between the rocks, the dead trees, the moss, the trail itself, seemed to all coexist in a very small, isolated world. It was very cool. I took my time through this stretch.
I wish I had a better camera because my pics just don't come close to capturing it all. I reached an area where the stream crossed the trail in a small sag. A few paces onward, I caught a glimpse of Big Slide jutting out above the forest, its huge slide visible.
I came to a three way juntion with the Slide Brook Trail, the trail up the Brothers, and a trail to the summit of Big Slide. It was only 0.29 miles up to that ragged peak I spotted through the break in the canopy; so I *knew* it was going to be steep. The trail immediately began to climb up very steep and wet slab. There were plenty of cracks to wedge toes into, and grab onto with my hands. Terra, as usually, made it look easy.
I heard some voices and soon saw two Canadians coming down the trail, the woman smiled and said, "The Adirondack Bear!" jokingly when she saw me holding Terra off to the side of the trail. We said some quick trail "hellos", made some small talk, and then parted ways.
The trail upward consisted of a series of steep slabby pitches. One steep open face bore two rock ladders, the first was very decrepit from years of use and weather, and large rusty industrial sized nails stuck out from the rungs where steps had once been. The second ladder was newer, steeper, and longer. Terra merely walked up the slab.
The trail reached a large ledge, and a herd path branched off to the left, leading to an amazing close-up view of the bare face of Big Slide. It was very cool!
After taking a few pictures I headed back to the ledge, and ran into two younger guys I saw leaving the trail register when I first started the hike. We talked for a few minutes, one exclaiming how he'd "lived here my whole life and just started hiking". They headed down, and I scrambled up the last few ledges and was rewarded with an amazing view and an empty, open summit!
Terra and I enjoyed lunch and I took many pictures, including one feeble attempt at a self portrait of us using the self timer and balancing my camera on a rock. We sat on a rock together, and smiled and just stared at the mountains. It truly is an amazing view of the Great Range, and of Gothics in particular. About 4:15pm I decided it was about time to head down. I still had about five and a half miles to go, and the descent of the Slide Brook Trail was described as steep and rocky by some info I had read. I took my time coming down from the summit, using roots as handholds and taking care sliding down the ledges. At five feet tall, the drops were pretty signifigant for me. Terra, as usual, made them all look easy.
The Slide Brook trail wasn't as rocky as I thought it would be, and I actually found it to be a nice trail. A small stream formed, and then was joined by another, both converging to make a larger stream that the trail crossed about five times. Further down, the trail crosses flat slide. Beautiful, groundcovering bright purple and white flowers are reclaiming the slide; striking a delicate balance between soft gentle flower and hard unforgiving rock. Up ahead, the stream and slide meet, forming a series of small cascades. Terra cooled her heels in the water, and had a drink.
A few moments later we began to see campsites, then a tent, then more empty sites, and we met up with the Phelps Trail. Turning left on the Phelps Trail, we passed some signs for the DEC Interior Outpost. I think that's a funny phrase...in-terior out-post. Ok, whatever. Probably a great place to work!!!
Just beyond a side trail to a lean too, I saw a HUGE pile of bear scat right on the trail. Gotta love the Daks!The Phelps Trail is a mellow trail and I walked it lost in thought. What a great day. And to think it almost never happened. I was feeling fine now, happily. Every-so-often a large erratic would appear on the trail. The Johns Brook could be heard intermittently throught the trees. Something caused me to look right, and I saw a familiar profile, a large mounded hill above a small leantoo where I had pitched a tent five years ago, on my first trip ever to the Daks, where I backpacked around the peaks and valleys of the High Peaks for 8 days, winding my way pretty serendipitously, and crossing over Marcy not once, but twice (because its so special). It was good to be back here.
Up ahead I saw the backs of the young men I saw first in the parking lot, then on the way down from the summit. I guess I wasn't so slow afterall.
Back at the lot I chatted with an older woman who works for the DEC. She asked me if I'd seen snow, and lamented about the postholers she'd encountered just a couple weekends ago. I said goodbye, put Terra in her kennel, and began the drive home, taking my time on 73 through the mountains. It was 7:00pm, and the sun was beginning to set and the lighting was quiet on the mountains.
Can't wait to go back.............
Totally out-of-hike order pictures are here, someday I may become as organized as MichaelJ
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EYuWzNs1buZg¬ag=1
