ALGonquin Bob
Well-known member
I had planned to solo the Great Range this weekend, but modified my itinerary in order to meet up with some friends who were starting at Upper Works and were to meet me at Feldspar lean-to. However, an equipment failure on the way to Flowed Land caused their trip to be aborted and everything changed. Turns out, I would be doing this trip solo.
Leaving the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) Friday morning, I hiked up to Lake Arnold, continuing up to Mt. Colden and back down. It was around dusk when I again reached Lake Arnold. The hike to the lean-tos was a little difficult for me, as it was snowing, dark, my glasses kept fogging and freezing, and I couldn’t see well. I was relieved to finally see the footbridge to Feldspar LT, but was quite disappointed to find the LT empty.
I hiked another half-mile to Uphill Brook LT, and found 2 people there. It took a few seconds (fogged glasses and all) to realize that it wasn’t my friend’s group. Turned out to be 2 good guys from Queens (one, "DEEPFOREST", now living in Burlington, VT) up to do a few peaks.
I camped two nights with those fellows; they used the lean-to while I slept in my new little 2-man tent. I hiked the same peaks as they did, but on different days. Saturday, I soloed Redfield on a mostly clear day, breaking trail to the top. The trail was quite easy to follow, however, and is as nice a hike as I remembered from 5 years ago. When I returned that night, my new friends shared their soup with me. I was very cold, and the hot lentil soup was very much appreciated. I didn’t take the time to melt snow and boil water, so I had no hot water bottles to sleep with. It was a very cold night in my little tent. The fact that my pocket warmer refused to work meant that I had no supplemental heat in my zero degree bag – I wish I’d bought the “minus 20” version.
Sunday was a brilliant sunny day by the time I crawled out of bed. After saying good-bye to my companions of two nights, hiked alone up to Lake Tear of the Clouds. The Queens boys and a group from Rochester hiked up there the day before, so everything was nicely broken out for me. I did Gray first, with a father-son duo that I met just before reaching Lake Tear. Gray is a short, but steep hike with great views, especially of Colden and Marcy. I had previously done Redfield, Gray, and Skylight only once, in June 2002, so things looked a little different.
When I reached Four Corners, the time of day made me choose between doing Skylight and returning in the daylight, or going up to get Marcy, and having to hike Skylight by headlamp. So I hiked the .9 miles up to Marcy first. Until reaching treeline on Marcy, my crampons had been getting a free ride all weekend. The abrupt change in trail conditions from soft snow to hard crusty ice necessitated a change in footwear – the snowshoes didn’t grip at all. Leaving my snowshoes and pack there, and donning sunglasses for the first time on this trip, I continued up the bright icy summit cone. While carefully planting my feet in the hard crust, I followed the faint traces of footprints left the day before, finally working my way over to the cairns, and on to the top of New York State. I took a few pictures of the sun setting, and started my descent.
The cairns don’t quite lead you all the way back to the trail, and since the yellow paint blazes weren’t visible, I spent a few anxious moments in the fading light trying to find my way back to my pack, where my headlamp was residing. After wading in deep snow down the wrong path, I climbed back up and traversed over farther where I was quite relieved (understatement) to pick up the trail and see my waiting pack. After putting on my headlamp (not needed quite yet) it was an easy descent back to Four Corners, and without hesitation, began to ascend the Skylight trail.
I remembered that half-mile trail as being quite easy, and was proven right. I was able to hike most of the way in the dark without benefit of a headlamp, but as I approached the upper part of the trail, I turned on my light and finally emerged from treeline in darkness. I also remember from 5 years ago that finding the foot trail again when returning from Skylight’s summit was a little difficult, so I fished out my back-up headlamp, turned on the red LED, and left it on the ground to serve as a homing beacon for my return. Continuing up and past the large cairn, I stood alone in the dark on the summit – that’s quite a different feeling, knowing that you’re likely the only person within 2 miles, and you’re up there on top of a mountain looking over at the silhouette of Mount Marcy.
The 2-mile descent back to camp was an easy one. Although I had brought my larger fuel bottle for my Whisperlite stove, I was a bit concerned when my fuel ran out after melting only enough snow for 20 ounces or so of hot water. I had been hoping for 2 quarts. Although thirsty, I used what little hot water I had as a bed warmer, and finally drank the warm Gatorade at about 2 AM. That was all the water I would have until I reached the trailhead again. Monday morning, I ate a few slices of sausage, packed up and headed out, munching snow along the way to satisfy my thirst. It’s really not so bad - you get a mouthful, chew ‘til it melts, warm it a little, and finally swallow. Thirst-quenching in it’s own small way. I made a Hershey bar last me all the way out, rewarding myself at each junction along the way. When I passed a group of youngsters and their leaders on their way up as I descended toward Avalanche Camp, I was quite happy to be going downhill.
The trail register and the cars in the parking lot were an even more welcome sight than usual. The one can of ice cold Labatt’s Blue that I had in the car was surprisingly refreshing after those 3 days in the High Peaks Wilderness, and served as a celebratory drink after hiking five more winter peaks. My “Winter 46” total now stands at 28. I might not finish this year, but I’ll be in good shape to earn my “W” next year. Oh, by the way, when does the feeling return to your fingertips after 3 days in the cold???
Party on... – ALGonquin Bob
Leaving the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) Friday morning, I hiked up to Lake Arnold, continuing up to Mt. Colden and back down. It was around dusk when I again reached Lake Arnold. The hike to the lean-tos was a little difficult for me, as it was snowing, dark, my glasses kept fogging and freezing, and I couldn’t see well. I was relieved to finally see the footbridge to Feldspar LT, but was quite disappointed to find the LT empty.
I hiked another half-mile to Uphill Brook LT, and found 2 people there. It took a few seconds (fogged glasses and all) to realize that it wasn’t my friend’s group. Turned out to be 2 good guys from Queens (one, "DEEPFOREST", now living in Burlington, VT) up to do a few peaks. I camped two nights with those fellows; they used the lean-to while I slept in my new little 2-man tent. I hiked the same peaks as they did, but on different days. Saturday, I soloed Redfield on a mostly clear day, breaking trail to the top. The trail was quite easy to follow, however, and is as nice a hike as I remembered from 5 years ago. When I returned that night, my new friends shared their soup with me. I was very cold, and the hot lentil soup was very much appreciated.
I didn’t take the time to melt snow and boil water, so I had no hot water bottles to sleep with. It was a very cold night in my little tent. The fact that my pocket warmer refused to work meant that I had no supplemental heat in my zero degree bag – I wish I’d bought the “minus 20” version.Sunday was a brilliant sunny day by the time I crawled out of bed. After saying good-bye to my companions of two nights, hiked alone up to Lake Tear of the Clouds. The Queens boys and a group from Rochester hiked up there the day before, so everything was nicely broken out for me. I did Gray first, with a father-son duo that I met just before reaching Lake Tear. Gray is a short, but steep hike with great views, especially of Colden and Marcy. I had previously done Redfield, Gray, and Skylight only once, in June 2002, so things looked a little different.
When I reached Four Corners, the time of day made me choose between doing Skylight and returning in the daylight, or going up to get Marcy, and having to hike Skylight by headlamp. So I hiked the .9 miles up to Marcy first. Until reaching treeline on Marcy, my crampons had been getting a free ride all weekend. The abrupt change in trail conditions from soft snow to hard crusty ice necessitated a change in footwear – the snowshoes didn’t grip at all. Leaving my snowshoes and pack there, and donning sunglasses for the first time on this trip, I continued up the bright icy summit cone. While carefully planting my feet in the hard crust, I followed the faint traces of footprints left the day before, finally working my way over to the cairns, and on to the top of New York State.
I took a few pictures of the sun setting, and started my descent. The cairns don’t quite lead you all the way back to the trail, and since the yellow paint blazes weren’t visible, I spent a few anxious moments
in the fading light trying to find my way back to my pack, where my headlamp was residing. After wading in deep snow down the wrong path, I climbed back up and traversed over farther where I was quite relieved (understatement) to pick up the trail and see my waiting pack. After putting on my headlamp (not needed quite yet) it was an easy descent back to Four Corners, and without hesitation, began to ascend the Skylight trail.I remembered that half-mile trail as being quite easy, and was proven right. I was able to hike most of the way in the dark without benefit of a headlamp, but as I approached the upper part of the trail, I turned on my light and finally emerged from treeline in darkness. I also remember from 5 years ago that finding the foot trail again when returning from Skylight’s summit was a little difficult, so I fished out my back-up headlamp, turned on the red LED, and left it on the ground to serve as a homing beacon for my return. Continuing up and past the large cairn, I stood alone in the dark on the summit – that’s quite a different feeling, knowing that you’re likely the only person within 2 miles, and you’re up there on top of a mountain looking over at the silhouette of Mount Marcy.
The 2-mile descent back to camp was an easy one. Although I had brought my larger fuel bottle for my Whisperlite stove, I was a bit concerned when my fuel ran out after melting only enough snow for 20 ounces or so of hot water. I had been hoping for 2 quarts. Although thirsty, I used what little hot water I had as a bed warmer, and finally drank the warm Gatorade at about 2 AM. That was all the water I would have until I reached the trailhead again. Monday morning, I ate a few slices of sausage, packed up and headed out, munching snow along the way to satisfy my thirst. It’s really not so bad - you get a mouthful, chew ‘til it melts, warm it a little, and finally swallow. Thirst-quenching in it’s own small way. I made a Hershey bar last me all the way out, rewarding myself at each junction along the way. When I passed a group of youngsters and their leaders on their way up as I descended toward Avalanche Camp, I was quite happy to be going downhill.
The trail register and the cars in the parking lot were an even more welcome sight than usual. The one can of ice cold Labatt’s Blue that I had in the car was surprisingly refreshing after those 3 days in the High Peaks Wilderness, and served as a celebratory drink after hiking five more winter peaks. My “Winter 46” total now stands at 28. I might not finish this year, but I’ll be in good shape to earn my “W” next year. Oh, by the way, when does the feeling return to your fingertips after 3 days in the cold???
Party on... – ALGonquin Bob
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