Jay H
New member
Preface: The planned Allen hike on 1/9/09 eventually became a Seward range hike, with my intention of going to try for Seward since I broke a trail out to Donaldson and Emmons about 2 weeks ago. We joined a crew that I haven't met and met up with Rookie, TurkeyBob and his son, in Tupper Lake thursday night. Cold temps were reported and cold temps were had friday, but a very easy drive to the summer lot, had us psyched for the day ahead. Not far from the start, we ran into MtnHiker (no underscore 
I must be thinking of NH_Mtn_hiker on VFTT) and John shortly on the path. We met up in the morning with Steved and ADKJack at about 5:40 and pooled over to the summer lot. Long story short, I take full blame for the floundering, in hindsight, I should of let Jack lead since he had the track log. I naturally gravitate to following the ridgeline between two peaks as sidehilling sucks and losing elevation needlessly is annoying so I kept wanting to go up to the little bumps between them. Eventually, we did try to find the herdpath (which we did! More later....) but eventually, Phil and Jack kept finding a whole lotta spruce traps and it was wearing them out. I tend to stay out of them, being tiny. So before we got really knackered, we decided to at least go tag Donaldson and Emmons (which we did... I guess I have Donaldson and Emmons for Winter round#2) On the way down, we did run into MtnHiker again after they returned from Seward and chatted a bit about our floundering and we followed them down. I was considering going up from Ward brook because it's a straight shot to the summit there, no col to navigate through but after they were successful, I decided that we'll attempt the same route saturday.
1/10/09:
Jack had to leave and I managed to shanghai Prino to return to the Sewards on saturday, me being determined to get the elusive peak. To be honest, I was somewhat happy to have another person along, but I was kind of worried a bit since Phil also tends to find every spruce trap and I know if I was solo and off the herdpath, I can plow my way through anything and I enjoy real whacking, but not being solo is nice to have somebody to chat with. So another 4:30 wake up call, we're off from the trailhead around 6am. Another uneventual slog up the calkin's brook (4th time in 2 weeks!!!!), I get to point out ever tree that we have to go around, under, through. So we get to the seward herdpath and I drop a pole since I want a hand free for my compass. Anyway, after being able to follow their tracks all the way to the summit, we had the added benefit of knowing which tracks we're ours and we added some twigs to help others at least for now. Our mistake that we made was we did find the herdpath, though not the easiest way but our last mistake was just before the herdpath descends very steeply to hit the gully between the first hump of Seward and the true summit hump of Seward, we chose the wrong path (thinking they would meet) and wound up on a very good path to nowhere... or to spruce traps. It turned out that if we simply chose the right path we would of found a narrow but obvious cut through the spruce that would lead us up shortly to a small nubble and then down a very steep path to get between the two bumps that you can see from Donaldson. Damm, the thing is that when we got there, I instantly recognized the place and Phil and I both agreed that the path to the left looked way more of a herdpath than the path to the right! Oh well, I feel good that we at least attempted at true bushwack at first. The peakbagger in me, wants the summit, but the hiker in me wants an adventure and surely had both of that this weekend. Thanks out to MtnHiker and John to correct our floundering and leaving a nice set of tracks without spruce traps to the summit....
In hindsight, I guess it is good karma that we didn't make it on friday because Saturday was easily the most beautiful winter day I think I have ever had. Ever. I mean it was like -15degF at 6am in the morning but it was a bluebird day, NO wind at the summits and views were amazing. The icing was running into Bill, Judy, Shiloh, and Kip at the summit of Donaldson on the way back. We had time and the views so we went to Donaldson (Winter Round #3!!!!) just to take some summit shots... And ran into the 4 up there and followed them down afterwards. (we decided not to go to Emmons since I doubt I'll ever get as far as a winter round#3.. In fact, after I finish my first round, I'll probably not even record dates and stuff.. Too many mtns, too many summits for me to stick to the same peaks.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cycleslugyahoo/SewardAndDonaldson1102009
The sewards are done (for now!).....
Jay
P.S: Sorry Adam for sequestering Prino from the pub and brew and Colvin/Blake.. saturday, it was surely a great day on any peak, but to be able to drive to the summer lot is golden!
I must be thinking of NH_Mtn_hiker on VFTT) and John shortly on the path. We met up in the morning with Steved and ADKJack at about 5:40 and pooled over to the summer lot. Long story short, I take full blame for the floundering, in hindsight, I should of let Jack lead since he had the track log. I naturally gravitate to following the ridgeline between two peaks as sidehilling sucks and losing elevation needlessly is annoying so I kept wanting to go up to the little bumps between them. Eventually, we did try to find the herdpath (which we did! More later....) but eventually, Phil and Jack kept finding a whole lotta spruce traps and it was wearing them out. I tend to stay out of them, being tiny. So before we got really knackered, we decided to at least go tag Donaldson and Emmons (which we did... I guess I have Donaldson and Emmons for Winter round#2) On the way down, we did run into MtnHiker again after they returned from Seward and chatted a bit about our floundering and we followed them down. I was considering going up from Ward brook because it's a straight shot to the summit there, no col to navigate through but after they were successful, I decided that we'll attempt the same route saturday.1/10/09:
Jack had to leave and I managed to shanghai Prino to return to the Sewards on saturday, me being determined to get the elusive peak. To be honest, I was somewhat happy to have another person along, but I was kind of worried a bit since Phil also tends to find every spruce trap and I know if I was solo and off the herdpath, I can plow my way through anything and I enjoy real whacking, but not being solo is nice to have somebody to chat with. So another 4:30 wake up call, we're off from the trailhead around 6am. Another uneventual slog up the calkin's brook (4th time in 2 weeks!!!!), I get to point out ever tree that we have to go around, under, through. So we get to the seward herdpath and I drop a pole since I want a hand free for my compass. Anyway, after being able to follow their tracks all the way to the summit, we had the added benefit of knowing which tracks we're ours and we added some twigs to help others at least for now. Our mistake that we made was we did find the herdpath, though not the easiest way but our last mistake was just before the herdpath descends very steeply to hit the gully between the first hump of Seward and the true summit hump of Seward, we chose the wrong path (thinking they would meet) and wound up on a very good path to nowhere... or to spruce traps. It turned out that if we simply chose the right path we would of found a narrow but obvious cut through the spruce that would lead us up shortly to a small nubble and then down a very steep path to get between the two bumps that you can see from Donaldson. Damm, the thing is that when we got there, I instantly recognized the place and Phil and I both agreed that the path to the left looked way more of a herdpath than the path to the right! Oh well, I feel good that we at least attempted at true bushwack at first. The peakbagger in me, wants the summit, but the hiker in me wants an adventure and surely had both of that this weekend. Thanks out to MtnHiker and John to correct our floundering and leaving a nice set of tracks without spruce traps to the summit....
In hindsight, I guess it is good karma that we didn't make it on friday because Saturday was easily the most beautiful winter day I think I have ever had. Ever. I mean it was like -15degF at 6am in the morning but it was a bluebird day, NO wind at the summits and views were amazing. The icing was running into Bill, Judy, Shiloh, and Kip at the summit of Donaldson on the way back. We had time and the views so we went to Donaldson (Winter Round #3!!!!) just to take some summit shots... And ran into the 4 up there and followed them down afterwards. (we decided not to go to Emmons since I doubt I'll ever get as far as a winter round#3.. In fact, after I finish my first round, I'll probably not even record dates and stuff.. Too many mtns, too many summits for me to stick to the same peaks.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cycleslugyahoo/SewardAndDonaldson1102009
The sewards are done (for now!).....
Jay
P.S: Sorry Adam for sequestering Prino from the pub and brew and Colvin/Blake.. saturday, it was surely a great day on any peak, but to be able to drive to the summer lot is golden!
