imarchant
Active member
DAY ONE
Our trip began early Monday morning, July 11, 2005. We left the Dunkin
Donut’s parking lot in Red Hook, NY about 6:40 AM. After a 3-hr drive, we
arrived in Newcomb. We went to the Visitors Information Center to pick up
one additional bear canister to make five. We had been planing this trip since
the beginning of the year. This trip was to be a scouting high-adventure trek
into the wilderness of the Adirondacks High Peaks Area, the plan was to
complete the requirements for the B.S.A. 50 miler award. This would be the
first time to this area for all of us. We had experience hiking and camping in
the Catskills, but this was to be adventure of a larger scale than we had done
before, but we had worked hard and were well prepared. The group consisted
of four boys and two adult leaders Tim and his son Brandon, Jimmy, Andy,
myself and my son Mike. We had worked planning and preparing our meals.
Most of the cooked meals we dehydrated and packaged ourselves. We also
had volunteer work planned with the D.E.C. Interior Caretaker to meet the
10-hr. service project requirement of the award. We were finally able to begin
our much-anticipated adventure.
Our first stop was a short visit to explore the old Tahawus Mine blast furnace.
We explored the area for about ½ an hr. We explored inside and outside
of the furnace. We also found the old water powered air blower for the
furnace. Next we drove to the end of the road and parked. We spent another
½ hr looking at the old ghost town.
Jimmy spoted a garter snake.
We ate a quick lunch at the cars and prepared to depart.
We started our hike just before noon.
Dispite all our planning and preparation our packs were heavier than we
had hoped for, but they were still tolerable. The hike began along a gravel
road, soon crosing the Hudson River just yards from its source of Henderson
Lake. After ½ a mile of hiking the woods opened up into overgrown fiels and
brush. The sun was gaining strength and the humidty was increasing. Soon
we caught our fist views of the High Peaks.
We could see Mt. Colden about five miles in the distance. The path was
lined with black berry bushes, but unfortunatly the berries looked like they
would not begin to ripen for several weeks. The sun was beating down and
sweat starting streaming down my face, just as I was beginning to resent
the heat the trail renenter the woods. Shortly we came to a well constucted
cable bridge across Calamity Brook.
After this crossing the trail became a little more rugged. Soon the incline
started to increase as well. After Some time we crossed Calamity Brook
second time.
We stopped and took our first break to eat some energy bars. From here
on the trail began to increase in ruggedness. Erosion has taken its toll on the
trail, so much soil is missing that large rocks and roots are all that remains.
The slope also was increasing. With the increase in effort required our paced
slowed slightly and frequent drinks were required. We took another break as
we crossed Calamity Brook one more time. We were half way to our
desitination and it was 2:00 PM. We continued on for another hour, stopping
again at Calamity Pond. By now the heat was beginning to increase, but we
were making progress. In about fifeteen minutes we reached Flowed Lands.
Tim had not caught up with us, but we decided to continue and let him catch
up with us later. I signed the register and we continued towards Lake
Colden. I had been warned that this stretch of trail was difficult. The terrain
was definitely more rough, but was not as difficult as I expected. As we
reached the crest of the first climb we met a group of boys from another Boy
Scout Troop. They were from the Buffalo area. This group was one half of
their whole troop. The group was so large that the were required to split into
two groups per the DEC rules. It was obvious that some of the younger
boys were having a difficult time. They deserve credit for doing a trip with an
entire troop instead of just the older boys, even though their plans were not
as rigouros as ours. Before we knew it we had reached Colden dam.
We found a large ground site near the intersection of th trail to Marcy and
end of the Avalanche pass trail. My plan originally was to camp at the beaver
point leanto’s, but we soon found out that these were already occupied.
Tim had still not arrived so we started to set up camp. We returned to the
Dam and left a note for Tim, so he would not miss the unplanned turned. As
it was starting to get late we started to prepare dinner,
unfortunatly Tim had some of the required items for the dinner. Just as I
was starting to wonder when if we would need to change our plans for dinner
Tim showed up. We continued the dinner preparation and soon ate a filling
and delicious meal of Chicken Cream with Vegitables and Dumplings. The
dinner tasted even better knowing that we had prepared it ourselves. As it
was getting late, we quickly cleaned up.
We then left to meet with the Interior Caretaker to arrange our volunteer
work for the week. We met Nate Jeffries, who was very eager and thankful
for us to do any work. He told us about picking up garbage left behind from
when bears had raided unprepared campers food. He also should us a project
to create tent platforms by filling a a log frame with rocks and sand from a
nearby stream bed. The site that need this work was occupied by the other
half of the scout troop we had met earlier in the day. We had a plesant
conversation with them. Daylight was beginning to wane, so we hurried back
to camp. So we were in our tents and sleeping. I had the best sleep I ever
had on the first night of a campout.
SUMMARY - DAY 1: PACK-IN UPPER WORKS TO COLDEN DAM
DISTANCE: 7.44 MILES
TIME: 06:02 HH:MM
SPEED 1.2 MPH
ASCENT 1,500’
Our trip began early Monday morning, July 11, 2005. We left the Dunkin
Donut’s parking lot in Red Hook, NY about 6:40 AM. After a 3-hr drive, we
arrived in Newcomb. We went to the Visitors Information Center to pick up
one additional bear canister to make five. We had been planing this trip since
the beginning of the year. This trip was to be a scouting high-adventure trek
into the wilderness of the Adirondacks High Peaks Area, the plan was to
complete the requirements for the B.S.A. 50 miler award. This would be the
first time to this area for all of us. We had experience hiking and camping in
the Catskills, but this was to be adventure of a larger scale than we had done
before, but we had worked hard and were well prepared. The group consisted
of four boys and two adult leaders Tim and his son Brandon, Jimmy, Andy,
myself and my son Mike. We had worked planning and preparing our meals.
Most of the cooked meals we dehydrated and packaged ourselves. We also
had volunteer work planned with the D.E.C. Interior Caretaker to meet the
10-hr. service project requirement of the award. We were finally able to begin
our much-anticipated adventure.
Our first stop was a short visit to explore the old Tahawus Mine blast furnace.
We explored the area for about ½ an hr. We explored inside and outside
of the furnace. We also found the old water powered air blower for the
furnace. Next we drove to the end of the road and parked. We spent another
½ hr looking at the old ghost town.
Jimmy spoted a garter snake.
We ate a quick lunch at the cars and prepared to depart.
We started our hike just before noon.
Dispite all our planning and preparation our packs were heavier than we
had hoped for, but they were still tolerable. The hike began along a gravel
road, soon crosing the Hudson River just yards from its source of Henderson
Lake. After ½ a mile of hiking the woods opened up into overgrown fiels and
brush. The sun was gaining strength and the humidty was increasing. Soon
we caught our fist views of the High Peaks.
We could see Mt. Colden about five miles in the distance. The path was
lined with black berry bushes, but unfortunatly the berries looked like they
would not begin to ripen for several weeks. The sun was beating down and
sweat starting streaming down my face, just as I was beginning to resent
the heat the trail renenter the woods. Shortly we came to a well constucted
cable bridge across Calamity Brook.
After this crossing the trail became a little more rugged. Soon the incline
started to increase as well. After Some time we crossed Calamity Brook
second time.
We stopped and took our first break to eat some energy bars. From here
on the trail began to increase in ruggedness. Erosion has taken its toll on the
trail, so much soil is missing that large rocks and roots are all that remains.
The slope also was increasing. With the increase in effort required our paced
slowed slightly and frequent drinks were required. We took another break as
we crossed Calamity Brook one more time. We were half way to our
desitination and it was 2:00 PM. We continued on for another hour, stopping
again at Calamity Pond. By now the heat was beginning to increase, but we
were making progress. In about fifeteen minutes we reached Flowed Lands.
Tim had not caught up with us, but we decided to continue and let him catch
up with us later. I signed the register and we continued towards Lake
Colden. I had been warned that this stretch of trail was difficult. The terrain
was definitely more rough, but was not as difficult as I expected. As we
reached the crest of the first climb we met a group of boys from another Boy
Scout Troop. They were from the Buffalo area. This group was one half of
their whole troop. The group was so large that the were required to split into
two groups per the DEC rules. It was obvious that some of the younger
boys were having a difficult time. They deserve credit for doing a trip with an
entire troop instead of just the older boys, even though their plans were not
as rigouros as ours. Before we knew it we had reached Colden dam.
We found a large ground site near the intersection of th trail to Marcy and
end of the Avalanche pass trail. My plan originally was to camp at the beaver
point leanto’s, but we soon found out that these were already occupied.
Tim had still not arrived so we started to set up camp. We returned to the
Dam and left a note for Tim, so he would not miss the unplanned turned. As
it was starting to get late we started to prepare dinner,
unfortunatly Tim had some of the required items for the dinner. Just as I
was starting to wonder when if we would need to change our plans for dinner
Tim showed up. We continued the dinner preparation and soon ate a filling
and delicious meal of Chicken Cream with Vegitables and Dumplings. The
dinner tasted even better knowing that we had prepared it ourselves. As it
was getting late, we quickly cleaned up.
We then left to meet with the Interior Caretaker to arrange our volunteer
work for the week. We met Nate Jeffries, who was very eager and thankful
for us to do any work. He told us about picking up garbage left behind from
when bears had raided unprepared campers food. He also should us a project
to create tent platforms by filling a a log frame with rocks and sand from a
nearby stream bed. The site that need this work was occupied by the other
half of the scout troop we had met earlier in the day. We had a plesant
conversation with them. Daylight was beginning to wane, so we hurried back
to camp. So we were in our tents and sleeping. I had the best sleep I ever
had on the first night of a campout.
SUMMARY - DAY 1: PACK-IN UPPER WORKS TO COLDEN DAM
DISTANCE: 7.44 MILES
TIME: 06:02 HH:MM
SPEED 1.2 MPH
ASCENT 1,500’
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