Hikerdad
New member
Well my wife needed a break and I needed a mountain fix so off we went last week for a quick visit to our favorite place, Lake Placid. The plan was to drive up on Wed, spend the afternoon in town and have a nice dinner. I was to hike the next morning and be back in LP to grab lunch and one final walk along main street and then head for home. Since my wife would have to check out of the hotel I wanted to be back by 1:00 or so. The wife and kids were surprised at me hiking solo....daughter # 1 (18 years old and knows EVERYTHING), when told I was hiking alone, said in crisp, curt tones "I don't like it" as she spun on her heels and dismissed me with a flip of her head (Come to think of it I got the same response from my wife...). Sons #1 and # 2 were just confused..."You're hiking ALONE...Won't it be boring??" Daughter # 2 took it in stride (I always did like her best 
). Everything went great, we got out of Binghamton about 9:00AM, enjoyed the town that afternoon, we ate dinner at the Great Adirondack Steak and Seafood Restaurant and had a great meal (highlighted by the group that sat nearby...hey parents try this trick like they did....get with 2-3 other couples, go to a nice place, talk super loudly about how "Billy" is in the exeptional classes, in fact tell that one 2-3 times and bring your five or six 9-10 year old boys, who are there for the hockey tournament, but the best thing is they don't eat with you, they stay "outside" the restaurant and only run in 3 or 4 or 5 times to tell you something...let them stay outside playing in the fire in the fire grate the restaurant has outside it's doors...)
I got up at 5:15AM and headed out. The objective was Big Slide via the Brothers and return the same way. Well this was my first solo winter (or summer for that matter) hike and I came prepared....sleeping bag, big space blanket, extra fleece top and pants, extra hat, gloves, balaclava, stove, socks, food, etc). The pack had to be 25-30 pounds. After a fairly sedentary winter I was tired after about 100 yards on the trail....that trail over the Brothers starts climbing IMMEDIATELY. Lesson # 1: hiking without getting into some shape is painful. I started on the trail about 6:15 and figured about a 6 hour hike for the 8 miles or so. I kept shuffling along in my snow shoes and it was tremendous being out that early...the day was great, no clouds, no wind...at one point there was NO SOUND...nothing, when I stopped (that's pretty rare). But it was tiring....lesson #2 hiking without getting into shape with snowshoes and a pack is really, really painful. I was energized when I hit the first lookout...the views of the Range were fantastic. UP and up I shuffled. But up ahead I could see a major summit on the ridge (was that Yard? or was it only the Third Brother....god I hoped not..I was getting drained). The views were tremendous as I struggled over the rocky bumps of the 1st and 2nd brother. I love that above treeline feeling and it kept me going but now I was worrying about getting done in time. I finally hit the 3rd Brother about 9:00 or 9:30...well, I thought, I have about 1 mile to go so I quess I'm OK. However, past this point the trail was drifted in and was not visible. It's a weird feeling...3 miles in, I've seen NOBODY on the trail, be CAREFUL, you're on your own, don't loose the trail...maybe daughter # 1 had it right. I carefully proceeded along looking for the trail markers. The snow was deep and I really felt aware. Of course the thoughts started coming...was that somebody I heard coming up behind me? Maybe a cougar? Where is that trail marker? Is this really the trail? Is the weather turning? I finally hit the junction with the trail from JBL and started up the really STEEP section. I could barely make it..it was nearly vertical (I didn't have crampons) and where were the log ladders? I got up (barely) the steep section and I was really drained (and I still have to climb those @#%$!@# ladders, I thought....). The trail mercifully leveled off and before I knew it I was at the summit. I quess the ladders were buried someplace in the snow and ice. The views were just awesome (words do not do it justice....perfectly clear sky, snow, solitude...). I remember the first time on Big Slide about 4 years ago....15 people there, 4 or 5 talking on cell phones (no exaggeration), one guy pontificating about about his new GPS. After enjoying the summit in total solitude I started down...lesson # 3 hiking without getting in shape, with a pack and snowshoes AND with a time deadline is really, really painful and is mental torture. I felt I had to hurry. Hitting the steep part I was shuffled along trying to keep on my feet (crampons would have helped here)...Inevitably I fell and slid, trying to "self-arrest" with a treking pole. Of course I only slid 10-15 feet but it was a good lesson. I got down to the trail to JBL and dedcided to take that back to the Garden. I knew it was a mile or so longer but I figured it was all down hill and then level versus the up and down over the Brothers (and yes I had listed that return route as a possibility on the itinerary I had left with the wife). I saw the long gradual down hill...I tried to do the "butt slide" but wasn't able to...my snowshoes kept getting in the way....OK senior winter hikers: How do you do the butt slide thing? I walked quickly down the trail and was soon at the trail near JBL. OK, three miles to go but I was dragging and under the gun (time was running out). I trudged along, of course not taking the time to drink properly....I wondered whether I should take off the snowshoes....but I didn't want to loose the traction they provided...then I got to thinking...what was the old saying...one pound on your feet is like 5 pounds on your back? Maybe the secret was to pack your stuff on your feet....if the old saying was right, looking at the converse, 50 pounds on your back is like only ten pounds on your feet....images of new "feet packs" and megamoney danced in my head....maybe I was hallucinating. Lesson # 4....hiking without getting into shape, with snowshoes, a pack, with a time constraint, without resting is really, really painful and mental and physical torture. I finally hit the parking area about 1:15 (pretty much on time). As I sat and rested for a while before heading back I thought about my first solo experience. After all the pain, all the worrying, it was GREAT. Watch out next winter...I'll be there.
One last cudo to the folks at the Golden Arrow in Placid....thanks for letting a sweaty, stinky hiking quest who has already checked out use the shower in the pool area. It felt great.
). Everything went great, we got out of Binghamton about 9:00AM, enjoyed the town that afternoon, we ate dinner at the Great Adirondack Steak and Seafood Restaurant and had a great meal (highlighted by the group that sat nearby...hey parents try this trick like they did....get with 2-3 other couples, go to a nice place, talk super loudly about how "Billy" is in the exeptional classes, in fact tell that one 2-3 times and bring your five or six 9-10 year old boys, who are there for the hockey tournament, but the best thing is they don't eat with you, they stay "outside" the restaurant and only run in 3 or 4 or 5 times to tell you something...let them stay outside playing in the fire in the fire grate the restaurant has outside it's doors...) I got up at 5:15AM and headed out. The objective was Big Slide via the Brothers and return the same way. Well this was my first solo winter (or summer for that matter) hike and I came prepared....sleeping bag, big space blanket, extra fleece top and pants, extra hat, gloves, balaclava, stove, socks, food, etc). The pack had to be 25-30 pounds. After a fairly sedentary winter I was tired after about 100 yards on the trail....that trail over the Brothers starts climbing IMMEDIATELY. Lesson # 1: hiking without getting into some shape is painful. I started on the trail about 6:15 and figured about a 6 hour hike for the 8 miles or so. I kept shuffling along in my snow shoes and it was tremendous being out that early...the day was great, no clouds, no wind...at one point there was NO SOUND...nothing, when I stopped (that's pretty rare). But it was tiring....lesson #2 hiking without getting into shape with snowshoes and a pack is really, really painful. I was energized when I hit the first lookout...the views of the Range were fantastic. UP and up I shuffled. But up ahead I could see a major summit on the ridge (was that Yard? or was it only the Third Brother....god I hoped not..I was getting drained). The views were tremendous as I struggled over the rocky bumps of the 1st and 2nd brother. I love that above treeline feeling and it kept me going but now I was worrying about getting done in time. I finally hit the 3rd Brother about 9:00 or 9:30...well, I thought, I have about 1 mile to go so I quess I'm OK. However, past this point the trail was drifted in and was not visible. It's a weird feeling...3 miles in, I've seen NOBODY on the trail, be CAREFUL, you're on your own, don't loose the trail...maybe daughter # 1 had it right. I carefully proceeded along looking for the trail markers. The snow was deep and I really felt aware. Of course the thoughts started coming...was that somebody I heard coming up behind me? Maybe a cougar? Where is that trail marker? Is this really the trail? Is the weather turning? I finally hit the junction with the trail from JBL and started up the really STEEP section. I could barely make it..it was nearly vertical (I didn't have crampons) and where were the log ladders? I got up (barely) the steep section and I was really drained (and I still have to climb those @#%$!@# ladders, I thought....). The trail mercifully leveled off and before I knew it I was at the summit. I quess the ladders were buried someplace in the snow and ice. The views were just awesome (words do not do it justice....perfectly clear sky, snow, solitude...). I remember the first time on Big Slide about 4 years ago....15 people there, 4 or 5 talking on cell phones (no exaggeration), one guy pontificating about about his new GPS. After enjoying the summit in total solitude I started down...lesson # 3 hiking without getting in shape, with a pack and snowshoes AND with a time deadline is really, really painful and is mental torture. I felt I had to hurry. Hitting the steep part I was shuffled along trying to keep on my feet (crampons would have helped here)...Inevitably I fell and slid, trying to "self-arrest" with a treking pole. Of course I only slid 10-15 feet but it was a good lesson. I got down to the trail to JBL and dedcided to take that back to the Garden. I knew it was a mile or so longer but I figured it was all down hill and then level versus the up and down over the Brothers (and yes I had listed that return route as a possibility on the itinerary I had left with the wife). I saw the long gradual down hill...I tried to do the "butt slide" but wasn't able to...my snowshoes kept getting in the way....OK senior winter hikers: How do you do the butt slide thing? I walked quickly down the trail and was soon at the trail near JBL. OK, three miles to go but I was dragging and under the gun (time was running out). I trudged along, of course not taking the time to drink properly....I wondered whether I should take off the snowshoes....but I didn't want to loose the traction they provided...then I got to thinking...what was the old saying...one pound on your feet is like 5 pounds on your back? Maybe the secret was to pack your stuff on your feet....if the old saying was right, looking at the converse, 50 pounds on your back is like only ten pounds on your feet....images of new "feet packs" and megamoney danced in my head....maybe I was hallucinating. Lesson # 4....hiking without getting into shape, with snowshoes, a pack, with a time constraint, without resting is really, really painful and mental and physical torture. I finally hit the parking area about 1:15 (pretty much on time). As I sat and rested for a while before heading back I thought about my first solo experience. After all the pain, all the worrying, it was GREAT. Watch out next winter...I'll be there.
One last cudo to the folks at the Golden Arrow in Placid....thanks for letting a sweaty, stinky hiking quest who has already checked out use the shower in the pool area. It felt great.
