TMax
New member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 589
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Hikethe115, HarryK, and I all headed out this morning in SNOWY 
conditions to go grab various Catskill 35ers. The original plan was for all of us to do Graham, then HarryK to go over to Doubletop while Hikethe115 and I went and tagged Balsam Lake. So after a later than anticipated start due to the difficulties driving on messy roads, (Slide Mountain Road was completely unplowed!) we took off from the Mill Brook Road trailhead. Short debate at the TH about snowshoes (only about 3 inches had fallen at that point) and thankfully we decided to bring them. It was a cold start but we got some elevation right away to help warm up. We barebooted with the new snow giving some traction on top of the old crust and ice. This appears to have been a fairly popular route this winter as there are some well worn footpaths. We found the herd path over to Graham easily and started over. This path goes on forever with a continual loss of elevation as you skirt around a shoulder. Once you start up, you go up! Probably should have donned snowshoes to improve traction but I was too busy trying to keep HarryK in my sights (an impossible task to do!). He was on the summit all fed and hydrated by the time Hikethe115 and I arrived. The wind had picked up making a long dawdle at the top unwise. Hikethe115 gave her GPS to HarryK to bushwack over to Doubletop, she and I then put on snowshoes and headed down. We took a break for lunch and all of a sudden here comes HarryK. Conditions were not so great for the bushwack and with no visibility (due to the snow and low clouds) he decided to rejoin us (after dropping down some steep stuff he then needed to re-climb ). Back at the junction, I was freezing and feeling like I was climbing through sand, but I couldn't not grab Balsam Lake. Hikethe115 decided to head back down to the TH (knowing HarryK would catch up to her) while HarryK and I went on. The short climb up was beautiful!!! All the snow clinging in the trees and big snowdrifts were sweet to view. When I arrived on the summit HarryK was in the firetower (which he had climbed in his snowshoes A few pictures and off we went. HarryK decided to go at his pace to catch up with Hikethe115 and get a ride back to his car. She would then wait for me at the end of the road to make sure I got out OK. The walk out started to feel a little like a short death-march as my focus narrowed on simply getting to the car and starting the heater!! It snowed the entire day (but didn't add up to much) and you needed to stay covered in multiple layers to maintain body heat. It was a great WINTER hike. Let's hope there are more to come...
conditions to go grab various Catskill 35ers. The original plan was for all of us to do Graham, then HarryK to go over to Doubletop while Hikethe115 and I went and tagged Balsam Lake. So after a later than anticipated start due to the difficulties driving on messy roads, (Slide Mountain Road was completely unplowed!) we took off from the Mill Brook Road trailhead. Short debate at the TH about snowshoes (only about 3 inches had fallen at that point) and thankfully we decided to bring them. It was a cold start but we got some elevation right away to help warm up. We barebooted with the new snow giving some traction on top of the old crust and ice. This appears to have been a fairly popular route this winter as there are some well worn footpaths. We found the herd path over to Graham easily and started over. This path goes on forever with a continual loss of elevation as you skirt around a shoulder. Once you start up, you go up! Probably should have donned snowshoes to improve traction but I was too busy trying to keep HarryK in my sights (an impossible task to do!). He was on the summit all fed and hydrated by the time Hikethe115 and I arrived. The wind had picked up making a long dawdle at the top unwise. Hikethe115 gave her GPS to HarryK to bushwack over to Doubletop, she and I then put on snowshoes and headed down. We took a break for lunch and all of a sudden here comes HarryK. Conditions were not so great for the bushwack and with no visibility (due to the snow and low clouds) he decided to rejoin us (after dropping down some steep stuff he then needed to re-climb ). Back at the junction, I was freezing and feeling like I was climbing through sand, but I couldn't not grab Balsam Lake. Hikethe115 decided to head back down to the TH (knowing HarryK would catch up to her) while HarryK and I went on. The short climb up was beautiful!!! All the snow clinging in the trees and big snowdrifts were sweet to view. When I arrived on the summit HarryK was in the firetower (which he had climbed in his snowshoes A few pictures and off we went. HarryK decided to go at his pace to catch up with Hikethe115 and get a ride back to his car. She would then wait for me at the end of the road to make sure I got out OK. The walk out started to feel a little like a short death-march as my focus narrowed on simply getting to the car and starting the heater!! It snowed the entire day (but didn't add up to much) and you needed to stay covered in multiple layers to maintain body heat. It was a great WINTER hike. Let's hope there are more to come...
