TMax
New member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 589
- Reaction score
- 85
Met Harryk at the High Peaks info center about 8:30 saturday morning in the rain. Weather report called for 30% chance of rain...we decided they meant 30% chance it wouldn't rain! Needless to say, it came down all day. Took a few minutes to put on rain gear and headed up the trail. Not too many others out, but still more than we expected. Typical muddy conditions up to Marcy Dam and not a bad walk up to Avalanche Camp Leanto where we took a short break to eat something before the climb up to Lake Arnold. Water was running down the trail at a pretty decent clip as we rock hopped in an attempt to maintain the illusion that our feet were staying dry. This was successful until we reached the swamp along the Opalescent River (heading towards Feldspar leanto). Many of the planks were floating and when you stepped on them they would sink well under the water
. Others were sunk at least that deep and even Harryk's long legs couldn't save him! We no longer tried to fool ourselves that any part of us or our gear would stay dry this day! We took another short break at Feldspar leanto for more food and then started the slog up to Lake Tear. The trail was not in bad shape with the drainage working fairly well on it. Crossing the outlet at Lake Tear required more "in the water" action to get over to the herd path. As typical, lots of blowdown to climb over/under with the added bonus of running water and mud. We made just a short stop on the summit for photo's and then made a quick turn-around as the rain and wind were cold on our already soaking wet bodies! (There is no such thing as waterproof in these conditions!) We made quick work out of the walk back down to the Feldspar brook crossing that had become significantly deeper since we came across it on the way up. Stopped back at Feldspar leanto to eat. A group of three had moved in while we were gone and were lamenting the swam crossing. They got quite wet in the process! When we went back through that area the water depth had increased by at least a foot. We were slogging through water up to our knees (well Harryk's knees, my thighs!) being very careful not to fall off the planks! At one point, we couldn't get any purchase on some floating logs and had to traverse over across some of the bog to get to a downed tree. Harryk says "wait for me to get to the other side so I can take your picture." Gee, thanks Harry, that's all I need is photographic evidence of my bumbling self! Sure enough, I take a mistep and drop in up to my waist ! Thankfully not into the body-sucking quicksand that exists out there! Needless to say, we appreciated the climb back up to get our blood flowing again. All around us there was a great deal more water running down the trail than on our trip in and there were sections where you couldn't differentiate between the river and the trail other than the trail markers! The walk out from Marcy dam didn't seem like the death march it usually does, maybe because my focus was so fully on the dry clothes waiting for me at the bottom! Quick change in the info center then off for hot coffee and a nice meal in Lake Placid. Aaaah, springtime in the Adirondacks...where else would you rather be?
. Others were sunk at least that deep and even Harryk's long legs couldn't save him! We no longer tried to fool ourselves that any part of us or our gear would stay dry this day! We took another short break at Feldspar leanto for more food and then started the slog up to Lake Tear. The trail was not in bad shape with the drainage working fairly well on it. Crossing the outlet at Lake Tear required more "in the water" action to get over to the herd path. As typical, lots of blowdown to climb over/under with the added bonus of running water and mud. We made just a short stop on the summit for photo's and then made a quick turn-around as the rain and wind were cold on our already soaking wet bodies! (There is no such thing as waterproof in these conditions!) We made quick work out of the walk back down to the Feldspar brook crossing that had become significantly deeper since we came across it on the way up. Stopped back at Feldspar leanto to eat. A group of three had moved in while we were gone and were lamenting the swam crossing. They got quite wet in the process! When we went back through that area the water depth had increased by at least a foot. We were slogging through water up to our knees (well Harryk's knees, my thighs!) being very careful not to fall off the planks! At one point, we couldn't get any purchase on some floating logs and had to traverse over across some of the bog to get to a downed tree. Harryk says "wait for me to get to the other side so I can take your picture." Gee, thanks Harry, that's all I need is photographic evidence of my bumbling self! Sure enough, I take a mistep and drop in up to my waist ! Thankfully not into the body-sucking quicksand that exists out there! Needless to say, we appreciated the climb back up to get our blood flowing again. All around us there was a great deal more water running down the trail than on our trip in and there were sections where you couldn't differentiate between the river and the trail other than the trail markers! The walk out from Marcy dam didn't seem like the death march it usually does, maybe because my focus was so fully on the dry clothes waiting for me at the bottom! Quick change in the info center then off for hot coffee and a nice meal in Lake Placid. Aaaah, springtime in the Adirondacks...where else would you rather be? 
