Hiking the Great Range

[mtnhiker]

I am planning on hiking part of the Great Range. Start and end at the Garden. Take the Phelps trail to Marcy, then Haystack, Basin and Saddleback, going out on the Orebed Brook Trail. This also gives me the option to continue on to Gothics, Armstrong, UWJ and LWJ if I’m feeling up for it (it’s a long shot, but I will have the option).

Does anyone know if I will come across many places to find water? It looks like I pass a stream near the old Sno-Bird lean to. Is that the last of the water I will find for the rest of the hike? I’m trying to figure out how much water I will have to carry and how much I will be able to find on the trail.

The DEC site (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9198.html) has this information posted. “The cable deck bridge crossing Johns Brook near the Interior Outpost is not passable at this time. There is no dry crossing of Johns Brook east of Bushnell Falls. Hikers intending to climb the lower Great Range will need to alter their itineraries.” For my plans, I should be fine going in on the Phelps trail, but I’ll have to go out on the Orebed Brook Trail to the Southside trail, right?

Also, this is unrelated to where I’m hiking, but seems to apply no matter where I am hiking. I am really good at getting blisters on the back of my ankle and bottom or side of my big toe. Anyone have recommendations on how to prevent them? Should I put moleskin on first thing in the morning? Or bandaids? Or something else?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Tom Rankin]

You are correct about the closed bridge. Most people go the other way already.

For blisters, do you wear a thin liner sock? I'd also look at the inside of the back of my boots, and see if they are ripped or frayed, or have any edges sticking out. A little duct tape can help. It's slick and sticks well! I've applied it to both the boot and the foot at different times. I would not try anything thick to avoid blisters, but a band-aid could help.

Also, how tight you tie the boots may be the issue. Experiment. Are they high tops or low cut? That can make a difference as well. Or, you may just need better fitting or new boots!

 

[hikingfish]

Hi,
This is what I was told before doing a single day great range traverse: There's no water points on the range itself, you always have to go down to get water. I believe (although my memory does play tricks on me) between some mountains, we were able to find a tiny little stream, but I wouldn't count on it being there. Take a lot of water if the weather is supposed to be hot...we only had 2-3 liters each and someone got dehydrated pretty bad. Bring plenty of food too.

Pictures of the traverse

Fish

 

[Hikerdad]

Be advised that the Southside trail is quite a bit rougher (and slower therefore) than the Phelps trail. Also, depending on water levels, I don't think you need that bridge to get across Johns Brook (in fact I don't think I've ever used it). I've gotten across at Johns Brook Lodge easy enough. I pretty sure there isn't a bridge back across Johns Brook when you use the Southside trail either (which comes back to the Phelps trail about 1/2 mile before you reach the Garden).

That's a serious dayhike you've got planned there (even without doing the lower Range...)

Bandaids to prevent blisters won't hold up and will slide off. Best to try good sock liners and good socks and check your boots....

 

[TCD]

Search for many previous threads with much detail regarding the Great Range, and specific to water. I do the Range as a day hike every year from Rooster Comb parking to the Garden. Reliable water:

Deer Brook, near the Hedgehog-LWJ col
10 minutes down the WJ Notch trail towards JBL
5 minutes down the Orebed Brook trail
Former Snowbird LT site near Shorey Short Cut junction

I don't know the current condition of the John's Brook bridge. The "closed" sign has been up for years, and I've always just pushed it aside and used the bridge. So many people do that that the signed is practically hinged now. But legally, I can't recommend that. It's not bad to rock hop JB with current water levels.

(I don't know why that bridge is taking so long to fix. The story I heard is that it's a peeing contest between 2 state agencies about the appearance of the new bridge.)

TCD

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

On the range trail last August, I found water at Snobird, Orebed Brook, and in a seep on the trail just after you would begin to climb up toward Upper WJ.

 

[mtnhiker]

Tom – Yes, I wear a thin liner sock. And I’m good at getting blisters in many types of hiking shoes – trail runners (low cut), hiking boots (medium cut) and heavier insulated winter hiking boots (high tops). I think part of it might be due to my foot being hard to fit, I tend to get a lot of heel lift and usually end up choosing the shoe that has the least. I’ll try duct tape, I’ve never tried that before. Would it be good to start with it? Rather than wait until the problems start to appear? Do you just cover the problem areas with it like a band aid?

Hikingfish – Thanks for advice and photos!

Hikerdad – Thanks for advice on the bridge crossing. I wear sock liners and smartwool socks, even so I still get the blisters. Maybe it’s due to boot fit, but it happens in all my hiking shoes, and it’s frustrating.

TCD and ALG Bob – Thank you for the water spots – exactly what I was looking for.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Hey! Did we get our avatars mixed up? No, that's my license plate (sorry).

I'm planning to do the Great Range again at the end of this month, although I might be starting on LWJ and finishing on Marcy. And though I originally planned on a June trip to attempt the "1-day" thing, I'll probably spend 3 days up there. The only problem I ever have on that trail is a couple tough reaches while ascending Saddleback from the Basin (west) side. Descending that same "wall" from the summit of Saddleback is relatively easy, although it seems a bit frightening the first time you look down that steep face. Just follow the yellow blazes...

 

[mtnhiker]

I did this hike last Sunday and it was a great hike. I was able to find water along the way, thanks to everyone for their help with that. I was a bit surprised by the sheer rock scramble on the way up Saddleback, hadn't expected that, but I got through it, might need to take a rockclimbing lesson before I try that one again! I can't imagine going down it, I'd love to watch someone do it. Thanks again to everyone for their help in answering my questions.