Double Bow
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- Apr 29, 2005
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Since I had to take the day off from work yesterday for a doctor's appointment, I figured I should take advantage of it and do something important... like give in to that little horned peakbagger on my shoulder!
Since I hadn't been up Cannon in over 4yrs, and since the North East Cannonball has been bugging me to get up there, it was obvious what I needed to do. The question was, would I have time to do it? With my dr's appointment being at 12:30, I knew I wouldn't be able to do all the Cannonballs as I had hoped but, perhaps I'd be able to get two of them. As I sped up 93, I tried telling myself that if I just got up Cannon, that would be fine. The demonic peakbagger would have none of it. It egged me on saying, "If there isn't enough time, you'll just have to go faster!" and "You've got a headlamp!".
I pulled into the parking lot at Lafayette CG, quickly changed, and hit the trail at 3:00pm. Book time to the summit of Cannon from there is 2hr35min. That would be time enough to get up and down before dark but, what about the Cannonballs? We'd have to see... I knew I'd have to push myself, if I wanted to get it done.
Normally, I hike with others and I go whatever pace they are going. I keep up with fast hikers and am comfortable going slow. I say that my pace is a chameleon pace. How fast could I go on my own? I had no idea but, I was going to find out. I raced up the Hi-Cannon trail, though I did stop at some good view points to take pictures, gained the ridge and navigated tourists (not too many) to reach the summit in a little over an hour. This was very good. I felt confident that I could make the Cannonballs. I took time to take some pics from the tower (great day for it) before going into the snack bar and buying an overpriced Twix (moment of weekness) which I promptly scarfed down.
I felt relieved when I got back on the KRT and left that mess behind. After getting back to Hi-Cannon juction, the roughest part began. I was at my slowest descending into the col and became concered again about time. I had spent too long at the summit area and was now going too slow. Fortunately, once I reached the bottom of the col, things were much easier. Now to tackle that NE Cannonball that taunted me with its being so close. In my mind, I had built it up and so when I finally climbed after passing the Lonesome Lake junction, I found it to be a little bit of a let down. The climb was steep but was soon over and the summit wasn't anything too spectacular. There was a good view of the other Cannonballs and N Kinsman from the south end. Standing on a rock, there were views back to Cannon and across the notch. Still, I was glad that I hadn't decided to finish my NEHH here!
Again, I spent too much time poking around before heading back to the Lonesome Lake trail (no time for a 2nd Cannonball). Once on it though, I booked it down. Daylight was fading. I did stop at a couple points near Lonesome Lake to take a couple more pictures. It was too beautiful not too. Still, I pushed on. Lonesome Lake trail is a great trail to hustle down as it is so smooth and you lose the elevation at a good rate.
Happily, I got back to my car a little before 7pm with the last dusky light and smiled with relief and joy. When I did Cannon before, I was out of shape and had a real hard time. This trip, to me, was testimony to the hard work I've been doing to get fit and to my sense of determination.
Here are pics
Since I hadn't been up Cannon in over 4yrs, and since the North East Cannonball has been bugging me to get up there, it was obvious what I needed to do. The question was, would I have time to do it? With my dr's appointment being at 12:30, I knew I wouldn't be able to do all the Cannonballs as I had hoped but, perhaps I'd be able to get two of them. As I sped up 93, I tried telling myself that if I just got up Cannon, that would be fine. The demonic peakbagger would have none of it. It egged me on saying, "If there isn't enough time, you'll just have to go faster!" and "You've got a headlamp!".
I pulled into the parking lot at Lafayette CG, quickly changed, and hit the trail at 3:00pm. Book time to the summit of Cannon from there is 2hr35min. That would be time enough to get up and down before dark but, what about the Cannonballs? We'd have to see... I knew I'd have to push myself, if I wanted to get it done.
Normally, I hike with others and I go whatever pace they are going. I keep up with fast hikers and am comfortable going slow. I say that my pace is a chameleon pace. How fast could I go on my own? I had no idea but, I was going to find out. I raced up the Hi-Cannon trail, though I did stop at some good view points to take pictures, gained the ridge and navigated tourists (not too many) to reach the summit in a little over an hour. This was very good. I felt confident that I could make the Cannonballs. I took time to take some pics from the tower (great day for it) before going into the snack bar and buying an overpriced Twix (moment of weekness) which I promptly scarfed down.
I felt relieved when I got back on the KRT and left that mess behind. After getting back to Hi-Cannon juction, the roughest part began. I was at my slowest descending into the col and became concered again about time. I had spent too long at the summit area and was now going too slow. Fortunately, once I reached the bottom of the col, things were much easier. Now to tackle that NE Cannonball that taunted me with its being so close. In my mind, I had built it up and so when I finally climbed after passing the Lonesome Lake junction, I found it to be a little bit of a let down. The climb was steep but was soon over and the summit wasn't anything too spectacular. There was a good view of the other Cannonballs and N Kinsman from the south end. Standing on a rock, there were views back to Cannon and across the notch. Still, I was glad that I hadn't decided to finish my NEHH here!
Again, I spent too much time poking around before heading back to the Lonesome Lake trail (no time for a 2nd Cannonball). Once on it though, I booked it down. Daylight was fading. I did stop at a couple points near Lonesome Lake to take a couple more pictures. It was too beautiful not too. Still, I pushed on. Lonesome Lake trail is a great trail to hustle down as it is so smooth and you lose the elevation at a good rate.
Happily, I got back to my car a little before 7pm with the last dusky light and smiled with relief and joy. When I did Cannon before, I was out of shape and had a real hard time. This trip, to me, was testimony to the hard work I've been doing to get fit and to my sense of determination.
Here are pics
Nice pictures!
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