ALGonquin Bob
Well-known member
Iroquois via the steep yellow trail from north end of Lake Colden.
Great hiking conditions all day, just a bit too warm to start. Good hard-packed trails to Marcy Dam, and up through Avalanche Pass and beyond. Nice walk down Avalanche Lake - not much wind, and great views up the dike since all the trees at the base were blown out by last Spring’s avalanche. Made good time, and was pleased to see that the yellow trail was “groovy” all the way up. It’s certainly steep in places, but don’t let it discourage you from using this beautiful and scenic path, referred to as “one of the 2 steepest trails in the Adirondacks”. Frozen waterfalls along the way, and all brook crossings still nicely frozen.
Conditions changed from a nice partly sunny day down low, to hiking in a cloud at the Boundary-Algonquin col. No views and very limited visibility up there - I was thankful for cairns. Some hikers used crampons, but changed back into snowshoes after post-holing into spruce traps. Snowshoes stayed on top without any problem (on snow, skis and snowshoes improve and compact trails, bare boots and crampons often puncture and degrade them).
Was able to see one or 2 cairns ahead, but could not see either Algonquin or Iroquois from the top of Boundary. Met two other hikers, and we helped each other here (see TR to follow). Tracks just an hour or two old were intermittent due to wind. Even my own tracks were sometimes difficult to follow back out. Reached Iroquois summit early afternoon. Super mighty fine seated glissading on the way back down; some of the best I’ve had - a payoff for the steep walk up. Iroquois was W39 for me. Can’t wait for ‘09.
Great hiking conditions all day, just a bit too warm to start. Good hard-packed trails to Marcy Dam, and up through Avalanche Pass and beyond. Nice walk down Avalanche Lake - not much wind, and great views up the dike since all the trees at the base were blown out by last Spring’s avalanche. Made good time, and was pleased to see that the yellow trail was “groovy” all the way up. It’s certainly steep in places, but don’t let it discourage you from using this beautiful and scenic path, referred to as “one of the 2 steepest trails in the Adirondacks”. Frozen waterfalls along the way, and all brook crossings still nicely frozen.
Conditions changed from a nice partly sunny day down low, to hiking in a cloud at the Boundary-Algonquin col. No views and very limited visibility up there - I was thankful for cairns. Some hikers used crampons, but changed back into snowshoes after post-holing into spruce traps. Snowshoes stayed on top without any problem (on snow, skis and snowshoes improve and compact trails, bare boots and crampons often puncture and degrade them).
Was able to see one or 2 cairns ahead, but could not see either Algonquin or Iroquois from the top of Boundary. Met two other hikers, and we helped each other here (see TR to follow). Tracks just an hour or two old were intermittent due to wind. Even my own tracks were sometimes difficult to follow back out. Reached Iroquois summit early afternoon. Super mighty fine seated glissading on the way back down; some of the best I’ve had - a payoff for the steep walk up. Iroquois was W39 for me. Can’t wait for ‘09.
