Neil
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2004
- Messages
- 3,434
- Reaction score
- 487
This trailless peak has everything. What I mean is that if you’re looking to experience a bit of all what the HH has to offer, you’ll find some of it here. Even though I have already done LPP once I was very excited by the prospect of doing it again. It was my first bushwhack peak after I mentally committed to doing the ADK HH and I was very curious to see how 2 years of bushwhacking had changed my perspective.
My wife, a good friend of ours and myself were scheduled to do something in the high peaks on Saturday and I knew the weather was going to be nice. We talked about doing Sawteeth or Gothics but I felt the need for some off-trail adventure and tentatively suggested LPP to Sylvie. Right away she was interested and when I described the views from the summit she and Annick were hooked.
They had a big annual party at work the night before so I let them sleep in until 5am and we hit the trail at 9:30. I planned this as a map and compass hike with gps support and had 3 waypoints in the gps. One for our jumping off point, one for a cool set of cliffs and another for a low point just to the east of Lost Pond.
As we hiked the Indian Pass Trail I played the role of teacher and we spent a lot of time doing all kinds of map and compass exercises taking advantage of the clear views of both Street and LPP. It was a very interesting experience for teacher and pupils. I think we decided that when the low point between LPP and Steet was at 280 deg magnetic from us then we would leave the trail. Something like that. Anyway, just to be sure I checked with the gps.
The creek crossing which was well north of where we crossed 2 years previously went well and I was very happy to notice that the lower slopes of the mountain were beautiful sun bathed, open hardwoods. In full sunshine we quickly overheated and stopped to peel off extraneous clothing. Within 5 minutes of climbing we had superlative views of the Macyntire range. These views were with us all day and only got better as we climbed. Before long we were on very steep terrain and in very thick conditions. We made very slow progress but progress we did. We followed a 270 mag. bearing and even though my calves let me know I was gaining elevation it didn’t look like it as I checked our vertical progress against the Mac Range.
It was pretty thick and very steep for a while but gradually the slope eased and the forest opened up beckoningly. Suddenly we were in deep snow and put our snowshoes on. The snow was nice and firm. The hour was getting late and the cliffs I wanted to check out were off-bearing from the Pond so with a quick check of the gps we dialled new bearings into our compasses (everyone had one) and got a move-on. We made excellent progress through sunny open woods on firm snow. Nearer the top we had excellent views of Street and many other mountains off in the distance.
We had a stiff 100-foot climb to the final ridge and followed the ridge straight to the summit. Once there we removed snowshoes, boots and socks and changed into dry shirts and sat down for at least an hour soaking up the sun and the views. The view is a full 180 degrees and you see from the Sawtooths around to Wright Peak. There are many, many mountains to admire both near and far from this very special vantage point.
By 5 o’clock we had left the summit and we made excellent time as we retraced our steps to where we had put the snowshoes on. I had the bright idea that we would have an easier descent to the right (South) of our ascent line and led us into a very steep gully. Here the going was very treacherous and slow but at least the gully served as a passageway between some very impressive cliffs. We tried to leave the gully but the cliffs kept pushing us back into it. At one point I thought we were going to have to climb back up because there were cliffs on both sides of us but there was one little spot where the drop was only about 10 feet and there was a sloped bank of snow and some trees to hang onto. I went first, on my belly, kicking steps into the icy snow and as I tried sliding under a Cedar my pack got hung up so I undid it and slithered out from under and got onto some terra firma. Then I helped Sylvie and Annick down and put my pack back on.
The woods varied from dense Balsams to fairly open but then we hit a really serious band of cliffs that was quite high. Being an excellent teacher I explained that it was because of cliffs such as these that it was better not to do bushwhack descents in the dark. The cliff stretched off into the distance as far as we could see to both left and right. Due to the previous hike 2 years ago I figured we were better to the right and charged off ahead of the girls. For sure the cliffs had to peter out but there was a cut in them just as I thought I was boxed in. We kept descending and continued using the low point between Wright and Algonquin as a bearing. We contoured around yet another small set of cliffs and then we could hear Indian Pass Brook quite plainly.
At this point I realized that the camera was no longer attached to my hip belt. Groan. My second one in as many years and I had taken so many wonderful pictures all day long. It was obvious that there was only one place where it could be: the steep section where I had had to remove my pack.
I am 100% sure of getting it back especially because I have a track log and am going back on Tuesday to get it.
We crossed the brook, picked up the trail and slogged it out back to the car under headlamp glow. At the Ark Trail we phoned in a take out order for huge burgers from Baxter Mtn. Tavern and joined Prino, Mimi and company in the game room. When we hit the sack sleep came very easily.
What a great day it was, it will live on in my mind forever. And what excellent, good-humoured hiking companions Sylvie and Annick were on what was a pretty challenging off-trail excursion. Quebec girls rock! (So do Upstate New York girls, Vermont girls and New Hampshire girls).
My wife, a good friend of ours and myself were scheduled to do something in the high peaks on Saturday and I knew the weather was going to be nice. We talked about doing Sawteeth or Gothics but I felt the need for some off-trail adventure and tentatively suggested LPP to Sylvie. Right away she was interested and when I described the views from the summit she and Annick were hooked.
They had a big annual party at work the night before so I let them sleep in until 5am and we hit the trail at 9:30. I planned this as a map and compass hike with gps support and had 3 waypoints in the gps. One for our jumping off point, one for a cool set of cliffs and another for a low point just to the east of Lost Pond.
As we hiked the Indian Pass Trail I played the role of teacher and we spent a lot of time doing all kinds of map and compass exercises taking advantage of the clear views of both Street and LPP. It was a very interesting experience for teacher and pupils. I think we decided that when the low point between LPP and Steet was at 280 deg magnetic from us then we would leave the trail. Something like that. Anyway, just to be sure I checked with the gps.
The creek crossing which was well north of where we crossed 2 years previously went well and I was very happy to notice that the lower slopes of the mountain were beautiful sun bathed, open hardwoods. In full sunshine we quickly overheated and stopped to peel off extraneous clothing. Within 5 minutes of climbing we had superlative views of the Macyntire range. These views were with us all day and only got better as we climbed. Before long we were on very steep terrain and in very thick conditions. We made very slow progress but progress we did. We followed a 270 mag. bearing and even though my calves let me know I was gaining elevation it didn’t look like it as I checked our vertical progress against the Mac Range.
It was pretty thick and very steep for a while but gradually the slope eased and the forest opened up beckoningly. Suddenly we were in deep snow and put our snowshoes on. The snow was nice and firm. The hour was getting late and the cliffs I wanted to check out were off-bearing from the Pond so with a quick check of the gps we dialled new bearings into our compasses (everyone had one) and got a move-on. We made excellent progress through sunny open woods on firm snow. Nearer the top we had excellent views of Street and many other mountains off in the distance.
We had a stiff 100-foot climb to the final ridge and followed the ridge straight to the summit. Once there we removed snowshoes, boots and socks and changed into dry shirts and sat down for at least an hour soaking up the sun and the views. The view is a full 180 degrees and you see from the Sawtooths around to Wright Peak. There are many, many mountains to admire both near and far from this very special vantage point.
By 5 o’clock we had left the summit and we made excellent time as we retraced our steps to where we had put the snowshoes on. I had the bright idea that we would have an easier descent to the right (South) of our ascent line and led us into a very steep gully. Here the going was very treacherous and slow but at least the gully served as a passageway between some very impressive cliffs. We tried to leave the gully but the cliffs kept pushing us back into it. At one point I thought we were going to have to climb back up because there were cliffs on both sides of us but there was one little spot where the drop was only about 10 feet and there was a sloped bank of snow and some trees to hang onto. I went first, on my belly, kicking steps into the icy snow and as I tried sliding under a Cedar my pack got hung up so I undid it and slithered out from under and got onto some terra firma. Then I helped Sylvie and Annick down and put my pack back on.
The woods varied from dense Balsams to fairly open but then we hit a really serious band of cliffs that was quite high. Being an excellent teacher I explained that it was because of cliffs such as these that it was better not to do bushwhack descents in the dark. The cliff stretched off into the distance as far as we could see to both left and right. Due to the previous hike 2 years ago I figured we were better to the right and charged off ahead of the girls. For sure the cliffs had to peter out but there was a cut in them just as I thought I was boxed in. We kept descending and continued using the low point between Wright and Algonquin as a bearing. We contoured around yet another small set of cliffs and then we could hear Indian Pass Brook quite plainly.
At this point I realized that the camera was no longer attached to my hip belt. Groan. My second one in as many years and I had taken so many wonderful pictures all day long. It was obvious that there was only one place where it could be: the steep section where I had had to remove my pack.
I am 100% sure of getting it back especially because I have a track log and am going back on Tuesday to get it.
We crossed the brook, picked up the trail and slogged it out back to the car under headlamp glow. At the Ark Trail we phoned in a take out order for huge burgers from Baxter Mtn. Tavern and joined Prino, Mimi and company in the game room. When we hit the sack sleep came very easily.
What a great day it was, it will live on in my mind forever. And what excellent, good-humoured hiking companions Sylvie and Annick were on what was a pretty challenging off-trail excursion. Quebec girls rock! (So do Upstate New York girls, Vermont girls and New Hampshire girls).
