sapblatt
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- Oct 22, 2004
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SherpaKroto and I planned this trip about a month ago...two guys who like hiking and talk about it on the train everyday who had never hiked were going to go up to Crag Camp and get some nice autumn hiking in - possibly Madison, Adams and Jefferson.
Well, as you may have heard there was a blizzard up there last week and there was a ton of snow. I have been planning on starting winter hiking and camping but I figured I would car camp and hike Tecumseh first - not backpack into the Northern Presis!
SK and I hit the trail at 5:15 Friday night and it was snow covered from the get go. There were few steps that we did not need to be concerned about. However, the biggest problem up to the Log Cabin was the blow downs. Rarely did we go more than 50 feet without having to be turned around some tree that came down in the blizzard. At about 6:00PM the headlamps went on and the slow slog continued.
It seemed to take forever but we eventually made it to the Link junction and then to the King Ravine Trail. We kept pushing upwards. SK consulted his map once when it got a bit funky and we looked at the GPS track which was rather hilarious as we had gone around so many bushwhacks...Around 9:30 I saw a headlamp through the woods and realized it must be coming from the Log Cabin. After one more steep pitch we were there. Bob was already there and we realized that this was going to be the spot for the night as it was going to be at least 3 more hours to Grey Knob and 30 minutes more to Crag. We ate, set up camp and got to sleep around midnight...it was 15 degrees and I was real glad I had just purchased a down vest and down booties. These things made my 20 degree bag tolerable - but tight!
A long sluggish morning where I dealt with my frozen boots and an incredible trail breaking experience to the Privy - took about 20 minutes to break through! Later we had breakfast and all started up towards Gray Knob - our new final destination for the weekend. I left at about 11:45 and mad decent progress - it is not too tough, but I took my time and made the snowy 8/10s of a mile in about 2:15. SK was just ahead of me and Bob came up later. The views from the Quay were magnificent. Met some nice people who found my fleece jacket that I lost (when Sherpa says "I wouldn't tie that to my pack - I would put it in." you really should listen!) These people had a nice spaniel who snuck up beside me and startled me - real friendly dog.
Grey Knob was pretty much nirvana at this point...mattress, four walls, stove - what more do you need. We eventually settle din for the night and had quite a little party...lost of scotch, beer, rum, wine, food (including a late night SK special...steamed hot dogs!) There was even a pyrotechnic display as some other campers had a stove mishap and the counter was ablaze in white gas...flames were a foot high and about five feet across. This was quickly extinguished. It was a long, fun, relaxing evening. I decided to call it a night when twice in a row while relieving myself outside I fell over - always a key indicator that you may have had enough to drink. The young ladies that shared their wine with me - it’s their fault! Arm showed up at Gray Knob around 1AM after a 2-3 hour trek up Lowe’s Path!
After shaking out the cobwebs by about noon we headed over on snowshoes to Crag Camp. The views were spectacular. A monstrous lenticular cloud was forming over Adams and the Great Gulf while we soaked in the views. We stayed for about an hour and me and Sherpa headed back to Gray Knob put on the packs and began our descent at about 2:00PM. It was a little slow to the Log Cabin as the snow conditions were different with every step on the way down. I took a good spill near a little below the Quay when I slipped and banged my tibia on a rock and then as I stopped myself I post holed as far as I could! It got a lot easier down low but it was still treacherous. We made it to Lowe’s Store about 4:30 and headed south. Bob and Arm stayed another night.
It was a great time; I learned a lot and got a lot of winter experience without breaking any bones. It was nice to meet Bob, hike with Arm again and finally get out on the trail and hike with Sherpa K! Hopefully Sherpa and/or Arm will put up some pics…the snow up there has to be seen to be believed!
Well, as you may have heard there was a blizzard up there last week and there was a ton of snow. I have been planning on starting winter hiking and camping but I figured I would car camp and hike Tecumseh first - not backpack into the Northern Presis!
SK and I hit the trail at 5:15 Friday night and it was snow covered from the get go. There were few steps that we did not need to be concerned about. However, the biggest problem up to the Log Cabin was the blow downs. Rarely did we go more than 50 feet without having to be turned around some tree that came down in the blizzard. At about 6:00PM the headlamps went on and the slow slog continued.
It seemed to take forever but we eventually made it to the Link junction and then to the King Ravine Trail. We kept pushing upwards. SK consulted his map once when it got a bit funky and we looked at the GPS track which was rather hilarious as we had gone around so many bushwhacks...Around 9:30 I saw a headlamp through the woods and realized it must be coming from the Log Cabin. After one more steep pitch we were there. Bob was already there and we realized that this was going to be the spot for the night as it was going to be at least 3 more hours to Grey Knob and 30 minutes more to Crag. We ate, set up camp and got to sleep around midnight...it was 15 degrees and I was real glad I had just purchased a down vest and down booties. These things made my 20 degree bag tolerable - but tight!
A long sluggish morning where I dealt with my frozen boots and an incredible trail breaking experience to the Privy - took about 20 minutes to break through! Later we had breakfast and all started up towards Gray Knob - our new final destination for the weekend. I left at about 11:45 and mad decent progress - it is not too tough, but I took my time and made the snowy 8/10s of a mile in about 2:15. SK was just ahead of me and Bob came up later. The views from the Quay were magnificent. Met some nice people who found my fleece jacket that I lost (when Sherpa says "I wouldn't tie that to my pack - I would put it in." you really should listen!) These people had a nice spaniel who snuck up beside me and startled me - real friendly dog.
Grey Knob was pretty much nirvana at this point...mattress, four walls, stove - what more do you need. We eventually settle din for the night and had quite a little party...lost of scotch, beer, rum, wine, food (including a late night SK special...steamed hot dogs!) There was even a pyrotechnic display as some other campers had a stove mishap and the counter was ablaze in white gas...flames were a foot high and about five feet across. This was quickly extinguished. It was a long, fun, relaxing evening. I decided to call it a night when twice in a row while relieving myself outside I fell over - always a key indicator that you may have had enough to drink. The young ladies that shared their wine with me - it’s their fault! Arm showed up at Gray Knob around 1AM after a 2-3 hour trek up Lowe’s Path!
After shaking out the cobwebs by about noon we headed over on snowshoes to Crag Camp. The views were spectacular. A monstrous lenticular cloud was forming over Adams and the Great Gulf while we soaked in the views. We stayed for about an hour and me and Sherpa headed back to Gray Knob put on the packs and began our descent at about 2:00PM. It was a little slow to the Log Cabin as the snow conditions were different with every step on the way down. I took a good spill near a little below the Quay when I slipped and banged my tibia on a rock and then as I stopped myself I post holed as far as I could! It got a lot easier down low but it was still treacherous. We made it to Lowe’s Store about 4:30 and headed south. Bob and Arm stayed another night.
It was a great time; I learned a lot and got a lot of winter experience without breaking any bones. It was nice to meet Bob, hike with Arm again and finally get out on the trail and hike with Sherpa K! Hopefully Sherpa and/or Arm will put up some pics…the snow up there has to be seen to be believed!
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