Marcy 04-16

[Neil]

What a lousy day! The sun was way too strong and the way it reflected off the snow gave me a sun burn. Not only that but there was almost no one to share the day with on the summit. No wind either. And all those peaks! What a bore.
Ha Ha!
Sylvie and I hit the trail at 9:00 hot on the pursuit of AlG who was nearly an hour ahead of us. By MD we had narrowed that down a bit. The trail was frozen solid. Immed. after the dam the trail was half ice half bare. The ice increased and became snow just before the Phelps turnoff. After the brook crossing we put on our MSR's for better traction on a very firm trail but people were barebooting with little trouble. I saw a couple of postholes that were 2 feet deep.

We caught AlG just before the trail junction to Haystack and intro'd ourselves. The summit cone was covered in snow and drenched in sun. A guy was free heel skiing the bowl which we traversed en route to the summit. The skiing conditions were perfect.
It was a one of those days where you KNOW you're doing the RIGHT thing.

Eyeballed at length the Sewards through AlG's binos, esp. the Emmons slide. When I told AlG that I had pulled the coordinates for the slide off of an aerial photo website for my gps he chuckled and wondered aloud what the Marshall bros. would have to say about that. We went down at 3 and AlG sauntered over to Haystack.

The snow was firm all the way down. Between MD and the Loj the mud was thick and messy in spots. We courageously walked right through the middle of it all.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

What a great day! Oh, sorry Doug... I mean it was awful; it's a good thing you had to work. The sun was in my eyes all day, and when I took pictures, there wasn't a single cloud to break up the monotony of that deep blue sky.

It was good to meet Neil and Sylvie and spend an hour or so "summit lounging" with them. After parting company on the top of Marcy, I headed over to Haystack, about 4 miles 'round trip. Crampons were needed to climb up the steep section just above the col. I arrived back on the shoulder of Marcy at sunset, and enjoyed an aerial view of Lake Placid's night lights. As I set up my camp in the woods just below 3500', I was greeted by a curious fox.

A great day on the trail and a beautiful night. My winter gear is now put away for the year, and I'll be back up there in July. Hike on!

 

[Neil]

Bob, we thought about you all alone up there on Haystack then hiking back to your pack probably in the dark, setting up camp, cooking dinner etc. Sylvie was by no means envious, I was.
Good luck in the next 2 months. Lets go get that camera when your ready.

 

[mavs00]

You guys SUCK , and I really mean that..........


Okay, maybe I don't, but you get the point. Post the damn pictures already will ya. I'll be there in 6 days and counting. I can't wait. What am I hiking again? Oh yeah, some mountain you've never heard of. .

LOLOLOLOL

p.s. Bob, hurry up and get yur butt hiking again

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

pics

I WISH I could post some pictures for you, but it seems that I left my digital camera somewhere below Shepherd's Tooth! I'm a film shooter again...

 

[alistair]

ALG
Glad to see you made the trip, I really wish I could have joined you. See you in July!!!
Neil
Good to see your still hiking after the winter season