Oncoman had posted his plans for the week earlier and I was able to join him for this “little hike” to Mckenzie and Moose. A early look at some topo’s still showed a TH behind the Trooper’s station in Ray Brook, and I had posted that we could meet there.
Old map, TH is right on 86 and judging from the log most people use it to go to Haystack, no not THE Haystack, the other one, (did anyone ever pay attention when naming mountains in this are) I had arrived about 6:30, after heading down to chipmunk Lane to explore the possibility of doing the Moose, McKenzie, Jackrabbit loop. I came back to the 86 TH where Oncoman had spent the night. This was our first hike together and we discussed some of the options and had decided to take the trail from that point. He had a desire to be back at the car by 4:30 at the latest so we agreed to get McKenzie but depending on conditions Moose might have to be an option.
7:00 we sign in at the TH. The newer section of trail is pleasant as it heads N and then ENE where it intersects with the older trail that at one time appeared to be a logging road.
We make good time as we hike a nice section of flat mostly dry trail through open area of paper birch , beech and second growth forest. Now heading NNE along Little Ray Brook we start to gain some elevation ever so gradually until we get to the split where a trail to haystack mt. ( no not THAT haystack, the other one, the folks that named these peaks really needed to be a little more creative) bears off to the left. We keep right and pick up a couple more feet of elevation before leveling out and becoming a typical spring mix of mud, snow, ice and rock hopping still making good time we feel that completing our goal of the two peaks should be no problem. The trail remains open and easy to traverse as we cross the Jackrabbit ski trail and head to the base of Mckenzie. Here the trail narrows a bit and there is more blowdown and at about 2’800 ft the snowshoes become mandatory. This is where the fun begins, to say that this “marked trail” needs some maintenance would be kind. As we make the ascent N and then NE along the ridge I thought a proper description would be a marked bushwhack as we deviated on and off trail(s) (Red DEC and older ADK and then SOA markers) most of the way to the summit. The summit itself is not marked but very obvious and though it is treed there are some excellent panoramic views from ledges on the east and west side of this peak virtually from Whiteface and 300 degrees from there. Great stuff.
We had a snack on the east facing ledge overlooking Lake Placid and at 11:00 decided to try and pick up the trail / herd path to Moose. We followed some of the SOA ( Shore Owners Association) for a while but lost them in a a field of blowdown, having decided that moose was really not attainable in the time allowed we decided to whack around the area to get a better feel for the contour and bearings if either of us where to attempt this again another day and about 11:45 decided to head back. Several times between the thick stuff and blowdown we lost our own snowshoe tracks but Pierre has an excellent sense of navigation and we made it back to the summit and down with no real trouble. The descent was long as the sun and temp rose I (being much heavier) than Pierre postholed more than a few time even with the tails on my MSR’s . For that reason we kept the snowshoes on for at least another half mile from where we had donned them on the way up. We had excellent weather for the whole trip, although as little as six hours prior to our departure the forecast ws for rain in the morning, that is how I packed thinking two cjanges of layers would probably be required. When in actuality I was down to a single layer by 9:00. All in all this was a good hike and spending the day in the company of the Oncoman was indeed a pleasure. We made it back to the cars by 15:15.
Old map, TH is right on 86 and judging from the log most people use it to go to Haystack, no not THE Haystack, the other one, (did anyone ever pay attention when naming mountains in this are) I had arrived about 6:30, after heading down to chipmunk Lane to explore the possibility of doing the Moose, McKenzie, Jackrabbit loop. I came back to the 86 TH where Oncoman had spent the night. This was our first hike together and we discussed some of the options and had decided to take the trail from that point. He had a desire to be back at the car by 4:30 at the latest so we agreed to get McKenzie but depending on conditions Moose might have to be an option.
7:00 we sign in at the TH. The newer section of trail is pleasant as it heads N and then ENE where it intersects with the older trail that at one time appeared to be a logging road.
We make good time as we hike a nice section of flat mostly dry trail through open area of paper birch , beech and second growth forest. Now heading NNE along Little Ray Brook we start to gain some elevation ever so gradually until we get to the split where a trail to haystack mt. ( no not THAT haystack, the other one, the folks that named these peaks really needed to be a little more creative) bears off to the left. We keep right and pick up a couple more feet of elevation before leveling out and becoming a typical spring mix of mud, snow, ice and rock hopping still making good time we feel that completing our goal of the two peaks should be no problem. The trail remains open and easy to traverse as we cross the Jackrabbit ski trail and head to the base of Mckenzie. Here the trail narrows a bit and there is more blowdown and at about 2’800 ft the snowshoes become mandatory. This is where the fun begins, to say that this “marked trail” needs some maintenance would be kind. As we make the ascent N and then NE along the ridge I thought a proper description would be a marked bushwhack as we deviated on and off trail(s) (Red DEC and older ADK and then SOA markers) most of the way to the summit. The summit itself is not marked but very obvious and though it is treed there are some excellent panoramic views from ledges on the east and west side of this peak virtually from Whiteface and 300 degrees from there. Great stuff.
We had a snack on the east facing ledge overlooking Lake Placid and at 11:00 decided to try and pick up the trail / herd path to Moose. We followed some of the SOA ( Shore Owners Association) for a while but lost them in a a field of blowdown, having decided that moose was really not attainable in the time allowed we decided to whack around the area to get a better feel for the contour and bearings if either of us where to attempt this again another day and about 11:45 decided to head back. Several times between the thick stuff and blowdown we lost our own snowshoe tracks but Pierre has an excellent sense of navigation and we made it back to the summit and down with no real trouble. The descent was long as the sun and temp rose I (being much heavier) than Pierre postholed more than a few time even with the tails on my MSR’s . For that reason we kept the snowshoes on for at least another half mile from where we had donned them on the way up. We had excellent weather for the whole trip, although as little as six hours prior to our departure the forecast ws for rain in the morning, that is how I packed thinking two cjanges of layers would probably be required. When in actuality I was down to a single layer by 9:00. All in all this was a good hike and spending the day in the company of the Oncoman was indeed a pleasure. We made it back to the cars by 15:15.
