TDawg
Well-known member
It had been a while since I went on one of my father's overnight camping/hiking trips with his buddies. The last one was last october up liberty to liberty springs site. All summer long I have been bagging peaks en route to completing the 48, but never have I ventured into the NY Adirondacks. So this chance to check out a new place presented itself and I had to take it.
So Thursday morning (11th) we awoke at 530 and left town by 7 for a four hour drive across Mass and up NY state. We arrived at the Garden at around 12ish after a lunch at the Noonmark Cafe. First of all the Garden is one of the most inadequate parking areas I have ever seen. But we got lucky and a group was coming out as we were about to bite the bullet and park 2 miles down the road. And who woulda gotten to actually park the car and walk back? Me of course.
So we start in on the Phelps trail 1230ish for the 3.5 mile hike into the Grace Camp Cabin. Phelps trail is a very easy jaunt through the woods to Johns Brook Lodge and Grace Camp. Passes by some very large boulders and crosses a few streams, all on small log bridges. I got to the camp first in just over an hour and was pleasantly surprised at our place for the next two nights. I put down my stuff at the cabin and head back down to the Johns Brook to hang out and wait for the others. Everyone else arrives and we set up our stuff and filter water for the next days hike up Marcy.
That night before we ate dinner we were hanging around the camp, drinking 151 and crystal light mix drinks at the picnic table and a largedoe walks out of the woods in a small clearing not more than 15 yards from us. She kept looking back into the woods from which she came and not much time later a small fawn comes out after, complete with white spots. They were very photogenic and sat and ate long enough for me to snap a few pictures. After that we cooked our pasta dinner and had a few more drinks and settled in or bed.
Next morning we awoke early and had an english muffin breakfast with butter and peanut butter. Drank up some water and set out at about 630am. About 30 yards down the trail from the camp we came upon the same two deer on the trail. They let us get pretty close as we were walking by and the mother was even about to eat grass out of one of our hands. Amazing and very beautiful animals, they must be very used to people being around this area, as they were pretty tame.
So we get back to the phelps trail and begin our journey for the day. The phelps trail remains very easy with minor ups all the way to Slant Rock. Along the way to Slant rock I took the very steep .1 side trail to Bushnell Falls, which I thought wasnt very worth the tiring side trip unless your intending on swimming in the pool there. After the Slant Rock camping sites the real climbing begins on the Phelps trail after the Shorey Short Cut diverges to the left. After a mile or two of climbing views start to open up looking back down the Johns Brook Valley to Big Slide Mountain. Lots of wildflowers and berries along the trail as well as sphagnum mosses. After the junction of the VanHovenburg trail (sp?) the views to Marcy, Haystack, and the Great Range and beyond begin to open up. So I ascend the last half mile or so up the the false summit of Marcy and then over to the actual summit and have something that, from my understanding is rare on Marcy. I have the summit to MYSELF. For a good 20 minutes I sit there and look out at the surrounding beauty of the ADKs, taking pictures as I gaze. But after my time alone, people started to arrive and the summit became the mob I hear happens every nice day. It reminded me of Washington to a lesser degree. So after a while the rest of my group of older men arrive and we do the usual summit photos and eat. We hang around the summit for awhile and of course my dad's friend Bob and his son start whipping out their cell phones and calling people, VERY annoying. I head out after listening to too many phone conversations and head over to Haystack.
The state range trail between phelps and the haystack trail could be trimmed back a little but it wasnt real bad. Just before the Haystack trail splits off it climbs to an open rock area and afforded me this view of my next objective. I climb up little Haystack and down steeply to the col between the two. Views to Marcy and Panther Gorge were spectacular. I arrive at the summit of Haystack and a group of hikers was just leaving. I HAD HAYSTACK ALL TO MY LONESONE AS WELL! I couldn't believe my good fortune, this time the entire time I was there it was just me and my bird friend, who enjoyed my granola
. I sat in a sheltered spot from the wind and gazed at Gothics and decided I'm coming back for that one, very cool. After sitting around for a while I saw some people coming over little haystack my way so I decided it was time to head down to camp.
Upon arriving back at Grace camp I ask, "where's John?" Well apparently he decided we needed some beers, so he kept going past Grace camp and back to The Garden and into town. The nice lady there saved our spot because we had already payed for 3 days. Then arrived some time later with 2-12 packs of Bud Light. This was after my father's buddy Hal, who was playing in a LAX tourney in Lake Placid, hiked up another 2 with 3 kids. So we had 48 beers to dispose of, and I know I didnt want to carry them out . So we had a huge spaghetti dinner and the beers never tasted so good. I was last one up with Connor finishing the beers....hammered. For medicinal purposes only of course , and my shin splint was killing me.
Next day we "sleep in" till 9 and hike out to The Garden the even easier, downhill, 3.5 miles. I got to the Garden first and witnessed first hand the madness that is The Garden parking area. It was ridiculous, people yelling at eachother, and at least 6 groups asking me if I was leaving with a car. All I could tell them was "yea, but who knows how far back the people with the kays are." The general mood of the area was just very tense and I feel bad for the sweet old lady that has to put of with it everyday. They need a Lincoln Woods type lot in the worst way, but I assume they want to keep it small as their way to regulate the use of the area. But in the meantime, it's a pain in the ass. It was full a Thursday at 12 just to give an idea, you gotta get there early everyday. There is a shuttle running friday to sunday
That afternoon and night we stayed in Lake Placid and checked out the ski jump and Olympic center. The site of the miracle on ice in 1980. We stayed within walking distance of downtown at the Holiday Inn, and I got absolutely hammered bar hopping. Lake Placid was a pleasant town to walk around, very nice.
Overall, the ADKs exceeded my expectations, I heard it was a beautiful area but seeing is believing. Very rugged country and plenty of 4kers to keep ya busy for a while. The high peaks wildnerness is very nice with plenty of lean-tos and camp sites as well as ADK club lodges and cabins. It gets the TDAWG recommendation. Good times with good people.
ALL PICS ARE HERE
So Thursday morning (11th) we awoke at 530 and left town by 7 for a four hour drive across Mass and up NY state. We arrived at the Garden at around 12ish after a lunch at the Noonmark Cafe. First of all the Garden is one of the most inadequate parking areas I have ever seen. But we got lucky and a group was coming out as we were about to bite the bullet and park 2 miles down the road. And who woulda gotten to actually park the car and walk back? Me of course.
So we start in on the Phelps trail 1230ish for the 3.5 mile hike into the Grace Camp Cabin. Phelps trail is a very easy jaunt through the woods to Johns Brook Lodge and Grace Camp. Passes by some very large boulders and crosses a few streams, all on small log bridges. I got to the camp first in just over an hour and was pleasantly surprised at our place for the next two nights. I put down my stuff at the cabin and head back down to the Johns Brook to hang out and wait for the others. Everyone else arrives and we set up our stuff and filter water for the next days hike up Marcy.
That night before we ate dinner we were hanging around the camp, drinking 151 and crystal light mix drinks at the picnic table and a largedoe walks out of the woods in a small clearing not more than 15 yards from us. She kept looking back into the woods from which she came and not much time later a small fawn comes out after, complete with white spots. They were very photogenic and sat and ate long enough for me to snap a few pictures. After that we cooked our pasta dinner and had a few more drinks and settled in or bed.
Next morning we awoke early and had an english muffin breakfast with butter and peanut butter. Drank up some water and set out at about 630am. About 30 yards down the trail from the camp we came upon the same two deer on the trail. They let us get pretty close as we were walking by and the mother was even about to eat grass out of one of our hands. Amazing and very beautiful animals, they must be very used to people being around this area, as they were pretty tame.
So we get back to the phelps trail and begin our journey for the day. The phelps trail remains very easy with minor ups all the way to Slant Rock. Along the way to Slant rock I took the very steep .1 side trail to Bushnell Falls, which I thought wasnt very worth the tiring side trip unless your intending on swimming in the pool there. After the Slant Rock camping sites the real climbing begins on the Phelps trail after the Shorey Short Cut diverges to the left. After a mile or two of climbing views start to open up looking back down the Johns Brook Valley to Big Slide Mountain. Lots of wildflowers and berries along the trail as well as sphagnum mosses. After the junction of the VanHovenburg trail (sp?) the views to Marcy, Haystack, and the Great Range and beyond begin to open up. So I ascend the last half mile or so up the the false summit of Marcy and then over to the actual summit and have something that, from my understanding is rare on Marcy. I have the summit to MYSELF. For a good 20 minutes I sit there and look out at the surrounding beauty of the ADKs, taking pictures as I gaze. But after my time alone, people started to arrive and the summit became the mob I hear happens every nice day. It reminded me of Washington to a lesser degree. So after a while the rest of my group of older men arrive and we do the usual summit photos and eat. We hang around the summit for awhile and of course my dad's friend Bob and his son start whipping out their cell phones and calling people, VERY annoying. I head out after listening to too many phone conversations and head over to Haystack.
The state range trail between phelps and the haystack trail could be trimmed back a little but it wasnt real bad. Just before the Haystack trail splits off it climbs to an open rock area and afforded me this view of my next objective. I climb up little Haystack and down steeply to the col between the two. Views to Marcy and Panther Gorge were spectacular. I arrive at the summit of Haystack and a group of hikers was just leaving. I HAD HAYSTACK ALL TO MY LONESONE AS WELL! I couldn't believe my good fortune, this time the entire time I was there it was just me and my bird friend, who enjoyed my granola
. I sat in a sheltered spot from the wind and gazed at Gothics and decided I'm coming back for that one, very cool. After sitting around for a while I saw some people coming over little haystack my way so I decided it was time to head down to camp.Upon arriving back at Grace camp I ask, "where's John?" Well apparently he decided we needed some beers, so he kept going past Grace camp and back to The Garden and into town. The nice lady there saved our spot because we had already payed for 3 days. Then arrived some time later with 2-12 packs of Bud Light. This was after my father's buddy Hal, who was playing in a LAX tourney in Lake Placid, hiked up another 2 with 3 kids. So we had 48 beers to dispose of, and I know I didnt want to carry them out
. So we had a huge spaghetti dinner and the beers never tasted so good. I was last one up with Connor finishing the beers....hammered. For medicinal purposes only of course , and my shin splint was killing me.Next day we "sleep in" till 9 and hike out to The Garden the even easier, downhill, 3.5 miles. I got to the Garden first and witnessed first hand the madness that is The Garden parking area. It was ridiculous, people yelling at eachother, and at least 6 groups asking me if I was leaving with a car. All I could tell them was "yea, but who knows how far back the people with the kays are." The general mood of the area was just very tense and I feel bad for the sweet old lady that has to put of with it everyday. They need a Lincoln Woods type lot in the worst way, but I assume they want to keep it small as their way to regulate the use of the area. But in the meantime, it's a pain in the ass. It was full a Thursday at 12 just to give an idea, you gotta get there early everyday. There is a shuttle running friday to sunday
That afternoon and night we stayed in Lake Placid and checked out the ski jump and Olympic center. The site of the miracle on ice in 1980. We stayed within walking distance of downtown at the Holiday Inn, and I got absolutely hammered bar hopping. Lake Placid was a pleasant town to walk around, very nice.
Overall, the ADKs exceeded my expectations, I heard it was a beautiful area but seeing is believing. Very rugged country and plenty of 4kers to keep ya busy for a while. The high peaks wildnerness is very nice with plenty of lean-tos and camp sites as well as ADK club lodges and cabins. It gets the TDAWG recommendation.
Good times with good people.ALL PICS ARE HERE
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