Fat Tuesday
New member
Adirondack Misadventures, featuring:
Juniper, Darl58, Donna, Arm and Fat Tuesday, with occasional Shizzy, Bob and Nancy sightings.
Day 1: COLDen, Saturday, January 17, 2009.
Juniper, Darl58, Donna, Arm and Fat Tuesday, with occasional Shizzy, Bob and Nancy sightings.
Day 1: COLDen, Saturday, January 17, 2009.
I’m trying to find a way to express the extent of the frigidity on Friday night and Saturday. We rolled into Tip-A-Canoe in Keene Valley for provisions and trip planning on Friday at 8:30 or so and braced for our first blast of NY mountain air. It was so cold that I opened my mouth and instantly had three distinct toothaches.
It was no warmer upon our arrival at the fabled Loj 12 hours later. I believe the thermometer read three degrees. We took some time to gear up, putting snowshoes on, taking them off, putting them on again…
The trip out to Marcy Dam was an idyllic Narnia-land of fresh snow. It was great to have a long, flat stretch to warm-up the legs. At the Dam we got a glimpse of our destination through passing clouds. It was beautiful and distant.
I honestly can’t remember what came between the Dam and the climb up to Colden. A couple of trail junctions, a small lake, a few snack breaks, a lot of mitigating the cold. Some Coloradster types with randonnee skis, ropes and climbing gear passed us at one junction and we later determined they were headed to climb trap dike. At some point in here Arm broke out a Ziploc of various chocolate heart candies. I am serious. I guess this is how you plan when you know you are hiking with the ladies.
On the climb up the ridge the sun toyed with us and revealed enough of itself to show us what we were missing. We caught a glimpse of Marcy, and those of us with good eyes saw some people on the summit. It was probably about 11:00/11:30. A few partial views opened up in other directions as well, but this clearing lasted all of ten minutes. By the time we reached the false summit (some celebratory photos snapped- whoops!), it was cloudy again.
The trail dips back into the woods briefly after the false summit, and we put on extra layers and goggles and put our heads down for the charge up to Colden proper. After a brief photo pause, we carried on down the ledgy, icy shoulder of Colden. Let it be known that I slipped three!! times on said ice and thus traveled tentatively down to a cool ladder that marked the end of our above treeline walk.
The trip down was great fun. Thick, unbroken powder at a steepish angle made for a fast and cushy descent. At beautiful Colden Lake or Lake Colden we stopped for snacks and then continued on to breathtaking Avalanche Lake. I think we slowed down to gawk at the austere and imposing cliff faces that stared us down. Darlene stopped to scope out a fantastic looking climb up trap dike. I was entranced, watching wisps of snow dart from here to there on the lake surface.
The final four (five?) miles were uneventful and pleasant. Highlights were reaching Avalanche Ass Slide, where skiing and other activities are prohibited, and chatting with rangers, skiers and hikers along the way. We got back to the Loj as the sun set, threw down some food and pushed on to Keene for a Mountainfest slideshow presentation by Jennifer Lowe-Anker and Conrad Anker.
Though I am a New York native, this was my first trip to the Daks High Peaks region. It was strange to feel as if I’d come “home” to a place I’d never been. I was really impressed with the ski trail system, and how well people respect it (need to get back there to backcountry xc!!).
A really great day out with a fun group. Thanks to Arm for planning our route (and for the chocolate love).
