And what a fine day in the woods it was...
The showers had ended overnight and the summits were slowly emerging from the clouds. Cool and a little damp meant that the black fly squadron was grounded for the morning and the temps were perfect for hiking.
Ralph, Moonray, Rachel, Bookah and I spotted a car at the end of the Schoolhouse Brook road, where it intersects with the Spruceton Rd. There is a brown gate across it, but it was open. We then drove further up the Spruceton Rd and took a side road that climbed the flanks of Packsaddle and headed up from there. We hit the summit dead - on, coming right up underneath it and eliminated the need to pricker-wade. As it was, the pricker bushes had just started to leaf out (1" or less), so although we got a little scratched up, most of the big, red, nasty ones had the barest of small thorns on them. Easy going except you had to push thru them in spots.
We had a bite to eat on Packsaddle's western bump, then walzed down on a woods road to the col. The col was just simply beautiful. All hardwoods, spaced apart, with new greenery all around their feet. We located a woods road that took us half way up Pine Island, then bushwhacked up the not too thick ridge the rest of the way to PI's wooded summit.
On the way down there were losts of views of ND and Sherrill, Rusk, Hunter, SW Hunter, Blackhead Range, Windham and others.
Another thing besides the good company, the hike was a naturalist's pleasure. LOTS of spring flowers emerging and how nice to have Moonray and Rachel identify them all. Lots of deer sign and much scat. Ralph and I would ofter puzzle over what animal left particular droppings and we summoned Rachel over to make the I.D. with the phrase "Rachel, we need a turd opinion".
After horror stories about PS-PI, we were happy that our plans to get up here before the prickers got bad worked so well. This is a beautiful hike, but I wouldn't want to be here when the nettles are fighting for attention with the tall pricker canes.
Some pictures will follow.
The showers had ended overnight and the summits were slowly emerging from the clouds. Cool and a little damp meant that the black fly squadron was grounded for the morning and the temps were perfect for hiking.
Ralph, Moonray, Rachel, Bookah and I spotted a car at the end of the Schoolhouse Brook road, where it intersects with the Spruceton Rd. There is a brown gate across it, but it was open. We then drove further up the Spruceton Rd and took a side road that climbed the flanks of Packsaddle and headed up from there. We hit the summit dead - on, coming right up underneath it and eliminated the need to pricker-wade. As it was, the pricker bushes had just started to leaf out (1" or less), so although we got a little scratched up, most of the big, red, nasty ones had the barest of small thorns on them. Easy going except you had to push thru them in spots.
We had a bite to eat on Packsaddle's western bump, then walzed down on a woods road to the col. The col was just simply beautiful. All hardwoods, spaced apart, with new greenery all around their feet. We located a woods road that took us half way up Pine Island, then bushwhacked up the not too thick ridge the rest of the way to PI's wooded summit.
On the way down there were losts of views of ND and Sherrill, Rusk, Hunter, SW Hunter, Blackhead Range, Windham and others.
Another thing besides the good company, the hike was a naturalist's pleasure. LOTS of spring flowers emerging and how nice to have Moonray and Rachel identify them all. Lots of deer sign and much scat. Ralph and I would ofter puzzle over what animal left particular droppings and we summoned Rachel over to make the I.D. with the phrase "Rachel, we need a turd opinion".
After horror stories about PS-PI, we were happy that our plans to get up here before the prickers got bad worked so well. This is a beautiful hike, but I wouldn't want to be here when the nettles are fighting for attention with the tall pricker canes.
Some pictures will follow.
