MattC
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- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
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Halite picked me up in New Paltz and we headed up to Peekamoose Rd., where we met Rocky Summit and his son and friend. Dr. Wu was running late, so we waited until about 50 minutes past our planned start time and hit it. I wrote him a little note in the trail register saying that we had left at 8:50. Everyone was in snowshoes from the start, and we were breaking out trail which had been bare-boot-post-holed. The sun was lifting up over Sampon Mt., casting a golden glow on the hardwood-covered slope rising before us.
Less than a mile in, we were stopped briefly, and who should show up but Dr. Wu! Turned out he had zigged when he should have zagged on RT28, but better late than never. After greeting our newest arrival, we continued. The trail-breaking duties got tossed back and forth in a natural, unforced manner as we gradually climbed. We had another brief stop at Reconnoiter
Rock, then a food break at the false summit lookouts. There was rime on the tree branches and snow everywhere. As Wu remarked, it was harder to decide which was nicer, the vista, or turning around and looking at the winter wonderland that was the forest.
After that it was just a short ways to the top, but the snow had become quite deep at this point. Two other 3500 Club acquaintances, Peggy and Karen, had also caught up to us at this point. We leapfrogged one another the rest of the day.
After hitting the summit of Peekamoose, Rocky Summit headed back with his
son and friend, while Wu, Halite and I dropped packs and took off for Table. There was at least two feet of unbroken snow from Peekamoose summit down to the col, but it's short, so it wasn't too bad. Plus, a pleasant surprise awaited-very well-broken trail coming down from Table. The trail came down to the col and turned in the direction of Lone. We tramped the rest of the way up Table and walked until we saw the tree where the canister used to be, then zipped back over to Peek.
The hard work done, we skeedadled on down the now well-busted out trail.
Plenty of glissading, both standing and the other type. On the way out, we watched the sun go down behind the appropriately named Sundown Wild Forest. We were out maybe around 4ish (?) tired, but satisfied. The trail is now well-broken all the way to Table, and 'shoes probably aren't even necessary for the first mile or so. Lots of fun seeing everyone-thanks to all for making the trip.
Matt
Less than a mile in, we were stopped briefly, and who should show up but Dr. Wu! Turned out he had zigged when he should have zagged on RT28, but better late than never. After greeting our newest arrival, we continued. The trail-breaking duties got tossed back and forth in a natural, unforced manner as we gradually climbed. We had another brief stop at Reconnoiter
Rock, then a food break at the false summit lookouts. There was rime on the tree branches and snow everywhere. As Wu remarked, it was harder to decide which was nicer, the vista, or turning around and looking at the winter wonderland that was the forest.
After that it was just a short ways to the top, but the snow had become quite deep at this point. Two other 3500 Club acquaintances, Peggy and Karen, had also caught up to us at this point. We leapfrogged one another the rest of the day.
After hitting the summit of Peekamoose, Rocky Summit headed back with his
son and friend, while Wu, Halite and I dropped packs and took off for Table. There was at least two feet of unbroken snow from Peekamoose summit down to the col, but it's short, so it wasn't too bad. Plus, a pleasant surprise awaited-very well-broken trail coming down from Table. The trail came down to the col and turned in the direction of Lone. We tramped the rest of the way up Table and walked until we saw the tree where the canister used to be, then zipped back over to Peek.
The hard work done, we skeedadled on down the now well-busted out trail.
Plenty of glissading, both standing and the other type. On the way out, we watched the sun go down behind the appropriately named Sundown Wild Forest. We were out maybe around 4ish (?) tired, but satisfied. The trail is now well-broken all the way to Table, and 'shoes probably aren't even necessary for the first mile or so. Lots of fun seeing everyone-thanks to all for making the trip.
Matt
My apologies for being so late -- I was so late that I was just going to drive home but figured that you guys would wait, so if I could find the trail head I owed it to you to hike. I was happy to have caught up so quickly -- I was motoring because I knew good company was ahead! 
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