Neil
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2004
- Messages
- 3,434
- Reaction score
- 487
Note: you can view the pictures as you read the TR (follow the link and view the pictures indicated) or you can wait until the end and follow the link to the index page.
I met Cold River Run today for the first time. We started on the trail at 7 and by 10 we were off the trail en route to the top of Point Balk. This a really impressive feature that is visible form many points of view including from Slant Rock. It looks like this: 1-2
The 800foot climb up was steep but the woods were quite open until near the top. We found some exposed rock and enjoyed some unique views of Haystack and other familiar High Peaks. It was a gorgeous day. 3-12
We also checked out the views of Tabletop and Tabletop East because Point Balk was to be but a stepping stone on our way to bigger and better things. I had decided that Tabletop East was a fitting peak to replace one of the private property Hundred Highest. I also decided it would be a good opportunity to do both Tabletop and Phelps as bushwhacks since we would be in the neighbourhood. Point Balk was tossed in because it was there. 13-14
I was expecting some pretty thick going but between PB and the Hopkins trail but we wound up catching some rays in an open fen. Interestingly, there was a ninja working on some of his routines. 15-20
In order to count TableTop as a bushwhack the rule of the day was no trail hiking between PB and TT. CRR takes his bushwhacking rules and criteria very seriously and so using a bent tree as a catapult he projected himself through the air across the Hopkins Trail. 21
The climb up to TT turned out to be relatively easy, much to my pleasant surprise. Near the top however it got insanely horrendous due to the wicked winter winds that kill off the mature trees, which lets in plenty of sunshine, which encourages fresh growth etc. 22-26
It seemed weird to arrive on TT and find a group of 5 who asked CCR to take their picture. The back views to Point Balk were very interesting. 27-28
After the shoot we checked our bearing and began the crux of the day: the famous TableTop to Phelps bushwhack via Tabletop east. I was expecting the worst and we got that but not at first. From TT to TT East it’s a fairly normal whack in fact and only took an hour including a lunch break in the col. Nearing the top of East it got very thick and it was quite thick on top. We found a lookout and took in the unique views of the high peaks and of course TableTop. 29
Dropping down towards the next bump on our route the going was still pretty good but then things took a serious turn for the worse and we spent hours crawling our pitiful way along through endless, unrelenting spindly but robust and gnarly conifers mixed in with the ubiquitous ADK blowdown. These trees grew so close together as to defy logic. I thought I knew thick but this went well beyond my previous experience of thick and it just kept on coming. 30-31
CRR is a very savvy bushwhacker and decided we had to get to the north side of the ridgeline, which made a lot of sense to me, and when we bust that ridge sure enough, we were free men once again. Until the home stretch leading up to Phelp’s East end whereupon it got thick again, just to let us know who was boss. Just maybe the best approach is to do the entire ridgeline from Ttop East to Phelps on the North side of the ridge. I’ll have to check that when I do my fall round. 32
We stood upon Phelps at 6 PM, 4hours after leaving TableTop. I had predicted 3. This was the best time of day for the lighting but everyone had gone leaving us the summit all to ourselves. 33-36 The initial plan was to drop down the Pelkey Basin to South Meadows but we were tired, out of water and it was going to get dark so we opted for the trail (a pity, but a wise decision nonetheless). We arrived at the HPIC sporting headlamps, 13 hours after starting out and went directly to the water spigot.
I felt bad for CRR because he didn’t know what he was getting himself into on this little jaunt. Luckily, he is an extremely fit, committed peakbagger and well-versed bushwhacker.
Link to Picture thumbnail page.
I met Cold River Run today for the first time. We started on the trail at 7 and by 10 we were off the trail en route to the top of Point Balk. This a really impressive feature that is visible form many points of view including from Slant Rock. It looks like this: 1-2
The 800foot climb up was steep but the woods were quite open until near the top. We found some exposed rock and enjoyed some unique views of Haystack and other familiar High Peaks. It was a gorgeous day. 3-12
We also checked out the views of Tabletop and Tabletop East because Point Balk was to be but a stepping stone on our way to bigger and better things. I had decided that Tabletop East was a fitting peak to replace one of the private property Hundred Highest. I also decided it would be a good opportunity to do both Tabletop and Phelps as bushwhacks since we would be in the neighbourhood. Point Balk was tossed in because it was there. 13-14
I was expecting some pretty thick going but between PB and the Hopkins trail but we wound up catching some rays in an open fen. Interestingly, there was a ninja working on some of his routines. 15-20
In order to count TableTop as a bushwhack the rule of the day was no trail hiking between PB and TT. CRR takes his bushwhacking rules and criteria very seriously and so using a bent tree as a catapult he projected himself through the air across the Hopkins Trail. 21
The climb up to TT turned out to be relatively easy, much to my pleasant surprise. Near the top however it got insanely horrendous due to the wicked winter winds that kill off the mature trees, which lets in plenty of sunshine, which encourages fresh growth etc. 22-26
It seemed weird to arrive on TT and find a group of 5 who asked CCR to take their picture. The back views to Point Balk were very interesting. 27-28
After the shoot we checked our bearing and began the crux of the day: the famous TableTop to Phelps bushwhack via Tabletop east. I was expecting the worst and we got that but not at first. From TT to TT East it’s a fairly normal whack in fact and only took an hour including a lunch break in the col. Nearing the top of East it got very thick and it was quite thick on top. We found a lookout and took in the unique views of the high peaks and of course TableTop. 29
Dropping down towards the next bump on our route the going was still pretty good but then things took a serious turn for the worse and we spent hours crawling our pitiful way along through endless, unrelenting spindly but robust and gnarly conifers mixed in with the ubiquitous ADK blowdown. These trees grew so close together as to defy logic. I thought I knew thick but this went well beyond my previous experience of thick and it just kept on coming. 30-31
CRR is a very savvy bushwhacker and decided we had to get to the north side of the ridgeline, which made a lot of sense to me, and when we bust that ridge sure enough, we were free men once again. Until the home stretch leading up to Phelp’s East end whereupon it got thick again, just to let us know who was boss. Just maybe the best approach is to do the entire ridgeline from Ttop East to Phelps on the North side of the ridge. I’ll have to check that when I do my fall round. 32
We stood upon Phelps at 6 PM, 4hours after leaving TableTop. I had predicted 3. This was the best time of day for the lighting but everyone had gone leaving us the summit all to ourselves. 33-36 The initial plan was to drop down the Pelkey Basin to South Meadows but we were tired, out of water and it was going to get dark so we opted for the trail (a pity, but a wise decision nonetheless). We arrived at the HPIC sporting headlamps, 13 hours after starting out and went directly to the water spigot.
I felt bad for CRR because he didn’t know what he was getting himself into on this little jaunt. Luckily, he is an extremely fit, committed peakbagger and well-versed bushwhacker.
Link to Picture thumbnail page.
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