Seward, etc, via Caulkins

[RTSpoons]

Headed for Caulkins Brook, Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons. We will go in around 6am.

If you love to break trail and the smell of pine, join us.

At this point there are three in our party. I heard two others may attempt.

Hopefully the weather holds. Bring a raincoat just in case.

 

[onestep]

I hope this trip will be less adventurous than last weekends!

 

[RTSpoons]

Adventure

I was one of the lucky people, I turned around, was out by 4:30, and at Pitkin's in Schroon Lake around 5:30 pm, eating a warm meal.

Hoepfully the weather does not become a major factor in this trip.

If conditions deteriorate I will definitely turn around.

 

[PackMule]

Did you guys end up making the summit or Seward?
If there was not too much snow last night I am thinking of heading up there tomorrow am.

 

[RTSpoons]

Seward, Donaldson and Emmons

On Saturday, the 29th, Richard, Gordon, and myself, headed for the Seward range. Richard needed Seward, Gordon and myself, needed all three.

We had a late start, plan, meet Richard on Corey Road at 6 am. My Corolla with all season tires could not make to grade. We were able to contact Richard by cell phone, who came out and got us on Rt. 3. His truck had little problem reaching the summer parking lot (4 wheel drive).

We started in behind Pin Pin, who was headed for Seward. The trail is in good shape.

Read Pin Pin's report for Seward because Gordon and I only got Donaldson and Emmons. Richard did get Seward but it took 3 hours from the col to Seward and back.

As for us, the trail to Donaldson and Emmon is pretty defined. The only problems, the track goes off in the wrong direction a few times and at times the trees are thick.

If you stay to your right at each split in the track you will be ok.

We also saw another couple who were going for these peaks the next day, so the track to all three peaks should be well defined.

 

[Reekee]

The Gate?

Is the gate closed for the season? The last indication that it was open was 12-23-07. Any updates?

 

[PackMule]

The gate was open this past Sunday (1-13) and the road was passable. I guess a tree fell earlier in the week, but the ranger was there and cleared it out.

 

[Reekee]

Wonderful. If you've ever walked the road you know what I mean. 6.6 miles makes a big difference after a long day in the Sewards. Amen? I got to drive the road one winter and giggled all the way to the trailhead.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I'll be part of a group of 8 hiking in Saturday AM (Jan 19). We'll camp near the Ward Brook LT and hike up Seward-Don-Emm on Sunday. Then Monday we'll grab Seymour and hike out.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Wonderful. If you've ever walked the road you know what I mean. 6.6 miles makes a big difference after a long day in the Sewards. Amen? I got to drive the road one winter and giggled all the way to the trailhead.

With the new parking lot, it's more like 8+ miles now!

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I haven't seen the location of the winter parking area, but it does add over 4 miles one-way to the hike in (that's a total of about 10 miles to the Ward Brook LT). We're hoping to be able to drive to the summer TH, even if it's just to drop off gear and everyone except the drivers. Personally, I'm very nervous about parking at the summer TH overnight during Winter, since it's an unmaintained road and AAA will laugh at you if you need help beyond the maintained portion of Corey's Road. But then again, I'm not driving...

 

[Jay H]

Maybe you can fix 4-miles of tow rope and a winch from the summer lot to the paved section.

Jay

 

[Reekee]

4miles? All the more reason to get in there ASAP. We may be heading for the Calkins Brook approach the 25th and 26th.

 

[Lucky Laura]

Sewards, etc.

I'll be part of a group of 8 hiking in Saturday AM (Jan 19). We'll camp near the Ward Brook LT and hike up Seward-Don-Emm on Sunday. Then Monday we'll grab Seymour and hike out.

Bob- you're not the Bob who drove in last Saturday with Gordan, are you? I was waiting for a couple of people just past the bridge?

FYI- everyone- I have just a Saturn and I parked just over the bridge at the Shattuck Clearing trailhead-just an hour's walk to the summer trailhead. There was room for 2 cars there. Also, in the next mile, there were at least 2 plowed out pullovers, where my car could have driven to- that stretch is fairly flat.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

11 to go

Different Bob, but thanks for the road conditions info just the same. If successful, I'll be climbing Winter peaks #36 and 37 this weekend. The excitement of closing in on that "W" is second only to my feelings in the Spring of '04 when I was nearing completion of my first round of 46 (and where's a dancing banana when you need one?). - #5357

 

[alistair]

Was this climb of S-D-E a success? I plan to climb D-E in a few weeks and want to know if the trail has been broken and compacted.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Sewards

Our group of 8, as well as several others, hiked up Seymour and Seward from the Ward Brook trail this weekend. From Seward, our group broke trail over to Donaldson and partway to Emmons, but turned back as we ran out of time. The Calkins Brook HP showed no visible signs of being broken near Donaldson. On our way out Monday, the horse trail toward Calkins Brook had not been broken out since the last snowfall. Have fun!

 

[alistair]

How deep was the unbroken snow?

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I'd say only a few inches. There is a good hard base, so we were just breaking trail through the 3 inches or so of powder that fell Saturday night.