seward range dec. 22 ?

[Pig Pen]

Hi

I succeeded in getting a day off on the 22nd, so I'm in for this one. I have a two wheel drive car so I may want to bum a ride at the bridge.

 

[Pvon]

hitchin a ride

Pig Pen, I'll be driving a silver blue 4WD extended cab pickup truck with a cap on the back and "Haystack" on the license plates. Its got high clearance and brand new snowtires. As long as the gate is open I'm good to go. It takes about 15 minutes to drive that 3 plus miles in 4HI. I can pile in as many people as will fit, front and back. The bus will leave from the snowplow turnaround at Stoney Creek bridge at a yet TBD time.

I understand from an email I just received from a certain unnamed winter hiker that the going rate is $80 one-way, $800 roundtrip!!! Ha! Payment can be made in gumdrops.

I'll check the road condition Sunday for a report to follow.

Pvon

 

[50peaks]

I need all four Sewards for my December 46 and I've just learned I can get off work on 12/22. I'd be happy to get Donaldson and Emmons, or Seward, or all three on 12/22. And I'm open minded about approaching from the truck trail on the north or from Calkins Brook on the west. What time do you plan to start from Stony Creek (or conditions permitting from the summer trailhead)? If starting from Stony Creek, I don't expect to do all three that day.

 

[ebbinghaus]

Seward

I have been saving that day (Wed -- Dec 22nd) for a hike. This sounds like it might be a good one. I need any and all of the Sewards for my Winter 46. (I also drive a Subaru that might be useful if the gate is open in getting more of us closer to the trailhead.)

 

[MLepore]

Seymour

There seems to be a large group going in on the 22nd for the Sewards.

Any interest for Seymour on the 23rd??

 

[Pvon]

Sewards 122204 "ATTACK"

Mlepore, I don't know for sure there is a large group but the potential is possible if the gate is open. Many of these threads hedge their joining the "attack" on driveable conditions to the summer trailhead.

What will likely happen is a common starting time like 6:30 AM (my plan unless convinced otherwise) for a nucleus group. Stragglers, soloers or those desiring to catch up on the ridge will form smaller groups. At some point people likely will bunch up into a larger group.

I plan on checking the road condition sunday and then make my way across the "new" cutover" to the traditional herdpath on the south side of Calkins Brook at 800 meters. I might go on for 1-1.5 hours beyond that to check snow conditions. I'll report my findings here late Sunday night.

The long range forecast has a 50-50 chance for a snow storm event after that so my report might not be accurate for actual Wednesday morning conditions. The forcast, however, should be more reliable come Sunday evening.

It might be helpful if everyone could confirm their participation/intent for the Wednesday, 22nd, "attack". On Monday, I'll restate my start time based on my Sunday recon.

Ebbinghaus and 50 peaks welcome to the Dec. 22, 2004 "SEWARDS ATTACK"

Pvon

 

[Pvon]

Dec. 19 Calkins Brook Recon

Winter has arrived to the Corey's Road and lower slopes of the Seward Range. I was able to drive again to the summer trailhead with 4WD. About 8" new snow with more falling tonight is quickening the date to the gate closing. High clearance 4WD in low gear of high range should handle the drive ok if your tires are good and you've got high clearance. Keep your fingers crossed that the gate is still open Wednesday morning. I advise 2WD traffic to park at the bridge. You'll probably have trouble if you even try to park at the horse assembly area before the gate. I'll be glad to pack into my pickup truck whoever/whatever I can haul. Problem might be the drive out given the warm forecast for Wednesday.

I stamped out a track to the other side of a large blowdown area at 35-3600 feet with snowshoes. Snow above 3000' is beginning to acculmulate a lot. We will have our work cut out for us beyond this point for the next quarter mile to the ridge and then over to Seward. I turned around at the 4 hour mark and figure it will take at least another 2.5-3 hours to Seward from 3600' elevation. Getting all three peaks without a broken trail on the ridge will likely be very tough.

Expect to get very wet. The trees are all snow covered, there is a lot of powder and falls are inevitable. Warm temps won't help us either. Gore tex outerwear is advised. I got soaked today and when temps dropped dramatically on my way out to near zero I ended up a popscicle when I arrived at my truck. Do be prepared!

Anyone have thoughts we should consider?

Pvon

 

[John H Swanson]

PVon,

Nan and I are planning to join you.

As the forecast calls for an afternoon warming, I would recommend an earlier start. This would maximize our hiking on firmer snow. Also, if we could get at least some of the breaking done before the temps get above freezing then we would be more productive and stay dryer.

If we meet at 6:30 and start hiking by 7:00, then we'll be hitting the ridge as things warm up. What do you think about meeting at 5:30 to start hiking by 6:00? that extra hour could help. Obviously your call.

JHS

 

[Pig Pen]

Hi All

I have reserved a room at Amanda's Village Motel in Saranac Lake for Tuesday night, so I can't back out now. I second the motion for the earlier start time. Thanks for your efforts PVON.

 

[Pvon]

Start time and thoughts about Emmons

John, I hear you about the earlier start. Unfortunately I possess a body that doesn't understand 4AM wakeups. That said let me approach this from a couple angles.

One, the best I might do is 6AM at the Stony Creek bridge (it will take at least 1.25 hours drivetime on dry road conditions).

Second, given there is no broken trail on the ridge how likely is Emmons? Starting from the summer trailhead yesterday I got up to 3600' in four hours. Beyond that we will have to pick the route and deal with unbroken, deepening snow. Leaving the summer trailhead NLT 6:30AM should put us on Seward by 1 pm. Will that leave adequate time for Emmons for those who want it? If the group is large enough to split at Donaldson that might work for those trying for all three. For me, Seward is the goal. 1 PM on Seward would put me back on the truck trail NLT 4 PM and back to the trailhead around 6 PM.

We should have no problem with snow conditions up to 3600' no matter the temp. BTW, I tracked out the "cutover" route which avoids the lower herdpath and saves 1 mile distance. However, it requires about the same energy effort. I would expect ambient air temperatures on the ridge to remain below freezing although surface snow conditions could cause "balling" hassles on snowshoes.

John and Bill, is 6 AM at the bridge ok?

Pvon

 

[John H Swanson]

6am - okay by me.
See you then.

 

[Pig Pen]

I will plan on being at the snowplow turnaround near the bridge at 6:00 Am

 

[Doc McPeak]

Phil,

Rik and I are still taking inventory and debating away. Since we did the long haul last year and broke trail up to Donaldson only we are pretty determined to give it a big effort for all three. Getting to the summer trailhead was the key for this attempt, and my friend isn't sure his Explorer can make the drive. My big Ford was noisy in 4WD last winter so I'm not sure about using it in there either. Do we have anyone else heading in with a high clearance 4WD who would want to chuck the turnaround time and tough out a three peaker? With your party heading to Seward and with us heading to Emmons that could open things up a bit for a higher success rate.

Also, do you have the summer path gps-ed out, or are we going m&c once past the blowdown? And how was the brook last weekend?

Thanks, Sean

 

[50peaks]

Ebbinghaus (Wayne Gray) and I (Don Berens) will stay in a Saranac Lake motel Tuesday night and try to drive his 4WD Subaru to the summer trailhead in time to get there about 6:00 am Wednesday. If gate or snow stops us we'll see you near that spot. I incline toward Emmons before Seward. Pvon, do you intend to descend Seward northward to the truck trail between the leantos, or back along the inbound tracks in the Calkins Brook drainage?

 

[Rik]

Ok, were in. Doc McPeak, myself and one other will arrive a little later than everyone else. We move pretty well so plan to catch the group before the ridge. We will go to Emmons first and then hopefully Seward.

 

[Pvon]

Looks like a split at Donaldson for both directions is more than likely. This should be an interesting hike and reminds me of a late February effort for the Santanoni's last winter. There must have been 20 plus people out that day. Several larger groups formed as did several smaller ones as well. I was the last one off the ridge that day and saw the sunset from Santanoni. It was clear with a waxing moon so I had a great moonlight hike out.

A moonlight hike out will likely be obscured this Wednesday night. For those going for all three it will be a long day.

Don, I don't plan on dropping down to Ward Brook truck trail via the northerly route after Seward. There was a party this past weekend at Ward Brook LT that signed in for Seward. I don't know if they were sucessful to Seward. It's an option I haven't counted on.

Doc, see you and Rik on the upper slope.

Pvon

 

[Pvon]

gps and brook crossing

Doc, Calkins Brook was mostly frozen and snow covered. On the new route there is a log that you can sidestep across. The lower crossing was ice and snow covered. The flow was less then last weekend. The mud was mostly gone too. The past 48 hours of below zero temps should firm the terrain up even more.

I'm not sure if I have any waypoints for Emmons from last year. I'll check. The path was pretty obscure in late December 04' when I was there. I pulled a Sam Eddy and slipped off a rock ledge while following his track then. If anyone has any GPS data for the ridge, it would help.

Pvon

 

[Pig Pen]

I have pretty good quality GPS data for the Donaldson-Seward-Ward Brook Part, and spotty data for Calkins Brook (nothing for the "new route" which I am hearing about for the first time). I put the data back in my gps for this trip, I am not sure how well that will work. I have nothing for Emmons because I did that three winters ago before I got involved with techno-hiking.

 

[Doc McPeak]

I don't know how much time or effort dropping down the backside of Seward would save, though if there is a track that could be an option. Especially since our group is going for Emmons first. I would normally opt back the same way, but who knows. Maybe the register will tell us how their trip went, and if you guys head that way we may follow.

50 peaks, careful trying that drive in the Suburu if the clearance would be close. Hate to have you get stuck. (Hate it even more if it blocked the way!) We are taking a run at all three, so if you are so inclined for the trilogy attempt we can give you a ride in the back of the F-150 ... not saying that we won't get stuck, but the odds go down with the big truck. But, who knows, the road could have been packed down ... so just letting you know that option is there.

See you on the ridge!

ps. How far along is the cutover trail? Is it flagged, or obvious?

 

[Pvon]

I was so cold when I left the Seward trailhead Sunday, I didn't notice if the group in for the weekend made it to Seward or not. Weather, if anything could dictate route choices tomorrow. Unless its raining I'd probably vote to return via my known route down CB.

We can expect precip of some sort. Ridge temps should be below freezing but a temperature inversion is possible leading to freezing or liquid precip at some time. Ah, the vagaries of winter hiking.

The Corey's Road beyond the Horse Assembly area was packed out when I drove out Sunday night. I'm guessing 8" clearance is necessary but traction is equally or more important. Blocking the road with a stuck vehicle wouldn't be fun.

Sean, the "cutover" route is marked with a large wood tripod about 6-7 feet in height. It is about 800 feet beyond the height of land, look on the USGS map for a benchmark on the truck trail I think at 2007' elevation. Use this for a waypoint of the tripod -- N44-10.0-21.9 // W 74-15-0.4. All WP's given are NAD 27 reference.

The route drops then climbs over the shoulder of an un-named ridge which marks the north side of CB. The route undulates down and up several drainages until reaching CB. The intent was to hold a given contour but it varies due to blowdown and spruce growth.

The point of the brook crossing is the sketchiest to find but tracks from 12/19 should be evident. Use this waypoint for the crossing -- N 44-09-54.5 // W 74-14-13.9.

The traditional herdpath is about 5 minutes from the brook crossing at 800 meter and Waypoint -- N 44-09-52.3 // W 74-14-08.4. This distance is about 1 mile. Figure about 60-70 minutes due to terrain. If used on the return it will avoid that long haul back up the trucktrail although I don't think I would do it in the dark.

Pig Pen, sounds like your GPS data will help going over to Seward. Calkins Brook up to 3600 ' is tracked so it will just be 1200 or so feet to the ridge without a track. The ridge is virgin for this winter season.