Oncoman
Active member
Day 1:
Left the parking solo under a cloudy sky with light intermittent snow. Trails were very well packed up to the Feldspar Lean-to with only 2-4” of fresh powdery snow. However on the Calamity trail near Lake Tear of the Clouds there was much more snow. In certain spots the wind in this more open areas had completely covered up the trail with 2 feet snow banks. Travelling on the frozen lake allows you to avoid this rough spot.
The trail up skylight is well broken and easy to follow. The wind on the summit was strong but not overly so. Unfortunately no visibility with light snow keeping falling. I decided to pass the summit cairn and continue a bit further along the summit and then gradually circle back. When I realized that I had the wind on my right cheek when it should have been on the left for the return trip I knew immediately that I was disoriented.
The only smart thing to do was to head once again for the summit and better orient myself. My snowshoe tracks on the icy rocks with no snow were quite hard to retrace. The shape of the rocks and icy brushes and wind direction are your best guidelines. Stay particularly alert. Also beware on the return near the tree line where falling back on the trail proves not to be at all obvious due to the complete lack of distinctive markers or landmarks. All the icy brushes looked alike!
Just as I was debating to bushwhack down towards the Marcy col, do a wide left/right semi-circle or pray the Lord for help, I hear my name being shouted out and here arrives Bob to my rescue. We had done Dix & Hough together a year ago. Talk about a heavenly call being answered so quickly. After cheerful greetings, I warned Bob that retracing the trail on the way back was not obvious. We then agreed that I would wait for him at the 4 corners junction and thereafter we would do Gray together. Mistake!
As I was chatting with 4 guys resting before heading up Marcy, Bob got lost on the way back and had to bushwhack down. May I suggest to leave a walking pole with a red flag on top of it near the tree line. You’ll surely appreciate your prudence on the way back, unless of course bushwhacking is your kick in life.
The ascension of the trail towards Gray was relatively easy, once Bob showed me the appropriate starting point. He had previously done Gray in winter conditions. Some spots are nonetheless quite steep. Be very careful especially on the way down. On the summit Bob & I briefly contemplated heading on the ridge for Marcy, but the lack of visibility and wind dictated prudence. So we decided to humbly retrace our snowshoe tracks. The return trip was uneventful and not overly exhausting. We were both back to the parking by 17h00, after a 9½ hrs great hike.
Day 2:
Very little snow on the trail until I reached the Lodge. I nonetheless wore my snowshoes due to the icy base. Again it snowed lightly all day, more heavily by midday but only for about 2 hrs. At the Bushnell Falls Lean-to I contemplated taking the Chicken Coop Brook trail, but since I could not find Neil & Alistair’s tracks of their planned Feb. 16th trip and not being familiar with that approach, I instead decided to do Basin via the Slant Rock trail and perhaps loop back by the CCB.
Having done these trails 4 weeks ago on my way to Haystack & Marcy, I was familiar with the blow-down sections none of which were difficult to manage. The upper section of the Shorey Short Cut trail was snow blown in but easy to follow. Never more than 2 ft of snow to break and only for a short distance; otherwise not more than 4 to 6” of light fluffy snow on the trails.
The ascension of Basin really surprised me by it’s steepness. The ladder section was completely iced up. Very treacherous. Was I clad that I had my crampons and ice pick.
On the summit there was no good view with wind and snowing. I wanted to descend towards Saddleback but seeing the deadly steepness of the slope and the fact that I would never be able to go up Saddleback solo and would have to bushwhack out via CCB, an exit unfamiliar to me, made me decide to head back the same way I came in. Did I take the right decision? I’ll never really know I guess, but let me tell you that the descent towards SSC junction proved to be just as deadly dangerous if not more so. Be very very careful and do not hesitate to deviate from the usual trail and use the relative safety of the brushes in the steeper parts of the ledges. Ice picks a must! The return trip thereafter was a breeze and I was back to my car at 17h00, after a 9¾ hrs hike, having met no one all day. Only 8 more peaks to go before my 46W badge which I hope to get this season. Happy hiking to you all!
Pierre
Left the parking solo under a cloudy sky with light intermittent snow. Trails were very well packed up to the Feldspar Lean-to with only 2-4” of fresh powdery snow. However on the Calamity trail near Lake Tear of the Clouds there was much more snow. In certain spots the wind in this more open areas had completely covered up the trail with 2 feet snow banks. Travelling on the frozen lake allows you to avoid this rough spot.
The trail up skylight is well broken and easy to follow. The wind on the summit was strong but not overly so. Unfortunately no visibility with light snow keeping falling. I decided to pass the summit cairn and continue a bit further along the summit and then gradually circle back. When I realized that I had the wind on my right cheek when it should have been on the left for the return trip I knew immediately that I was disoriented.
The only smart thing to do was to head once again for the summit and better orient myself. My snowshoe tracks on the icy rocks with no snow were quite hard to retrace. The shape of the rocks and icy brushes and wind direction are your best guidelines. Stay particularly alert. Also beware on the return near the tree line where falling back on the trail proves not to be at all obvious due to the complete lack of distinctive markers or landmarks. All the icy brushes looked alike!
Just as I was debating to bushwhack down towards the Marcy col, do a wide left/right semi-circle or pray the Lord for help, I hear my name being shouted out and here arrives Bob to my rescue. We had done Dix & Hough together a year ago. Talk about a heavenly call being answered so quickly. After cheerful greetings, I warned Bob that retracing the trail on the way back was not obvious. We then agreed that I would wait for him at the 4 corners junction and thereafter we would do Gray together. Mistake!
As I was chatting with 4 guys resting before heading up Marcy, Bob got lost on the way back and had to bushwhack down. May I suggest to leave a walking pole with a red flag on top of it near the tree line. You’ll surely appreciate your prudence on the way back, unless of course bushwhacking is your kick in life.
The ascension of the trail towards Gray was relatively easy, once Bob showed me the appropriate starting point. He had previously done Gray in winter conditions. Some spots are nonetheless quite steep. Be very careful especially on the way down. On the summit Bob & I briefly contemplated heading on the ridge for Marcy, but the lack of visibility and wind dictated prudence. So we decided to humbly retrace our snowshoe tracks. The return trip was uneventful and not overly exhausting. We were both back to the parking by 17h00, after a 9½ hrs great hike.
Day 2:
Very little snow on the trail until I reached the Lodge. I nonetheless wore my snowshoes due to the icy base. Again it snowed lightly all day, more heavily by midday but only for about 2 hrs. At the Bushnell Falls Lean-to I contemplated taking the Chicken Coop Brook trail, but since I could not find Neil & Alistair’s tracks of their planned Feb. 16th trip and not being familiar with that approach, I instead decided to do Basin via the Slant Rock trail and perhaps loop back by the CCB.
Having done these trails 4 weeks ago on my way to Haystack & Marcy, I was familiar with the blow-down sections none of which were difficult to manage. The upper section of the Shorey Short Cut trail was snow blown in but easy to follow. Never more than 2 ft of snow to break and only for a short distance; otherwise not more than 4 to 6” of light fluffy snow on the trails.
The ascension of Basin really surprised me by it’s steepness. The ladder section was completely iced up. Very treacherous. Was I clad that I had my crampons and ice pick.
On the summit there was no good view with wind and snowing. I wanted to descend towards Saddleback but seeing the deadly steepness of the slope and the fact that I would never be able to go up Saddleback solo and would have to bushwhack out via CCB, an exit unfamiliar to me, made me decide to head back the same way I came in. Did I take the right decision? I’ll never really know I guess, but let me tell you that the descent towards SSC junction proved to be just as deadly dangerous if not more so. Be very very careful and do not hesitate to deviate from the usual trail and use the relative safety of the brushes in the steeper parts of the ledges. Ice picks a must! The return trip thereafter was a breeze and I was back to my car at 17h00, after a 9¾ hrs hike, having met no one all day. Only 8 more peaks to go before my 46W badge which I hope to get this season. Happy hiking to you all!
Pierre
