ClimbHi
New member
I drive up to the Loj Friday afternoon and parked at one of the South Meadow campsites where I slept in the car. Other than the pouring rain - it wasn't bad - certainly wasn't to cold.
That Saturday morning met Sean and his friend Andrew (Two folks I met for the first time through VFFT). It was still raining hard so we went into Lake Placid for breakfast.
The rain slowed to a heavy mist so we set out around 9:30 am, trail was soft and wet. After a while, they quickly got out in front of me (I'm slow). Right after I passed the turn off to Wright, now heading towards Algonquin, I saw them headed back towards me. Turns out around 1/4 mile down the road they had both punched through the snow into "frozen Slurpees up to our knees". With their boots and socks now soaked, and the temp. scheduled to drop 40 degrees that night, they knew they were done (right choice on their part!).
We all headed back to the Loj. About 1/2 before the parking lot, I saw a nice spot in the woods for a campsite. I had a new tent and stove and I was going to use them. Lesson to be learned - don't set up a new tent for the first time in the woods, in a snow storm when the light is fading fast. I stayed warm and dry that night as 5" of snow fell. The next morning I packed up and was thinking of heading towards Marcy Dam, but a strap on my MSR snowshoes had fallen off and gotten lost in the snow..so I headed home.
Sean and Andrew had also camped out, right by the Loj. They took their frozen boots and went home Sunday morning.
Still a good time for everyone in spite of plans changing. I met two new "hiking buddies", tried out new gear and everyone was safe and sound. --plus I got some needed time in the woods.
That Saturday morning met Sean and his friend Andrew (Two folks I met for the first time through VFFT). It was still raining hard so we went into Lake Placid for breakfast.
The rain slowed to a heavy mist so we set out around 9:30 am, trail was soft and wet. After a while, they quickly got out in front of me (I'm slow). Right after I passed the turn off to Wright, now heading towards Algonquin, I saw them headed back towards me. Turns out around 1/4 mile down the road they had both punched through the snow into "frozen Slurpees up to our knees". With their boots and socks now soaked, and the temp. scheduled to drop 40 degrees that night, they knew they were done (right choice on their part!).
We all headed back to the Loj. About 1/2 before the parking lot, I saw a nice spot in the woods for a campsite. I had a new tent and stove and I was going to use them. Lesson to be learned - don't set up a new tent for the first time in the woods, in a snow storm when the light is fading fast. I stayed warm and dry that night as 5" of snow fell. The next morning I packed up and was thinking of heading towards Marcy Dam, but a strap on my MSR snowshoes had fallen off and gotten lost in the snow..so I headed home.
Sean and Andrew had also camped out, right by the Loj. They took their frozen boots and went home Sunday morning.
Still a good time for everyone in spite of plans changing. I met two new "hiking buddies", tried out new gear and everyone was safe and sound. --plus I got some needed time in the woods.
Good point !
