una_dogger
Well-known member
Today HOL and I left the Loj at about 6:15 am to tag Marcy, Skylight & Gray in that order. We got just below the summit cone of Marcy and saw some white whispy fog moving in, but no real dark clouds. We talked about it a bit, and both came to the conclusion that visibility might be a factor, and headed to the top. We were committed to being flexible, and making decisions as the weather unfolded, each step of the way. We got up there just about 10am and took a look around and saw these humongous black clouds that seemed to just come from nowhere.
I was thinking later it they must have been socked in at Lake Colden and just rose up when the temperature changed. We started to hot foot it down to Four Corners when the hail started -- and we both knew what was next. Within minutes the hail was really heavy and strong, and we were getting pinged and stung by it. The lightning was about a couple minutes behind the hail, as we expected. We made the first little bit of treecover and got our raingear on, then broke out through the second bit of exposure and the lighting was close to us -- we were really happy to hit treeline and be sheltered, but the sky was still really black and the trail was slick.
We knew Skylight was out of the question but hoped we'd be able to get Gray. Going back over Marcy was also very much out of the question so we settled our minds on a nice long walk in the woods, returning to the Loj via the Lake Arnold Trail. Down at Four Corners the lightning and thunder became more distant. We headed down the the Gray herdpath. The sky wasn't getting any better, and we began to discuss leaving Gray for another day. I said something like "well , the mountains gave us one good warning today and we might be better not asking for another one". When we got to the Gray herdpath it was a tough decision, but we both knew what the wisest decision was, leave them for another day. It was tempting to go up, as the sky was clearing in places, but we had so many reasons we agreed upon; the instability of the weather, and the fact that the herdpath had just taken a pounding of rain --the damage the pounding of our boots would do. The right choice was evident and we accepted it. Others may have chosen differently, this worked for us.
We met a solo hiker on the way down, and she had hunkered down in the lean too from the storm. She was headed to Gray,and we wished her well and moved on.
We stopped for lunch at the convergence of the brooks by the Feldspar Leantoo, eating on the rocks and enjoying a few unexpected moments of sunshine.
We turned onto the Lake Arnold Trail and very shortly after the Feldspar Brook Leantoo, Nancy noticed a fresh bear track, then more.
. Given that it had just been a downpour, they had to have been really fresh. Then we saw more, big ones and little ones. We looked at eachother, and weren't too thrilled with the possibility about tailing a Mama Bear with her cub. We began to whistle so they'd know we were there, but we must have followed those tracks nearly 2 miles. Just over the pass, the tracks left the trail and we saw them no more.
It certainly was becoming a day of decisions. Choices to make, plans formed, re-evaluated, and reformed. Conscious decisions about how to act and react in the woods. No new peaks for me today but lots of tests. It was, as always, a good day to be in the woods. I always learn something new, I'm always challenged in some way. The volatile weather continued throughout the day, thunderclaps roared from distant corners of the High Peaks...yeah, we made the right decision!
We got back to the Loj just before 3pm. Plenty of time to shower, eat, and rest up for the big hike I was planning for tommorrow. I watered and car kenneled Terra, our faithful little trail partner and protector from bears, said my goodbye's to HOL, and headed to the shower. I planned to take Terra down to Heart Lake for a swim after. Upon returning and letting her out of the car, I noticed she was limping badly on a front leg. My heart sank. I took her to the lake, hoping after washing away the mud, that I'd find a cut paw pad. No cuts, no abrasions, it was something more serious.
More decisions. Would she be better in the morning? Maybe, but who was I kidding? She wasn't hiking tommorrow. I worked on getting a message to those I planned to hike with. Would I camp out and see them off? No, no way -- Terra needs a warm dog bed and a trip to the vet in the morning.
I broke camp and brought her home. Fingers crossed my little buddy will be back on the trails soon, and that she's not injured seriously.
I was thinking later it they must have been socked in at Lake Colden and just rose up when the temperature changed. We started to hot foot it down to Four Corners when the hail started -- and we both knew what was next. Within minutes the hail was really heavy and strong, and we were getting pinged and stung by it. The lightning was about a couple minutes behind the hail, as we expected. We made the first little bit of treecover and got our raingear on, then broke out through the second bit of exposure and the lighting was close to us -- we were really happy to hit treeline and be sheltered, but the sky was still really black and the trail was slick.
We knew Skylight was out of the question but hoped we'd be able to get Gray. Going back over Marcy was also very much out of the question so we settled our minds on a nice long walk in the woods, returning to the Loj via the Lake Arnold Trail. Down at Four Corners the lightning and thunder became more distant. We headed down the the Gray herdpath. The sky wasn't getting any better, and we began to discuss leaving Gray for another day. I said something like "well , the mountains gave us one good warning today and we might be better not asking for another one". When we got to the Gray herdpath it was a tough decision, but we both knew what the wisest decision was, leave them for another day. It was tempting to go up, as the sky was clearing in places, but we had so many reasons we agreed upon; the instability of the weather, and the fact that the herdpath had just taken a pounding of rain --the damage the pounding of our boots would do. The right choice was evident and we accepted it. Others may have chosen differently, this worked for us.
We met a solo hiker on the way down, and she had hunkered down in the lean too from the storm. She was headed to Gray,and we wished her well and moved on.
We stopped for lunch at the convergence of the brooks by the Feldspar Leantoo, eating on the rocks and enjoying a few unexpected moments of sunshine.
We turned onto the Lake Arnold Trail and very shortly after the Feldspar Brook Leantoo, Nancy noticed a fresh bear track, then more.
. Given that it had just been a downpour, they had to have been really fresh. Then we saw more, big ones and little ones. We looked at eachother, and weren't too thrilled with the possibility about tailing a Mama Bear with her cub. We began to whistle so they'd know we were there, but we must have followed those tracks nearly 2 miles. Just over the pass, the tracks left the trail and we saw them no more.
It certainly was becoming a day of decisions. Choices to make, plans formed, re-evaluated, and reformed. Conscious decisions about how to act and react in the woods. No new peaks for me today but lots of tests. It was, as always, a good day to be in the woods. I always learn something new, I'm always challenged in some way. The volatile weather continued throughout the day, thunderclaps roared from distant corners of the High Peaks...yeah, we made the right decision!
We got back to the Loj just before 3pm. Plenty of time to shower, eat, and rest up for the big hike I was planning for tommorrow. I watered and car kenneled Terra, our faithful little trail partner and protector from bears, said my goodbye's to HOL, and headed to the shower. I planned to take Terra down to Heart Lake for a swim after. Upon returning and letting her out of the car, I noticed she was limping badly on a front leg. My heart sank. I took her to the lake, hoping after washing away the mud, that I'd find a cut paw pad. No cuts, no abrasions, it was something more serious.
More decisions. Would she be better in the morning? Maybe, but who was I kidding? She wasn't hiking tommorrow. I worked on getting a message to those I planned to hike with. Would I camp out and see them off? No, no way -- Terra needs a warm dog bed and a trip to the vet in the morning.
I broke camp and brought her home. Fingers crossed my little buddy will be back on the trails soon, and that she's not injured seriously.
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