Success: Completing the Winter 46 on Haystack! 2008-02-23

[alavigne]

As some of you may know if you've been following my recent trip reports, we (myself and Jenn) were down one solitary high peak. And a good one, too: Haystack, which, in my opinion, is the best of all Adirondack Peaks. As you might guess, it wasn't an accident that this was the peak for us to finish on.

In any case, we had a great day. The weather toyed with me for a little (just to let me know who's boss), but in the end we made it, made it, made it! A beautiful finish on a great peak with great weather. Who could ask for anything more?

And a special thank you to Mark and Linda, who selflessly waited for hours at the Garden parking lot to welcome us back with gifts and posters! wow!

The [very] full writeup with pictures, text and data is available here.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I was wondering when you were going to post!

Congrats!

 

[Jay H]

A hearty congrats! Nice pictures and trip report, hopefully we'll have as good a day for that peak too.

Jay

 

[DreamFarmer]

Congratulations again !
You 3 are really something special !

 

[alavigne]

Not as special as Pin-pin, though. 92 regulars and 22 winters completed on Big Slide today. Now that's special! Too bad we didn't run into his group along the way back. We were too late coming out, probably.

 

[Guinness]

Congrats to everyone. I was with a small group that went up Haystack on Monday 25 Feb. and the turn off of Phelps to the Great Range Trail was partially obscured. Crazymama dug out the sign as her "public service" duty. The steep slide looked like no one was there for a long time and I broke the full slide out pausing at the top to catch my breath as it tired me quickly. We reached the summit of Haystack following your partial tracks most of the way up.

We also had a 46 finisher amongst us, but that trip report should come soon (not by me).

 

[mike1889]

Andrew,

Congratulations to you and Jenn! It was nice meeting you at the warming hut. We were glad to give you some hot chocolate.

Mike

 

[prino]

Congratulations Andrew. I'm wondering if I could hire you to write up my trip report for my 46th I'll pass you my notes
I'm the guy Guinness mentions who finished my 1st regular 46 on Monday.

I've followed your accounts for many months and am always impressed with the detailed descriptions and pics you put up on your website.
Way to go!

 

[alavigne]

Congratulations Andrew. I'm wondering if I could hire you to write up my trip report for my 46th I'll pass you my notes
I'm the guy Guinness mentions who finished my 1st regular 46 on Monday.

I've followed your accounts for many months and am always impressed with the detailed descriptions and pics you put up on your website.
Way to go!

Hmm... Maybe I should tag along on your hike and 'report' on it, journalist style....

Thank you for the kind words!

 

[alavigne]

oops... misread that - you just *did* your 46. How about when you finish your winters, then?

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

Congratulations! As I chip away at my own "W", I appreciate how difficult a task it is for us mere mortals (see "The Day D..."). Still 9 more for me. Way to go, Andrew!

 

[HikerDoc]

Finishing ADK winter 46

Congratulations Al Lavigne, on finishing. I also finished on Haystack, back in '99, with Steve Ward. I have a nice letter signed by Grace and Will Desbiens. We didn't have the good weather, in fact it was a whiteout with no view. Nevertheless, since I had driven all the way from Swampscott, MA, I went for it. Back in the day, no digital cameras, no VFTT, no one to share it like now. What's next?

 

[alavigne]

Congratulations Al Lavigne, on finishing. I also finished on Haystack, back in '99, with Steve Ward. I have a nice letter signed by Grace and Will Desbiens. We didn't have the good weather, in fact it was a whiteout with no view. Nevertheless, since I had driven all the way from Swampscott, MA, I went for it. Back in the day, no digital cameras, no VFTT, no one to share it like now. What's next?

What's next... as in what outdoor activities next?

Well, next week we have our unofficial mostly-annual southern utah desert trip. I simply love that area (to which several trip reports on my web site can attest). After that, probably some NE 111er peaks, since I'm sorta getting close to that, and this summer... well, I'd like to do some mountaineering of some sort out west. We'll see...

 

[king tut]

The black and white photo is fantastic. Congrats on your achievement.