Trap Dike TR & shameless peakbagging

[PamolaPat]

Hey everyone,
I have a couple trip reports up from the second half of this summer which may interest you. First is my photo page from my climb of the uber-classic Trap Dike on Colden, in the Adirondacks, including (bonus) our descent of the southeast slide.
Second is my photo selections from four days or shameless solo peakbagging in which I did a series of dayhikes, sleeping in the back of my Subaru at trailheads. Hit Techumseh, the Kinsmen, Hale, Willey, Waumbek, Cabot and Carter Dome. I almost finished the 48 that week but I decided to hold off, saving Monroe and Eisenhower for November (I wanted to finish with a solo Presi Traverse, but could not due to weather--I have no desire to finish my 48 in less than good style).
Okay, so just go to http://www.vu.union.edu/~allenp2/hiking.htm and click on "Colden" or "CarPacking".

Lay it out,

Patrick

 

[TCD]

Nice pix of Colden! I've done that trip many times, both summer and winter. It's a great trip

I think Don's guidebook statment that "the slide ends right on the trail" was more intended for people going up that slide. You're right, of course. It does not end right on the trail, but about 50 feet away through open woods. If you're going up, it's very easy to se the slide and walk over to the bottom of it. If you're coming down, it's not so easy to see the trail if you don't know where it is.

Also for future reference, if you want to find the very skinny herd path to the top of the 1990 slide while walking on the trail along Colden's ridge, there's a landmark. As you walk along the trail a couple hundred feet N of the true summit, on your right you will see a weird looking tree about 30 feet from the trail, that almost looks like two trees grew together into a sort of bulging, single tree. At that point, you step up onto a flat rock alongside the trail, and the herd path is there. Sorry I don't have a picture of the tree to post, but it's quite distinctive.

TCD

 

[blacklab2020]

When did you do the great range traverse?

There is a good chance we (my brother, girlfriend, and I) saw you while you were heading up to Haystack from the saddle between Haystack and Basin. I think we might have been purifying water at that point.

We were up there July fourth weekend. I think it was Saturday a little after noon. Great day to be out there.

Justin

 

[grasshopper]

hey our paths almost crossed again,my son and I were headed up to the whites sun. 8-28 in the rain and completed our 48 on cannon at the end of a wet week.see trip report 46 on 48th.we were watching the weather reports and you had some of the best.I'm a big slide fan and 90 slide on colden is great in winter and easy to find from trail down from lake arnold.hope to see you out there.
walk me out in the cold rain and snow.(GD).

 

[PamolaPat]

Thanks for the advice, TCD. Next time I do the 1990 slide I will have a much better feeling for the layout (anyone want to ski it this winter?). Tom and I wanted to go down the climber's right part of the slide, we felt this would be the most straightforward descent route, but once we staretd the bushwhack realized it wouldn't be reasonable to get over there. Otherwise we would have descended as you described.

Blacklab, I think I remember you guys--it was July 2nd the day I did the Traverse.

That's funny, Grasshopper, it would have been really funny to see you all the way over in the Whites. I was glad I did my hiking when I did--the weather was "less than ideal" for the following week, that's for sure. I think topping out on Carter Dome was the worst non-winter conditions I've ever summitted in...hence, no photos from that day.

Enjoy,

Patrick