Black Spruce, Bookah and I set out on a warm morning and made good time to the observer's cabin. Then it was up, up, up the remaining distance to the top.
No hurry, but we were on the clock because of the ever warming day. Good short hike with the hot forecast and our objective was to reach the tower before it heated/hazed up the views and to pick as many variations of mushrooms as we could find and then try to identify them with Christine's mushroom guides on the summit rocks. We found 15 or 17 varieties, including a rogues gallery of the deadly amanita family. Although bugs were fairly scarce, the nice breeze on the tower was a welcome respite from the building heat.
I knew there would be a nice view on the summit but we were both unprepared for the scope and scale of the views. From Snowy and Sewards we could see the Santanonis, Wallface, MacNau, Macs, Lost Pond, Street-Nye, North River Mtns, Cheney, Allen, Redfield, Dixes, Great Range and everything in between. Even with the bit of haze it was a spectacular view, one of the most all encompassing I've enjoyed in a while. And did I mention the refreshing breeze?
After greeting some hikes from the town where I live, it was time to head down and we walked into more and more heat. The air conditioning in the truck was welcome on the long ride back down the access road to 28N.
Besides a perfect hike on a hot day, learned lots about mushrooms and enjoyed the company of a good friend with plans to do some more exploring.
I'll get some photos up after the camera and I cool off.
No hurry, but we were on the clock because of the ever warming day. Good short hike with the hot forecast and our objective was to reach the tower before it heated/hazed up the views and to pick as many variations of mushrooms as we could find and then try to identify them with Christine's mushroom guides on the summit rocks. We found 15 or 17 varieties, including a rogues gallery of the deadly amanita family. Although bugs were fairly scarce, the nice breeze on the tower was a welcome respite from the building heat.
I knew there would be a nice view on the summit but we were both unprepared for the scope and scale of the views. From Snowy and Sewards we could see the Santanonis, Wallface, MacNau, Macs, Lost Pond, Street-Nye, North River Mtns, Cheney, Allen, Redfield, Dixes, Great Range and everything in between. Even with the bit of haze it was a spectacular view, one of the most all encompassing I've enjoyed in a while. And did I mention the refreshing breeze?
After greeting some hikes from the town where I live, it was time to head down and we walked into more and more heat. The air conditioning in the truck was welcome on the long ride back down the access road to 28N.
Besides a perfect hike on a hot day, learned lots about mushrooms and enjoyed the company of a good friend with plans to do some more exploring.
I'll get some photos up after the camera and I cool off.
