Whiteface & Esther via toll road

[spaddock]

Neil normally writes the long but wonderful reports. Since he won't be back until Tuesday or so and some people have asked for a report here goes...

We got to the toll house at 8am and were the first to arrive that day. Rik and his wife arrived shortly after and we were on trail by about 8:30.

There were five us on the trip to Whiteface: Neil, Dom, Rik & his wife, and myself.

The ski up the road was fantastic. I really enjoyed being able to see our destination almost the whole way up. Each time we saw the castle we were getting closer and closer. It was mostly cloudy that day but there was a little bit of blue sky and the sun still found a way to beam down upon us.

Just before the castle I saw the sign for handicap parking. We all agreed that we liked the fact that you could drive to the top of this one. Whiteface seems to get a lot of critisism about the road, but there are 45 other high peaks in the area and probably hundreds more below 4000 feet that able bodied people can hike. Seems only fair that handicap people or seniors, or whoever get to go to the top of one of them.

We made it to the castle in a little over 2 hours. We dropped the skis and packs and snowshoed the staircase up to the summit. I really enjoyed the summit since it was so different than most of the other high peaks. Despite no views it was still a fantastic time on the top. Dom was disspointed that he had forgotten his quarters for the binoculars at the top... I was all geared out ready for some big winds on top. Had my goggles, face mask, and down parka on ready to take on mother nature. Sure enough we get to the top and its perfectly calm! Oh well, if I crop out the hand rails in the pictures I can tell my folks I climbed Everest...

We climbed back down to the castle, ate a quick lunch and switched back into our skis. Then we skiied down the little ways to where the marked trail to Esther starts. It was there we said goodbye to Rik and his wife.

The trail to Esther was fairly packed all the way. Neil was chasing Dom like a member of the paparazzi trying to get some pictures of Dom in the great outdoors. The beauty of the Esther trail was awsome, trees packed with snow overhanging the trail were so picturesque.

We got a little confused when we came to the turnoff, there didn't seem to be a large cairn as reported, we dusted some snow off mounds to see if it was buried but couldn't find it. So we followed the trail which according to the compass was heading in the right direction. About 5 minutes into it it took a big jog left, which I thought was really strange, and I was beginning to think it was a short trail up Lookout mountain. We figured we'd continue on and see if it turned back and sure enough about 10 minutes later we were in the col and headed up.

It took us about 3 hours return trip back to where we left our skis on the Whiteface road. Then the ski down the road took what felt like 15 minutes! The mileage signs went by so quickly. It was the first hike in a long time where I was dissapointed to see the car.


-Shayne

 

[teejay]

Whiteface and handicapped

On one of my many lazy drives up Whiteface I noticed a ramp into the tunnel leading to the elevator. I walked up the tunnel to the few stairs up to the elevator door. There was no ramp at the stairs. When the operator came down to take me up, I mentioned the ramp at the entrance but not at the stairs. "What do you do when someone comes here in a wheel chair?", I asked. "We just haul 'em up. Do it all the time," he said.

There is accessible walkway around much of the summit tower, but they haven't paved the entire summit yet. I don't think that will happen.

teejay

 

[Mark Driscoll]

Thanks Shayne.

Was the trail you took to Esther the one at the 1st hairpin turn on you way down or the trail half way down the highway?

Mark

 

[spaddock]

Thanks Shayne.

Was the trail you took to Esther the one at the 1st hairpin turn on you way down or the trail half way down the highway?

Mark

I'm thinking it was the first hairpin. There is a sign to whiteface summit pointing to the right and on the left of that there is the marked trail to Esther. There was another trail broken out further down the road but we all decided it would be mentally better to get Esther then be able to ski the whole way down instead of stopping half way to hike up another mountain.

When we got to the bottom we knew we made the right call. If you were just wanting Esther then the first turnoff would probably work, but they're calling for a lot of snow this week.


-Shayne

 

[Skyclimber]

Your trip report was well written. Enjoyed reading.

Whiteface is truly a unique mountain in Winter. I always enjoyed that trip. The ice formations on the castle is something so awesome to see.
I too, am grateful, we have the Memorial Highway to Whiteface. Your right it is only one mountain out of 46, other people should not gripe. Now we need one up Algonquin!

 

[Rik]

I love the road. It is on the perfect mountain for it. The ski area, road, weather observatory, all on one is a great fit. And it sure is fun to ski down! I too love the ice on the castle! It doesn't look real.

 

[Rick]

Awesome report!! I am glad you had a great time!!!
did you ever find "Neils Junction" as labeled on the topo I had previously posted?

Skiing up Whiteface Auto Road is one of my favorites. I never understood why so many would prefer to hike up in the woods rather than ski or snowshoe up the road and enjoy the views.

I also agree on enjoying the road. I think it is great that we have some treasures that allow everyone an opportunity to visit.

It also allows surprises on loved ones - 2 years ago on a hot August day, we were camping at the ADK loj campground where my wife who was working on her 46 at the time, was hiking Whiteface and Esther with our local ADK chapter. I had the little one, then 2, on my back and we hiked up Mt. Jo for cookies and milk on a flawless summit.
We then headed back down, picked up a cooler of sodas and ice cream and and drove to Whiteface and surprised the group for lunch on the summit and then spent the afternoon playing at the North Pole!!!!
Another awesome day in the mountains.

 

[spaddock]

Awesome report!! I am glad you had a great time!!!
did you ever find "Neils Junction" as labeled on the topo I had previously posted?

Yeah I'm pretty sure we found "Neils Junction" it was broken out but we decided mentally it would be easier to grab Esther from the marked trail. That way we knew when we got to our skis we'd just be left with the fun ride down. Otherwise we'd have to stop the descent halfway and hike up another mountain.

Skiing the whole thing prety much top to bottom was such a blast. I want to go back there sometime soon with my Dad.

-Shayne

 

[Neil]

We followed the official trail from the road at the 2nd hairpin as it approaches the summit. The trail led away from the col which confused us then we came to a set of tracks that led almost 180 deg back. We followed these and the gps said we were approaching the col. I think we circumvented Lookout Mtn. in the process. I have a tracklog stored in my GPS. Maybe I'll post the map later on.
Rick,
If we had been doing Esther first we would have gone in from "Neil's junction". I had a route in my gps just in case but after scouting it out on the way up (no trail left from the previous travellers) we decided as Shayne said to put fun as our day's first priority. Plus, I was thinking of the next day's hike in to the Sewards...

I loved skiing the road. After hiking 40 different summits (Esther was 41) I found it to be a totally refreshing and interesting way to do a HP. Looking at the road winding its way up to the castle made me feel like I was either on a quest in an ancient time or heading up to the Overlook Hotel in the Shining.

Coming down was beyond words. I checked my time between two mileposts at 3minutes 15 seconds. Almost 20 mph! And that was on fresh snow. If it was icy and rutted that would be a pretty hairy descent.

 

[Neil]

Pics are up!
http://www.neil.webcentre.ca/outdoor pursuits/index.html

 

[Skyclimber]

There was so much snow. Not your pictureque day, that's for sure, with the clouds. Just loved the "snow bomb" pictures on Dom's head. Looked like alot of snow feathers too.

 

[Mark Driscoll]

Hi Neil,

Loved the pics. The to heading up to the top of Whiteface (the void) are just great, as is the set with the snow falling on Dom. I like the smile on Shayne's face.

Mark

 

[Rik]

I finally looked at the photos. So much fun! Weren't the burgers great! I love being a tourist in the void!

 

[Neil]

Here's a screen shot that I took of the tracklog downloaded from my GPS of our route between Whiteface and Esther.