yvon
Active member
Allen on July 5, 2008
Last year when I planned the mountains to complement our 46, Allen was not at the 45th rank. Complete our 46 was part of our training in order to make the trek to Everest base camp in Nepal. But in July 2007, Annie's done a sprained ankle on the return from Colvin and Blake. We had to take a rest for a period of one month and my plan did not work because of lack of time. I had to change my plan and order of the mountains.
For several weeks while I know that we will soon do Allen, I had feel stress, and even more last week. Stress due to having to find the temporary path because the bridge over the river Opalescent was swept away, stress because of all the things said about the trail to this mountain, stress to find the right path and find the summit, stress if I missed my shot and being forced to go back again. Perhaps because it was the 45th of 46. In short, everything to sleep poorly.
Friday afternoon, leaving directly after work, we go to sleep in Newcomb to be early the next morning to start our hike.
It is 6.15h the next morning, we are signing the register and we are en route to Allen. At 7.30 we arrive at temporary trail that crosses the river Opalescent, very easy to find. We have to take away our boots, put them around our neck and shorten our pants. Not so worse, the water is cold but not too deep, 8 to 16 inches / 20 to 40 centimeters. The cold water on our way back will be very welcome because it will be very refreshing. But not for the boots around the neck. Near the nose, Herk! Damn how those boots can smell... at the end of a hike. Finally we arrive at the base of the Allen Brook, it is a very nice little fall.
Several people warned me to take precaution with the brownish substance that we will meet on that part of the climb because it is very slippery. Well, yes, it's very slippery. Finally we arrive at the summit and it is another summit of the 46 completed. The black flies were also there, but in smaller numbers than the other day on Seymour. There is a very nice point of view of the south-east side where you can see the Dixies, Blake and Covin, Boreas Ponds. On the north side you can see Redfield, Skylight and Marcy in the background. Two beautiful point of views. On our way down, we have to be careful not to slip on the red substance. But, I put foot on a dry surface and bang! I am on my butt. The foot slipped me, probably I had something under my boots. I slipped, fell to the ground and slide on the famous substance and I stop at least 50 feet down on a rock. The shock was very brutal. Not too much damage, I scraped my left forearm, I twisted my wrist and my little finger. This will remind me at least for a week, my passage on Allen.
Not too difficult to follow the trails, because 11 of the 14 km (7 of 9mi) to the top have trail markers and another section with ribbons today. The last portion of the trail from the fall to the top is fairly steep, but the rest is quite easy. The difficulty is in the length of the hike.
Finally, to conclude on my Allen hike, is not so worse than I expected.
We had a fantastic day under the sun.
Back at home, stress has faded, now I can sleep in peace, now we are ready for next weekend, #46 Dix.
Last year when I planned the mountains to complement our 46, Allen was not at the 45th rank. Complete our 46 was part of our training in order to make the trek to Everest base camp in Nepal. But in July 2007, Annie's done a sprained ankle on the return from Colvin and Blake. We had to take a rest for a period of one month and my plan did not work because of lack of time. I had to change my plan and order of the mountains.
For several weeks while I know that we will soon do Allen, I had feel stress, and even more last week. Stress due to having to find the temporary path because the bridge over the river Opalescent was swept away, stress because of all the things said about the trail to this mountain, stress to find the right path and find the summit, stress if I missed my shot and being forced to go back again. Perhaps because it was the 45th of 46. In short, everything to sleep poorly.
Friday afternoon, leaving directly after work, we go to sleep in Newcomb to be early the next morning to start our hike.
It is 6.15h the next morning, we are signing the register and we are en route to Allen. At 7.30 we arrive at temporary trail that crosses the river Opalescent, very easy to find. We have to take away our boots, put them around our neck and shorten our pants. Not so worse, the water is cold but not too deep, 8 to 16 inches / 20 to 40 centimeters. The cold water on our way back will be very welcome because it will be very refreshing. But not for the boots around the neck. Near the nose, Herk! Damn how those boots can smell... at the end of a hike. Finally we arrive at the base of the Allen Brook, it is a very nice little fall.
Several people warned me to take precaution with the brownish substance that we will meet on that part of the climb because it is very slippery. Well, yes, it's very slippery. Finally we arrive at the summit and it is another summit of the 46 completed. The black flies were also there, but in smaller numbers than the other day on Seymour. There is a very nice point of view of the south-east side where you can see the Dixies, Blake and Covin, Boreas Ponds. On the north side you can see Redfield, Skylight and Marcy in the background. Two beautiful point of views. On our way down, we have to be careful not to slip on the red substance. But, I put foot on a dry surface and bang! I am on my butt. The foot slipped me, probably I had something under my boots. I slipped, fell to the ground and slide on the famous substance and I stop at least 50 feet down on a rock. The shock was very brutal. Not too much damage, I scraped my left forearm, I twisted my wrist and my little finger. This will remind me at least for a week, my passage on Allen.
Not too difficult to follow the trails, because 11 of the 14 km (7 of 9mi) to the top have trail markers and another section with ribbons today. The last portion of the trail from the fall to the top is fairly steep, but the rest is quite easy. The difficulty is in the length of the hike.
Finally, to conclude on my Allen hike, is not so worse than I expected.
We had a fantastic day under the sun.
Back at home, stress has faded, now I can sleep in peace, now we are ready for next weekend, #46 Dix.
