Hiking Year in Review

Looking back at my 2012 hiking, it was a year of quality over quantity. I did not do the amount of day-hiking I've done other years - just due to general busyness. I used a number of personal days as sick days, and to help take care of my mom. So I wasn't able to grab a personal day to do an A.T. day-hike, or even to get up to Hawk Mountain for a day of hiking and raptor-watching in the fall. But the hiking I *was* able to do was very memorable.

My Shenandoah N.P. weekend in May was memorable for the bear I saw, and the vistas from Big Devil's Stairs - and also because of the agonizing back pain I was in. Thankfully I recovered from that...though slowly. I've decided that I need to see both a bear and a rattlesnake in the wild every year. So this year was only 50% successful.

The boys' trip to the Adirondacks was another smashing success. It was the latest in a long line of fun and well-planned trips. I bagged two peaks (Marcy and Algonquin) - both were brutally hard, but the vistas from both summits were equally spectacular.

Finally, I had a fun day at Mt. Rainier. It was unfortunate that the clouds and snow took away the vistas I was hoping to see, but the hiking was still fantastic, and the pine and cedar mountainsides of Washington state have to be seen to be believed.

So 2012 is in the books, and I can't possibly complain. 2013 doesn't promise to be any less busy, but hopefully there will be more opportunities to get out for interesting day-hikes. Discussion and planning for a boys' 2013 hiking trip will be the subject of future posts.

Rampart Ridge Trail, MRNP, 11/11/2012

Part 2 of my Mt. Rainier hiking day. In my previous trip report, I cut short my hike to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground because I thought it might be snowing hard. When it turned out it wasn't, I decided on a second hike. I saw on my map that the Rampart Ridge Trail was a 5-mile loop, starting at the Longmire Visitor's Center, so I decided to give that a try.

My trip report follows.

12:06pm
I'm on the trail again. It's still lightly flurrying, but nothing to be concerned about. I'm parked at the Visitor's Center, and the trail starts just across the road. According to the map, I'll do a clockwise loop. I'll take the Rampart Ridge Trail for about three miles. When it junctions with the Wonderland Trail, I'll take the right fork, which will bring me back to the Visitor's Center in another two miles. That seems like a perfect hike for the time I have available - and especially as the last weather forecast I saw had heavier snow starting at 3pm.

12:55pm
Longmire Overlook. Holy smokes what a climb! After maybe a quarter mile of flat ground, the trail started climbing relentlessly, switchbacking up a mountainside. As with the last hike, the trees are enormous, and it just seems magical to be hiking in such a forest of monsters.

There's been the occasional break in the trees, giving me a view out to the surrounding area. I've had a few very brief glimpses through the thick clouds of distant snow- and ice-covered mountainsides. They're gorgeous views, but quickly gone (and un-photographable with my phone's camera) and are a tease of what the views could be on a clear day.

My GPS says I've come 1.9 miles, and I'm sweating profusely. The climb has been steep and unrelenting. I'm wondering how much elevation I've gained, and I'm guessing somewhere between 1500 and 2000 feet.

1:18pm
Junction of the Wonderland Trail. The last mile has been blessedly flat, and seemed to be a walk along the ridgeline. I'm pretty sure that on a clear day, there would have been vistas of Rainier itself to the left - but today I just looked out into clouds and fog. It's still snowing, and maybe a little harder then before. 2.0 miles to the trailhead, and there has to be a steep descent from this point on.

2:04pm
Trailhead, Longmire Visitor's Center. The descent was steep, but not as much as I expected. I hiked a little over 5 miles in about 2 hours, and that was perfect.

Postscript
I'm discouraged to see that the Park Service website says the hike I just did has an elevation gain of 1339 feet. It felt like *much* more than that. But no complaints, it was a beautiful and challenging hike.

I have nothing but good things to say about both the hikes I did in Rainier. The only unfortunate thing was the weather - the cloud cover took away all the mountain vistas, which are undoubtedly spectacular. But there's nothing you can do about the weather, and the chance to hike among such amazing trees was pure pleasure.

If the opportunity ever allowed, I would gladly return to Mt. Rainier National Park for more hiking.

Distance: 5.20 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:57:07

Rampart Ridge-Wonderland Trail Loop (hiked clockwise)

My two Rainier hikes, showing proximity to the mountain (which I never saw)

Kautz Creek Trail, MRNP, 11/11/2012

Last Sunday, I had the day to myself in the Seattle area. My only restrictions were that I had to deliver my friends to SeaTac airport at 7am Sunday morning, and I had to be at the airport myself the next day around 9am. The time between was mine to do as I pleased.

Two years ago, I also had a free day in Seattle, and that day I took John's advice and did a one-day exploration of the Olympic Peninsula that I still remember with great fondness (trip report here.) This time I wanted to do some hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park.

I had a hike picked out in the east side of the park - but I found out the day before that that section of the park is closed for the winter. I confirmed that the west side of the park was still open, and selected a hike: Indian Henry's Hunting Ground via Kautz Creek. This is a fairly long and strenuous hike, but I figured I had all day and I wanted to do something good.

Then at the party on Saturday night, I talked to a guy who works for the National Weather Service. He told me that snow was expected in elevations about 3000 ft. on Sunday afternoon. I promised I'd be careful (making him the latest in a long line of people  to receive my promise of being careful.)

Sunday morning arrived, gray and cool, and we left our cozy home-away-from-home at 6:10am. Part 1 of my trip report follows:

7:18am

Breakfast stop at McDonald's. I got my friends to SeaTac at 7am, and the rest of the day is mine. It's cloudy and cool, and the forecast is still not good. The park is maybe two hours away, and I'll get there as quickly as I can, so I can hopefully hike before the snow starts.

9:12am
Entrance to the National Park. Admission is free, as it's Veteran's Day. I got a few glimpses of Rainier over the last half hour, as I approached the park. I could only see the shoulders of the mountain, as its head is in the clouds - but even the first glimpse of that made me say "Woah!" It's *massive*, and I hope I'll get a view of the mountain today - though that's probably a long-shot, as it's getting more cloudy, not less.

9:39am

Kautz Creek trailhead. I drove maybe 5 miles into the park, and there's ice on the narrow windy road. I drove slowly and carefully and had no trouble. It's cold - probably a little above freezing. I'm dressed for it - with a few layers and my Gore-tex jacket. I have a water, a Gatorade, and a couple of energy bars. There are a few snowflakes falling, and the cloud cover is so heavy that there are no mountain vistas. Oh well, off we go.

10:15am
For the first 3/4 of a mile, the trail was flat and followed a stream. Then things got interesting - the trail crossed the stream, went into the woods, and started climbing. As soon as I went into the woods, I couldn't stop gaping. It was like entering another world...maybe Tolkien's Middle Earth. The trees were unbelievable - they were so thick and so *massive*. Some had fallen across the trail and had been cut, and its diameter was more than my height. They were mostly cedars and firs, and the smell was pure Christmas morning.

If you've read any of my trip reports, you know that a climb means that I start generating body heat like crazy. First my gloves went in my pocket. Then my jacket came off and got strapped to my daypack. I have a short-sleeve wicking shirt under a long-sleeve flannel shirt.

The trail is climbing relentlessly, and I'm huffing and puffing. There are no vistas, but hiking through these trees is magical.

10:42am
The trail is still climbing relentlessly, and my flannel shirt is now completely unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. I'm stopping for a short rest and drink, and I've decided to turn around and head back to the car.

Snow has been falling steadily - I would call it a light flurry, but that's what I'm seeing under the canopy of these massive trees, and maybe that means it's really snowing hard. I'm a little less than halfway to Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, and I hate to abandon the hike - but as I already noted, I've promised a number of people that I'd be careful, and I don't want to get in over my head if it really is snowing hard out there.

11:43am

Trailhead. That was a grueling downhill - I find the steep downhills hard on the legs/quads, where steep uphills are hard on the lungs. As I came out of the woods and followed the last half mile along the creek, I buttoned my flannel shirt again and put my jacket back on.

When I came out of the woods, I realized that my fears were not realized. What was a light flurry under the trees was indeed just a light flurry - so light that I think my hiking for the day is not over. The Longmire Visitor's Center is a few miles away, and I know there are a number of trails that go out of there. I'll drive up there and see about a second hike.

Distance: 5.22 miles
Elapsed Time: 2:09

Grand Canyon, Three Years After

I have a naturally good memory for dates - it's not something I have to work at, I just remember birthdays, anniversaries, and days of note. So I've noted that the past three days are the three-year anniversary of my Grand Canyon backpack with John and Ted. In some ways it seems like it happened yesterday, but in more ways it seems like so much has happened since then that it should be 5 or even 10 years ago.

Pack break, Hermit Trail (10/3/2009)

From Grand Canyon Backpack, Day 1, 10/3/2009

I can still say without a doubt that it was the most fun, most beautiful, most exciting, and most memorable outdoor thing I've ever done.

I re-read my blog posts of the trip today (it starts here), and I'm so happy that I wrote down my thoughts at the time. Re-reading it now transports me back there in a visceral way - the sights, the sounds, and the *feel* of hiking into the canyon come back to me.

My primary thought on looking back at it is the same as it was being there at the time - the sheer *immensity* of it. Everything is on such an unbelievably big scale. Of course you get a sense of that standing on the rim looking out at it - but to put a pack on your back and hike down into it just felt like walking into another world.

Sunrise over Grand Canyon, Day 3 (10/5/2009)

From Grand Canyon Backpack, Day 3, 10/5/2009

I will never forget my sense of disbelief as we approached Santa Maria spring, maybe an hour and a half into the first day's hike. We could finally get a view of the inner canyon, and it seemed *preposterous* that we could be going so far down. I would have found it easier to believe that we'd be putting parachutes on and jumping to get down there.

Three tired and happy guys (10/5/2009)

From Grand Canyon Backpack, Day 3, 10/5/2009

Our two nights on Hermit Creek, and our day at the Colorado River were magical, and the experience of watching the full moon rise over the canyon at our campsite is one of the handful of images that you burn into your brain and give thanks to the powers-that-be that you were fortunate enough to see in this lifetime.

There are countless beautiful places on this Earth, and many that I'd love to experience and hike. But if I'm given the choice of one place I can go, you'll find me with my big pack on, heading for some remote campsite deep within the Grand Canyon.

White Rock Falls Trail, 9/2/2012

I'm very late with this trip report, but hopefully it's better late than never.

I was with family in Staunton, VA over Labor Day weekend, and had some free time on Sunday to hike. I investigated some short hikes, and it's hard to choose, as there are so many excellent options. On previous Staunton trips, I've done some amazing hikes in the southern part of Shenandoah National Park. My stepdaughter's house is 20 minutes from the Rockfish Gap entrance to SNP.

This time, I decided to go south from Rockfish Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway, find the White Rock Falls trailhead at mile marker 18.5, and do the hike described here.

My trip report, in diary format, follows:

11:10am
I'm at the trailhead and about ready to hike. It's cloudy and cool, and the forecast says rain is possible. That's okay, I have my rain jacket, and I won't be out that long - the trail description I've seen says it's a 4.9-mile loop, so that's probaby about a two hour hike. I feel good and am ready to go.

11:45am
White Rocks Falls. Very pretty little falls as the stream tumbles over rocks. I've been descending gradually but steadily since coming off the ridgeline. I passed a woman with a dog just after starting, and I haven't seen anyone else since. The stream valley is very close and it really hold the humidity - it felt good until I got to the stream, but it's almot unbearably humid here. I'm stopping for a quick snack and a drink.

12:02pm
I'm stopping at an overlook with a very pretty vista. The climb out of the stream valley was steep and difficult - and the humidity stayed until I was completely out of the valley. I'm basking in the nice cool breeze. There are some rock climbers rapelling down the cliff, and I've spent a few minutes watching them.

12:15pm

Blue Ridge Parkway. I crossed the road and took a brief rest at a picnic table, and now I'm ready to go again. According to the map, I should find the blue-blazed Slacks Overlook Trail going right, which will complete my clockwise loop.

12:57pm
The Slacks Overlook Trail has been a pleasant walk - relatively flat compared to the ups and downs on the first half of this hike. There haven't been any more vistas, but the woods are very pretty - a few of the leaves are just starting to change color. It looks like a storm is brewing - there have been a number of thunder crashes that sound pretty close. I think I'm almost back at the car.

1:03pm

Yep, I was close. I'm back at the car, changing into a dry cotton shirt, and finishing my Gatorade. It hasn't rained yet, though it looks imminent. That was a very nice little hike. Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge has more hikes with bigger waterfalls and more spectacular vistas, but this is a pleasant little hike to stretch the legs.

Distance: 4.73 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:48

Postscript: almost as soon as I started driving, it started teeming rain. Some of the hardest rain I've ever seen. So hard I had to slow to a crawl, and I had the car's wipers on the highest possible speed - which I never do. It lasted until I got near Rockfish Gap, and then eased off into a normal rain for the rest of the drive home.

Epic Trails

West Highland Way, Scotland

I saw that National Geographic published a list of 20 "epic" trails - in their words, "walks that travel deeper into a location’s history and culture." Looking through the list, I would eagerly do 19 of them - the exception being the climb of Mt. Fuji in Japan, which sounds like a perfect nightmare, jam-packed with half of Tokyo at any hour of day or night.

The chance of actually doing most of these hikes seems like a longshot at best (especially the ones in the Himalayas and Andes), but some seem especially interesting, and in the "who knows, maybe someday" category:

• Laugavegurinn/Fimmvörðuháls Pass, Iceland
  
• West Highland Way, Scotland
  
• Copper Canyon/Tararecua Canyon, Mexico
  
• Gaspésie National Park, Quebec

Adirondacks '12: Finale

"Home, Final Thoughts"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, and his final thoughts are here.

7:57am
We're done breakfast at the Comfort Inn and are getting ready to hit the road. I slept well, and Eric and I were up shortly after 7:00. The plan was to be on the road around 8:00, and we'll be close to that. The Weather Channel was on while we ate, and it looks like we'll be driving through some rain today, and that it will be quite hot when we get home. At this point I think we're all looking forward to being home.

12:27pm
We're at Phil's house, unloading the van. The drive was uneventful, we didn't hit any traffic to speak of, and made great time getting here. The predicted rain never happened - we may have gotten a sprinkle or two, but nothing more than that.

1:15pm
Eric dropped me off at my house, and Adirondacks '12 is officially over for me.

Final Thoughts

Summit of Algonquin Peak

It's probably not fair to compare trips, but I can hardly avoid comparing this trip to Adirondacks '08, since trips were so similar - we stayed at the same campground for the same number of days, and did some of the same hikes. On almost every point of comparison, this trip was better.

• Brother Eric was with us this time. I hope we didn't annoy him too much with comparisons of our '08 trip - there was a lot of talk of "remember when we did such-and-such here last time", which was only natural, but it may have had him feeling a little left out. I hope not.
• Our campsites were prettier and more secluded.
• The weather was better - last time it was much colder, and there were rain showers every day.



Lazy afternoon in camp

• I'm not sure I'll call it "revenge", but I got to the summit of Mt. Marcy and actually saw the vista this time.
• I also got to the summit of Algonquin Peak, and saw an equally spectacular vista.
• Campsite meal planning was fantastic. We ate like kings, for which I claim no credit. Left to my own devices, campground meal planning would be simple arithmetic:
      (number of days x number of meals/day = number of peanut butter sandwiches required)
• Having a guitar with me worked out even better than I expected (and I expected it to be good.) I'll be bringing it with me everywhere I can reasonably bring it.

The only negative point of comparison I can think of is that we didn't all make it to the summit of Marcy. There was nothing else to do at the time, but leaving John and Eric behind didn't feel good.

Combined GPS tracks of my two summit hikes

I've probably used these terms too often in this trip report, but the only words I can think of to describe Adirondacks hiking are steep, rocky, and punishing. I asked myself a few times on my two summit hikes if I was having fun. At a number of points on those climbs, the answer was "no, not at all" - it was often brutally hard work.

The vistas from the top, and the sense of accomplishment from having done those hikes really does make it seem worthwhile - but I also wonder if we should be looking at flatter hikes. I'm sure there will be discussions of that as we start to talk about next year's hiking trip (about which more soon - of course ideas are already flying around!)

I probably conclude each year's trip report the same way, but there's no other way to say it - it's a pure treat to be able to get away with such a good group of guys. We've known each other forever, we're used to each others' quirks, and we all love these trips where we can get away into some remote and beautiful places and do some great hiking and see some gorgeous scenery.

In short, it was another well-planned and well-executed trip: first-rate hiking and first-rate companionship. I can't wait to do it again next year.

Adirondacks '12: Day 5

"Algonquin Peak, Breaking Camp"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, here, and here:

7:42am
Well, my plan of getting up and hitting the trail at daybreak didn't happen. I had a very bad night's sleep, so I stayed in the sack until I felt somewhat rested. I finally got up shortly after 7am. It's a beautiful sunny morning, and I'm eating a quick breakfast (yogurt and an energy bar) and getting ready to go.

Phil says today's forecast calls for a high of 80, and a 20% chance of rain. Tonight there's a 70% chance of rain extending into tomorrow. That's not good news - I don't mind camping in the rain, but breaking camp and packing up in the rain is miserable, and results in a wet, smelly van. But we can wait until this afternoon to decide what to do - it's beautiful out now, and there's a full day of hiking ahead of us.

8:02am
I'm leaving camp and starting my hike. This is much later than I'd hoped - I know Algonquin will be a popular hike on a beautiful summer Sunday, and I hope to have at least some solitude. I feel great physically - I also feel a good bit of nervous excitement, as I expect this hike to be a challenge. It's four miles (one way) to the summit, and more than 3,000 feet of vertical elevation gain - except the first mile is completely flat, which means the next three miles are just about straight up. As with Marcy two days ago, I have my iPhone with me, turned off. I'll turn it on to take pics, and hope I have enough battery to capture the one-way track from the summit back to camp.

8:28am
I've come one (flat) mile on the Van Hoevenberg Trail, and am now at the Algonquin Trail junction, which I'll be taking today. The warm-up is over, and now the work starts.

9:19am
I'm at a very pretty waterfall. This is a pleasant surprise, so I'm stopping here for my first pack break. I was surprised (and not pleased) when the trail continued at a level grade after the junction - that just means that the climbing, when it starts, will be all the steeper. It finally did start to climb, but gradually. I'm roughly estimating that I've come a mile and a half since the junction, which means another mile and a half to the summit. I can't even guess at how much of the elevation gain I've done, but I'm sure it's less than half - which means I have a lot of steep climbing ahead of me. I'm glad I don't have an altimeter - it's better not to know just how far up I still have to go.

But I feel good, and the day is still gorgeous. The trail is very rocky and muddy, and follows what looks like a stream bed. I haven't seen anyone on the trail yet, which is a nice surprise. There haven't been any views yet - the trail is a green tunnel through thick woods.

9:56am
Junction of the trail to Wright Peak. Algonquin is 0.9 miles ahead - turning left, Wright Peak is 0.4 miles away.

I'm not above treeline yet, but the woods have thinned, and I can see views of the surrounding area. There's a monster of a peak out ahead of me, towering into the sky. My first thought was a fervent hope that I was looking at Mt. Marcy, and that I didn't have that far still to climb. But no, that can only be Algonquin, and my spirits sink into my shoes. Then I turn and look at Wright Peak, and it's also towering above me...yet I'm going more than 500 feet higher than its summit. My spirits, if possible, sink even lower. Physically I feel fine - I'm just not a great climber, and the prospect of so much steep climbing is daunting.

I'm taking a moment to look at the views, both up and out over the surrounding vistas. I've finally seen some other hikers.

10:38am
Summit of Algonquin! That last mile was very steep and difficult - just punishing and unrelenting. It seemed like every time I rounded a corner and looked at what was ahead, I could hardly believe my eyes. I know I thought this a few times, and I'm pretty sure I actually said out loud, "What the f^&*? Really?!?" Just disbelief that the trail ahead of me could be so steep and rocky. I took many little breaks to sip some water and gasp for breath.

Most of the last mile was above treeline, so the views were amazing in all directions - Algonquin looming in front of me, and vistas in all other directions. Wright Peak was off to my left, and I could measure my vertical progress against it: first I was looking up at it (with the hikers to its summit clearly visible), then I was even with it, and after a while, thrillingly, I was above it.

It's a gorgeous sunny day, and the views might even be better than from Marcy - just breathtaking in all directions. Marcy is clearly visible, miles away, but every other point is below me. I'm at elevation 5,114 feet above sea level - and Marcy (5,344) is the only other peak over 5,000 feet in NYS.

11:06am
As at Marcy, I stripped down as far as I could to dry off. This time, I did bring a change of shirt and socks. I ate a PowerBar, drank a Gatorade, and sat on the rocky summit drinking in the views.

I feel pretty good, and am not worried about the hike down. I've been toying with another idea, and finally decided against it - this trail continues 1.1 miles to the summit of Iroquois Peak (elevation 4,840). The trail descends off the peak here, dips down onto a saddle, then climbs to the summit of Iroquois. It's very tempting, and I definitely feel good enough - but in the end I decided I've had enough climbing - also, I hadn't mentioned this possibility to the guys, and I don't want them to worry about me if I get back much later than expected.

It's time to start down. I've turned on my iPhone, taken some pics, and will start the GPS app to capture a track of my hike down.

11:39am
Some of the down-hiking has been every bit as stressful as the climb, as I don't want to fall down any of the steep parts. Also, I'm wondering if the elevation and the exertion have me hallucinating. Climbing to the summit, as I was descending off of it, were a procession of knockout young lady hikers, highlighted by a blonde Valkyrie right out of a Wagner opera, who I'm pretty sure was named Inga (or possibly Elsa...or Brunhilde.) It could have been my imagination...but I'm pretty sure they actually existed.

12:04pm
I'm back at the waterfall and taking a short break. I've passed a steady stream of hikers climbing up. And no, it's not just my active imagination, there are a lot of attractive women on the trail today. For my own amusement, I'm playing "guess the Frenchman" - when I see a hiker approaching, I guess whether my greeting will be answered in English or French. I've been right much more often than wrong.

12:44pm
Junction of the Van Hoevenberg Trail. One mile to go, and I want to get this done. I feel good, but also like I've been through the wringer.

1:06pm
I'm back at our campsite, and very, very happy. I want a shower, a drink, and a nap...and I'm not sure in what order. The guys are still off on their hike, and I'm happy to have some time to myself at camp. The hike took me just over 5 hours.

4:15pm
A shower and clean, dry clothes never felt so good. I'm a little sore and stiff, but not too bad.

The guys got back from their hike maybe an hour ago. The weather forecast hasn't changed, and we've decided to bail. We're sad not to have one more night in camp, but breaking camp in the rain is just miserable. We've packed up, loaded the van, and are ready to leave. The van is less crammed than on the way up, but not as much as I thought it would be. It's still pretty full - though my guitar can now be in the back, and not between my legs. We've also remembered to do the smart thing, and have packed a change of clothes and our toiletries in our day-packs - we won't have to completely unload the van tonight, and re-load it tomorrow.

10:40pm
Comfort Inn, Bethlehem, NY. We wanted to drive for a couple of hours (shortening tomorrow's drive), then find a cheap roadside motel. It started well, then ended with two hours of chasing our tails. Details are on Eric's trip report - I don't want to re-live it again. I'm tired and want to be home. It was a great trip in every way. It also hardly seems possible that it was earlier today that I was standing on the summit of Algonquin Peak - it seems like a long time ago, with everything that's happened since.

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 4

"Lazy Day, Big Meals, Phil's Birthday"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here and here:

7:45am

I've been up for maybe 20 minutes. I slept great, though it got cold in the night. I started out in just the bag liner, but woke up in the night and got inside the sleeping bag. I was awake sometime shortly after 6am, but I was so warm and comfy that I laid there for a while, listening to the birds and the early morning sounds of a campground. John, Ted, and Phil were up very early, and are preparing a breakfast feast.

The campground looks completely full, and there are Quebec license plates and French language conversations on all sides of us.

9:36am
We've been reminded that it's Phil's birthday, and we've wished him a happy day. He's let it be known that he's not a "birthday" guy - thus ensuring that we continue to make a big fuss over it for the rest of the day.

We've just finished a breakfast feast fit for a king: eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, yogurt, and a mix of potatoes, peppers, and onions. It's a beautiful sunny morning, though the forecast calls for a 30% chance of rain. I feel surprisingly good after yesterday's hike - just a tiny bit stiff.

2:55pm
We spent a lazy morning around camp: reading, chatting, playing guitar. Eric and Phil talked about driving into the town of Lake Placid to walk around and have lunch. Then the sky darkened and rain looked imminent, so we all decided to come along. As we got into the town, it started pouring rain, so we found a nice little pub, ordered some beer and wings, and settled in.

Phil liked the design on his beer glass and asked the waiter if they sold them. "Just put it in your pocket", he was told. This made us laugh, as we used to do exactly that, only without being invited by the waiter. Later, the waiter brought Phil one of the glasses in a carryout bag, which we dubbed his birthday present.

Now we're back at camp and it's still raining lightly - though it's hardly noticeable under the cover of trees at our campsite.

4:04pm
I'm back from...not exactly a hike...more a walk around the campground. I needed to stretch my legs after two big meals, and a third to come. The map showed a trail around the circumference of Heart Lake, and I found it. I went out in my rain jacket, but the rain stopped about as soon as I started, so I carried it the rest of the way. It seems to be clearing up, and there are patches of blue again.

6:13pm
The sun is out again, and the guys are cooking dinner over the campfire. Phil is doing big steaks with the works (veggies, corn on the cob, and garlic bread.)

Sacre bleu...our next-door Quebecians seem to be trying to smoke us out - they're trying to burn wet or green wood, and the breeze is bringing their smoke into our camp. French-accented curses fly....

We're talking about plans for tomorrow: I have a strong desire to hike to the summit of Algonquin Peak. I feel good and I want to give it a try. It will be a challenge - it's the second-highest point in New York State, just shy of Marcy, but the trail to the peak is two miles shorter - which means it's much steeper. John and Ted attempted Algonquin four years ago, and got close to the top before being told by a ranger that the trail was closed because of approaching thunderstorms.

No one's interested in joining me, which is fine, I'm happy to hike by myself. They're planning to hike to the summit of Mt. Jo, then hike back to Rocky Falls for a picnic and a swim.

7:38pm
We just finished a steak and veggie feast. Phil and Eric out-did themselves. That's three very big and very excellent meals today. It's a gorgeous evening - sunshine and blue sky. There are plenty of leftovers, and there will be steak for breakfast - not for me though, my tentative plan is to be up and out at first light, so I'm preparing everything I can now.  I want to wake up, dress, and go.

8:51pm
We have a roaring campfire going. Is there any better way to spend an evening than sitting around the campfire with good company? It's still a gorgeous evening, and the daylight is just starting to fade.

9:49pm

Heart Lake just after sunset

Guitar by the campfire. I've played everything I can think of, and the guys want more. I need to learn more songs before the next trip.

I just walked out into the clearing to see if there are stars, and there aren't - there's still a last remnant of daylight.

10:33pm
I walked out into the clearing one last time, and now the last daylight is gone, and there are a million stars out. It's not quite the sky we saw in the Dakotas, but it's pretty close. Someone saw a shooting star (Eric, I think).

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 3

"Return to Mt. Marcy"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here and here.

5:13am
Rise and shine. We were all awakened a while ago by the loudest squawking birds I’ve ever heard. There were a few of them, and they were close. I don’t know if they were vultures of some kind?

I slept very well. It never got cold - I spent the night inside my bag liner on top of the actual sleeping bag, and never felt the need to get inside the bag itself.

6:58am
We’re packed and ready, leaving the campsite and starting our hike. We had breakfast bars and yogurt for breakfast, then made sandwiches for lunch and packed our day-packs. I have all the fluids I can carry, two sandwiches, a baggie of GORP, a bunch of PowerBars, a rain jacket, and a fleece vest. That makes for a full and heavy day-pack. I'm bringing my iPhone for pics and maybe to capture the GPS track (though Eric has his GPS.) I have it off to conserve battery, and will turn it on if/when I need it.

The plan is simple - we'll take the Van Hoevenberg Trail to the summit of Mt. Marcy. It's a 14.8 mile round trip with 3,223 feet of vertical elevation gain - very strenuous by any measure. There's a mood of eager anticipation.

7:29am
Junction for the trail to Algonquin Peak, which means we've come about one mile. It's a very pleasant morning, and I feel great - ready for anything Marcy can throw at us (and yes, I fully realize the "famous last words" potential for that thought.)

7:55am
Marcy Dam. Except that it doesn't exist any more. Apparently last summer's hurricane (I forget the name, but the one that sent Darling Wife scurrying for her home and native land) washed it away. There's a detour around it, which hopefully won't add too much mileage to our hike.

8:30am
The detour around Marcy Dam was short, and a temporary bridge has been constructed. We're now starting to climb - the trail is a muddy and rocky trail ascending alongside Phelps Brook.

We're at a decision point. I've been in the lead, with Phil and Ted close behind. John and Eric have been lagging some, and I've been making stops to let them catch up. They're telling us to go ahead and not wait for them, that they feel bad slowing us down. Part of me agrees that this is logical...but I also don't feel good about leaving them behind. There's some discussion, and they tell us to go. We agree, and start off again. Hiking order is me, Phil, Ted.

10:06am

Water break. It's been a hard, steep, rocky, relentless climb - just as I remembered. But I feel good, and I think we're all doing well. It's overcast now, though there are patches of blue in the sky. The day could go either way - it could clear and be sunny, or clouds could come in and make it just as miserable as our first time. It's 1.2 miles to the top, and there's still a *lot* of climbing to do.

Ugh, I just looked toward the summit, and it's completely wrapped in clouds. A very discouraging sight.

10:51am
Summit of Marcy! The high point of New York State. It's now sunny and clear, thank goodness! That last 1.2 is just punishing and relentless - much of it scrambling over bare rock (as we're above the treeline.) The views are breathtaking in all directions.

I'm as wet as if I'd just jumped in a lake, and will now strip off shoes, socks, and shirt - to let them dry some for the return hike. I'll also chug some Gatorade, and eat a sandwich. Happy happy feeling.

11:16am
The cool breeze whipping us feels delightful. If I had any brains, I would have brought a change of shirt and socks with me. Sadly, I don't - but my socks have been inside-out, drying on a rock, and they'll do for the hike down. Phil, a prince among men, *did* bring a second shirt, but doesn't want to change, and has offered it to me. I'm not too proud to take it.

We chatted with some other hikers lounging at the summit as we ate, drank, and dried off. We're drinking in the views - and also thinking of Eric and John and wishing they were here with us.

We're ready to start back down. I've turned on my iPhone to take some pics, and will turn on the GPS track - hopefully I have enough battery to get the whole track from the summit back to camp.

My legs are a little sore, but overall I feel really good.

12:18pm

Water break. I'm still taking the lead, and I'm not making many stops. I need to take breaks when climbing, but not when descending. Phil and Ted aren't calling for stops either, so we keep moving. At one point, Ted started singing "Cripple Creek", which starts with the line "When I get off of this mountain...." Very appropriate, and now I have the song in my head.

The clouds have cleared, and it's now a beautiful sunny day. Discussion of whether we're going to meet John and Eric ascending...but so far we haven't. Also discussion of what the first beer will taste like when we get back to camp.

There's unanimous agreement that now that we've seen the view from the summit of Marcy in good weather, there's no need to ever climb it again. I offer that I can only think of one scenario that will get me on the Van Hoevenberg Trail again - and that's if a ninja hits me with a poisoned dart and tells me that the antidote is on the summit of Marcy.

2:21pm
Trailhead! We did it. Satisfaction and relief. I'm a little footsore, and just generally weary - but a hot shower and clean dry clothes will remedy that. Phil just told us that he's wearing a heart monitor, which tells him he's burned 5,555 calories on the hike. We tell him he can go to Wendy's and eat five Baconators and still be good for the day.

I'm happy to see that my iPhone battery has held out, so I should have a GPS track for the hike back.

7:21pm
Beautiful day and evening in camp. The weather is perfect. It turns out that Eric and John hiked a ways further after we separated, and then turned back. They also had a little misadventure, which can be read about in Eric's trip report.

The campground is filling up (actually, it's probably completely full now), and mostly with Quebec license plates. There's probably more French than English being spoken in the campground.

I feel really good - surprisingly good. Yes, I can feel the miles I did today, but my legs aren't aching, and I'm not wiped out.

Burgers and dogs are on the grill, and I'm pretty sure they're going to be the best ever.

10:15pm-ish
It got cooler when the sun went down, and I put on long pants and a flannel shirt (prompting Ted's comment that I've "gone full Neil Young.") It was another lovely evening around the campfire - delicious dinner, much discussion of the day's hikes, some well-earned beers, and more guitar playing.

Overall, a very satisfying day. I won't call it "revenge on Marcy" - we got lucky with good weather at the summit, but she could just as easily have slapped us in the face again.

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 2

"Setting up Camp, Hiking to Rocky Falls and Mount Jo"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, here, and here.

7:27am
We're up and getting ready. I slept well. The original plan was that we'd all go to Walmart, but John and Phil were up early, and figured they could go get the things we need. That's fine with me. When they get back, we'll re-load the van, then get a quick breakfast and hit the road.

8:56am
The boys are back from Walmart with groceries and now we're packing the van. I have no idea how we're going to get even more in the van than we had yesterday.... Oh, Phil got me a $3.50 pair of sunglasses. I like them as sunglasses, and I *love* that they cost $3.50!

9:27am
We did it, everything is loaded - I don't know how. We're hitting the McDonald's drive-through for Egg (or Sausage) McMuffins and coffee. It's a bright sunny day, and already quite warm, and we're looking forward to getting to the campground.

12:05pm
We're unloading the van and settling into our two campsites at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake. Eric and I will be in site #9, and my tent is already up. The rest of the guys will be in site #10, and that's where we're setting up the "kitchen" and Phil's pavilion (dubbed the "party tent"), where we can take cover if it rains. The sites are shady and secluded, and there are no sites here that I’d rather have. The day is quite hot and somewhat humid, but there’s a breeze, and it doesn’t feel bad. I'm very happy to have arrived.

1:46pm

Phil, John, Ted, Dave below Rocky Falls

We finished setting up camp, had a quick lunch, changed into hiking clothes, and are ready to hit the trail. We stopped in at the High Peaks Information Center, but there were no rangers to talk to, so we’ve decided on a short hike - we’ll hike to Rocky Falls, a bit over two miles away, then come back via the summit of Mount Jo - which is a short climb, though steep in places, leading to a fantastic view of Heart Lake and the surrounding high peaks.

2:47pm
We’re at Rocky Falls. It was a very pleasant hike to get here. We ran into a ranger on the trail, who was pleasant, but our conversation with him was frustrating. He was a young guy, and John asked him a few different times to recommend a good hike besides for Mt. Marcy (which we *are* doing.) He said a lot of words, but never answered that simple question.

The trail hit a rocky stream, and we could hear the waterfall a short distance away. When we walked toward it, a dog started barking, and alerted two sunbathing ladies to our presence. We chatted a bit and explored the waterfall. It was very pretty, a 6-8 foot chute coming through the rocks, then over, and had a lovely-looking swimming hole at its base. We were all ready to jump in, but we didn’t have towels, or any other way to dry our feet - and hiking in wet feet the day before attempting Marcy wouldn’t be wise. So we passed up the swimming hole, regretfully - though there was talk of returning another day.

4:19pm

Heart Lake from the summit of Mt. Jo

Ted and I are at the summit of Mount Jo. When we got to the connector trail, Phil and Eric decided to head back to camp and start preparing dinner. We needed ice and firewood, and the camp store closes at 5:00 - so we didn’t think we could do Jo and get back in time. John started with Ted and me, but then decided to join the guys at camp. I had forgotten just how steep Mt. Jo is in spots. But the view from the top is fantastic - you're high above Heart Lake (and it feels like you're looking straight down at the lake), and a number of the high peaks are spread out around you. We’ll sit on the rocky summit, sip a Gatorade, and enjoy the view.

8:28pm
It's a perfect evening - warm and beautiful. There are many empty campsites, though I imagine they’ll all fill up tomorrow for the weekend. We’ve finished dinner, which was a feast: marinated chicken breasts, baked potatoes, green beans, and salad. There was some disagreement as to how the potatoes should be cooked, and the result was potatoes charred beyond recognition - completely black and possibly useful as hockey pucks. Much fun was had with our carbon lumps.

Cell phone service is spotty to non-existent. I thought there'd be service if we walked up to the lodge, but there isn't. The lodge does have Wifi, but it might be the slowest I've ever used. We're basically disconnected - and that's fine.

9:49pm

We've been sitting around the campfire talking and having a beer. There's talk and some prep for tomorrow's Mt. Marcy hike. I’ve also gotten my guitar out, and it’s a whole lot of fun to have it here. Today is one of the longest days of the year, and it’s not completely dark out. I’m happy (and a little surprised) that it's still warm - I'm in shorts and a t-shirt. Four years ago we were here at the same time of year and we were bundled in fleece and huddled around the fire to keep warm. Everyone's tired, and we'll be hitting the sack soon. We want to get an early start on Marcy.

10:15pm
Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 1

"On the Road"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day starts here and continues here.

11:00am
We've loaded the van and are departing Phil's at exactly 11:00. There are five of us in a rented Dodge Grand Caravan with all our gear and supplies, and it's hard to see how we could cram anything else in. I'm surprised at how tight things are - we also had five guys in a Grand Caravan two years ago for the Great Smokies trip, and the van wasn't this full. I brought my travel guitar, and I said that if necessary, it would ride between my legs - and that's exactly where it is. It was either that or leave it home, and I very much want to bring it. Ah well, we're packed and on the road.

Eric picked me up around 9:30 and we drove to Phil's together. I have a number of smallish bags and duffels, and Eric has the same. We were the first to arrive at Phil's, followed closely by Ted, and then John.

In addition to our clothes and camping gear, we're taking a lot of provisions with us. Eric bought a list of non-perishable items, and Phil has planned most of the menus and has pre-packaged and frozen a number of meals. We'll just have a small list of perishables to pick up tomorrow morning before heading into the campground.

12:59pm
Lunch stop at Wendy's, Morristown, NJ. All is well, and we're making good time. Spirits are high. Phil is driving, as usual. Eric is the second driver, and is in the passenger seat. I'm behind the driver, John is behind Eric, and Ted is back in steerage.

We note, looking at the Wendy's nutrition chart, that their Baconator burger is over 1,000 calories, and I forget how many grams of fat. Much hilarity ensues, and the Baconator will be a recurring theme.

3:26pm
Rest stop on I-87 approaching Albany. We're making good time and all is well. It's scorching hot. The weekend forecast for home is very high heat, and we're pleased to see that the forecast for the Adirondacks is significantly cooler. I realize that I didn't bring sunglasses with me, which isn't a big deal...I don't wear them that often anyway.

5:02pm
Rodeway Inn, Lake George, NY. It was an uneventful trip, and we're very happy to be off the road. We have two rooms: one for the early-to-bed folks (Eric and I), and the other for the night owls.

We realize with disgust that we should all have put one change of clothes and our toiletries in our daypacks - so that we wouldn't have to completely unpack and re-pack the van. But we didn't think of that until now. Unpacking is a pain, and re-packing tomorrow morning will be a double pain. Oh well, no alternative now.

I should note that my older daughter considers staying in a motel "cheating." She thinks that on a camping trip, you're not allowed to do anything but camp. I'm not sure where she gets these ideas? I'm not sure if bringing frozen hamburgers is also cheating...perhaps we're only supposed to eat what we've personally hunted? I think we've watched too much Survivorman together....

10:00pm-ish
We had a pleasant low-key evening in Lake George. We drive into the town and walked around. The lake itself is very pretty - the town around it less so. It's very commercial and touristy - the kind of place I don't really enjoy. But it was nice to walk around. We found a place on the waterfront that had wings and beer, and we enjoyed our meal and the view of the water. We walked some more afterwards and even found a couple of geocaches (Phil is a cacher in addition to Eric and me.)

Now we're back in the rooms. We all watched some TV together, but now Eric and I are back in our room reading, and lights out will be soon.

Packed and Ready for Departure

The long-awaited Adirondacks '12 boys' trip starts tomorrow. Things have been so busy recently that I haven't really gotten excited about it - even through yesterday, when I was feeling almost overwhelmed by everything I had to do before I could leave with a clean conscience.

But now it's all come together, and I'm finally excited. I'm packed and ready to go. Eric will pick me up in the morning, we'll drive to Phil's, load the van as folks arrive, and go as soon as we can.

I look at my bags, and it seems like a lot for four days of hiking and two travel days. But our experience is that the weather changes often - rainy, sunny, quite warm, and quite cold. So I've packed a lot of layers. I have two very small gym bags, one small duffel bag, a large duffel bag of camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, etc.), my day-pack (which can ride with me), and my travel guitar (which I will keep at my feet, if necessary.) I really can't pare it down much (yes, I could leave the guitar...but I'm bringing it if at all possible.)

Tomorrow we'll drive as far as Glens Falls, NY, where we've reserved two cheap motel rooms. Thursday morning we'll hit a Walmart or equivalent for groceries, then head into the park. Check-in at the campground is noon, and we'd like to be there as close to noon as possible. We have sites 9 and 10 at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake  (PDF map of the campground is here).

We'll set up camp, then do a short hike Thursday afternoon. We'll do more strenuous day-hikes on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - then break camp Monday morning and drive home.

Looking at the weather forecast for Lake Placid, NY for Friday-Sunday, they're calling for daytime highs in the low 70's, nighttime lows around 50. There's a small chance of rain Sat. and Sun. If that doesn't change, it looks like Friday might be the best day to climb Mt. Marcy in clear weather. Ted has dubbed this trip "Revenge on Marcy", but the truth is that she could kick us in the ass again. Time will tell.

Trip reports to come.

RCSP, 6/10/12

Last Sunday I had a little free time, and it was a gorgeous sunny day, so I decided to get out for a quick local hike. The closest "real" hiking is at Ridley Creek State Park, so that's where I went.

I got to lot #16 (the red blob at the left side of the attached map, below) around 10:30am, and decided to just go - to cover as much trail as possible, not worrying about which trails or which loops - to just go and keep going until I found myself back at the car.

I went north on the blue trail, then crossed Big Run and made a counterclockwise loop. Then I came back southwards on the white trail, then headed east (skirting the Tyler Arboretum), and made a clockwise loop. Then it was back toward my car.

This wasn't exactly a training hike for the Adirondacks - though I have been trying to get out for some hike (no matter how small) every week. It was more taking advantage of a chance to get outside on a beautiful day.

Distance: 5.59 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:39

Mt. Misery, VFNP, 6/3/12

I recently spent another Sunday morning in the Valley Forge area (if I told you why, I'd have to kill you, so let's avoid that question!) With my work done, and a beautiful sunny day beckoning, I decided to pop in to the National Park for a short hike.

I parked in the big lot on Rt. 252, then discovered that there's no good way to get to the covered bridge and the Valley Creek Trail. You have to walk on the very narrow shoulder of 252 for maybe a quarter mile, and passing cars are *very* close.

I crossed the covered bridge, then followed the Valley Creek Trail along the stream for maybe a half mile. I saw the Wolfinger Trail on the left, and took it, climbing steeply our of the creek bottom. When I reached the top, I followed it to the junction of the yellow-blazed Horseshoe Trail, then turned around.

Coming back, I took a trail I had never taken before, just to see where it went. I figured it had to come out somewhere near the covered bridge. It descended more gradually, and finally dropped me into a parking lot (that I wasn't aware existed) on Yellow Springs Rd., not far from the covered bridge.

I had a short trek on the road to the covered bridge, then re-traced my steps back to the parking lot.

This was short hike, but a very nice way to stretch the legs on a beautiful sunny day.

Distance: 2.34 miles
Elapsed Time: 44 minutes

Mt. Joy, VFNP, 5/20/12

I recently had a chance to get out for a short Sunday morning hike. I was in the Valley Forge area, so I went into the park and decided to explore the trail that climbs Mt. Joy. I only recently discovered the trails in this area, so I decided to see if I could find out if it connected to some other areas in the park that I'm familiar with.

I parked in the lot at Washington's Headquarters (top right on the map below). I walked through the park and crossed Rt. 23, and the trail starts immediately on the other side of the road. The trail climbs steadily, and when it levels off, it feels like it really hugs the side of the hill (it's a bit of a stretch to call this little suburban hill "Mount" anything.) Looking at the topo map, it *is* a steep slope down to Rt. 252 (which is audible, but not visible through the thick tree cover.)

I continued on the trail, taking it further than I ever had before. It gradually descends, and I finally came out at a road I knew. It was near a parking area on Rt. 252, so I continued there, and then down to the covered bridge on Yellow Springs Rd.

At that point, I picked up the wide packed-dirt Valley Creek Trail, which is quite popular, and always filled with walkers, families, kids, and dogs. It's flat and pretty, following the creekside. I followed it back to Rt. 23, then crossed back over to Washington's Headquarters and my car.

A very nice leisurely hike on a beautiful sunny morning.

Distance: 4.28 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:18

VA Getaway Day 2: A.T. to Weverton Cliffs

It wasn't even 9am when I completed my Compton Peak hike. But even though the actual hiking wasn't hurting my back, just about everything else was - tying my shoes was extremely difficult, getting in and out of the car was very unpleasant, and driving didn't seem to agree with me. So starting toward home seemed like the best thing, and that's what I did. I drove north, out of the park, and continuing on Rt. 340 (Stonewall Jackson Memorial Highway) toward Harpers Ferry, WV, where I had another short hike in mind.

A few years ago, I did a day-hike on the Appalachian Trail heading north from Harpers Ferry, and I discovered the Weverton Cliffs overlook on that hike. When it leaves Harpers Ferry, the  A.T. follows the C&O canal path along the Potomac River for a few miles, then it leaves the river and makes a steep climb to the ridgeline of South Mountain. When it gains the ridge, there's a short blue-blazed side trail to the Weverton Cliffs overlook - a rocky point that looks just about straight down on the Potomac.

I drove through Charles Town and then Harpers Ferry, crossing the bridge into Maryland, then I exited Rt. 340 to a parking lot near where the A.T. leaves the river and the canal path and starts into the woods.

The parking lot was almost full, which wasn't a surprise on a gorgeous Spring Saturday. I started hiking just about 11am, and the day was sunny, beautiful, and getting warm. The trail passes under 340, and I passed other hikers at intervals. The trail skirts another parking lot, and then it starts to climb steeply, with one switchback following another.

There were plenty of other hikers, and many who were not in the best shape and were standing at the side of the trail trying to catch their breath. My first thought about these folks is not charitable, but my second thought is - at least they're outside on a nice day and not on the couch watching television. There was a sign at one point warning of the poisonous snakes that are around (timber rattlesnakes and copperheads), and I wondered if the parents letting their little kids run around had read the sign? (I saw some snake skins, but no snakes.)

I was going slowly and gingerly, and as a result I made the ridgeline without being overly winded. I often end up winded on big climbs, and I'm pretty sure it's because I try to set an overly-aggressive pace. John taught me a lesson on climbing pace the day we hiked out of Grand Canyon - and while I haven't forgotten it, I also don't always put it into practice. I need to be forced to slow down - someone setting a good slower pace is one way - being forced to slow down by a sore back is another.

As the grade leveled out on the ridgeline, there was an immediate fork - the white-blazed A.T. going left, the blue-blazed trial to the Cliffs to the right. It was a scene out of my hiking nightmare - church groups, scouting groups, families with kids, picnickers. Oh the noise noise noise noise. But the view was still worth it.

I asked a young lady to take my picture, then I re-traced my steps to the car. This was an enjoyable bite-sized morsel of an A.T. hike, and I highly recommend it as such, or as part of a bigger hike.

Distance: 2.75 miles
Elapsed Time: 1:20