About a month ago I went on my first solo overnight hike; RPR and Giant from New Russia with an overnight at Marie Louise. For whatever reason this got me thinking that my first bushwhack hike was in order. Having done a trip of the Dix Range (minus Macomb) from 73/North Fork, I figured a south fork – Elizabethtown #4 – Spotted – Grace would be a good start as I’m somewhat familiar with the area.
Got to the small parking area on the south side of 73 around 5:30PM and picked up the obvious herd path at the eastside of the lot. About 2 miles in is a beautiful designated campsite on the eastside of the south fork where it splits. After setting up camp, eating, and hanging food; a storm came through and thoroughly drenched everything, giving me ample time to sit in the tent and plan the following mornings hike. Being new to using a compass/map as my only form of navigation (brought the GPS to track elevation and to help me orient), it was clear that as long as kept the river to my left and kept going uphill I’d end up alright. It sounded easy…
Woke up early and was on the ‘trail’ by 6:15AM. With a compass bearing set, I set out into the woods for my 1st bushwhack fairly confident and ready for a little adventure. Like most of my hikes thus far in the Adirondacks, it quickly punched me in the face and humbled me. I’ll spare the details, but I made it to Elizabethtown #4 by 8AM. I was beat up, took a break, and thought it would be less thick forest between open rock with beautiful views. I was once again wrong, and the constant dead ends, rock climbing, and thick brush continued to beat me up until I reached Spotted. I took a quick celebratory break there to eat and hydrate, before taking another beating on my way over to SW Spotted. Determined at that point to not let my first bushwhack break me, I powered up to Grace and found my first herd path thus far at 10AM.
I went down the slide after a 30 minute break and I picked up the South Fork herd path and ran into 20 or so hikers over the course of the next mile or two on their way up to Grace. After the trail got a little too far away from the South Fork, I decided to avoid the woods altogether, and rock hop my way down the South Fork and back to my campsite. My happiness to not get beat up by wet tree branches was short lived. The bugs came out, the head net went on, and I slipped/fell 10+ times over the next hour. I was drenched head to toe, but finally made it back to the South Fork split. Still no-one at the campsite, and I took my time hanging out in the river and nursing my wounds. 40 minutes later I was at the car (still the only car in the lot) and on my way into LP.
What I learned on my 1st bushwhack:
[IMG]SpottedHikeS.jpg[/IMG]
Got to the small parking area on the south side of 73 around 5:30PM and picked up the obvious herd path at the eastside of the lot. About 2 miles in is a beautiful designated campsite on the eastside of the south fork where it splits. After setting up camp, eating, and hanging food; a storm came through and thoroughly drenched everything, giving me ample time to sit in the tent and plan the following mornings hike. Being new to using a compass/map as my only form of navigation (brought the GPS to track elevation and to help me orient), it was clear that as long as kept the river to my left and kept going uphill I’d end up alright. It sounded easy…
Woke up early and was on the ‘trail’ by 6:15AM. With a compass bearing set, I set out into the woods for my 1st bushwhack fairly confident and ready for a little adventure. Like most of my hikes thus far in the Adirondacks, it quickly punched me in the face and humbled me. I’ll spare the details, but I made it to Elizabethtown #4 by 8AM. I was beat up, took a break, and thought it would be less thick forest between open rock with beautiful views. I was once again wrong, and the constant dead ends, rock climbing, and thick brush continued to beat me up until I reached Spotted. I took a quick celebratory break there to eat and hydrate, before taking another beating on my way over to SW Spotted. Determined at that point to not let my first bushwhack break me, I powered up to Grace and found my first herd path thus far at 10AM.
I went down the slide after a 30 minute break and I picked up the South Fork herd path and ran into 20 or so hikers over the course of the next mile or two on their way up to Grace. After the trail got a little too far away from the South Fork, I decided to avoid the woods altogether, and rock hop my way down the South Fork and back to my campsite. My happiness to not get beat up by wet tree branches was short lived. The bugs came out, the head net went on, and I slipped/fell 10+ times over the next hour. I was drenched head to toe, but finally made it back to the South Fork split. Still no-one at the campsite, and I took my time hanging out in the river and nursing my wounds. 40 minutes later I was at the car (still the only car in the lot) and on my way into LP.
What I learned on my 1st bushwhack:
- From now on every trip report I read that nonchalantly mentions “I bushwhacked X miles over to” will impress me.
- Gloves would have prevented the ridiculous amount of papercut like cuts on my fingers and hands.
- Any clothing outside of a football helmet and pads would probably not have prevented the ridiculous amount of cuts and stab wounds I have.
- Rock hopping for a mile isn’t easy. Sometimes large rocks move when you jump on them…
- Hours spent moving through wet spruce makes you smell pretty damn good!
- The views from each open rock area are incredible. I could spend hours up there just exploring. It really is an awesome hike that definitely rewards you!
[IMG]SpottedHikeS.jpg[/IMG]
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