Photo album.
I explained to my physiotherapist that I'm an avid hiker who hikes about 30+ times a year. My trips range from 23-33 kilometers and 1250-1850 meters of ascent (14-20 miles and 4000-6000 feet). She said "You'll have to reduce that by half." Not nearly as bad as "Stop hiking!" but darn close for an Aspiring Gridiot.
I had hoped to visit at least 18 peaks in October but, with my new "diet", I'll have to shelve that plan. My completion of the ADK Grid will be extended by at least a year (or more). So it goes. The first meal of my new hiking "diet" would be Street and Nye. The customary second course of Cascade and Porter would be reserved for another day.
I left the Loj shortly after 8:00 AM. The sky was cloud-free everywhere except, of course, over the High Peaks. A thick blanket of it obscured all summits whereas low-lying areas were warm, dry and free of fog. It was breezy and surprisingly warm for mid-October.
My tired old trail-shoes would not join me for this hike. I switched to a pair of mid-height boots I had worn them during the completion of my first 46er round in 2010. They're waterproof to a fault (i.e. foot saunas) but at least they still have some tread.
The trail was noticeably dry and carpeted in fallen leaves. Muddy patches were less messy owing to the fresh addition of leaves. "Peak foliage" has passed but the woods were still alive with color. Yellows like "Old Gold" dominated the pallet.
I decided to cross Indian Pass Brook at the first possible opportunity (i.e. not at the established crossing) and then bushwhack west until I intersected the trail. The water level was low and allowed for an easy crossing. The woods on the west side were open and free from major blowdown. Witch-hobble has lost its foliage so it made for easier travel.
Clouds obscured the sun so I couldn't use it as a reference. I decided to just "walk west", unaided by compass, and test my sense of direction. After a few minutes of 'flying blind' I checked my GPS and learned I was walking southwest. I had been ascending but the land sloped southwest, not west. I corrected my heading and, a few minutes later, corrected it once again. I emerged at the familiar beaver swamp, crossed it on a fallen log or two (fortunately the water level was low) and intersected the trail. For the return trip, I used the trail and the established brook-crossing. Later I learned my bushwhack route saved no time or distance but it was a fun diversion anyway.
The yellow end of the fall foliage spectrum.
I met a father and his two children near the remains of the old logging camp. I pointed out its location and they went off to explore it. Above 3000' elevation, the temperature dropped and was accompanied by cooling breezes. Near a well-known spot I decided to try something different and was rewarded by a boot-high plunge into soupy muck. I kicked off the accumulated goop and chuckled. Only moments earlier I had considered removing my short gaiters and was now glad I had not.
I reached the foggy junction at 10:00 AM and immediately turned left for Street. The trail was considerably muddier but that's just true to its nature. I felt a raindrop here and there but it never escalated beyond that; my raingear never left the pack. I passed a group of four teenagers descending from Street and would meet them again (and yet again). There was only one other hiker atop Street. I took a summit-selfie and proceeded to the lookout to confirm there was nothing to see. I was right.
I couldn't help but notice how many herd-paths have developed on this summit since I first tread on it just seven years ago. I followed the most distinct one and it led to another east-facing lookout. There was something about it that suggested it had been "groomed".
I returned to the junction, where a few other hikers had congregated, and continued to Nye. Once again I passed the group of four teenagers. The weather hadn't changed so there was absolutely nothing to see from Nye's summit nor its lookouts. Back at the junction, I found a yard sale. The hikers had abandoned their packs before departing for Street.
Yard sale!
So far it had been a fairly easy hike so my knee wasn't complaining aggressively. I looked forward to a speedy descent. I got one good view of the sunlit valley beneath the cloud-deck and then it was back into the woods all the way to the car. During my descent I caught up to the four teenagers again and tried to put some distance between us. One was particularly "audible" and I needed to make tracks to escape it.
Peek-a-boo! I see you, sunshine!
I passed an unleashed dog whose owner claimed it was permitted because the regulation was only for marked trails. I clarified it applied to all trails. Near the logging camp, I chatted briefly with the lone hiker I had met earlier atop Street. Overall, it was a fairly quiet day and the weather probably had something to do with it.
Rather than reverse my bushwhack I just followed the trail to the marked brook-crossing. Interestingly, it offered fewer opportunities for a dry rock-hop. The remainder of the hike was an easy stroll in sun-warmed woods alive with color. I passed a few more inbound hikers then popped out on the Loj road.
I returned to my car and realized I had enough energy to continue to Cascade and Porter (as I've done in the past). However, my achy knee, and the physiotherapist's advice, vetoed that silly notion. Later that evening, while watching TV, my right knee was so stiff and sore that I dreaded the thought of what two more peaks would've done to it. The following day it was relatively pain-free again, at least until the physiotherapist started working on it and revealing its true condition. Needless to say, I've started to do the recommended exercises and hope to be off the "diet" by December.
High Peaks shrouded in clouds (just like last weekend).
I explained to my physiotherapist that I'm an avid hiker who hikes about 30+ times a year. My trips range from 23-33 kilometers and 1250-1850 meters of ascent (14-20 miles and 4000-6000 feet). She said "You'll have to reduce that by half." Not nearly as bad as "Stop hiking!" but darn close for an Aspiring Gridiot.
I had hoped to visit at least 18 peaks in October but, with my new "diet", I'll have to shelve that plan. My completion of the ADK Grid will be extended by at least a year (or more). So it goes. The first meal of my new hiking "diet" would be Street and Nye. The customary second course of Cascade and Porter would be reserved for another day.
I left the Loj shortly after 8:00 AM. The sky was cloud-free everywhere except, of course, over the High Peaks. A thick blanket of it obscured all summits whereas low-lying areas were warm, dry and free of fog. It was breezy and surprisingly warm for mid-October.
My tired old trail-shoes would not join me for this hike. I switched to a pair of mid-height boots I had worn them during the completion of my first 46er round in 2010. They're waterproof to a fault (i.e. foot saunas) but at least they still have some tread.
The trail was noticeably dry and carpeted in fallen leaves. Muddy patches were less messy owing to the fresh addition of leaves. "Peak foliage" has passed but the woods were still alive with color. Yellows like "Old Gold" dominated the pallet.
I decided to cross Indian Pass Brook at the first possible opportunity (i.e. not at the established crossing) and then bushwhack west until I intersected the trail. The water level was low and allowed for an easy crossing. The woods on the west side were open and free from major blowdown. Witch-hobble has lost its foliage so it made for easier travel.
Clouds obscured the sun so I couldn't use it as a reference. I decided to just "walk west", unaided by compass, and test my sense of direction. After a few minutes of 'flying blind' I checked my GPS and learned I was walking southwest. I had been ascending but the land sloped southwest, not west. I corrected my heading and, a few minutes later, corrected it once again. I emerged at the familiar beaver swamp, crossed it on a fallen log or two (fortunately the water level was low) and intersected the trail. For the return trip, I used the trail and the established brook-crossing. Later I learned my bushwhack route saved no time or distance but it was a fun diversion anyway.
The yellow end of the fall foliage spectrum.
I met a father and his two children near the remains of the old logging camp. I pointed out its location and they went off to explore it. Above 3000' elevation, the temperature dropped and was accompanied by cooling breezes. Near a well-known spot I decided to try something different and was rewarded by a boot-high plunge into soupy muck. I kicked off the accumulated goop and chuckled. Only moments earlier I had considered removing my short gaiters and was now glad I had not.
I reached the foggy junction at 10:00 AM and immediately turned left for Street. The trail was considerably muddier but that's just true to its nature. I felt a raindrop here and there but it never escalated beyond that; my raingear never left the pack. I passed a group of four teenagers descending from Street and would meet them again (and yet again). There was only one other hiker atop Street. I took a summit-selfie and proceeded to the lookout to confirm there was nothing to see. I was right.
I couldn't help but notice how many herd-paths have developed on this summit since I first tread on it just seven years ago. I followed the most distinct one and it led to another east-facing lookout. There was something about it that suggested it had been "groomed".
I returned to the junction, where a few other hikers had congregated, and continued to Nye. Once again I passed the group of four teenagers. The weather hadn't changed so there was absolutely nothing to see from Nye's summit nor its lookouts. Back at the junction, I found a yard sale. The hikers had abandoned their packs before departing for Street.
Yard sale!
So far it had been a fairly easy hike so my knee wasn't complaining aggressively. I looked forward to a speedy descent. I got one good view of the sunlit valley beneath the cloud-deck and then it was back into the woods all the way to the car. During my descent I caught up to the four teenagers again and tried to put some distance between us. One was particularly "audible" and I needed to make tracks to escape it.
Peek-a-boo! I see you, sunshine!
I passed an unleashed dog whose owner claimed it was permitted because the regulation was only for marked trails. I clarified it applied to all trails. Near the logging camp, I chatted briefly with the lone hiker I had met earlier atop Street. Overall, it was a fairly quiet day and the weather probably had something to do with it.
Rather than reverse my bushwhack I just followed the trail to the marked brook-crossing. Interestingly, it offered fewer opportunities for a dry rock-hop. The remainder of the hike was an easy stroll in sun-warmed woods alive with color. I passed a few more inbound hikers then popped out on the Loj road.
I returned to my car and realized I had enough energy to continue to Cascade and Porter (as I've done in the past). However, my achy knee, and the physiotherapist's advice, vetoed that silly notion. Later that evening, while watching TV, my right knee was so stiff and sore that I dreaded the thought of what two more peaks would've done to it. The following day it was relatively pain-free again, at least until the physiotherapist started working on it and revealing its true condition. Needless to say, I've started to do the recommended exercises and hope to be off the "diet" by December.
High Peaks shrouded in clouds (just like last weekend).
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire