I'm very grateful to the brave folks who do all the work to maintain this site and to rescue it when it gets stolen. Thank you very much for keeping this resource here, it's very helpful.
mardi 20 septembre 2022
samedi 17 septembre 2022
adkforums
We are working on the site, in the meantime, checkout adkhighpeak forums. Sorry for any inconvenience.
mardi 13 septembre 2022
lundi 12 septembre 2022
Bushwhacking in Pigeon Lake WA
I'm curious about the practicality of bushwhacking in the large northern reaches of the Pigeon Lake WA. There are few to no trails there, so any significant travel through that region would be mostly bushwhacking with perhaps a bit of paddling.
Has anyone successfully bushwhacked from Russian Lake to Inlet, between Andy's Creek and Big Moose Lake? Just looking at a map, the bushwhack from Constable Pond to Russian Lake over the saddle looks very doable, but the trip from Russian Lake to Inlet appears to be over very low-lying ground that could easily turn out to be swamp.
If some of these areas can be paddled with a packraft, that could work well. My concern is that they may be "too thin to plow, too thick to drink," as some described certain Western rivers. Too much water to walk through, not enough water to paddle through...
I'm intrigued at the idea of exploring the northern half of the WA with a backpack and a small packraft, north of Inlet (the inlet off Big Moose Lake, not the town), but it looks like it's difficult to access this area without a boat that is capable of handling Big Moose Lake (which would be too much for my little packraft, though paddling Inlet or any of the smaller lakes should be fine).
I've read with interest some of the trip reports to Gull Lakes, Andy's Creek, and even Terror Lake, but I haven't read any that didn't start out with a boat trip up Big Moose Lake, something that wouldn't fit into my current trips.
Just curious...
Has anyone successfully bushwhacked from Russian Lake to Inlet, between Andy's Creek and Big Moose Lake? Just looking at a map, the bushwhack from Constable Pond to Russian Lake over the saddle looks very doable, but the trip from Russian Lake to Inlet appears to be over very low-lying ground that could easily turn out to be swamp.
If some of these areas can be paddled with a packraft, that could work well. My concern is that they may be "too thin to plow, too thick to drink," as some described certain Western rivers. Too much water to walk through, not enough water to paddle through...
I'm intrigued at the idea of exploring the northern half of the WA with a backpack and a small packraft, north of Inlet (the inlet off Big Moose Lake, not the town), but it looks like it's difficult to access this area without a boat that is capable of handling Big Moose Lake (which would be too much for my little packraft, though paddling Inlet or any of the smaller lakes should be fine).
I've read with interest some of the trip reports to Gull Lakes, Andy's Creek, and even Terror Lake, but I haven't read any that didn't start out with a boat trip up Big Moose Lake, something that wouldn't fit into my current trips.
Just curious...
dimanche 11 septembre 2022
Pillsbury Mtn Trailhead/ Old Military Rd
I see on the dec backcountry notes that the road was repaired in June, I thought that I had read this summer that the road was still not drivable. I can?t find posts referencing that now though. Just thought I would check on here to see if anyone can confirm driving to the actual trailhead is possible again? Thank You.
Vanderwhacker reveals the true size of the Adirondacks!
Well the gravel road into the Vanderwhacker parking lot is closed. There are signs on the one bridge that the bridge is out. We walked over the bridge and it appears completely fine. Then again I am not an engineer. I just walked over the bridge.
I was glad that the road was closed for 2 reasons. I would have been nervous taking my 2008 Honda CR with over 200,000 miles 3 miles into the woods on a unknown road. This summer was a stressful one and I needed stress reduction. I wanted a long walk woods.
The stats from all trails: Length 12.55 mi Elevation gain 2,306 ft Time 6:51:23
2 hikes this summer there have been bird calls that are persistent and easily recognizable. The first bird the oven bird on Treadwell. This hike had the red breasted nuthatch! With the help of the Merlin app I was able to identify it. It sang constantly throughout the day and I think I have it down so If I hear it again in the future I will recognize it.
I feel that this hike is required for anyone who wants to get an understanding of the size Adirondacks. You really get a feeling for the vast scale of the park from this vantage point. While the views of peaks like Marcy and Colden are great and inspirational, Vanderwhacker shows the High Peaks as one corner of the park. There is a whole middle area.
After standing in the cab of the fire tower I am changed. It's not everyday that can happen. Anyone can look at a map and say 'Wow the Adirondacks are 6 million acres! What a huge park!' This hike takes you to the exact place where you can experience it.
In the cab I had another experience that was magical too. Hundreds of dragonflies were whirling around the cab. I have no idea if they were mating or was it just a "last days of summer" dance. I loved it.
Everyone is always talking about all the far away places they want to visit. There is only one place I really want to go and that is the Northville-Lake Placid Trail. This trip made that desire even stronger.
I was glad that the road was closed for 2 reasons. I would have been nervous taking my 2008 Honda CR with over 200,000 miles 3 miles into the woods on a unknown road. This summer was a stressful one and I needed stress reduction. I wanted a long walk woods.
The stats from all trails: Length 12.55 mi Elevation gain 2,306 ft Time 6:51:23
2 hikes this summer there have been bird calls that are persistent and easily recognizable. The first bird the oven bird on Treadwell. This hike had the red breasted nuthatch! With the help of the Merlin app I was able to identify it. It sang constantly throughout the day and I think I have it down so If I hear it again in the future I will recognize it.
I feel that this hike is required for anyone who wants to get an understanding of the size Adirondacks. You really get a feeling for the vast scale of the park from this vantage point. While the views of peaks like Marcy and Colden are great and inspirational, Vanderwhacker shows the High Peaks as one corner of the park. There is a whole middle area.
After standing in the cab of the fire tower I am changed. It's not everyday that can happen. Anyone can look at a map and say 'Wow the Adirondacks are 6 million acres! What a huge park!' This hike takes you to the exact place where you can experience it.
In the cab I had another experience that was magical too. Hundreds of dragonflies were whirling around the cab. I have no idea if they were mating or was it just a "last days of summer" dance. I loved it.
Everyone is always talking about all the far away places they want to visit. There is only one place I really want to go and that is the Northville-Lake Placid Trail. This trip made that desire even stronger.
vendredi 9 septembre 2022
Good book
I just finished a really good book about mountains & hiking: The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. She had spent much of her life hiking, camping, & exploring the Cairngorms in Scotland. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mountains. I want to share the last 2 paragraphs:
"So my journey into an experience began. It was a journey always for fun, with no motive beyond that I wanted it. But at first I was seeking only sensuous gratification -- the sensation of height, the sensation of movement, the sensation of speed, the sensation of distance, the sensation of effort, the sensation of ease: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. I was not interested in the mountain for itself, but for its effect upon me, as puss caresses not the man but herself against the man's trouser leg. But as I grew older and less self-sufficient, I began to discover the mountain in itself. Everything became good to me, its contours, its colours, its waters and rock, flowers and birds. This process has taken many years, and is not yet complete. Knowing another is endless. And I have discovered that man's experience of them enlarges rock, flower and bird. The thing to be known grows with the knowing
"I believe that I now understand in some small measure why the Buddhist goes on pilgrimage to a mountain. The journey is itself part of the technique by which the god is sought. It is a journey into Being; for as I penetrate more deeply into the mountain's life, I penetrate also into my own. For an hour I am beyond desire. It is not ecstasy, that leap out of the self that makes man like a god. I am not out of myself, but in myself. I am. To know Being, this is the final grace accorded from the mountain."
"So my journey into an experience began. It was a journey always for fun, with no motive beyond that I wanted it. But at first I was seeking only sensuous gratification -- the sensation of height, the sensation of movement, the sensation of speed, the sensation of distance, the sensation of effort, the sensation of ease: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life. I was not interested in the mountain for itself, but for its effect upon me, as puss caresses not the man but herself against the man's trouser leg. But as I grew older and less self-sufficient, I began to discover the mountain in itself. Everything became good to me, its contours, its colours, its waters and rock, flowers and birds. This process has taken many years, and is not yet complete. Knowing another is endless. And I have discovered that man's experience of them enlarges rock, flower and bird. The thing to be known grows with the knowing
"I believe that I now understand in some small measure why the Buddhist goes on pilgrimage to a mountain. The journey is itself part of the technique by which the god is sought. It is a journey into Being; for as I penetrate more deeply into the mountain's life, I penetrate also into my own. For an hour I am beyond desire. It is not ecstasy, that leap out of the self that makes man like a god. I am not out of myself, but in myself. I am. To know Being, this is the final grace accorded from the mountain."
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