Author: hilltackler

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Hilltackler’s top 5 backpacking trips in New York

The highest mountain in New York may only be 5, 2144’ but it is home to thousands of miles of historically rich hiking trails through diverse forests and ecosystems. 

Some trails date back to the Revolutionary War when soldiers blazed a path in upstate New York, through what is now known as Harriman State Park. 

 In the 1820’s famous artists such as Thomas Cole were inspired to paint the peaks of Catskills. And finally, New York State is home to the Adirondacks, the country’s largest park and state protected land area in the contiguous United States, with 6.1 million acres of land. What New York lacks in vertical elevation it makes up for in unsurpassed beauty. All within a day’s drive from New York City the country’s largest with a population of 8.41 million people. 

 Despite our wildernesses close proximity to such a large metropolitan area, the trails still offer plenty of solitude. I’ve put together a list of my 5 favorite backpacking trips. 


#5 The Blackhead Range, Catskills New York: A fairly short but moderately strenuous two day backpack of approximately 17 miles in the northern Catskills, including four peaks over 3500 feet and lovely scenery from the northern ridge of the Escarpment Trail. Day one of this trip starts at the northern terminus of the Escarpment Trail just outside of East Windham, NY. The rocky path winds its way up through a Norwegian Pine forest and up the first of four Catskill high peaks, Windham Mountain (3524’). The descent down Windham offers some great views from Burnt Knob and Acra Point. Dropping down from the Escarpment Trail to the Batavia Kill Trail a lean-to/tent sites and water source makes for a nice place to rest up for the next day’s adventure. The second day starts out with a climb of 1,000 feet in nine tenths of a mile to the top of Blackhead Mountain (3940’) the fourth highest peak in the Catskills. After descending Blackhead Mountain Trail the hike now picks up the Black Dome Trail to go up and over Black Dome (3980’) as well as Thomas Cole Mountain (3940’). The final descent off the ridge line offer views of the valley and surrounding mountain ranges. 

# 4 Pharaoh Lakes Wilderness Area, Eastern Adirondacks, NY: This area of the Adirondacks is a backpacker’s paradise, with its many lakes, ponds and miles of trails providing the opportunity for trips in a variety of lengths. This particular 3 day/2night backpacking trip will reach only one peak above 2000’ but the views of the many pristine lakes and ponds will more than make up for the lack of elevation. Day 1 follows the fairly easy terrain as it meanders through the heavily covered forest. After 2 miles the trail gets steeper and rockier until it reaches the top of Pharaoh Mountain (2551’). There are terrific views of the High Peaks in the distance from the rock ledges of the summit on the west side. The trail descends steeply at times and gives way to the beautiful shore line of Pharaoh Lake. There are six lean- to’s along the lake but my preferred camp is a legal spot right near the outlet of the lake called Winter Green Point. This fairly secluded location offers some solitude, gorgeous sunset views with the call of Loons into the night. On day 2, I continue my walk along Pharaoh Lake and the other small ponds, Grizzle Ocean and Clear Ponds and along the way choose a tent site near the Treadway Mountain Trail and set up a base camp before taking an afternoon hike up Treadway Mountain. The 4 mile round trip starts out in the forest and ends on top of a rocky summit offering views of Pharaoh Mountain and the High Peaks. After returning to my campsite and a good night’s rest the last day is spent hiking along the forested trails , taking frequent breaks at the small ponds and breathing in the last bit of serenity of this wilderness area. 

#3 The Rampo-Dunderberg Tail, Harriman State Park, NY: Built in the 1920’s by New York Hiking Clubs this is the oldest trail in the park. The 21.05 mile trail runs through Harriman State Park from Tuxedo to Jones Point, NY. The red-dot on white trail starts near the Tuxedo Station Parking area and continues through a residential neighborhood before the actual wooded trail begins. Slowly the switch backing trails go up giving way to a steeper climbing up Pine Hill. Continuing along it is important to stay alert to the trail markers, on this trail like many others in Harriman; you will pass by dozens of trail intersections. The trail continues to climb and descend before reaching the infamous Times Square intersection. Okay, it’s nothing like 42nd street in Manhattan but it is a big rock that says Times Square! In another 4 miles there is the William Brien Shelter, which I wouldn’t recommend staying in but the area around the shelter has quite a few tent sites. And with a fairly reliable water source only a short walk away it makes for a great place to rest up for the long 12 miles to the end of the trail. The second days walk just never seems to end and goes something like this up one side of a hill, down the other, cross a road and back up another hill! Thankfully, most of the day there are lovely views of the surrounding area and make it all worth it. The trail drops steeply down to 9W at 21 miles with a short walk to a large parking area where I usually spot a car. This overnight backpacking trip is not to be underestimated! It will leave your quads screaming and dogs barking for sure. 

 #2 Panthers Gorge, Adirondacks, NY: Using this area as a base camp to tag Haystack (4960’), Marcy (5344’)and Skylight (4924’) is ideal and the bonus of the gorge to swim in on a hot summer’s day. Following the well-marked, Elk Lake Marcy Trail for 9 miles to the Panther Gorge Lean to is a fairly easy but muddy hike. I usually spend day one hiking into camp and spend the next day tagging the high peaks. My usual route in good weather is up the climb up Haystack (4960’), a very steep, rock scrambling experience. The description from the guide book describes the climb up Haystack as “one of the steepest climbs in the mountains up the south side of the peak. It is unremittingly steep with numerous small ledges posing danger of a serious fall. The trail is quite eroded in spots and offers no respite to timberline”. It may be tough but the climb up Haystack is work the incredible views of the Adirondack range and a great place to take a few minutes to rest up for the next climb up Mount Marcy (5344’).The trail along the ridge from Haystack goes over Little Haystack and down a few hundred feet to start the ascent up Mt. Marcy via the Hovenberg Trail following cairns along the slabs of open rock to the summit. In good weather the summit of Marcy is a wonderful place to linger and soak in the views of the Great Range. With the hardest part of the day hike done the descent down Marcy goes quickly and soon returns to below tree line and before long reaching outlet of Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest pond source of the Hudson River. Just after this is the Four Corners Junction which joins the red trail to Mt. Skylight (4926’) and a quick 1 mile round trip to tag yet another high peak and back to Marcy-Elk Lake Trail back to the campsite. This 1.2 mile rocky trail is quite eroded in spots and requires careful attention to footing, especially after hard rain, becoming more like a river. Finally reaching the Panther Gorge crossing and back to a well-deserved evening at the campsite before hiking the 9 miles back to my car at the Elk Lake Parking area in the morning. 

#1 Devils Path, Catskills, NY: This trip follows the Devil’s Path over what Backpacker Magazine says is “the most challenging trail in the Northeast” with a reported 14,000’ of elevation change over 23.1 miles. My preferred route for this hike is from East to West over 3 days/2 nights. Beginning on Prediger Road near the Town of Hunter the red blazes don’t waste any time following the steep trail up Sherman’s Lookout, known as the chin of the Indian, and the summit of Indian Head Mountain (3573’). Like many parts of the Devil’s Path the trail up Indian Head is extremely steep something I really never get used to but come to expect on this particular trail. The trail then descends into Jimmy Dolan’s Notch, the highest col on the trail at 3,200 ft, before the rock scramble up Twin Mountain (3640’). The view off the southern summit of Twin has incredible views of Slide Mountain and all the other major peaks in the Catskill Range. After scrambling over the next high peak, Sugarloaf Mountain (3800’) the trail drops steeply down a rock chute nick named “Suicide Mountain”; this is considered one of the most challenging descents on the entire Devil’s Path. From here the end of day one is in sight and I get on the Mink Hollow Trail where a lean to, reliable water source and tent sites provide a nice place to rest up for the challenging day ahead. Day two begins with a…you guessed it! A steep and rocky climb up Plateau Mountain (3840’), a viewless summit but a nice flat walk through a boreal forest. Further along the trail, Danny’s Lookout gives way to views of Hunter, Southwest Hunter and West Kill Mountain. From here the trail goes descends to Route 214, the trails only road crossing, which is about the half-way point of the Devil’s Path. There is an area with picnic tables, a water spigot and a great place to stop for lunch before the next steep climb up past the large stone outcrops known as the Devils Portal. The forested trail on the western section of the Devil’s Path goes by the Devil’s Acre lean to where I usually pick up more water before pressing on to my next camp site, Diamond Notch Falls. There is a nice lean to up off the blue-blazed Diamond Notch Trail but further along the path is a lovely secluded tent site with good tree cover. Water? No problem! A nice late afternoon stroll down to the roaring Diamond Notch Falls provides much need drinking water and a great swimming hole. Day three gets easier after the long slog of a climb up West Kill Mountain (3880’), the sixth highest peak in the Catskills and the only high peak in this section of the Devil’s Path. The summit of West Kill has no views but just before the official summit is Buck Ridge Lookout with views of Hunter and Southwest Hunter, Slide and Peekamoose Mountains. The Devil’s Path descends gradually over the next two miles before the last rocky chute up St. Anne’s Peak. Only a short climb but by this point in the trip my legs are revolting against me! Luckily soon after, the trail switchbacks down through a nice forested trail and to the spotted car on Spruceton Road where I usually say to myself “I think it’s the last time I’m doing this trail” only to return the next summer to what has become my favorite backpacking trip in my New York. 

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Harriman Outdoor Center…a first look 

The road leading up to Harriman Camp


 

While I’m a backpacker by nature over the long Columbus Day Weekend me and my partner, Irish, took part in co-hosting a weekend event at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) newly acquired Harriman Outdoor Center (HOC) in Haverstraw, New York. The former youth camp built in the late 1920’s was recently leased out by the AMC and renovated in a spectacular fashion.

Storm King 2 Cabin


  

There are 8 beautiful cabins, ranging in capacity of 4 -16 people with bunk style rooms with common areas decked out with comfy futons, 12 new tent platforms as well 5 newly renovated lean-to’s with fire rings, outdoor grills and bear boxes. All this within walking distance to flush toilets, hot showers and dining hall which offers hot breakfasts, trail lunches and dinners (additional cost for food). And if all that weren’t enough the camp offers free canoe and kayaks to take out on 64 acre Breakneck Pond.

Kayak launch site along Breakneck Pond

This weekend our group was staying at the Storm King Lodge 2, a newly renovated rustic cabin with 4 rooms and a common area along with 2 small refrigerators and plenty of electric outlets to charge up the phones.  In back of the cabin is a fire ring and picnic table. Out front is a large covered pavilion with quite a few picnic tables and a large charcoal grill. Some of the people in our group had a cook out one night with food they brought from home, others opted for the meal plan available through the dining hall for an additional cost. And then there’s the other option – go to nearby Sloatsburg and eat at Rhodes North Tavern or one of the other local eateries, which is what Irish and I decided to do. If you have never been to Rhodes North Tavern near Harriman State Park you should check it out. The food is fresh and the service is always excellent!

Trail marker for the White Bar Trail

While the amenities are nice, even nicer is the fact that the HOC is a perfect base for exploring the hundreds of trails in the 46,000 – acre Harriman State Park. On Saturday our group took a hike starting from the Johnstontown Road parking area on the White Bar trail. We hiked along the rocky but fairly flat trail past the Dutch Doctor Shelter, where we stopped for a quick snack break before continuing on the yellow Triangle Trail and through the tunnel of Mountain Laurel which was not in bloom but still wonderful to walk through. Further along the trail a more deciduous forest began to show the change colors but definitely not at peak levels just yet. After a beautiful few hours of hiking through the trails we looped back to our car in the parking area and headed back to the HOC by late afternoon for a much need stretch session with our instructor Irish, right on the dock at Breakneck Pond. Then it was off to enjoy the hot showers before social hour and dinner. Truly a great day!

Irish taking us a through a great post hike stretch routine along Breakneck Pond

Sunday was a free day for all of us, there were no scheduled group activities which was great because Irish and I had a plan. In keeping with my half marathon training plan, I was scheduled to run a 10k race. Good thing about running…there’s always a race somewhere and Irish found ours in Fishkill! A great charity run for Multiple Sclerosis in a cemetery which was very SPOOKY…just in time for Halloween. So in the cold damp rain we drove country roads to get to Fishkill and our cemetery race. Irish signed up for the one mile fun walk and came in first! I signed up for the 10k and did not come in first!

 
 

 

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Hilltackler does triathlons ?!?!

A little known fact about yours truly, for the past 3 years I have been doing a few triathlons a year.

 waiting in the corale to jump into the Hidson River


 The sport of triathlon has been growing in recent years and it’s no doubt why. Typically as we age it gets more difficult to maintain a healthy body weight, avoid injuries and stay motivated with fewer outward results, especially for women. 

While there are triathlons in various distances ranging from sprint (easiest) to the ironman (hardest).  I have only participated in Sprint and Olympic distances but the sequence is the same for all: swim, bike and run. Yes, Consecutively! 


I’m not super competitive in these races, more like a finishers race for me, however, I have really come to love the multisport training. Typically in the past I have used running or biking  to stay in shape for the hiking season. I usually would do a few running races a year for the sole purpose of motivation to train. I’ve always been in decent shape but never terrific. And after a while boredom kicks in and I lose my ambition to run consistently. My solution to this – traithlons! 


I now spend many hours working out each week but I’m rarely bored. Varying my workout schedule with swimming, running and biking has made it fun and has greatly improved my fitness especially when It comes to hiking and backpacking.  I find I’m able to walk more miles on the trails and I am far less fatigued. My recovery time from very tough backpacking trips has decreased, less aches and pains and more energy overall. 


 

 

 

 

 

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Hilltackler’s Road to the 2015 NYC Triathlon on TEAM ASPCA. 

This year I am raising money for a charity that is very near and dear to my heart…The ASPCA. This agency is always hard at work rescuing animals as well as preventing cruelty to animals. I have been a monthly donor for some time and when I was looking for charity to back me in the 2015 NYC Triathlon I was so excited to see the ASPCA on the list! I signed up immediately with TEAM ASPCA and couldn’t be prouder to say “I’m doing it for the animals” 



Charity begins at home…found this guy as a kitten in my driveway 5 years ago



This years NYC Triathlon will only be my second time doing an Olympic distance event. Over the last year I’ve been training very regularly in all three sports.  I’ve completed a few sprints and even completed my first half marathon last spring. I definitely feel stronger and more confident and I’m definitely hoping to improve on my finishing time in this years upcoming race.  

In the 2013 NYC Triathon I did fair on the swim and bike portion but ran into a wall going into the 6.2 mile run. I’m certainly not going to make excuses but I think it’s good to reflect on what didn’t go right that day.  



Daisy, a stray i rescued from a warehouse at work a few years ago



Inadequate sleep…The NYC Tri is probably one of the best races I’ve ever participated in. The event is very organized, the crowd support is unprecedented and the volunteers are very enthusiastic. However, it’s also very crowded and it takes forever to do anything. A lot of people means getting to the race site early to wait on line to get into the transition area. Having to walk a mile to the swim start means making sure you get your gear set up in transition and suited up to head to the swim area to wait for the race to start. And then there’s the long wait for your swim “wave”. If you’re in your fourties…bring a snack and reading material,  because it’s going to be a while! All this means A wake up time of 3:30 AM on race day! 



Meet Norman, he was adopted from the ASPCA by my friend Stretch



Hydration:“the condition of having adequate fluid in the body tissues.” This was probably my biggest issue in the 2013 race. I was feeling good about the 24 mile bike ride. The course was hilly and hot which I had trained for but I had not trained with a ton of other bikers around me.  I was slightly anxious about falling. I was having  difficulty  reaching for my Gatorade bottle beneath my bike seat while keeping away from other bikers. While my bike time was not horrendous as soon as I got out of the saddle I went into severe leg cramps. After some Gu and Gatorade I felt decent enough to head out of transition to finish the race and hoping to be able to have a decent run. I had a terrible run but I did finish the race in under 4 hours. 



Normans brother from another mother , Jet, also adopted from the ASPCA



Lack of BRICKS…prior to the 2013 race i didn’t get many BRICK workouts. I had certainly run a lot of miles and several long runs more than the 6.2 mile race distance. But my beginner training plan focused more on building volume with very minimal BRICK workouts. The main reason for this – too much, too hard, too soon = INJURY! Advice I’m glad that I listened to because despite my mediocre finish time my body was not too beat up the day after the race. 

Henry, getting some time in the saddle on the trainer



Mapping out the road to the 2015 NYC Traithlon



Zoey. my middle child mapping out the plan for 2015!

The road to the 2015 NYC triathlon has been paved with lots of training. I’ve followed a winter maintenance plan which has kept me in the pool, on the bike, running on the treadmill and building a solid training base. 



Put a buck in this dogs jar and he shakes your hand. GO METS!

I’ve been doing some pre-race sleep research and it seems as though most people have the issue of inadequate sleep the night before a race. The experienced triathletes I spoke with told me not to take any sleep aids prior to race day but to make sure to get adequate sleep in the weeks leading up to the race, especially 2 days before. In addition, to have all my things packed and ready to go for race morning to avoid worrying that I’ve forgotten something. Then when the alarm goes off at 3:30-4am I can just suit up and head out the door. 



Meet Emma! She never worirries about sleep! She’s always ready to play BALL!



To help me stay hydrated better on the bike this year I’ve decided to go with a more accessible hydration system. Apparently, I’m not the only rider out there with “crash anxiety”. There is an entire market of bike hydration systems that don’t require a rider to take their hands off the handlebars. 



Meet Sport! This guy can run all day and not get tired. i wonder his trick to staying hydrated?!?



This winter I’ve also added strength training  to my program 2-3 times per week with  rochefitness In the short time I’ve been doing full body workouts my core has gotten very strong and I can already see the improvements to my swim, bike and run performance. 

And no discussion about triathlon would be complete if I didn’t mention the swim portion. The swim leg of the NYC triathlon is known be one of the fastest thanks to the swift moving tide of the Hudson River.  In 2013 it was my least comfortable portion of the race. Prior to signing on to partipate in the 2013 race I did not know how to swim unless you count the doggy paddle. Thanks to the very helpful swim coaches at excel swimming in Nassau county I have improved greatly in both my comfortability in the water and my swim efficiency. Over the past 2 years I have been consistently in the pool several times each week. 



feeling strong after a 4000 meter swim! (with excel swimming)

Lastly, something I didn’t give much thought to in 2013…although it’s not a muscle, the brain is a very powerful thing! I’ve discovered when pushing myself physically most times it’s not my body that want to quit – it’s my mind! In my regular life I’m a positive person and I choose to see things in a good way but when I’m pushing my body past its comfort level and it’s getting tough my mind tells me “I can’t” and that is bad news! 

In fact, most sports performance articles say that “our minds don’t process anything after can’t”. So when I’m pushing it hard instead of saying I can’t walk during this run I should be saying I CAN keep running.  I’ve been working on this for a little while and this positive affirmation of sorts definitely works for me! 

Remember…You CAN make a difference in the lives of animals that need it most by donating to the ASPCA. In fact, you CAN go to my fundraising page and donate right now. Click the link and enter your payment method, it is that simple:) 

help animals like “sticky” find good lovong homes

Hit up my donation page and help the ASPCA continue to help the animals and support me in participating in the 2105 NYC triathlon.


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Pulling a pulk in the Adirondacks…the last big winter trip of 2015

This past weekend I led a group of Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) backpackers into the Marcy Dam area 3 day/2 night winter base camp high peaks adventure.

Usually I carry my large winter backpack, Gregory Diva 85 but this weekend I traded that in for a pulk…yes a pulk! Which is pretty much a sled attached to poles that clips onto a harness worn on your waist. 



 A trail buddy of mine, “Nails” had been talking this whole pulling a pulk thing up for sometime and when we were discussing my upcoming Daks trip, I decided to give it a try. 

Why this trip?

A few reasons: First, this trip is a basecamp, meaning that we will hike in to a designated campsite and go hiking from there each day, hopefully tagging some high peaks. Secondly, the trail leading to our base camp is approximately 2.5 miles of fairly wide level trail and lastly…it’s much more comfortable to pull a pulk with 30-35lbs of winter gear than it is to carry it on your back. 



the high peaks weather forecast for friday



 At the start of our trip I was a little concerned. The temperature was minus 12 and the wind was probably 20-30 mph. It was COLD! I had some thoughts of calling the trip as I was driving to meet the rest of the group on Friday morning. I had been watching the higher summit forecast for the area like a hawk all week. We would be down in the low lands but the temperature was still projected to be as low as 40 degrees below zero. Game time decisions would have to be made about what peaks to hike but my intended plan was to hike Phelps (4161′)the first day, Colden (4715′)the second day and tag Tabletop (4427′) on a quick day hike on the third day.
I attached my sled to my waist of my osprey day pack and easily glided my sled the 2.5 miles to the Marcy dam area where we set our base camp.



home sweet home. no heat but plenty of fresh air!



 The wind died down by the time our group set up camp and geared up to climb Phelps. The trail to Phelps was nicely broken out and snowshoeing was a pleasure. We hit the turn off to head the mile up to the summit and up, up and away we went. The view was spectacular and we hung out there and soaked it in for a while before heading back to camp. 



 Our group of seven hung out in the lean to and melted snow for water for a couple of hours. I was in my tent by 7pm and snoozing shortly after…winter is my time to catch up on sleep. I never sleep for more than 6-8 hours at home so getting 12 hours in my sleeping bag is just fine with me. 

 The next morning the weather had turned very very windy. Even down at our lower elevation the wind was blowing 30 mph. I really wanted to go with the plan to hike the 8 plus miles round trip to Mt. Colden but the climb to the top of Colden is exposed and steep  and would not be easy in very high winds and blowing snow. We discussed it as a group and decided that hiking to Tabletop would be a better call but three of the guys decided it was even too cold and windy to do that so they decided to hike up Mount Joe. 



The other four of us set off to Tabletop around 9am. Along the way lots of hikers and skiers were on the trails too. Quite a few hikers were headed up to Marcy which was interesting to me because if the wind was 30 mph at 2000 feet I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like on top of the highest peak in the range! Then I began to question my decision to call off going to Colden. Did I wimp out? Was I being too cautious? I’m not one to be scared by weather but I was not feeling anywhere near 100% – I had been plagued with a bad head cold all week and while I felt well enough to hike I just didn’t think pushing myself physically would be smart. If the hike to Colden went perfectly I would probably be fine but if something went wrong, if one of our hikers suffered an injury or the weather conditions deteriorated any further I might be a hinderence. As a trip leader that’s never a good scenario – so to Tabletop we hiked. 



hiking up the trail to tabletop



The route up tabletop is very protected from the beastly wind and we had a lovely climb up to the top. Just enough of an opening at the summit to see Mt. Marcy across the way and take in views without being blown over. 



lookking at Mt. Marcy from summit of Tabletop Mtn



We headed back to camp early and I retreated to my tent to get some rest, I was definitely feeling worse. After an hour or so I psyched myself up to get back out of the tent and start melting snow for some much needed water. The wind was now blowing snow and gusting up to 35 mph. Usually, melting snow in the lean to protects me from the weather but the wind was blowing the snow right in the front of lean to. Soon I melted enough snow to rehydrate my dinner and made a hot beverage to take back to my tent. I was really glad to get back in my sleeping bag. I was even more grateful that I had downloaded one of my favorite t.v shows, Suits, to my smartphone to keep myself entertained for a while before I could take my dose of NyQuil and get some much needed sleep. 



larry, all smiles …the wind is gone!



The next morning I awoke to the sound of…NO WIND! I stuck my head out of my tent at 7am and the sky was blue and the sun shining bright! A perfect day to hike but everyone had had enough and wanted to hike out and go home. So I packed up my stuff, put it in the pulk and pulled it home! 

My thoughts on pulling a pulk…it is the way to go! I didn’t even notice I was pulling any weight until the up hills and even the  it was much easier than having the weight on my back. 

One of the big benefits to the pulk is not having to be so mindful of the weight of each item. This trip I was able to bring my alite camp chair, an extra down jacket and my BD shovel. My total weight was probably almost 40lbs with food, fuel and water. My winter backpack weight is usually 30-32 lbs and if feels much heavier! While pulling a pulk isn’t practical in every winter backpacking scenario I think there are a fair amount of winter routes that I could use this on in the future. 

When u got home, I called my buddy “Nails” and told him all about my love for the pulk. Needless to say he is making me one of my very own for next winter! So there will be more pulk pulling adventures next winter but for now I look forward to more spring like weather and getting back to my light weight backpacking kit! 



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Cold Weather Backpacking…sometimes it is about survival.

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This morning I read about a woman that unfortunately lost her life while hiking in the White Mountains. It’s a very tragic situation but also a real risk when winter hiking, especially solo.

This story reminded me of a trip report I had been working on for my blog. I never actually posted it because it was well…just another winter trip report and the trip didn’t go off as planned. The working title was “winter backpacking: plan, revise, repeat…lessons learned about surviving the COLD”. The unfinished post had been in my drafts queue waiting to be published. This morning after I read the news article about this hiker losing her life, I reflected on my recent trip to the Catskills and whether or not I should have “called the trip” because of terrible weather.

This overnight backpacking trip took place in the Catskills, New York the second to last week of January. I’ve done this particular trip every winter for the past 4 years and really like the route. The first day is 1500 ft of elevation over 3 miles or so up an old truck road that tops out at the Hunter Mountain Fire Tower. From there it’s another 4-5 miles to our campsite near the lovely Diamond Notch Falls area. The second day Is the real challenge heading up the Devils Path over Westkill Mountain (3,880′) down the other side and back to our cars. A total of 16.7 miles over 2 days with a full winter pack. However, this weekend the mountains had other plans.

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The morning temperature was zero degrees and the winds were forecasted to be up to 30-40mph. Our group was small, made up of 4 experienced four season backpackers. Heading up the jeep road towards the fire tower was hard work but doable since snowmobiles had packed down the trail. Until we reached about 3500 ft then all that lay in front of us was a foot or more of fresh powdery snow, lovely to look but not so easy to hike through with a heavy pack and snowshoes strapped to your boots. We switched to a rolling lead, 25 paces then fall out and let the next in line break trail. The rotation helps even out the workload and catch some rest as we roll the leader. With only four people this was still quite tough.

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At 11:30 am we reached the Hunter Mountain fire tower and took a minute to regroup. The wind was whipping and we needed to keep moving in order to stay warm. At this time one guy in our group mentioned that his feet were getting really cold. He was also getting fatigued from carrying his pack and was contemplating turning back.

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Knowing the route and consulting the map, I knew that further along the trail was fairly flat and there was a lean to in 2 more miles. We discussed the option of getting to the lean to, taking care of his feet and making a decision from there how we would proceed. We all agreed. We pushed on and broke trail for another two miles to the Devils acre lean to. Excited to have reached the 3 sided structure but slightly disappointed to see the floor of it with 6-8 inches of snow drifts and an umbrella, of all things!

We worked quickly to get our friend onto an insulated mat and into his -25 degree sleeping bag. Shortly later we started pumping him with snacks and hot beverages. Before long his feet began to get toasty warm. Thankfully, at no point did this guy ever exhibit signs of hypothermia. His spirits were good and his feet warm but he didn’t think he could hike any further so it was then we all decided the best thing was to stay put, set up camp and hike back out the way we came to our cars.

Setting up camp is usually a no brainer…whip out the tent and wholla! Well, in 30-40 mph winds it ain’t so easy. I have a 4 season free standing tent which I couldn’t get to stay put! Every time I got it on the ground the wind would just HOWL and flatten it out. Trying to put stakes in the ground to hold it down proved useless, the snow was a fine powder with no sticking power and the ground frozen solid. Finally, I just tied a guy line to a small tree and began hunting for large branches to weigh down the other guy lines. An hour later I finally had the tent up and pitched. It was now 2pm!

As we all sat – for hours – in the lean to we melted snow for water, ate our food, talked gear (of course) and all agreed that these conditions were really challenging. The wind was absolutely blasting, which made the temperatures plummet into the negatives, Making even the simplest tasks seem monumentally difficult.

We eventually all got our tents anchored down but the wind continued to whip it up! At one point I was in my sleeping bag and the side of my tent was touching my face because the wind was blowing with such force. We still all managed to get a great nights sleep despite the noise and awoke to a very cold but windless morning! We packed up and started 5 or so miles back to where we started. Thankfully the wind had not blown in the trail we broke out the previous day.
We made it to our cars within a few short hours, with smiles on our faces, happy that we were able to spend the night in the woods, even if it wasn’t the trip we had planned on.

As I drove home I reflected on this trip and for me it served as a reminder of how flexible I need to stay during winter hikes and overnight trips. Even though I plan a fairly detailed itinerary, bring a map and all my gear I think the most important thing I can do is to remain flexible…each trip unfolds differently.

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On top of the world…

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Okay may be not but that is me on top of Algonquin (5,114ft) last weekend. The 3000 foot ascent in 4.3 miles makes it a tough but doable climb. The last .7 of a mile seems to go straight up until you get to tree line. Then it’s rocks, rocks, rocks…and they are covered in ice, ice, ice.

On Sunday I led a group of hikers up to the top of Algonquin via the Van Hovenberg trail (blue blaze) and Algonquin Peak Trail (yellow blaze). Our group of 8 hikers were chomping at the bid to get on the trail and make it to the top of New York’s second highest peak. While we were all hopeful to reach the top we were also realistic to know that the mountains make their own weather. And today’s high peaks weather forecast was looking a little iffy.

The latest weather prediction provided by the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) was calling for 40-50 mph winds with 90% of the mountain socked in by clouds. The good news was that the rain was supposed to hold off until 3pm. The temperature was in the low 30’s but when the wind picked up, it felt a lot colder, even below tree line.

We started down the trail around 9am hiking in Microspikes then changing to snowshoes about a mile in due to the fluffier deeper snow. The trail runs through the high peaks wilderness area and a lovely forest lined trail protected us from the wind.

There aren’t too many views in the first 2 or 3 miles except for some nice frozen water falls occasionally. Luckily we could hike around the first two small water falls in our snowshoes. The last wall of ice required is to change into our crampons.

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From here the trail gets very steep. At the 2.4 mile mark we passed the junction to turn up Wright Peak. This was on our list to do but we heard from another hiker coming down that the wind was “scary”. This is pretty typical of Wright, it’s often said to be one of the windiest non-high peak summits for some reason. ADK guidebook mentions the “scary” wind in its description.
Our group took a quick vote and decided to just head up Algonquin and leave Wright Peak for another day. Up, up and away we went, nearly vertical on the hard snow packed trail with our crampons. I could feel my heart pumping hard as I slowly continued up the trail. Step, step…rest. Step, step…rest. My leg quadriceps and gluts were beginning to get fatigued and using the “rest step” during this climbed saved me.

Soon our group of 8 turned to 5 as we had three hikers that needed to go slower up the final push to Algonquin’s summit. My 5 hikers arrived at the edge of the Arctic zone and got our summit gear ready. Hood up, goggles on, crampons adjusted… And away we go!

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The climb onto the ice covered boulders on the top seemed to be easier walking then the near vertical climbing up to tree line. However, more careful stepping was necessary due to the very icy conditions which made us have to really dig our crampons on each step. Couple careful foot placement with poor visibility and increasing wind made it hard to follow the trail in some spots. Usually a hiker follows blazes painted on rocks or tree to lead the way. On the tops of bald summits there are rock cairns, essentially large piles of rocks every so often that guide you along.
When we finally hit the summit the wind picked up quite a bit. It was hard to stand upright without digging into the ice and bracing against the wind. We snapped a few quick pictures and prepared to hike back down the way we came.

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Going back down the icy summit is quite taxing on the leg muscles. It’s like doing hundreds of lunges…only on ice! Digging in each crampon and feeling secure enough to move my other foot to take a step. Finally reaching tree line we all tucked in out of the wind and had a much needed snack to fuel is up for the 4.3 mile walk back to the cars.

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Hi Ho Hi Ho…it’s off to Hurricane we go!

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On Saturday morning I hiked Hurricane Mountain (3964ft) with a group from AMC’s MLK weekend in the Adirondacks. This is 5.0 mile out and back hike with 2000 feet of elevation gain via the red blazed trail off route 9N in Keene, New York. Hurricane Mountain is not a “high peak” but it offers 360 degree views from the top making it well worth the 2.5 mile hike up.

Getting started is always the coldest part of a hike like this, leaving the heated car and getting snowshoes affixed correctly with my liner gloves still on is always slow going this early In the winter hiking season.

The starting temperature minus 4 degrees and sunny. Once on the trail I got warmed up quickly but not enough to really take too many layers off. The trail went through some nice forested areas covered in the beautiful snow. The hike started out with a gradual ascent and soon got much steeper towards the summit.

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I took my snowshoes off and bear booted it up to the bald summit. After a few minutes admiring the great views and photo ops I headed back down and strapped on my snowshoes and headed back down the trail. Going down is always pleasant after climbing for a few hours but soon becomes exhausting in its own special way.

After finishing the hike myself and some other hikers in the group grabbed lunch at the Noon-Mark diner in Keene. And no hiking outing in Keene is complete without stopping by the local gear shop, the Mountaineer!

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With day one of MLK weekend in the books I headed back to the ADK Trail Inn and got cleaned up for dinner with the other 30 hikers in our group at the ADK Cafe in town. We all sat around the table and talked about our hikes, adventures and mishaps on the trail over good food.

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Hilltackler goes to Lake Placid…ice climbing, hiking, x-c skiing, oh my?!?!

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This weekend I am heading up north to Lake Placid, New York. This is the epicenter of all things outdoors in any season but is especially beautiful in the winter. And it’s host to many outdoor club weekends during the observance of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Holiday.

For many years the New York/New Jersey backpacking committee of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has been hosting this “winter training” weekend using a lodge as a base camp. Each day instructional hikes and ski trips of all levels are offered to participants. There is something for everyone from the first time winter hiker to the more seasoned veterans that want to grab a few high peaks. All the hikes and ski trips are led by leaders for our chapter.

On Sunday, I will be leading a day hike to Wright (4,587 ft) and Algonquin (5,115 ft)…hopefully! I say that because these peaks, as many of the high peaks in winter, are notorious for 50 mph winds, white out conditions as well as rapidly changing weather patterns. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. This will be a 9 mile round trip day hike.

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But before Sunday comes Saturday and I’ll be doing something I have never done before…ice climbing! A bunch of us are using a guide from a local outfitter for the day to take us climbing. I’ve rock climbed before both in and outdoors many years ago. I liked it but never really stuck with it…it involves a lot of standing around while you belay other climbers and wait your turn but ice climbing, now that is going to be exciting. Kicking my crampons into ice and slamming my ice axes into the frozen wall of ice. Now that’s fun!

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On my last day in the Adirondacks I plan to do my newest sport, cross country skiing. Prior to last year I was never a skier. While I am a speed freak and like adventure I’ve never liked down hill skiing that much. And starting as an adult is never easy…more aging fragile body parts to preserve! So taking up this cross country thing has been a fun adventure. It’s a great full body workout, I get to be on the trail all day and I’m hoping to get good enough to take on the hut to hut circuit they have in Maine. So I better keep practicing.

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First winter backpacking trip of 2015…get your gear on!

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This weekend I led a beginner winter backpacking trip for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) to the Catskills. This is the second year I’ve led this particular trip and I like it because it’s a perfect trip to introduce experienced 3 season backpackers to winter.

Many hikers and backpackers think “oh winter, it’s like summer only colder” NOT! The winter presents an interesting situation in balancing staying warm but dry while sweating profusely. Hiking with winter boots, snowshoes or crampons with a 30lb backpack full of gear and I sweat just thinking about it!

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This trip has some safety nets built into it. We start out at the parking area at the end of Big Hollow Road and hike 1.25 miles with our fully loaded winter packs to the Bativa Kill Lean to area. We set up our tents and off load some gear and head off to hike over Acra point and Burnt Knob, approximately 7 miles round trip.

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The group was small this weekend so we were able to move swiftly and stop at the many view points off the Escarpment Trail. Our first nice view was at Acra point. The day was very cold and clear giving us nice views, of the valley below.

Continuing on the trail towards Burnt Knob there were some short climbs before getting to the view off Burnt Knob at 3.5 miles. Along the way we were treated to some nice views of the Blackhead Range.

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We headed back the way we came along the Escarpment Trail. The 3.5 mile walk back was uneventful. Our group was hiking well together and we all snacked and hydrated along the way. The temperatures felt like they were in the single digits and stopping for more than a few minutes would have been unpleasantly cold. Arriving at camp with our tents all set up gave us some time to gather some firewood for the evening. There were plenty of downed branches to give us a nice fire for a few hours while giving off precious heat. It was shaping up to be a cold cold night. At 5pm the temperature was at zero degrees.

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After having dinner and lots of laughs I was in my sleeping bag by 6:30. Seems like an early bed time but For me winter camping equals – catching up on sleep! I don’t generally sleep the entire time. I may even wake up for an hour or so in the night but I usually just listen to some music or on this trip chat it up with my tent mate, Mo, trail name Irish.

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Irish was waking me up periodically to make sure I wasn’t concussed. Earlier in the evening while hanging up the food, on the bear rope, the branch I was hoisting our line up broke from the tree and hit me right on the head. I was fine just more in disbelief that this fairly substantial tree branch broke off. From my vanish point it didn’t appear to be dead wood but in any case the branch was not to hold our food for the night. Not really a huge deal to sleep with food in winter. The bears are asleep however other vermin have been known to chew through a backpack or tent to get some free food. Luckily there weren’t any visitors through the night. Food secure and definitively…FROZEN!
The plan for Sunday was to get up at day break and hike up Black Dome and Thomas Cole. But that never materialized one guy had a very sore neck, one guy had to get back home and Irish, well she had a rough night…she’s discovered that the zero degree temperatures exceeded her comfort level. Enjoying the winter hiking and landscape but realizing that her threshold for winter camping may be closer to 20 degrees. As we hiked out early to the parking area we talked about her coldest night ever in the woods. And what she said summed it up pretty well “even the simplest tasks become difficult when it’s this cold”

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