Marcy, Gray and Skylight - May 27

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timmus

Well-known member
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May 17, 2005
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St-Bruno, Qc. Avatar: At Guyot Shelter
Memorial week-end is never a good time to go up on Marcy, that, I knew. I decided to go anyway, and I thought the uncertain weather would discourage the crowds. I left South Meadows at 7:00am, with at least 5000 black flies around my head, but not a single human. The climb up went pretty fast, so I took time to check on Indian Falls. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see for more than 10 feet ahead of me because it was too foggy. The Van Ho Tr is in very good shape, thanks to trailcrew. Very wet though.

Up Marcy, still foggy. Down to Lake Tear of the Clouds : foggy. Gray ? You guess right. But I enjoyed Gray’s summit a lot, I took time to stare at the summit sign (there was nothing else to look at). I felt good mostly because I was alone, on a ‘‘remote’’ trailless summit. Did I mention how happy I was to be by myself today ? All winter I had to hike with people because it’s safer, but truly, there’s nothing like solo hiking.

I bang my head twice on stupid blowdowns coming down Gray. The herd path needs a little clean-up, but in my opinion herd paths shouldn’t be too maintained. I had fun doing the (very little) routefinding, and clearing the path would take away the satisfaction of finding the summit.

Back to Four Corners. I kept Skylight for the last because the sky was supposed to clear up. It was now 1:30pm and I was still in the fog. I went up Skylight with angry face (I was really pissed off, I mean, summiting Skylight without views ??!!) I stayed there for at least 45 minutes, and lucky me, the sun pierced briefly through the fog… And finally, I saw. I saw Haystack, Panther Gorge…Redfield and Cliff…the MacIntyres…Marcy ? Still in the fog.

I didn’t know at that point if I would come back by Lake Arnold or over Marcy again. I wanted to avoid the crowds, but I didn’t know how the crossings would be. And what if the trail is really bad and it takes me 6 hours to get back to South Meadows ? I chose Marcy, and maybe the summit will be out of the clouds. It wasn’t too bad going up, but the last 200 feet were hard on the legs. Once there, I couldn’t see crap. Well, I’ll come back another time.

At 4:00pm, I was ready to run down the hill. Well, walking really fast. That trail is so easy to travel, it’s like driving on the highway : Cruise Control. So at 6:00 I was at Marcy Dam, and I met again with the balck flies on the way to South Meadows. It was a great hike, despite the fact that I have been surrounded by some white thick and cold stuff all the time (clouds, not snow).

Oh, I forgot to mention that there is still snow around Four Corners, sometimes 2 feet deep. Mostly on the Skylight Trail. But the Memorial week-end traffic will probably turn it into some slushy stuff.
 
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Nice report. I'm hoping to get back up there real soon with my daughter, and hopefully without too much humidity and bugs( not been too lucky in those two departments in recent years).
 
Nice report, I was at 13th lake Saturday for a paddle and the black flies were about to carry us away! That time of year.
 
Fond Memories

Your trip report brought back fond memories of Skylight. I had started out with tons of fog from the Loj and encountered a cloud covered Marcy. However, when I got to Skylight's peak, the cloud had burned off and I had incredible views all to myself for a good 45 minutes. I know what you mean about liking to hike solo. And having that summit to myself was pure heaven!!!!
 
Sorry you missed the views Timmus, I took my Son up Marcy the very next day and the views were superb. I took 90 to 100 pictures that day, many from Skylight. I was not sure how his legs were going to hold out, so Skylight was not originally planned (but was on my wish list since my visit there before was like yours). We had Skylight to ourselves for about 15 minutes, Marcy had 3 young guys and the summit steward. One of the guys did a cartwheel on the summit pin area while we were there, real impressive :rolleyes: We left for Skylight shortly thereafter. Definately go back to Skylight, you will not regret it.
 
Nice pics Julie, looks like you enjoyed some views. I am doing Seward tommorow with my fiance' and one of her friends, kind of a last minute thing. They would not want to do the whole range, and besides,I have it reserved as a group hike with some other fellow hikers later on. Big Slide must be getting closer on the radar screen :cool:
 
Julie, nice hike for yourself! We all need them. Fun to find the snow off the 4 corners. Lake Tear in the fog was excellent! FTR, you had better views than I did from Marcy (it can be worse); Grey is sweet in that you look back toward the village of LP, which surprised me. Lastly, you pic from Sky of Marcy is classic Tahawus!! (Cloudsplitter!) Thanks for sharing.
 
C.Tracy said:
Nice pics Julie, looks like you enjoyed some views. I am doing Seward tommorow with my fiance' and one of her friends, kind of a last minute thing. They would not want to do the whole range, and besides,I have it reserved as a group hike with some other fellow hikers later on. Big Slide must be getting closer on the radar screen :cool:

Yes Chuck, only three left before going up Big Slide...

Good luck on Seward !
 
yvon said:
When Julie?

In August, right in time for the 4th Annual Adirondack BBQ and Gathering ...if it doesn't rain (Cantdog, you can't come) :D

And people will have to choose between me and Teejay (who will finish his 46 on Phelps). Just kidding. I want to go up Big Slide before sunrise and have a breakfast celebration drinking Mimosa's on the summit. Of course, everyone who don't mind meeting me at the Garden trailhead around 2:30am is welcome.
 
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You bring the champagne. I'll bring freshly squeezed OJ. I won't hike in on the trail with you but if you want to bushwhack it so I can count it on my latest list then let's do 'er. Then you can be the only French Canadian female to ever finish their ADK 46 on Big Slide, at dawn, with Mimosa, after bushwhacking the whole thing in darkness.

Slip slidin' away, the nearer your destination the more your slip slidin' away.
 

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