p2piper
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Date: November 3, 2006
Time: 10 hours 53 minutes
Weather: Mostly cloudy, occasional sun, calm, temps ranging 20's-30's
Miles: 10.9
Steps: 38,054
Trails: Battell Trail to Long Trail to Jerusalem Trail
The plan was to climb Mounts Ellen and Abraham on Friday and Mount Mansfield on Saturday. After breakfast in Burlington we headed in two cars to the Jerusalem trailhead where we dropped off Nancy's car. We were lucky to find it since the turn off for Jim Dwyer Rd was obscured by a pine tree and the trail marker by the road was very small. Nancy piled in to my car and we drove to the Battell Trail. As we approached the trailhead we could see Mt Abraham and the ridge covered in snow. I was beyond myself with excitement.
We geared up - Nancy put on her new winter hiking boots (including chemical foot warmers), 3 layers, plus gloves with chemical hand warmers. Temperature is so deceiving when standing around gearing up at the trailhead. It feels cold so the natural inclination is to dress warmly. It's hard to remember and believe that we need to dress down a layer or two because as soon as we start climbing we will be generating our own internal heat. This was only our second 4,000 footer in colder/snowy conditions and we are still learning the ropes. We left the trailhead at 8:53 am and headed into the woods.
It didn't take long for Nancy to warm up and start sweating. Off came the boots, the chemical hand warmers, and a layer. She put on her light hiking boots and off we went. After about a half hour of walking we saw our first traces of snow. The lower part of the trail was switch backed and pretty gentle. We hadn't hiked since October 21 and it's amazing how fast we lose our aerobic conditioning. I was huffing and puffing as we reached the steeper sections.
We reached the Long Trail at 10:30 am and started gaining elevation immediately. The snow deepened and once we moved into the coniferous forest, it looked like a winter wonderland. The temperature began to drop, the snow to deepen, and there was more ice since the path was wet. Before we reached the ridge we stopped so Nancy could change out of her wet clothes into dry and to put on stabilicers and gaiters. The view from where I was standing was impressive. I was a little higher up the trail and watched Nancy get herself changed. I didn't notice, however, that while she was putting on gaiters and stabilicers that her hands were getting colder and colder, to the point that when she tried to pull on dry mittens, she was unable to grasp the chemical warmers to put them in the gloves. I came down the slope a bit and offered to help. She said she couldn't feel her fingers and I could see she didn't have the dexterity to pull on her mittens. I helped her get them on and once we started moving again, she regained sensation and we were good to go.
Unfortunately, where we changed clothes was not as close to the summit as we had hoped so new sweat was generated and Nancy had to take off her hard shell and put on a light wind breaker. We reached the summit of Mt. Abraham (elevation 4,006) at 11:42 am. The wind was blowing so we took a quick picture and moved on. At this point I realized this was going to be a very long day and that we would not get off the trail before dark. I didn't feel particularly anxious - just facing facts.
We reached Lincoln Peak and came off the trail at the top of a ski area. I think it was part of the Sugar Bush Ski Area. The Long Trail Guide was not very verbose in describing trail locations but we found a blaze off to the left and saw a post but no sign. A few minutes later we came out on a ski trail and saw no sign of the trail on the opposite side. We started walking down the ski slope but that didn't feel right and I started to get frustrated and a little angry. In fact, the anger fueled my legs so that I stormed back up the slope hoping to see something that would help locate the trail again. I didn't see a trail, but I did see signs of skiers having arrived at the hut so I knocked on the door. Fours guys were in there warming up and eating power bars. I asked directions and they told us to go back down the ski slope and bear left before the slope actually started down to the right. Yeah, right. They asked where we were headed and were impressed that we were doing a day hike. I wonder what they really thought.
We started back down the slope, postholing and slugging through two feet of snow. I was still angry and frustrated by the poor trail marking - and maybe just a bit anxious. When we came to the bend in the ski slope we bore left, hoping we were on the trail, not seeing any blazes. Shortly thereafter we intersected the real trail and were on our way again. My anger cooled and I regained my good humor. We reached Nancy Hanks Peak at 1:54 pm. The snow on the ridge ranged from a few inches where there were lots of overhanging pine boughs to 18-20 inches where there was nothing.
Blow downs became our nemesis - lots of them - maybe 6-10 areas where trees had fallen from last weekend's wind storms. The amount of additional energy it took to find a way around or over them started to take its toll after an hour or two of dealing with this. We had been eating power bars through the morning because we did not bring any lunch food per se. Not a smart decision in retrospect. At the last minute I bought a bagel and that really helped me because I can only eat power bars for so long before my stomach wants simple carbs, not sugar and protein. Of course our hydration packs froze so we managed with our Nalgene bottles. The temps were such that the power bars in pockets on the outside of my pack were starting to freeze but the bagel that was inside my pack did not. What do you bring on a long winter hike to eat that won't freeze?
We arrived at the summit of Mt. Ellen (elevation 4,083) at 3:04 pm. At that point we knew we had a couple more miles to go on the ridge and 2.5 miles on the Jerusalem Trail. Oh my. A picture and a high five to celebrate our 38th peak and we pushed onward. We came out at the top of another ski area. The sound we had heard was the sound of snow guns. There was no sign of anyone around. A sign pointed a sharp left for the trail. We walked down the slope and passed a wooden barrier until we looked at each other and realized we were lost again. Nancy re-read the guide info and it stated that the trail turned off the slope to the left about 100 feet from where the other trail entered and began a steep descent. We walked up and down the slope trying to find a blaze, an opening that looked like a trail, anything. Again, I grew frustrated and worked hard to remain calm. I tried a couple of places that looked like openings and finally guessed right and found the trail. No sign, no blaze, and the trail was so overgrown it was all but invisible. It was a while before we saw a blaze and knew we were on the right track. What a relief.
For the next hour we hiked the overgrown trail. It was hard to follow - the white blazes were old and difficult to see and branches had grown over the trail. We were constantly dealing with snow showers down our necks. Around 4:30 we stopped - Nancy changed her outer layer and put on a dry soft shell and we both put on our Petzel Tikka Plus headlamps - and started walking again. As the daylight was leeched from the sky, we could see Lake Champlain and the lights of Burlington beckoning to our left. But we were hours away and it was best not to stop and rest for too long since starting up was getting harder and harder for me. My knees and feet were starting their usual moaning and groaning. I could also feel the strain on my upper body since I had used my poles for most of the hike. Time to get in the gym and work those triceps and core muscles.
Once it was true dark, I was anxious about seeing the trail marker for the Jerusalem Trail, if there was a sign at all. A lot of energy was spent moving my head left and right looking for a sign. At 5:34 pm we breathed a sigh of relief when we found the sign for the Jerusalem Trail. Everything was downhill from there. The first tenth of a mile was really steep so it was slow going. The lights worked extremely well. I felt like a ray of light in a cocoon of darkness. There was nothing to distract me, just the few feet in front of me, and the occasional sweep of the light to try and find the next blue blaze. Luckily the Jerusalem Trail was well blazed and every blaze was like a special gift - a treat, a sense of safety and belonging, a feeling that I knew where I was.
About an hour into the descent, I made an error and led us to the left down an old logging road. Something felt wrong - there were no blazes. Nancy read the trail description but it was more confusing than helpful. We stopped to take our stabilicers off since they were just picking up soft snow and making walking even more difficult. I suggested that I walk back to the last blaze but Nancy said, no, we should stick together, so together we started back. I thought the walk back to the last blaze was going to take forever, but it didn't and we quickly found the blaze leading us back to the real trail. Phew.
It was a long walk to reach the trailhead at 7:44 pm, but we did it. It was a great day - full of adventure and lessons learned. But I was done. My body was finished. I could feel muscles and tendons tightening up and I knew I was going to be in some pain. We got back to Burlington a little before 9 pm and after dinner and a shower we lay in bed talking about the day and wondering at how tired we were but felt completely unable to sleep. Our overtired bodies finally let us go a little after midnight. We decided that Mansfield was going to have to wait for another day. It was a good decision.
38 and 39 out of 67
Date: November 3, 2006
Time: 10 hours 53 minutes
Weather: Mostly cloudy, occasional sun, calm, temps ranging 20's-30's
Miles: 10.9
Steps: 38,054
Trails: Battell Trail to Long Trail to Jerusalem Trail
The plan was to climb Mounts Ellen and Abraham on Friday and Mount Mansfield on Saturday. After breakfast in Burlington we headed in two cars to the Jerusalem trailhead where we dropped off Nancy's car. We were lucky to find it since the turn off for Jim Dwyer Rd was obscured by a pine tree and the trail marker by the road was very small. Nancy piled in to my car and we drove to the Battell Trail. As we approached the trailhead we could see Mt Abraham and the ridge covered in snow. I was beyond myself with excitement.
We geared up - Nancy put on her new winter hiking boots (including chemical foot warmers), 3 layers, plus gloves with chemical hand warmers. Temperature is so deceiving when standing around gearing up at the trailhead. It feels cold so the natural inclination is to dress warmly. It's hard to remember and believe that we need to dress down a layer or two because as soon as we start climbing we will be generating our own internal heat. This was only our second 4,000 footer in colder/snowy conditions and we are still learning the ropes. We left the trailhead at 8:53 am and headed into the woods.
It didn't take long for Nancy to warm up and start sweating. Off came the boots, the chemical hand warmers, and a layer. She put on her light hiking boots and off we went. After about a half hour of walking we saw our first traces of snow. The lower part of the trail was switch backed and pretty gentle. We hadn't hiked since October 21 and it's amazing how fast we lose our aerobic conditioning. I was huffing and puffing as we reached the steeper sections.
We reached the Long Trail at 10:30 am and started gaining elevation immediately. The snow deepened and once we moved into the coniferous forest, it looked like a winter wonderland. The temperature began to drop, the snow to deepen, and there was more ice since the path was wet. Before we reached the ridge we stopped so Nancy could change out of her wet clothes into dry and to put on stabilicers and gaiters. The view from where I was standing was impressive. I was a little higher up the trail and watched Nancy get herself changed. I didn't notice, however, that while she was putting on gaiters and stabilicers that her hands were getting colder and colder, to the point that when she tried to pull on dry mittens, she was unable to grasp the chemical warmers to put them in the gloves. I came down the slope a bit and offered to help. She said she couldn't feel her fingers and I could see she didn't have the dexterity to pull on her mittens. I helped her get them on and once we started moving again, she regained sensation and we were good to go.
Unfortunately, where we changed clothes was not as close to the summit as we had hoped so new sweat was generated and Nancy had to take off her hard shell and put on a light wind breaker. We reached the summit of Mt. Abraham (elevation 4,006) at 11:42 am. The wind was blowing so we took a quick picture and moved on. At this point I realized this was going to be a very long day and that we would not get off the trail before dark. I didn't feel particularly anxious - just facing facts.
We reached Lincoln Peak and came off the trail at the top of a ski area. I think it was part of the Sugar Bush Ski Area. The Long Trail Guide was not very verbose in describing trail locations but we found a blaze off to the left and saw a post but no sign. A few minutes later we came out on a ski trail and saw no sign of the trail on the opposite side. We started walking down the ski slope but that didn't feel right and I started to get frustrated and a little angry. In fact, the anger fueled my legs so that I stormed back up the slope hoping to see something that would help locate the trail again. I didn't see a trail, but I did see signs of skiers having arrived at the hut so I knocked on the door. Fours guys were in there warming up and eating power bars. I asked directions and they told us to go back down the ski slope and bear left before the slope actually started down to the right. Yeah, right. They asked where we were headed and were impressed that we were doing a day hike. I wonder what they really thought.
We started back down the slope, postholing and slugging through two feet of snow. I was still angry and frustrated by the poor trail marking - and maybe just a bit anxious. When we came to the bend in the ski slope we bore left, hoping we were on the trail, not seeing any blazes. Shortly thereafter we intersected the real trail and were on our way again. My anger cooled and I regained my good humor. We reached Nancy Hanks Peak at 1:54 pm. The snow on the ridge ranged from a few inches where there were lots of overhanging pine boughs to 18-20 inches where there was nothing.
Blow downs became our nemesis - lots of them - maybe 6-10 areas where trees had fallen from last weekend's wind storms. The amount of additional energy it took to find a way around or over them started to take its toll after an hour or two of dealing with this. We had been eating power bars through the morning because we did not bring any lunch food per se. Not a smart decision in retrospect. At the last minute I bought a bagel and that really helped me because I can only eat power bars for so long before my stomach wants simple carbs, not sugar and protein. Of course our hydration packs froze so we managed with our Nalgene bottles. The temps were such that the power bars in pockets on the outside of my pack were starting to freeze but the bagel that was inside my pack did not. What do you bring on a long winter hike to eat that won't freeze?
We arrived at the summit of Mt. Ellen (elevation 4,083) at 3:04 pm. At that point we knew we had a couple more miles to go on the ridge and 2.5 miles on the Jerusalem Trail. Oh my. A picture and a high five to celebrate our 38th peak and we pushed onward. We came out at the top of another ski area. The sound we had heard was the sound of snow guns. There was no sign of anyone around. A sign pointed a sharp left for the trail. We walked down the slope and passed a wooden barrier until we looked at each other and realized we were lost again. Nancy re-read the guide info and it stated that the trail turned off the slope to the left about 100 feet from where the other trail entered and began a steep descent. We walked up and down the slope trying to find a blaze, an opening that looked like a trail, anything. Again, I grew frustrated and worked hard to remain calm. I tried a couple of places that looked like openings and finally guessed right and found the trail. No sign, no blaze, and the trail was so overgrown it was all but invisible. It was a while before we saw a blaze and knew we were on the right track. What a relief.
For the next hour we hiked the overgrown trail. It was hard to follow - the white blazes were old and difficult to see and branches had grown over the trail. We were constantly dealing with snow showers down our necks. Around 4:30 we stopped - Nancy changed her outer layer and put on a dry soft shell and we both put on our Petzel Tikka Plus headlamps - and started walking again. As the daylight was leeched from the sky, we could see Lake Champlain and the lights of Burlington beckoning to our left. But we were hours away and it was best not to stop and rest for too long since starting up was getting harder and harder for me. My knees and feet were starting their usual moaning and groaning. I could also feel the strain on my upper body since I had used my poles for most of the hike. Time to get in the gym and work those triceps and core muscles.
Once it was true dark, I was anxious about seeing the trail marker for the Jerusalem Trail, if there was a sign at all. A lot of energy was spent moving my head left and right looking for a sign. At 5:34 pm we breathed a sigh of relief when we found the sign for the Jerusalem Trail. Everything was downhill from there. The first tenth of a mile was really steep so it was slow going. The lights worked extremely well. I felt like a ray of light in a cocoon of darkness. There was nothing to distract me, just the few feet in front of me, and the occasional sweep of the light to try and find the next blue blaze. Luckily the Jerusalem Trail was well blazed and every blaze was like a special gift - a treat, a sense of safety and belonging, a feeling that I knew where I was.
About an hour into the descent, I made an error and led us to the left down an old logging road. Something felt wrong - there were no blazes. Nancy read the trail description but it was more confusing than helpful. We stopped to take our stabilicers off since they were just picking up soft snow and making walking even more difficult. I suggested that I walk back to the last blaze but Nancy said, no, we should stick together, so together we started back. I thought the walk back to the last blaze was going to take forever, but it didn't and we quickly found the blaze leading us back to the real trail. Phew.
It was a long walk to reach the trailhead at 7:44 pm, but we did it. It was a great day - full of adventure and lessons learned. But I was done. My body was finished. I could feel muscles and tendons tightening up and I knew I was going to be in some pain. We got back to Burlington a little before 9 pm and after dinner and a shower we lay in bed talking about the day and wondering at how tired we were but felt completely unable to sleep. Our overtired bodies finally let us go a little after midnight. We decided that Mansfield was going to have to wait for another day. It was a good decision.
38 and 39 out of 67
Nice job! 
