Skiing to Allen

[Explorer Editor]

I have one more peak to bag--Allen. I was thinking of waiting till winter and skiing as far as Skylight Brook, where I gather the real climbing begins. My question is: How is the trail for skiing to that point? What kind of skis would be appropriate? I may bring my son, who is a novice skier. Could a novice handle it?

I was on Santanoni Friday. There was snow on the trees and ice on many of the rocks. I understand that part of the trail to Allen is over a slide. How long and steep is the slide? If it's icy, can it be avoided?

 

[Skyclimber]

Once getting to Allen's Waterfalls is where the real climbing begins. You then have about 2500' of climbing still before getting to the summit of Allen. The slide really can't be avoided unless you want to bushwhack thickly through the woods. Taking your time with the crampons over the slide, you should be fine. Using Caution. Hopefully you will have snow to make it much easier. From the point of the Waterfall, it can still take as long as three hours to the summit. This is one tough dude to climb in Winter. The longest it ever took us to do Allen in Winter was 17 hours. That however was done through 2-3 feet of snow, breaking all the way.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[JimB]

With a foot or so of snow and a broken trail you could ski to the edge of the state land without a lot of trouble. Then you would want snowshoes and probably crampons depending on the slide conditions. If the snow and trail was consolidated you might get away with just snowshoes but who knows? The snow and ice will not be as slippery as the red slime . The majority of the approach is roads or log skidder paths and there is hardly any climbing before Skylight brook. You would definitely want to go after the trail is broken out because there are long sections where there is no discernable trail and you are a looonng way from the trailhead. Have fun and let us know if you go because others might want to do that trip.

 

[Neil]

Not only is skiing Allen the best way to go it's the ONLY way to go if you ask me. Ski as far as you can then switch to snowshoes. If there is no broken trail be careful once you cross onto state land. The margerine container markers stop right there and it's easy to go wrong in the open woods. Hell, you might wind up on Redfield .

HERE is one of my TR's and HERE is the happy ending.

 

[Explorer Editor]

Thanks for the replies. Neil, it sounds like it's possible to ski farther than your crew did. How far would you say a semi-experienced novice could ski? As far as Skylight Brook?

It also sounds like it may be difficult to follow the herd path in unbroken snow. Any tips on what do after the yellow disks end? Neil, you referred to flagging tape. Is that continual or does it just appear once or twice?

 

[ronandjon]

Got skins?

The first 5+ miles in should be skiable by a novice, if the novice can handle small open hills, both up and down. The next 2 miles or so goes up and down a ridge to Skylight Brook. To my eye - I am an intermediate skier - depending on the snow conditions you could probably climb ok without skins, but might need them. Coming down through the woods - I would use snow shoes. Chili Willie would ski it with skins. As a comparison - I did Misery Mile to Avalanche pass with snow shoes coming and going. He did it up and down on skis.

There is a brief flat section before Skylight Brook which could be skied easily.
The climb up to Allen Falls from Skylight is not bad - especially if you had skins. Coming down - depends on how you ski I wouldn't try it with our without skins, Chili Willie would.

How novice is novice?

 

[Explorer Editor]

How novice is novice?

He's done easy trips to Whiteface Landing, Lower Ausable, stuff like that. I would like to ski as far as possible, but I don't want to go beyond his abilities. I guess the only way to know is to try it. I'm more concerned now about finding the trail in unbroken snow.

 

[Neil]

I wouldn't send a novice skiier too far past the gravel pit due to the downhill run back which might bet a little dicey, especially if it's icy or hard packed.
I wouldn't count on the blue flagging still being there. If you are breaking a fresh trail then you will want to study the route closely beforehand on a 1:24 000 USGS map and write down compass bearings for the various turns. Even when covered in snow the herd trail might be discernable especially if your forewarned about the end of private land which comes at the height of land before descending to Skylight brook.

The second time we went I was loaded for bear with a new gps, maps I printed with bearings and route info, and bearings written on tape stuck to the back of my compass. The day before we went group of 11 did Allen and all we did was follow their highway of tracks!

I'm sure someone who has done Allen more often than me can give you more suggestions.
Good luck!

 

[Explorer Editor]

If you are breaking a fresh trail then you will want to study the route closely beforehand on a 1:24 000 USGS map and write down compass bearings for the various turns. Even when covered in snow the herd trail might be discernable especially if your forewarned about the end of private land which comes at the height of land before descending to Skylight brook.

I got that map. Will do.

 

[JimB]

Phil, Neil's right about easy going to the gravel pit. It's pretty much all roads or skidder paths. Once in the woods it will take some skills. I would definitely wait until the trail is broken out. It is too far to ski out there only to be completely bewildered as to where the trail goes. Even in July there were spots where we had to backtrack to find the herd path. Watch VFTT for trip reports, someone is bound to do it after December 21 for the winter round.

 

[Explorer Editor]

Thanks, Jim. That's good advice to wait till the path is broken in. Let's hope whoever breaks it in knows where they're going!

 

[woodstrider]

Allen in the Winter

I know alot of people who have skiied the approach hikes to the high peaks. How well your son will do depends on how much of a novice he is. If you start at Lower Works, the most common approach, you will be skiing on old roads and trails until the site of the old leanto (Twin Brooks). From there it is on an unmaintained trail (unless it has all changed and a "real" trail has been put in) all the way to the top.

When my group did this peak we did not stick to the slide route- there was just too much unconsolidated powder. So we stayed on the right side of Allen Brook and put in a trail that, though maybe a little longer, was much easier. We climbed up a less direct and more natural and compassion route to the summit top and then followed along over the false summits to the canister. There was not a trail broken anyway- we broke trail from step one to the top. Of course, if you like to suffer then the slide is the way to go. Then- after our two day outing it did not snow for about a month and I had reports of people bare booting it in a day.

It was a glorious experience and I hope that you and your son have as much fun as I did.

 

[Dennis C.]

Neil's got it right: "Not only is skiing Allen the best way to go it's the ONLY way to go ...." I used skis (and pulled backpack sleds sometimes too) to approach quite a few of the ADK 46er peaks in winter. I had the shorter Bushwhacker skis with Berwin basket type bindings .... never had to change boots along the way. With long cross country distances on trails and/or back country roads, it felt good to change the motion of walking with snowshoes to a sliding motion with skis. It took the slog out of those long hikes.

 

[PINPIN JUNIOR]

Allen by a new way...in winter.

Hi my fiends Neil and Dennis.

For one time Junior can not agrre with Your comment: "Not only is kiing Allen the best way to go it's the ONLY way to go..."

Four times Pinpin or Pinpin Junior and Me, in the last part the Winter or early in Spring We snowshoed Allen from Redfield or Skylight over McDonnel Mtn.
Yes it was not always a boulevard, but with a good snow condition and very important over 6 feet of snow to covered the McDonnel blowdown You will have a memorable day.

And for You Neil You have a nice small slide in the Skylight's shoulder in South side perfect to start or finish this challenge or both....

We hope to return this Winter by this way but surely not if the snow conditions are the same of this weekend except if a take a suicide decision!!!

Have a great trip in Allen everybody!!!

Pinpin Junior.

 

[bridgeman]

A couple of us also skiied to a point a couple of hundred feet above and beyond the gravel pit. THen strapped on the shoes and continued from there. We were the first ones in there in over a week and broke trail all the way, except for the stretch through the xxxxxx river club land. There we hit broken snowmobile trails that helped quicken the pace significantly. Even though we didn't summit Allen (knee problem) we enjoyed the trip.