Peakbagging and clearing and redlining! Oh My!

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Tom Rankin

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We joined the 46R trail crew for Blowdown clearing yesterday, 6/9/7. The day started at Exit 29, with a rendezous and car pooling around 7:00 AM. We piled into large vehicles, and off we went to Elk Lake PA, which was almost full! Turns out the ADK was having an outing too, and it was supposed to be a nice day, etc. but we squeezed into a space.

Dave and Sam more or less jumped out of the truck and began sprinting down the trail! :eek: We thought we were going to get left behind but they slowed down a little after the lean-to.

It was a little warmer than we expected and not quite as sunny, but either due to the torrid pace or something else, there were almost no bugs.

By 9:30, we were at the split for Hunter's Pass and the Beckhorn trails, having seen 2 hummingbirds in their mating ritual, and 2 snowshoe hares scampering thru the brush. We also heard geese flying over.

We took another break here, and then whipped out the saws and axes for the day's work. (Other groups were clearing up to this point, and another went up the Beckhorn). There was not too much blowdown on this section, but we were climbing Dix after all, so we went slowly. We worked our way up to the col and had great views as we looked all around. Only one of us had been this way before. About 11:00, we got to a nice rock with a great view looking back to the Lake. By 11:15, we could see most of the Great Range and other high peaks.

By 11:30 we had reached the junction with the trail going back to Round Pond. We figured instead of going back the way we came, we might as well go up and over Dix. This was a good choice! We had great views, including a snow patch on Marcy and Basin. The breeze cooled us off and the sun helped dry us off a little.

After this, we headed down another new trail to me, the Beckhorn. I mentioned how steep and muddy the Hunter's Pass trail was, and Laurie said "The Beckhorn is worse!" :eek: She was right! This trail was already cleared, so our work for the day was done, but we still had to walk down and out. We had great views of Hough and Macomb on the way down, and made it back to the cars around 4:30. They had cookies and cold soda waiting for us! Mmmm. Thanks guys!

Kudos to Sam and everyone else involved in keeping the trails well groomed! :D

This 'work trip' was very badly advertised! We did not do all that much work, there were almost no (predicted) bugs, we saw a lot of wildlife, met new friends, got to visit some new trails, and had mountaintop experiences! But, I do hear that some work parties are just a tad more difficult! :D

Pics:

http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t1.jpg - Flanks of Dix (and summit?)
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t2.jpg - Getting the job done!
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t3.jpg - Cliff we scrambled thru
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t4.jpg - Noonmark
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t5.jpg - Clear Pond, Elk Lake and Dix Pond
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t6.jpg - Great Range
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t7.jpg - Giant and Rocky
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t8.jpg - Macomb
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t9.jpg - Watch that next step!
http://viewsandbrews.com/temp/t10.jpg - Hough
 
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