Tom Rankin
Well-known member
Sunday we took a hike up to Balsam Lake Mountain, along the old road. Someone had actually tried to drive up the road! 
They drove over the snow plow pile and everything! They only made it up about 80' before stopping and backing down. Amazing...
The trail was beaten down to very hard snow/ice. Stabilicers were a good choice, while others barebooted, wore crampons, micro-spikes, or ACK-Trax! There were high clouds but they did not obscure the views from the tower. We opened up the cabin briefly when we got to the top, and at least a dozen people stopped by in the 2 hours we were there. Our good deed for the day was changing the batteries in the smoke alarm that kept chirping at us! The tower was covered with a light glaze of ice, making going up and down a little tricky. Some folks decided to skip it.
At least 2 other 115'ers were there, including a member of this board, but I am sworn to secrecy! Others however, are not!
We left at 3:50 and just managed to beat darkness back to the car. Death was not consulted on this hike.
Bob R., if you are reading this, I guess we just missed you! How was Graham?
They drove over the snow plow pile and everything! They only made it up about 80' before stopping and backing down. Amazing...The trail was beaten down to very hard snow/ice. Stabilicers were a good choice, while others barebooted, wore crampons, micro-spikes, or ACK-Trax!
There were high clouds but they did not obscure the views from the tower. We opened up the cabin briefly when we got to the top, and at least a dozen people stopped by in the 2 hours we were there. Our good deed for the day was changing the batteries in the smoke alarm that kept chirping at us! The tower was covered with a light glaze of ice, making going up and down a little tricky. Some folks decided to skip it. At least 2 other 115'ers were there, including a member of this board, but I am sworn to secrecy! Others however, are not!
We left at 3:50 and just managed to beat darkness back to the car. Death was not consulted on this hike.
Bob R., if you are reading this, I guess we just missed you! How was Graham?
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