coldfeet
Well-known member
Backtrack
Got a total left knee replacement around 9 months ago. Didn't do any serious hikes, just few paddle trips.
Went this past weekend with my 28yo nephew back to the Whites to hike.....Mt Madison
What did Forest Gump say? Stupid is, what stupid does? Something like that. Why would I try a 5k and not go back to the Catskills or ADK?
We drive up Sat night and get to the trailhead that takes us to the Osgood platform around midnight. The temps were somewhere in the upper 60's or even lower 70's I hated it, it was like walking into a laundrymat where the hot air hits you. I lift my new light backpack that was no longer light for me, app 32lbs, grunt, look at the map and join him on the 2.something hike to the platforms. It took me 2 hours to go the distance which was also I think app 1800 ft elevation. If I read the map somewhat correctly.
We get to the sign, find a platform and realize that they are all taken, so what else to do but to find the best flattest area (where there are none). I find a flat slab of rock and lay my pad on it, NOT! I kept sliding off and layed down probably on the path.
At 9:30am we left 1/2 our gear and started up the trail. My knee was ok, i was worried about the other knee. I must have stopped 3 times in the first 30 min to rest. I had no aerobic energy in me. My nephew really wanted to bag Madison and Adams. I looked at him and after we taked about the different options I told him that I was not going on and he should continue. We would see each other back at the platforms. I was so upset and thought about all the new gear I purchased to keep me involved in hiking. I called up my wife, left a message about going back to the site. As I sat there I started to think about the positive things I did, like carrying my gear up to the 3k level and going a little higher.
While I sat there, Kevin and his son Eli slowly walked past me, saw my depression and Kevin said, "It's a beautiful day, what's the rush?" I looked up and thought, "hey, he's right, so i'll rest every 10 minutes, why not?" So I continued up the rocky trail following him and some other kids. Took my time and slowly started to see the change in vegetation. Small bushes were appearing around me. The wind was getting stronger, I was starting to get above treeline, whoo hooo! I made it to the section where it became all rocks, maybe the 4k mark I don't know. But there were quit a few cairns to follow and I could see the peak of Madison. Knee was feeling great!
I carefully made my way to the junction where you could hike to Madison hut which I think the sign said 1 mile away. The views were magnificent, the fall foliage was in full bloom across on the other side of some mountain. the wind was really kicking up and I was still in shorts and t shirt, no cool weather this day. I continued up to the next cairn looking at the different colored shirts getting closer to the summit and then I suddenly stopped.....
I realized that I had about another 30-45 min to go and with every step hiking on those rocks in front of me I realized that I would have to go back the same way and hike back another 30 min to the treeline. I didn't want to hike anymore on those rocks and I felt I was pushing my luck a little to far, especially being by myself and not with a group. I looked up, smiled, looked around, did a whoo hooo and was pround of my accomplishment. Now it was time to get back off these rocks and back to the platforms. I ever so slowly took baby steps getting back down, sitting on my butt when I had to or turning around and going backwards. It took me app 2 1/2 hours to get back to the platform and I was so happy when I finally got there. My nephew showed up an hour later after bagging both peaks. He had a great experience meeting "dolly" the moose at the hut but a terrible experience hiking down the trail along some stream and then connecting to the Osgood.
I'm very happy about my choice, I went above treeline, hiked above 4k, carried gear a good ways, got some beautiful views, met very nice people. I know that hiking on those rocks isn't for me, so i'll never really get on top of the peak but 2nd place is just as good. Oh yea, had one fall back at campsite, ouch! One day I'll get pics up...Thx to all for the encouragment after having the replacement....back to the Cats and ADK for me...be well
Got a total left knee replacement around 9 months ago. Didn't do any serious hikes, just few paddle trips.
Went this past weekend with my 28yo nephew back to the Whites to hike.....Mt Madison
What did Forest Gump say? Stupid is, what stupid does? Something like that. Why would I try a 5k and not go back to the Catskills or ADK?
We drive up Sat night and get to the trailhead that takes us to the Osgood platform around midnight. The temps were somewhere in the upper 60's or even lower 70's
I hated it, it was like walking into a laundrymat where the hot air hits you. I lift my new light backpack that was no longer light for me, app 32lbs, grunt, look at the map and join him on the 2.something hike to the platforms. It took me 2 hours to go the distance which was also I think app 1800 ft elevation. If I read the map somewhat correctly. We get to the sign, find a platform and realize that they are all taken, so what else to do but to find the best flattest area (where there are none). I find a flat slab of rock and lay my pad on it, NOT! I kept sliding off and layed down probably on the path.
At 9:30am we left 1/2 our gear and started up the trail. My knee was ok, i was worried about the other knee. I must have stopped 3 times in the first 30 min to rest. I had no aerobic energy in me. My nephew really wanted to bag Madison and Adams. I looked at him and after we taked about the different options I told him that I was not going on and he should continue. We would see each other back at the platforms. I was so upset and thought about all the new gear I purchased to keep me involved in hiking. I called up my wife, left a message about going back to the site. As I sat there I started to think about the positive things I did, like carrying my gear up to the 3k level and going a little higher.
While I sat there, Kevin and his son Eli slowly walked past me, saw my depression and Kevin said, "It's a beautiful day, what's the rush?" I looked up and thought, "hey, he's right, so i'll rest every 10 minutes, why not?" So I continued up the rocky trail following him and some other kids. Took my time and slowly started to see the change in vegetation. Small bushes were appearing around me. The wind was getting stronger, I was starting to get above treeline, whoo hooo! I made it to the section where it became all rocks, maybe the 4k mark I don't know. But there were quit a few cairns to follow and I could see the peak of Madison. Knee was feeling great!
I carefully made my way to the junction where you could hike to Madison hut which I think the sign said 1 mile away. The views were magnificent, the fall foliage was in full bloom across on the other side of some mountain. the wind was really kicking up and I was still in shorts and t shirt, no cool weather this day. I continued up to the next cairn looking at the different colored shirts getting closer to the summit and then I suddenly stopped.....
I realized that I had about another 30-45 min to go and with every step hiking on those rocks in front of me I realized that I would have to go back the same way and hike back another 30 min to the treeline. I didn't want to hike anymore on those rocks and I felt I was pushing my luck a little to far, especially being by myself and not with a group. I looked up, smiled, looked around, did a whoo hooo and was pround of my accomplishment. Now it was time to get back off these rocks and back to the platforms. I ever so slowly took baby steps getting back down, sitting on my butt when I had to or turning around and going backwards. It took me app 2 1/2 hours to get back to the platform and I was so happy when I finally got there. My nephew showed up an hour later after bagging both peaks. He had a great experience meeting "dolly" the moose at the hut but a terrible experience hiking down the trail along some stream and then connecting to the Osgood.
I'm very happy about my choice, I went above treeline, hiked above 4k, carried gear a good ways, got some beautiful views, met very nice people. I know that hiking on those rocks isn't for me, so i'll never really get on top of the peak but 2nd place is just as good. Oh yea, had one fall back at campsite, ouch! One day I'll get pics up...Thx to all for the encouragment after having the replacement....back to the Cats and ADK for me...be well
