Neil
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2004
- Messages
- 3,434
- Reaction score
- 487
It must have been 9:30 when I finally got rolling. I had stopped in at randomscoots and we configured my Spot account settings so I could let Tom know when to come and pick me up on the side of the road later that day. We tested the device and sure enough, within minutes an email showed up linking to a map that showed the unit as being in a place called scootervillle USA. Good enough for me.
Shortly after commencing the hike I offed my hat and shell mitts and opened my shell but this was only partially successful so I stopped. I removed my pack and then I removed my microspikes and gaiters. Next I took my pants off, my socks followed and finally I stripped myself of my long underwear (mid-weight, no less). Following that procedure (no pictures) I put all the aforementioned articles except the long underwear and gaiters back on and continued, much relieved, up the trail towards Bald Peak. The sun was shining, birds were singing and water was flowing down the trail (never seen water flow up the trail).
The trail was every bit as beautiful as I remembered, maybe even more so. Nearing the top of Bald I came face to face with a deer, took a couple of pictures and then decided to get really close for a nice portrait. I attempted telepathic communication so as to indicate that my intentions were benign but either the message didn't get through or it did and the deer didn't believe me. It bounded downhill very quickly and silently and was gone.
The wind was kicking up as I grew higher. The trail was getting icier but with plenty of dry rock interspersed to dull the spikes. Summit of Bald was very bald with great views over to Rocky Peak, my next destination. I sent an “OK” message (on my last batteries so not using tracking until my new Lithiums arrive in the mail) and descended into a wonderland of birches and began the 1200 foot ascent. I had the loan of a Suunto altimeter and was watching the numbers but was unable to comfortably maintain 40 feet/minute of ascent.
Atop Rocky Peak the wind was having some fun with me but I didn't worry about it. Long traverse to the other summit. Lots of snow, not much ice other than on Bald and firm crust made my snowshoes on my back useless dead weight. Mary Louise Pond was frozen solid and now the wind was becoming unruly. In a sheltered spot along the shore I switched mittens, drank a bit, ate some and donned goggles etc. Out in the open below RPR I had to focus on my footing due to the wind. Eveyrthing looked better through the lenses of my goggles and I took pictures thinking I could apply a filter in PS to re-capture what I saw but now it's too much trouble.
On the summit of RPR the wind was in a riotous regalia and the sun came out and went back in repeatedly but was mostly it stayed in. I hung out because it wasn't very cold and tried taking some pictures of wind tortured, snow encrusted trees. Then I went down to the col. Not much ice to speak of. Met two of my countrymen in the col wearing Hillsounds only-this was a good sign. The trail to Giant from the col was thick water ice the whole way but microspikes sufficed. At the junction I was glad not to be descending that steep skating rink even if I did have crampons (sharp) along also for a ride. I headed over the summit of Giant without experiencing too much wind shock and proceeded to painstakingly descend 1600 feet of ice (less steep than the ridge trail for sure) that went on and on through very wild and remote feeling woods while the wind whistled and shrieked. Down in between Giant and Green the trail went on for a long way – at times dry and sidewalk-like and often flooded. It took some time to get past Green and I had nice views back up to my inbound route along the Bald-RPR ridge, into the RPR-Giant col and all the slides on the east side of Giant. That was very cool as the day began to fade and the lighting effects with clouds and lightly falling snow came into play.
I eventually passed the spur trail for Owl's head lookout and kept on moving. The remaining miles, while long at the end of a long day, were very easy with the trail now like a winding white sidewalk, gently downhill with nice, even footing.
I got out to Rte 9N at 5:50 and sent an electronic message up into the black and windy sky, put on a dry shirt and my down parka and founds a sheltered spot by a pile of cement blocks and sat down on my pack to wait. I took a drink and noted that I had only drunk 200 mls of water and in spite of eating continuously all day long, I felt no thirst.
It was a fine day to be out and I was musing that my route selection had been a good choice when Tom pulled up and I climbed aboard. So, a huge thanks Tom for a really nice favor that made my day what it was.
PICTURES
Shortly after commencing the hike I offed my hat and shell mitts and opened my shell but this was only partially successful so I stopped. I removed my pack and then I removed my microspikes and gaiters. Next I took my pants off, my socks followed and finally I stripped myself of my long underwear (mid-weight, no less). Following that procedure (no pictures) I put all the aforementioned articles except the long underwear and gaiters back on and continued, much relieved, up the trail towards Bald Peak. The sun was shining, birds were singing and water was flowing down the trail (never seen water flow up the trail).
The trail was every bit as beautiful as I remembered, maybe even more so. Nearing the top of Bald I came face to face with a deer, took a couple of pictures and then decided to get really close for a nice portrait. I attempted telepathic communication so as to indicate that my intentions were benign but either the message didn't get through or it did and the deer didn't believe me. It bounded downhill very quickly and silently and was gone.
The wind was kicking up as I grew higher. The trail was getting icier but with plenty of dry rock interspersed to dull the spikes. Summit of Bald was very bald with great views over to Rocky Peak, my next destination. I sent an “OK” message (on my last batteries so not using tracking until my new Lithiums arrive in the mail) and descended into a wonderland of birches and began the 1200 foot ascent. I had the loan of a Suunto altimeter and was watching the numbers but was unable to comfortably maintain 40 feet/minute of ascent.
Atop Rocky Peak the wind was having some fun with me but I didn't worry about it. Long traverse to the other summit. Lots of snow, not much ice other than on Bald and firm crust made my snowshoes on my back useless dead weight. Mary Louise Pond was frozen solid and now the wind was becoming unruly. In a sheltered spot along the shore I switched mittens, drank a bit, ate some and donned goggles etc. Out in the open below RPR I had to focus on my footing due to the wind. Eveyrthing looked better through the lenses of my goggles and I took pictures thinking I could apply a filter in PS to re-capture what I saw but now it's too much trouble.
On the summit of RPR the wind was in a riotous regalia and the sun came out and went back in repeatedly but was mostly it stayed in. I hung out because it wasn't very cold and tried taking some pictures of wind tortured, snow encrusted trees. Then I went down to the col. Not much ice to speak of. Met two of my countrymen in the col wearing Hillsounds only-this was a good sign. The trail to Giant from the col was thick water ice the whole way but microspikes sufficed. At the junction I was glad not to be descending that steep skating rink even if I did have crampons (sharp) along also for a ride. I headed over the summit of Giant without experiencing too much wind shock and proceeded to painstakingly descend 1600 feet of ice (less steep than the ridge trail for sure) that went on and on through very wild and remote feeling woods while the wind whistled and shrieked. Down in between Giant and Green the trail went on for a long way – at times dry and sidewalk-like and often flooded. It took some time to get past Green and I had nice views back up to my inbound route along the Bald-RPR ridge, into the RPR-Giant col and all the slides on the east side of Giant. That was very cool as the day began to fade and the lighting effects with clouds and lightly falling snow came into play.
I eventually passed the spur trail for Owl's head lookout and kept on moving. The remaining miles, while long at the end of a long day, were very easy with the trail now like a winding white sidewalk, gently downhill with nice, even footing.
I got out to Rte 9N at 5:50 and sent an electronic message up into the black and windy sky, put on a dry shirt and my down parka and founds a sheltered spot by a pile of cement blocks and sat down on my pack to wait. I took a drink and noted that I had only drunk 200 mls of water and in spite of eating continuously all day long, I felt no thirst.
It was a fine day to be out and I was musing that my route selection had been a good choice when Tom pulled up and I climbed aboard. So, a huge thanks Tom for a really nice favor that made my day what it was.
PICTURES
