peak_bgr
New member
Well it was me and Bushwacker on this one. We planned on an easy straight forward hike to a well secluded little summit called Moss Cliff. This one is located W of Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid. It one of only three peaks left on the Lake Placid quad that we needed. We passed up on this hike so many times in the past for other one; it was time we did it.
We followed the Whiteface Landing trail for roughly a mile and a half before we started our bushwhack. Oh, the road into Connery Pond is closed due to a damaged bridge. So if anyone plans on hiking this trail add a 0.6 miles one way to you hike.
The bushwhack was open through a hardwood forest. There was a fair amount of limbs lying around that needed to be stepped over, but it didn't really slow us down any. Real soon we could see our objective Moss Cliff, half covered in a light dusting of snow. The climb never really got to steep. It was a little slippery from the soft ground in spots, especially near the cliffy areas. The woods got a little scratchy as the Black Spruce closed in a little. But it only lasted a short time. We were soon on the summit, fully wooded with guess what?? Thick green moss covers 90% of the forest floor-how quaint.
Now it was off to Warren Pond to the south. It is a descent that looses everything we gained on the ascent, but in a third of the distance. Well this is where the cliffs are, and they are everywhere. Our first section of rock we came to was shortly off the summit. To our surprise we were going to have some fun here for well over a half hour. No; not because of the cliff, but the caves and caverns. We were in one cave not to big at first but big enough for us to stand in. The next cavern was behind a rock outcropping that had split into two sections, some thousand years ago or something. We found our way into it, looking back up, it was at least a 50’ cavern wall on one side and 70’ on the other. We followed this in, and under another large rock into a cave and out the other side. Then in the same spot a narrow cut in a rock went left, just enough room for me to squeeze through. Good thing I didn’t have that extra donut. After about 30 feet of this it opened up into a small room, and a dead end.
My pants were not black not a white, who the hell wears white hiking pants bushwhacking anyhow?? You can see the pic of that on Brian’s site.
From here we started a steep descent to Warren Pond. But before we could reach it we had to negotiate two 80’ cliffs. The first had a dike that went down half way, to a very steep and narrow muddy trough. All I can say is poor white pants. Shortly after this was the second, not even a short breather. This one was a little scary. We wound up on a short mossy shelf just below the top of the cliff that went into a small band of trees that led us to a 12’ jump from a rock outcrop to a leaf littered floor below. That wasn’t too bad at all; until we looked back up at the 80’ cliff. Saying to each other, what the hell were we thinking? Just beyond this was the pond, placid and green.
From this pond we took a heading to Coldspring Pond to check this out. It was a very wet slog through marsh infested low lands. We often found ourselves retreating to higher ground. We could hardly get within 50’ of the pond, but that was ok, we needed a break. Our next stop was Upper Long Pond. That too was more of a swamp than a pond, but was much prettier than the others. To the right we could see a very nice peak, piled behind numerous gigantic boulders. We explored the boulder a little, found some nice views, and our next adventure of the day.
We had planned a route to Lower Long Pond then back to the trail, bypassing this peak. We’ll that changed as soon as we saw the cliff scramble we could take over it. It looked as though a giant had taken an axe chunk out of the side of the mountain. I asked Bri, would you object not seeing the other pond, and we go over that?? Nope was the answer. Man of many words has spoken.
The first step was a problem, it was more of a shimmy up a couple rock slabs, with a tug on a tree, and a small pull up. Then it was a steep climb to a very tricky section. To the left was wet slab rock with a 50’ cascading fall if we slipped. To the right was a rock wall. Right in front was a rounded rock with a small strip of muddy earth between it and the wall. A decent size tree was near its top, but out of reach. A dead tree branch about the diameter of an average human arm and about 12 feet tall lay in the muddy earth. The branch had a few small branches broken off like they were there for stairs. Well here I go. What’s the worst that could happen? I could slip, land on Brian then we both go careening down the mountain. We’ll that one way to get a mountain named after you.
So I grabbed the branch, pulled myself up a little, but the branch keeps pulling away from the rock. No luck. So, we looked it over, and Brian put all his weight on the branch to hold it to the rock and I pull myself up. Take my left hand grab a root, right hand grabs a chip in the wall, left foot digs into the mud, right foot on branch, them everything lets loose. I’m dangling from the tree trunk by one arm as my feet kick frantically at the mud, until I finally get it together and pull myself behind the tree. Now it’s Brian’s turn. I hold my foot on the top of the branch to hold it down and he scurries up like it was nothing, Bastard!!
From here it was clear sailing over the summit and to the trail. The hike out was us wondering what the heck we were thinking on that section. But, it sure was fun.
We followed the Whiteface Landing trail for roughly a mile and a half before we started our bushwhack. Oh, the road into Connery Pond is closed due to a damaged bridge. So if anyone plans on hiking this trail add a 0.6 miles one way to you hike.
The bushwhack was open through a hardwood forest. There was a fair amount of limbs lying around that needed to be stepped over, but it didn't really slow us down any. Real soon we could see our objective Moss Cliff, half covered in a light dusting of snow. The climb never really got to steep. It was a little slippery from the soft ground in spots, especially near the cliffy areas. The woods got a little scratchy as the Black Spruce closed in a little. But it only lasted a short time. We were soon on the summit, fully wooded with guess what?? Thick green moss covers 90% of the forest floor-how quaint.
Now it was off to Warren Pond to the south. It is a descent that looses everything we gained on the ascent, but in a third of the distance. Well this is where the cliffs are, and they are everywhere. Our first section of rock we came to was shortly off the summit. To our surprise we were going to have some fun here for well over a half hour. No; not because of the cliff, but the caves and caverns. We were in one cave not to big at first but big enough for us to stand in. The next cavern was behind a rock outcropping that had split into two sections, some thousand years ago or something. We found our way into it, looking back up, it was at least a 50’ cavern wall on one side and 70’ on the other. We followed this in, and under another large rock into a cave and out the other side. Then in the same spot a narrow cut in a rock went left, just enough room for me to squeeze through. Good thing I didn’t have that extra donut. After about 30 feet of this it opened up into a small room, and a dead end.
My pants were not black not a white, who the hell wears white hiking pants bushwhacking anyhow?? You can see the pic of that on Brian’s site.
From here we started a steep descent to Warren Pond. But before we could reach it we had to negotiate two 80’ cliffs. The first had a dike that went down half way, to a very steep and narrow muddy trough. All I can say is poor white pants. Shortly after this was the second, not even a short breather. This one was a little scary. We wound up on a short mossy shelf just below the top of the cliff that went into a small band of trees that led us to a 12’ jump from a rock outcrop to a leaf littered floor below. That wasn’t too bad at all; until we looked back up at the 80’ cliff. Saying to each other, what the hell were we thinking? Just beyond this was the pond, placid and green.
From this pond we took a heading to Coldspring Pond to check this out. It was a very wet slog through marsh infested low lands. We often found ourselves retreating to higher ground. We could hardly get within 50’ of the pond, but that was ok, we needed a break. Our next stop was Upper Long Pond. That too was more of a swamp than a pond, but was much prettier than the others. To the right we could see a very nice peak, piled behind numerous gigantic boulders. We explored the boulder a little, found some nice views, and our next adventure of the day.
We had planned a route to Lower Long Pond then back to the trail, bypassing this peak. We’ll that changed as soon as we saw the cliff scramble we could take over it. It looked as though a giant had taken an axe chunk out of the side of the mountain. I asked Bri, would you object not seeing the other pond, and we go over that?? Nope was the answer. Man of many words has spoken.
The first step was a problem, it was more of a shimmy up a couple rock slabs, with a tug on a tree, and a small pull up. Then it was a steep climb to a very tricky section. To the left was wet slab rock with a 50’ cascading fall if we slipped. To the right was a rock wall. Right in front was a rounded rock with a small strip of muddy earth between it and the wall. A decent size tree was near its top, but out of reach. A dead tree branch about the diameter of an average human arm and about 12 feet tall lay in the muddy earth. The branch had a few small branches broken off like they were there for stairs. Well here I go. What’s the worst that could happen? I could slip, land on Brian then we both go careening down the mountain. We’ll that one way to get a mountain named after you.
So I grabbed the branch, pulled myself up a little, but the branch keeps pulling away from the rock. No luck. So, we looked it over, and Brian put all his weight on the branch to hold it to the rock and I pull myself up. Take my left hand grab a root, right hand grabs a chip in the wall, left foot digs into the mud, right foot on branch, them everything lets loose. I’m dangling from the tree trunk by one arm as my feet kick frantically at the mud, until I finally get it together and pull myself behind the tree. Now it’s Brian’s turn. I hold my foot on the top of the branch to hold it down and he scurries up like it was nothing, Bastard!!
From here it was clear sailing over the summit and to the trail. The hike out was us wondering what the heck we were thinking on that section. But, it sure was fun.
