ADK HP Hike Ideas and advice

[Hikerdad]

I am dying to get out to the ADK high peaks over the next few weeks. We've done a few winter hikes in the past (easy ones, Cascade, Phelps) and are summer 46er's. I am thinking about Colden...but I only have snowshoes (which we'll have to rent except for my cheapo pair of Yukon Charlie's)....how doable is Colden with just snowshoes? Or is there too much ice this year? Does anybody (Mountaineer?) rent crampons? I WILL turn back if it gets too dicey. I just want to hit a HP summit with a decent view (our VFTT's this summer were really pitiful...on 8 out of 10 we hit rain/fog/clouds) and I need a fix.

I read the thread on MSR snowshows with interest...I'm still thinking/hoping though that maybe I can buy some someday and get by (except for extreme conditions) with them as a combined snowshoes/crampons (I can also rent them at a local shop)....It'll bust the budget to buy snowshoes AND crampons for myself and 3 kids....Also, can you get by with your basic pac type boot (rubber bottoms, leather tops) and crampons? Or do I need a fancier, stiff soled boot? Thoughts on gear, hike ideas are welcome.

Thanks,

 

[mavs00]

...It'll bust the budget to buy snowshoes AND crampons for myself and 3 kids

Man, I totally hear you there .

I don't know how old your kids are, but mine are 14 & 11. and I just bought - THESE- Trangos for my kids and they worked like a champ for them. They (obviously) have smaller boots, so the smaller crampon platform was perfect for them, and I'd even venture to say they are a better choice for smaller feet, than the full sized set of 8-10 pointers. We got them special for something like $48.99

We also just did (on 12/30) Algonquin/Wright and while we made it all the way up on just ordinary snowshoes (I own an Altlas pair, and we rented lady atlas's for the kids from EMS), we REALLY were glad to have the crampons for the way down. They anchored us into the bulletproof rime we found above treeline WAAAAYYYYYYYYY better than the snowshoes did.

Another thing, we inquired and the mountaineer (in Keene Valley) does rent crampons, we just decieded to buy instead of rent the crampons at the price we got them. Snowshoes on the other hand......................well, at 200 bucks a pop, there was no buy option, we rented from EMS for $20 bucks (for the week). Also, I have an el cheapo pair of -Columbia Cascadian Summit- boots and both my crampons (G10's) and my snowshoes (Atlas 1025's) never have given me a problem with them.

Can't really say I know the conditions for Colden right now, but we were certainly glad to have ALL options open to us on that last hike hikes. btw, our kids (also summer 46ers) LOVE winter hiking. Something about sitting on your but and rocketing down the steep parts that gets em going (okay, us adults too )

Have fun, and I hope that helps.