JimB
New member
Allen and Gray, the end of a quest
After almost 6 years and countless adventures and misadventures in the ADKs, my son Jason and I completed our 46 peaks. Last year, he moved to Portland OR. and I was beginning to think it would never happen. In January we attempted to finish up but with the extra gear we needed to carry, the shorter days, etc. we were left with Allen and Gray.
On Monday July 25 we drove up to Upper Works and stealth camped in order to get an early start on that 2- horned devil Allen on Tuesday. We finally got geared up and hit the trail about 7:30. With many stops for raspberries and 45 minutes enjoying the beautiful views from the 2 different vantage points, we still made the round trip in 9 hours. The views from this peak are very interesting with a great look at Marcy Swamp and Panther Gorge.
On the way out we ran into a family that had taken a wrong turn from the Hanging Spear Falls trail and were following the yellow markers towards Skylight Brook. We set them straight and walked a ways with them to make sure they made it back. It felt great to swim in the river by the iron bridge at the trailhead when we got back.
Since it was early in the day and we only needed to drive to the LOJ for our next days adventure, we stopped at the old blast furnace to really check it out. I’ve been visiting the Upper Works area since 1966 and never really had time to check out the stone work and bellows down by the river so we did that. Being a mechanic/inventor I found it very exciting figuring out how all of the gear worked and we imagined the sounds it must have made cranking over and pumping tremendous volumes of air into the huge cupola above.
On the way to Lake Placid the weather took a change and lightning and thunder ushered in pouring rain forcing us to camp in the back of the van at South Meadow. A steady rain all night assured us of a memorable completion to our 6 year quest. Rain drizzled on us all the way to Marcy Dam in the morning and the clouds were very low over the surrounding peaks.
We headed towards Avalanche Pass then took the Lake Arnold trail, which immediately began climbing as the rain increased to a steady downpour. After an hour or so we stopped stepping around mud puddles because the trail was running a good stream and we were as wet as we would be for the rest of the trip. At Feldspar leanto we got inside to eat a bite and packed our cameras away as pictures were out of the question. The downpour was torrential at that point. On the way up to 4 corners we met one lone hiker and a group of scouts that proved we weren’t the only crazies out there.
At the cairn we took a turn into the woods and began climbing the cascade that was the herd path to Gray peak. Water was pouring off of our hands and arms as we reached for hand holds and splashed off of our soaked boots as we stepped into the stream course to ascend the mountain. After a short, steep climb we saw the sign and gave each other a huge hug. We had done it!! I thanked Jason telling him I could have never completed the 46 without his help and then we headed into the dense cripple brush that is the herd path to Marcy.
With the pouring rain and low clouds we had to be very careful to stay on the faint trail so as not to rely on the compass. You might imagine how wet you could be traversing that thick brush in a pouring rain. At times we lost the trail but by beating the bushes were able to regain the wet, muddy strand. After what seemed like forever, we broke out onto the summit dome of Marcy and proceeded up the bare rock slabs, being very careful to stay off of the fragile alpine vegetation. Visibility was about 100 yards so we just continued up until we reached the top. This was where it had all started in August of 1999 when we stood together on that summit and decided to become 46rs. It seemed quite fitting to end our trip there even though Gray was our final one. We stood in the rain talking to the summit steward for a while then began the long, wet slog out to the van. The trail was a flowing streambed by now and it was just one foot in front of the other for the rest of the trip. We arrived at the van with a 9 hour round trip time and very tired legs. Dry clothes were quickly donned and we headed to town for some warm food and cold drinks.
It might sound like a drag finishing on a day like that but we did many peaks in blinding snow, freezing cold, intense heat, humidity, floods, rain blowing sideways, you get the drift. Our quest of the 46 was to experience the ADKs in all that they had to offer, not only when the views were nice and our feet would stay dry. It was a fitting end to a serious endeavor. Once, a few years ago, I was climbing in the Great Range with no view, raining sideways, and cold and I felt like that was the weather and conditions that made those mountains and plants the way they were. How could I think I was experiencing the mountains without going through some of the same conditions?
After almost 6 years and countless adventures and misadventures in the ADKs, my son Jason and I completed our 46 peaks. Last year, he moved to Portland OR. and I was beginning to think it would never happen. In January we attempted to finish up but with the extra gear we needed to carry, the shorter days, etc. we were left with Allen and Gray.
On Monday July 25 we drove up to Upper Works and stealth camped in order to get an early start on that 2- horned devil Allen on Tuesday. We finally got geared up and hit the trail about 7:30. With many stops for raspberries and 45 minutes enjoying the beautiful views from the 2 different vantage points, we still made the round trip in 9 hours. The views from this peak are very interesting with a great look at Marcy Swamp and Panther Gorge.
On the way out we ran into a family that had taken a wrong turn from the Hanging Spear Falls trail and were following the yellow markers towards Skylight Brook. We set them straight and walked a ways with them to make sure they made it back. It felt great to swim in the river by the iron bridge at the trailhead when we got back.
Since it was early in the day and we only needed to drive to the LOJ for our next days adventure, we stopped at the old blast furnace to really check it out. I’ve been visiting the Upper Works area since 1966 and never really had time to check out the stone work and bellows down by the river so we did that. Being a mechanic/inventor I found it very exciting figuring out how all of the gear worked and we imagined the sounds it must have made cranking over and pumping tremendous volumes of air into the huge cupola above.
On the way to Lake Placid the weather took a change and lightning and thunder ushered in pouring rain forcing us to camp in the back of the van at South Meadow. A steady rain all night assured us of a memorable completion to our 6 year quest. Rain drizzled on us all the way to Marcy Dam in the morning and the clouds were very low over the surrounding peaks.
We headed towards Avalanche Pass then took the Lake Arnold trail, which immediately began climbing as the rain increased to a steady downpour. After an hour or so we stopped stepping around mud puddles because the trail was running a good stream and we were as wet as we would be for the rest of the trip. At Feldspar leanto we got inside to eat a bite and packed our cameras away as pictures were out of the question. The downpour was torrential at that point. On the way up to 4 corners we met one lone hiker and a group of scouts that proved we weren’t the only crazies out there.
At the cairn we took a turn into the woods and began climbing the cascade that was the herd path to Gray peak. Water was pouring off of our hands and arms as we reached for hand holds and splashed off of our soaked boots as we stepped into the stream course to ascend the mountain. After a short, steep climb we saw the sign and gave each other a huge hug. We had done it!! I thanked Jason telling him I could have never completed the 46 without his help and then we headed into the dense cripple brush that is the herd path to Marcy.
With the pouring rain and low clouds we had to be very careful to stay on the faint trail so as not to rely on the compass. You might imagine how wet you could be traversing that thick brush in a pouring rain. At times we lost the trail but by beating the bushes were able to regain the wet, muddy strand. After what seemed like forever, we broke out onto the summit dome of Marcy and proceeded up the bare rock slabs, being very careful to stay off of the fragile alpine vegetation. Visibility was about 100 yards so we just continued up until we reached the top. This was where it had all started in August of 1999 when we stood together on that summit and decided to become 46rs. It seemed quite fitting to end our trip there even though Gray was our final one. We stood in the rain talking to the summit steward for a while then began the long, wet slog out to the van. The trail was a flowing streambed by now and it was just one foot in front of the other for the rest of the trip. We arrived at the van with a 9 hour round trip time and very tired legs. Dry clothes were quickly donned and we headed to town for some warm food and cold drinks.
It might sound like a drag finishing on a day like that but we did many peaks in blinding snow, freezing cold, intense heat, humidity, floods, rain blowing sideways, you get the drift. Our quest of the 46 was to experience the ADKs in all that they had to offer, not only when the views were nice and our feet would stay dry. It was a fitting end to a serious endeavor. Once, a few years ago, I was climbing in the Great Range with no view, raining sideways, and cold and I felt like that was the weather and conditions that made those mountains and plants the way they were. How could I think I was experiencing the mountains without going through some of the same conditions?
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