the_swede
New member
Well folks, here's my trip report from my first successful DP traverse. My camera crapped out two pictures into the trip, so I have here posted the pictures from my friend, Jeff.
Sunday - West Kill & Southwest Hunter:
We started our journey at the Spruceton Road trailhead. Climbing West Kill was nice. I noted the abundance of wild leek growing on both sides of the trail but wasn't adventurous enough to try one.
The ledge on West Kill was perhaps my favorite of all ledges on the trip, next to the one on the South peak of Twin. Jeff refilled our water in the West Kill Kill in Diamond Notch and before we continued up Hunter.
Arriving at the Devil's Acre lean-to was a relief, as I was tired and this was where we were to spend our first night. We were accompanied by two nice young women from Manhattan, as well as a father and son from Long Island. After settling down (I set up my hammock and Jeff set up his bivy), Jeff and I invited the lean-to people to bag Southwest Hunter with us. The two girls from Manhattan accepted our invitation and within a half hour or so, we managed to find the canister. I read through the notepad and saw a few names I recognized (mudhook and Snickers).
About 11 PM I went to bed. I spent the night warding off harassing porcupines and I even managed to spot one just a few feet from my hammock. Luckily my boots were hung up along with the food.
Monday - Hunter, Plateau & Sugarloaf:
Jeff and I woke up around 6 AM and hastily broke down camp while simultaneously eating breakfast. After saying goodbye to the other folks at the lean-to, we made our way to the Hunter fire tower. At the intersection, we stashed our packs behind some trees and ascended Hunter. This would be Jeff's first time over 4,000 feet since the '90s and my first time since January. The walk to the fire tower was nice, despite the cool air and high winds. I climbed about half way up the fire tower but the fifty year old structure rattling in the wind just about tested my nerves. I gave my father a call and asked him what the weather forecast was like. A chance of rain in the afternoon with a 70% chance of rain tomorrow. Ugh...
We made our way down Hunter, into Stony Clove Notch and relaxed a bit before climbing the formidable Plateau. Climbing Plateau with a full pack proved to be a pain. It felt nice to arrive at the ledge. I thought that the walk across Plateau would be a relief but it wasn't, due to the hot and humid evergreen forest through which the trail negotiated. Coming down Plateau was incredibly steep and rocky. A few backpackers were coming up as we were heading down. I felt sorry for them. The climb up Sugarloaf was tiring, just having done mighty Plateau. When heading down Sugarloaf, Jeff and I were fortunate enough to have met a real life peakbagger! He was running the trail and had a backpack on covered with patches.
Coming down into Pecoy Notch, Jeff and I were exhausted and decided this would be a good place to spend the night. We found a primitive campsite off the trail and down the col. Pecoy Notch proved to be very buggy. The flies were fierce and I probably received more bites there than anywhere else on the trail. I once again set up my hammock between two trees. Except this time, I rolled over while getting into it and put two giant holes in my bug net. Luckily I had a roll of duct tape with me, which solved the problem. I strung a tarp over my hammock in case of rain but luckily it didn't. I passed out around 9 PM and woke up the next morning at 5 AM.
Tuesday - Twin & Indian Head:
I woke up to a clear sky with a glowing red horizon. This wholly uplifted my spirit, since I was expecting gray skies and rain. I threw my camp in my bag as fast as I could, hoping to make more progress on the trail before a possible rainstorm. I scarfed down a blueberry muffin and some potato bread before filtering water at a buggy stream.
Jeff and I made our way up the ledgy face of Twin with ease, relaxing at viewpoints. The South peak of Twin had a marvelous ledge, with views extending from the Hudson River in the Southeast to the Blackhead Range up North. Jimmy Dolan Notch was impressive. At some parts, the cleft between Twin and Indian Head could have only been about a dozen feet wide or so.
The climb up Indian Head was ledgy like Twin, but a breeze. At the ledge on the Indian Head's "nose" I felt very accomplished and celebrated by brewing hot tea on my stove. Blueberry muffins accompanied the tea. This was pure pleasure.
Since I was out-pacing Jeff, I told him that I would meet him back at the car at this point. However, I reached a nice stream with a stone bridge and I couldn't help but bathe in it. I stripped down into my boxer shorts and washed myself off with the cold mountain water. I changed all of my clothes and put my sandals on. Jeff caught up to me at the stream and he too couldn't help to rinse off. We finished the last mile of the trail in style, sporting sandals and crocks.
I was very proud to have completed the Devil's Path. There were times along the trail when I contemplated quitting. I think the weather forecast had the greatest effect on me. I was totally bummed out when I heard it was supposed to rain. Fortunately it didn't, and this truly uplifted my spirit. Surprisingly, I suffered no muscle pain. Ironically, my knee only started bothering me when I was signing out.
Pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesh...0149_797767654209&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1
Sunday - West Kill & Southwest Hunter:
We started our journey at the Spruceton Road trailhead. Climbing West Kill was nice. I noted the abundance of wild leek growing on both sides of the trail but wasn't adventurous enough to try one.
The ledge on West Kill was perhaps my favorite of all ledges on the trip, next to the one on the South peak of Twin. Jeff refilled our water in the West Kill Kill in Diamond Notch and before we continued up Hunter. Arriving at the Devil's Acre lean-to was a relief, as I was tired and this was where we were to spend our first night. We were accompanied by two nice young women from Manhattan, as well as a father and son from Long Island. After settling down (I set up my hammock and Jeff set up his bivy), Jeff and I invited the lean-to people to bag Southwest Hunter with us. The two girls from Manhattan accepted our invitation and within a half hour or so, we managed to find the canister. I read through the notepad and saw a few names I recognized (mudhook and Snickers).
About 11 PM I went to bed. I spent the night warding off harassing porcupines and I even managed to spot one just a few feet from my hammock. Luckily my boots were hung up along with the food.
Monday - Hunter, Plateau & Sugarloaf:
Jeff and I woke up around 6 AM and hastily broke down camp while simultaneously eating breakfast. After saying goodbye to the other folks at the lean-to, we made our way to the Hunter fire tower. At the intersection, we stashed our packs behind some trees and ascended Hunter. This would be Jeff's first time over 4,000 feet since the '90s and my first time since January. The walk to the fire tower was nice, despite the cool air and high winds. I climbed about half way up the fire tower but the fifty year old structure rattling in the wind just about tested my nerves. I gave my father a call and asked him what the weather forecast was like. A chance of rain in the afternoon with a 70% chance of rain tomorrow. Ugh...
We made our way down Hunter, into Stony Clove Notch and relaxed a bit before climbing the formidable Plateau. Climbing Plateau with a full pack proved to be a pain. It felt nice to arrive at the ledge. I thought that the walk across Plateau would be a relief but it wasn't, due to the hot and humid evergreen forest through which the trail negotiated. Coming down Plateau was incredibly steep and rocky. A few backpackers were coming up as we were heading down. I felt sorry for them.
The climb up Sugarloaf was tiring, just having done mighty Plateau. When heading down Sugarloaf, Jeff and I were fortunate enough to have met a real life peakbagger! He was running the trail and had a backpack on covered with patches. Coming down into Pecoy Notch, Jeff and I were exhausted and decided this would be a good place to spend the night. We found a primitive campsite off the trail and down the col. Pecoy Notch proved to be very buggy. The flies were fierce and I probably received more bites there than anywhere else on the trail. I once again set up my hammock between two trees. Except this time, I rolled over while getting into it and put two giant holes in my bug net. Luckily I had a roll of duct tape with me, which solved the problem. I strung a tarp over my hammock in case of rain but luckily it didn't. I passed out around 9 PM and woke up the next morning at 5 AM.
Tuesday - Twin & Indian Head:
I woke up to a clear sky with a glowing red horizon. This wholly uplifted my spirit, since I was expecting gray skies and rain. I threw my camp in my bag as fast as I could, hoping to make more progress on the trail before a possible rainstorm. I scarfed down a blueberry muffin and some potato bread before filtering water at a buggy stream.
Jeff and I made our way up the ledgy face of Twin with ease, relaxing at viewpoints. The South peak of Twin had a marvelous ledge, with views extending from the Hudson River in the Southeast to the Blackhead Range up North. Jimmy Dolan Notch was impressive. At some parts, the cleft between Twin and Indian Head could have only been about a dozen feet wide or so.
The climb up Indian Head was ledgy like Twin, but a breeze. At the ledge on the Indian Head's "nose" I felt very accomplished and celebrated by brewing hot tea on my stove. Blueberry muffins accompanied the tea. This was pure pleasure.
Since I was out-pacing Jeff, I told him that I would meet him back at the car at this point. However, I reached a nice stream with a stone bridge and I couldn't help but bathe in it. I stripped down into my boxer shorts and washed myself off with the cold mountain water. I changed all of my clothes and put my sandals on. Jeff caught up to me at the stream and he too couldn't help to rinse off. We finished the last mile of the trail in style, sporting sandals and crocks.
I was very proud to have completed the Devil's Path. There were times along the trail when I contemplated quitting. I think the weather forecast had the greatest effect on me. I was totally bummed out when I heard it was supposed to rain. Fortunately it didn't, and this truly uplifted my spirit. Surprisingly, I suffered no muscle pain. Ironically, my knee only started bothering me when I was signing out.
Pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesh...0149_797767654209&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1
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