Pete Hogan
New member
About 4 inches of fresh powder greeted us at the Rt. 73 parking area. The snow conditions on the Lake Road were ideal for an early morning XC ski. The lower elevations of the Leach Trail had very little snow cover exposing bare ground and a lot of roots. Although the route was obvious, previous tracks had disappeared from the recent meltdown. Snow depths increased with elevation, but the consistency remained light and powdery due to cool morning temperatures and the fact that we were in the shadow of the west shoulder of Noonmark. The easy trail breaking of the morning turned challenging and considerably more difficult as we approached the high point of Noonmark's shoulder in addition to the col before Bear Den and well into the ascent of Bear Den itself. The exposure to the sun and warmer midday temperatures turned the fresh powder into very heavy, sticky, "mashed potato" snow. Our snowshoe crampons became repeatedly clogged and the frames and decking held the snow and attracted more. No amount of shaking, kicking or scraping seemed to lighten the load. Fortunately our ascent brought colder temperatures, denser cover and a stroke of luck - cloudy skies, that helped return the snow to a lighter more manageable consistency. We were thankful for this unexpected change as we continued to break trail the rest of the way to the summit rock of Dial. We took some awesome pictures from the summit and returned over the same route.
Except for the road, we used snowshoes the entire day. We did not carry full crampons relying on our aggressive and trusted Tucker Claws. Water was critical over this 11-mile RT. I carried 3 liters and drained it all. Layers helped a great deal in adjusting to the warmth of the day and the exertion of the 3500-foot RT ascent. A Gore-Tex shell and hat or hood prevented the frequent balsam snow bombs from further soaking our layers. Trekking poles continue to be an essential addition to standard hiking equipment providing increased stability, balance, agility and a helpful boost on the steep sections of the ascent as well as relief to the knees and lower back on the descent.
The day started out with partly sunny skies and became cloudy shortly after midday. As it turns out, that was a blessing, because the snow conditions actually improved over the course of the day. This is a challenging route as the cumulative ascent and distance adds up. We thoroughly enjoyed the summit and incredible views of the Great Range. The overcast skies and snowy, slide-scarred peaks are a powerful reminder of just how rugged (and extraordinarily beautiful) the High Peaks are. Speaking of blessings...my hiking partner was Barb Blum - another Adirondack gem!
Except for the road, we used snowshoes the entire day. We did not carry full crampons relying on our aggressive and trusted Tucker Claws. Water was critical over this 11-mile RT. I carried 3 liters and drained it all. Layers helped a great deal in adjusting to the warmth of the day and the exertion of the 3500-foot RT ascent. A Gore-Tex shell and hat or hood prevented the frequent balsam snow bombs from further soaking our layers. Trekking poles continue to be an essential addition to standard hiking equipment providing increased stability, balance, agility and a helpful boost on the steep sections of the ascent as well as relief to the knees and lower back on the descent.
The day started out with partly sunny skies and became cloudy shortly after midday. As it turns out, that was a blessing, because the snow conditions actually improved over the course of the day. This is a challenging route as the cumulative ascent and distance adds up. We thoroughly enjoyed the summit and incredible views of the Great Range. The overcast skies and snowy, slide-scarred peaks are a powerful reminder of just how rugged (and extraordinarily beautiful) the High Peaks are. Speaking of blessings...my hiking partner was Barb Blum - another Adirondack gem!
