blacklab2020
Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2005
- Messages
- 391
- Reaction score
- 20
Just got back from a great, albeit wet, weekend in the daks.
Friday was tough convincing myself to make the probably 9 hour drive north (its 7 on a good day, but rain and traffic had me rightly convinced otherwise). It didnt help that my afternoon meeting was running late. I was ready to bolt early considering I hadnt packed or done anything to get ready since the remains of Ida would be in the area for the weekend. Mid-day I finally call my friend (from Boston) back to let him know I actually would be going. Left work at 3:45, after some shuffling gear around and picking up some other gear from my parents house I left for the daks at 6:15. Dark, rainy, and crowded roads were in store all the way to just North of albany. I arrived at upper works at 2:45 am.
6:56 am I finally forced myself out of the back of the car since I was already running behind on an earlier discussed time. We were off from the Santanoni trailhead by 8am. By 10 am we were wearing hardshells from excess water on trees and the rain was picking up. We made bradley pond lean-to by 10:45, dropped excess gear and left for Santanoni by 11:30. From there it was back to the herd path outfitted in full rain gear and gaiters and shell gloves .
We were completley soaked through before we made the ridgeline by 1!!! Nevermind that I had just reapplied a good coating of DWR to all my outerwear. Did Panther and Santanoni before 3:30. After we came off panther (before Santanoni) we realized all the high stepping had raised the hardshell pants above the boots under the gaiters, and our shoes were effectively soaked. Soaked to the point that they would have been at the bottom of Bradley pond.
Santanoni was peak 30 for me and all that gray was worth every bit of 9 hours driving up. I took lots of pictures. Couch was 2 miles off and NOT above 4000 feet and not at all a comfortable goal considering all our clothes and insulating layers were soaked at it was near dark. A campfire and good laughs at Bradley pond lean-to seemed a lot more in order. Couch was definately doable, just would not have been fun getting back so late. Ill be back someday, need to go back for the views from Santanoni and Panther... Ermine Brook is beckoning.
The rest was history... reasonable descent in the dark, back to camp by 5, good meal, good company, dry clothes and we were able to get out on Sunday early enough for a great meal down by Lake George and a reasonable drive home.
Some people including myself at times would say that a 7.5-9 hour drive is a little much for a weekend.
It had been a while since I was in the daks.
It would be great to see an old friend,
It would otherwise be just another weekend at home
I just wanted to get out.
All that driving gave me time to think, relax and just get away from it all. In retrospect that trip was every bit worth the 17 hours of driving this weekend.
To everyone who lives up there: Enjoy the proxmity!
I'll post a few pics in the next couple of days...
Friday was tough convincing myself to make the probably 9 hour drive north (its 7 on a good day, but rain and traffic had me rightly convinced otherwise). It didnt help that my afternoon meeting was running late. I was ready to bolt early considering I hadnt packed or done anything to get ready since the remains of Ida would be in the area for the weekend. Mid-day I finally call my friend (from Boston) back to let him know I actually would be going. Left work at 3:45, after some shuffling gear around and picking up some other gear from my parents house I left for the daks at 6:15. Dark, rainy, and crowded roads were in store all the way to just North of albany. I arrived at upper works at 2:45 am.
6:56 am I finally forced myself out of the back of the car since I was already running behind on an earlier discussed time. We were off from the Santanoni trailhead by 8am. By 10 am we were wearing hardshells from excess water on trees and the rain was picking up. We made bradley pond lean-to by 10:45, dropped excess gear and left for Santanoni by 11:30. From there it was back to the herd path outfitted in full rain gear and gaiters and shell gloves .
We were completley soaked through before we made the ridgeline by 1!!! Nevermind that I had just reapplied a good coating of DWR to all my outerwear. Did Panther and Santanoni before 3:30. After we came off panther (before Santanoni) we realized all the high stepping had raised the hardshell pants above the boots under the gaiters, and our shoes were effectively soaked. Soaked to the point that they would have been at the bottom of Bradley pond.
Santanoni was peak 30 for me and all that gray was worth every bit of 9 hours driving up. I took lots of pictures. Couch was 2 miles off and NOT above 4000 feet and not at all a comfortable goal considering all our clothes and insulating layers were soaked at it was near dark. A campfire and good laughs at Bradley pond lean-to seemed a lot more in order. Couch was definately doable, just would not have been fun getting back so late. Ill be back someday, need to go back for the views from Santanoni and Panther... Ermine Brook is beckoning.
The rest was history... reasonable descent in the dark, back to camp by 5, good meal, good company, dry clothes and we were able to get out on Sunday early enough for a great meal down by Lake George and a reasonable drive home.
Some people including myself at times would say that a 7.5-9 hour drive is a little much for a weekend.
It had been a while since I was in the daks.
It would be great to see an old friend,
It would otherwise be just another weekend at home
I just wanted to get out.
All that driving gave me time to think, relax and just get away from it all. In retrospect that trip was every bit worth the 17 hours of driving this weekend.
To everyone who lives up there: Enjoy the proxmity!
I'll post a few pics in the next couple of days...
