Next generation of Adirondack hikers: Peak Weekend

[MarkL]

If you're getting tired of seeing too many grunting middle aged climbers in the High Peaks, and wondering if any future generation will care to protect them, you might enjoy hiking on Saturday. The St. Lawrence University Outing Club is leading their annual Peak Weekend. They'll be trying to get students on each of the 46 High Peaks. Most hikes will take place tomorrow. If a group can't do theirs, a back-up team is standing by to get it on Sunday.
This is an OC tradition dating back to 1982. It's a great introduction to the Adirondacks for first year students who have been in the North Country for only a month.
If you're doing Allen Saturday and a group runs by, that's the SLU men's Nordic Ski team.
So say hello to them and show them how friendly the hiking community can be.

 

[ColdRiverRun]

So say hello to them and show them how friendly the hiking community can be

Mark, is there any peaks that say.. oh, I don't know.. the girls soccer team is taking?

If you're doing Allen Saturday and a group runs by, that's the SLU men's Nordic Ski team. .

I wish we had more notice we could of had a group put together to "run" by them assembled from "hikers"!

 

[TCD]

About ten years ago, the girls track team ruined my time on Cascade. I caught up to them about half way up, on pace for about a 35 minute time. After about 10 minutes of trotting with them, I realized that I had fully recovered and my time was shot. (It was worth it...)

 

[bubba]

Eleven years ago...

Wow - that 's interesting and fits right into my story of a Dix Range traverse scheduled for Sept 18th 1999 -- except Hurricane Floyd decided to move in and change our plans. We arrived at the Elk Lake parking area and found St. L U Outing Club bus parked there. Students told us of how demolished the trail was... and that it was nearly impossible to pass through.

Naturally, we gave it a look - and if you have been through there since - you've seen the stacked rubble that has been sawn through to re-establish the trail. It was one messed up trail!

So that's why the Univ club was out that day!!

Our group took a look and guessed that the way things blew - that maybe heading over to Colvin/Blake would be better. It worked out for us... Elk Pass was a nightmare of blowdown. Further up the trail to Colvin the trail was a couple inches thick in pine needles and you also realized how wierd it was to see so many "live" leaves on the ground. Blake peak was another stack of twisted downed trees... but I figured I was closer to 4K than any before. I had to be off the ground a good 30-ft in some places up top.

 

[PeteSage]

Saw them on Saturday

On top of Gothics. Remember the one girl from St. Lawrence, in shorts and cotton tee shirt - freezing in the 35MPH winds + light rain - with no pack on - maybe a water bottle - and asked us if she could go back with us - while her trip leader saying there were continuing over to Marcy - which at that point was completely in the clouds

Did I mention it was already 12:00 and they still had saddleback, basin and marcy to tackle and then get out before dark at 6:30? If you don't have a wind shell not much of a chance in having a head lamp...last we saw they were continuing on further....toward Saddleback...

We on the other hand (the old hikers) had our hats, gloves & wind shells on and were planning a quick retreat before the weather got worse - then again if I was 19 - I probably would of had sneakers on and been on my way to Marcy with them

 

[MarkL]

Pete,

Thank you for bringing that up. It's an issue we're going to have to deal with for next year. The student participation was much greater than last year; greater than the Outing Club had members to lead, so many groups of teams and friends got together to do their own trips. This was one such group. The OC broke up the Range and Marcy into 4 different groups: WJ's, Arm,& Gothics; Goth and Saddleback, Hay and Basin, and Marcy, Sky & Gray. Not too much for anyone.
I'll bring this up at the OC meeting tonight (as staff advisor) and suggest, for one, that all non-OC students thinking of leading a trip should contact the OC for guidelines for leading their hike, including the 10 essentials and vetting the group.
So thanks again Pete for bringing this to my attention.

On top of Gothics. Remember the one girl from St. Lawrence, in shorts and cotton tee shirt - freezing in the 35MPH winds + light rain - with no pack on - maybe a water bottle - and asked us if she could go back with us - while her trip leader saying there were continuing over to Marcy - which at that point was completely in the clouds

Did I mention it was already 12:00 and they still had saddleback, basin and marcy to tackle and then get out before dark at 6:30? If you don't have a wind shell not much of a chance in having a head lamp...last we saw they were continuing on further....toward Saddleback...

We on the other hand had our hats, gloves & wind shells on and were planning a quick retreat before the weather got worse.

 

[MarkL]

Pete, after reading your post again, I suspect Neil commissioned this group to go out and be outrageous. He wanted to stir up people who have been members since 2004, yet have posted only 3 times.
Good job Neil!
Did you pay them in hot chocolate?

 

[PeteSage]

Actually i took a 12 year break from the high peaks - a trend that is finally broken - added my 33rd (Iroquois) two weeks back

I was searching for SAR reports when I found this post...glad to hear they got out ok - rest of the group will be glad to know - we were all a little worried the rest of the day..

 

[DSettahr]

Pete,

Thank you for bringing that up. It's an issue we're going to have to deal with for next year. The student participation was much greater than last year; greater than the Outing Club had members to lead, so many groups of teams and friends got together to do their own trips. This was one such group. The OC broke up the Range and Marcy into 4 different groups: WJ's, Arm,& Gothics; Goth and Saddleback, Hay and Basin, and Marcy, Sky & Gray. Not too much for anyone.
I'll bring this up at the OC meeting tonight (as staff advisor) and suggest, for one, that all non-OC students thinking of leading a trip should contact the OC for guidelines for leading their hike, including the 10 essentials and vetting the group.
So thanks again Pete for bringing this to my attention.

I'm just curious here, and not trying to be a downer about any of this (it's great to encourage young people to get into the outdoors!), but what kind of ethical considerations go into planning an event like this? Is the level of impact of having such a large group of people out in the wilderness something that is considered? I.E., is the level of impact from all these hikers and campers worth it just to say that a person from SLU stood on the summit of each high peak?

Also, are State Land Use Regulations considered? Do you keep your overnight group sizes less than 8 or 9, depending on location, and maintain a separation between associated groups of 1 mile minimum at all times? Have you ever considered whether this may be, or contacted the DEC to find out if this is categorized as a sponsored activity of 20 or more people on state land, and therefore requires a permit?

Again, like I said, I'm just curious about the planning that goes into an event like this. It's obviously a large scale event (larger this year even that expected! Great to hear that there is so much enthusiasm ) and I was just wondering if any the above is ever considered by the outing club itself.

 

[Oldsmores]

ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh... This explains why the trailheads were gridlocked. But I actually spontaneously commented to my hiking partner that it was good to see so many younger hikers out on the trails, rather than sitting in front of video games.

 

[MarkL]

I'm just curious here, and not trying to be a downer about any of this (it's great to encourage young people to get into the outdoors!), but what kind of ethical considerations go into planning an event like this? Is the level of impact of having such a large group of people out in the wilderness something that is considered? I.E., is the level of impact from all these hikers and campers worth it just to say that a person from SLU stood on the summit of each high peak?

These are good questions as we look ahead to next year. The participation this year was over 400, compared to 260 last year. But that's really not a group of 400, as they were distributed all over. And these students were only part of the large number of people out there that weekend. I heard there was another group, maybe a charity, trying to place people on all 46 the same weekend. And there were probably a larger than normal number of spontaneous others out there because it was around PEAK foliage, which is a reason for the OC to do this when it does. Peak Weekend has always had two meanings. If there were too many people out there for some peoples taste, should the DEC limit numbers when it anticipates a busy weekend? For instance, peak foliage time, or a holiday, or the first nice weekend after 3 rainy ones?
Personally, I don't think that the impact is worth it just so the OC can claim 46/46, or so that SLU can get mentioned in an article somewhere. But that's a moot point because of these points: -Many students discovered or were reminded that they can have a great time blowing off steam without going to the local bars. Many were drawn into their first real hike, or first wilderness hike, due to the enthusiasm and sense of tradition surrounding this event. -The impact of the wilderness on the students may have been greater than vice versa, if there's any possible way to measure and compare the two.

Also, are State Land Use Regulations considered? Do you keep your overnight group sizes less than 8 or 9, depending on location, and maintain a separation between associated groups of 1 mile minimum at all times? Have you ever considered whether this may be, or contacted the DEC to find out if this is categorized as a sponsored activity of 20 or more people on state land, and therefore requires a permit?

Last year when one leaders easier peak hike (the most popular kind) was oversubscribed, she found a co-leader to split the group. I don't know if there were enough leaders and able co-leaders to do that this year, and as I mentioned, we'll have to discuss that before next year. Most of the peaks are done as a day hike starting from and returning to campus, and the extra planning and weigh of an overnight tends to keep those groups smaller. I don't think I remembered or mentioned the 1 mile rule. "Associated groups" is another question. Four different groups heading for four different peaks or groups of peaks (Saw and Goth, Goth, D&N, C&B) all had to start from the Ausable Club t/h, and I think two of those groups came together at a junction on the Lake Rd. Is that wrong?
It never occurred to me that this is a sponsored activity requiring a permit. I don't even know how the DEC defines "sponsored".

Again, like I said, I'm just curious about the planning that goes into an event like this. It's obviously a large scale event (larger this year even that expected! Great to hear that there is so much enthusiasm ) and I was just wondering if any the above is ever considered by the outing club itself.

This year and previously, I've heard the OC president remind all the leaders to inform their hikers about the LNT ethic and behavior. So environmental awareness and care have been part of the OC's mindset. Given this year's turnout, yours is a good question that shows the need for them to take this awareness further in future planning.