Toughest 50 feet of Trail in the Daks???

[blacklab2020]

I was up in the high peaks a couple of weeks back and we did Colvin from Upper Ausable Lake.

On the way up we encountered a 25-30 foot high wall with a splitter crack going straight up the center. The wall was low enough that it was an easy, climb, but with a 30 lb pack on jamming boots while leaning left and putting down pressure on the face for more than 15 feet and 6-7 sequences of climbing moves isnt exactly hiking.

It was at night and we had headlamps, and they may have been a way around... but any way around wouldnt exactly be considered the trail...

So whats the most technically difficult section of trail in the daks? I have been through indian pass and it wasnt nearly as technical in my opinion.

I am not considering slides to be trails.

The cliff on saddle back might come close to the west side of colvin, but the climbing is generally easier.

hmmm....

 

[TCD]

How about Armstrong during the years the ladder was missing?

There are a couple small cliffs on Basin that I enjoy downclimbing every year, and there was a period of a couple years when the ladders were gone, but the trails around had not yet developed...

There's not much, really. Most of the trails are designed for walking, naturally. But we do have rough trail compared to most other regions.

 

[blacklab2020]

armstrong without the ladder would certainly do it... I know that in some years though I have had to do that section when the ladder was completely covered by ice..

 

[Neil]

The cliffs of Saddleback are much tougher than anything on Colvin, although I know that bit on Colvin you refer to and it's quite something in its own right.

How did it come to pass that you were ascending the west side of Colvin at night? Did I miss a great TR?

Was this on the trip we crossed paths on?

 

[blacklab2020]

Yeah, it was the same trip. I was glad to see a familiar face up there now that I have moved out of the area!

It was the following day, we had a long day with overnight packs and a new hiker. We started at slant rock, did marcy without packs, then went over to haystack. We then dropped down trail between basin and haystack to upper ausable lake. I didnt expect the ladders and it took our group a little longer than planned. We decided to do dinner at the bridge crossing near lower ausable. That evening we climbed up over colvin and down to elk pass. We were in camp by 10:30 which wasnt so bad considering the experience of the group as a whole.

It was great to get up there this fall.. The colors down low were spectacular. I will post a few pics, when my computer is up and running again. Thanks for the motivation and it was good meeting you again.

 

[BorealChickadee]

How about Armstrong during the years the ladder was missing?

Yes, that's the toughest section I've done going down. No ladder, no cable. And Unfortunately I remember it. Got my two kids talked down and then turned into a big chicken when it came time for me to let go and just drop. Nope, no way I was dropping off. I'd seen the look on my son's face. Two big guys came along who were going up and they let me stretch my foot to about their shoulder height. I'll never live it down. Then we used a rope I had with me to lower a little girl down who came along after us.

It was funny because it made me dread the Saddlebck cliffs because they had the worst reputation. When I finally did Saddleback by myself, there were spots that were definitely a challenge because of my leg length but nothing like Armstrong without the ladder.

The chicken who likes ground under her feet.

 

[MattC]

Sometimes that little, gentle slope coming back up to the Heart Lake/Loj trailhead at the end of a hike can be the toughest section of trail...

I never saw that place on Armstrong w/o the ladder, but I can imagine it being fairly dicey.

For those that have climbed Haystack from the south side, is there anything there that compares with these other places?

Matt

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

Sometimes that little, gentle slope coming back up to the Heart Lake/Loj trailhead at the end of a hike can be the toughest section of trail...

Sad, but true

 

[rhihn]

I've only climbed Armstrong once, and that was back when there was a cable. Is the ladder in the same place, or did they reroute that section?

 

[Little Rickie]

Sometimes that little, gentle slope coming back up to the Heart Lake/Loj trailhead at the end of a hike can be the toughest section of trail...
Matt

It has been many times. Actually the last 50 feet of any long hike, the longer the hike the harder the end.

 

[daxs]

Matt, how true. I hate that pointless uphill at the end of that hike back to the loj

 

[rhihn]

It has been many times. Actually the last 50 feet of any long hike, the longer the hike the harder the end.

The walk between Upper Works and the suspension bridge, and the Dix trail both seem to be uphill in both directions.

Then there's the Lake Road...

 

[Tom Rankin]

Matt, how true. I hate that pointless uphill at the end of that hike back to the loj

Did you know they re-routed that little section? It doesn't feel as bad as it used to.

 

[Jay H]

Yes, I've been on the old trail this past winter, but the new reroute is slightly longer I think...

Jay

 

[Peakbagr]

I think the toughest 50' of ADK trail is any one of a number of sections of the Bradley Pond Trail after a prolonged wet period and heavy rain.

 

[mirabela]

Haystack from Panther Gorge is certainly plenty steep, with lots of rugged spots. I've only gone up it, never down, and it has been many years ... but I can't remember any spots that were really worthy of the gulp, the tightened sphincter, courage and commitment. I think it was just real steep hiking.

 

[Raymond]

Dick, when we climbed Armstrong there was a ladder but no cable.

I recall a place above the ladder with some boulders that had to be climbed over and for some reason I thought that was where the cable had been (the way I remember it, both the ladder and cable were mentioned in the Barbara McMartin book, so I was looking for them). It was a little tricky — especially for my son, who was eight at the time — to get over. I think the summit was not far beyond, but that hike was in 2000, so I may be wrong about its proximity to the top.

 

[jeenyus]

couchsachraga... i remember there being a nice little bog like area where the trail seemed to go left but really went right, pretty wet and hard to distinguish what was floating and what was solid and this was during a dry period

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

How about...

I did the Marcy to Panther Gorge to Haystack route last June, and was actually disappointed with how easy it was, so no, nothing really tough there. How about that ledge you have to tip-toe across just before you step up onto the top of Colvin when coming up from the Lake Road? The curb in front of Stewart's is also a tough step up after a long weekend...

 

[una_dogger]

Always thought of this as the steepest sequence in the 46-
toughest mentally for me.


Saddleback Cliffs -- first good look while coming off Basin:

The Approach:

Nearing the top:

(last photo courtesy of Leaf)


That big slab section on Colvin was tough -- it was wet when I went up it, and pouring rain when I came down it -- rain so hard that the crevice was shooting water! I don't think it was as tough as Saddleback-- but in terms of the most challenging climb I've experienced there -- it would have to be going up and over the Beckhorn on Dix with a full (five day) pack.