... [ The information on this page updated:
February 11 2021 ]
January 2020
Annual New Year Celebration Hike Wed, Jan 1, 2020, Reg Prouty and Bob Aspholm
- Bob was ill so Reg led the hike. We missed a turn for the trail to Cat and ended up below a ridge just south of Cat's summit, so we found a good spot for lunch and decided to follow our tracks back out to Edgecomb Pond. We saw what happened as an old wooden sign was hiding a red marker just above it, so we went straight instead of turning right after the barrier. We had a good day in the woods anyway. Nine hikers: Reg Prouty, Mark Stark, Sue Commanda, Suzanne Rancourt, Jayne Bouder, Cathy Flemming, Barb Lange, Mitchell Stark, and Adam Stark.
Whiteface from Lake Placid Sat, Jan 4, 2020, Wayne Richter and Joe Babcock
- With warm-ish weather and rain in the weeks leading up to this hike, we didn't feel confident about walking across Lake Placid, so we went the conventional route to Whiteface and then Esther via the Wilmington Trail from the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center. We expected to get some snow, did not expect to see much, and hoped for no rain – and, fortunately, that is what we got. With an early start, only a couple of people were ahead of us. The steep trail up to Marble Mountain had some icy patches, though the ice was soft enough for microspikes to give us confident grip. Once as high up as Marble Mountain, we had packed snow that made for easy going. The ski lift that comes up to the trail was not running as the snow was not deep enough, but we did see active lifts and skiers further below. The snow got deeper as we approached the wall below the curve in the road, and it finally looked like a real snowy winter as we made the final spectacular ascent to Whiteface along the open arete. Here, we were lucky enough to have the cloud layer briefly below us, allowing us to see the summit of Esther poking up above the lower cloud deck. We saw amazing feathers of snow on the branches of the hardy alpine shrubs, evidence of serious wind. The clouds closed in again as we approached the summit, making the tower buildings seem like something out of Lord of the Rings in the mist. We were fortunate enough to have little wind, allowing us to enjoy the summit, even if we couldn't see far. It began to snow lightly as we headed down and over to Esther. We saw a good number of people on our way down, making us appreciative for our early start. Participants: Joe Babcock, Kim Brown, Jen Ferris, Mike Fuller, Karen Provencher, Wayne Richter, Anthony Szmul, Greg Travers, Dave White.
Monday Monthly Geocache Mon, Jan 6, 2020, Sarah King
- Our destination today was to The Lynn LaMontagne Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob. I decided to switch the trip from Monday, January 6, to Tuesday, January 7, as it snowed much of Monday. We arrived and started our hike at 9:40am after signing the register and finding our first geocache. There were 12 geocaches at the preserve. My goal was to find the 3 new ones which were located on the blue trail or waterfall trail. Ed had never been to the preserve before so we did stop at all 12 caches. As the trails here have changed over the years, we did find ourselves on old trails at times and bushwhacking between the old and new. We did enjoy the newest trail with stone stairs. All geocaches were winter friendly, meaning meant to be found with snow on the ground. Most were hidden in trees but a few were on the ground. With minimal snow, they were easy to find. We did notice that some logging/clearing was going on just to the north of the preserve. We noticed a large truck coming down hauling a good number of trees and we could hear chainsaws as we hiked to one of the caches. We hiked up the waterfall, having two stream crossings on the way. The falls were pretty with the frozen area. Mo took lots of pictures. We stopped both on the way up and back down at the gazebo to enjoy the view and have a snack. We did find all 12 hides and were back at the trailhead by 2:30pm, having hiked about 5 miles. As always, a fun day out with good friends. Participants: Sarah King, Mo Coutant, Licia Mackey, Ed Kopf.
Street and Nye Sat, Jan 11, 2020, Andrew Meunier and Jeff Mans
- This hike was canceled due to poor weather. Three of us decided to try to climb these mountains on Sunday instead. We were greeted at the near-empty Loj lot by a ranger who told us that attempting to climb Street and Nye would be foolhardy due to the swollen and raging Indian Pass Brook. An investigatory hike revealed that he was thoroughly correct. After reveling in the calamitous torrent, we enjoyed a short hike in Indian Pass and hoped for the swift return of "normal" winter weather! Participants: Jeff Mans, Karen Provencher, Andrew Meunier.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Jan 14, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- This week we had more of an adventure than we bargained for! We had some warm weather and rain a little less than a week ago, so the river was running fast and we could tell it had been over its bank recently. The rain had also compacted the snow, so we could get by with just microspikes, although Peter and I wore snowshoes to stamp out any snow we came across in a few places. But the adventure was due to all the trees that were down. Many of them must have had the trail markers on them! It was really not a problem until we were almost to the pond. We got around a big tree that was across the trail and then we couldn't find the trail! We fanned out and still couldn't find it. We retraced our steps back to the last marker, then got to the same blow down...and hmm! We headed off to the right and bushwhacked until we got to a marshy area and then headed towards an opening which we assumed would be the pond and found it. On the way back we realized where we went wrong and we were almost in sight of the trail, when we went the wrong way! It made for an adventure and memorable experience! After enjoying the lean-to, exploring the pond to see if we could get a view of the high peaks (no – low hanging clouds), getting a wet foot (but well prepared with a dry sock and plastic bag), we headed back out. Made much faster time on the way out!! We'll be back again on a clear day! Participants: Sandi Allen, Bob Bedore, Mo Coutant, Peter Fedorick, Dave Freeman, Ed Kopf, Licia & Steve Mackey, Dave Roeger, and Denise Thorn.
Tabletop and Phelps Sat, Jan 18, 2020, Joe Babcock and Jen Ferriss
- This hike was cancelled due to weather conditions that could have affected the drive home at the end of the day. With a larger group signed up, we felt it was better to save this hike for another day.
Snowy Fire tower Sat, Jan 18, 2020, Amanda Gomez
- Canceled. I decided to err on the side of caution and cancel this hike due to the winter storm predicted, for everyone's safety not to drive in bad weather.
Annual ski/snowshoe hike up Pyramid and Gothics Sun, Jan 19, 2020, Steve Mackey
- We had a big storm (or at least a big storm was predicted) the day before and everyone canceled. However there was a bunch of friends that were interested in doing the ski part and skiing into Rainbow Falls. We ended up with seven participants and had excellent skiing conditions. The ski was around 8 miles round trip and the ski out was a blast. The falls were their typical cold, snowy, icy, and rugged cascade. Participants: Mo, Jim, and Gen Coutant, Steve and Licia Mackey, Kim Brown, and Scott Anderson.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Jan 21, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- The snow gods were good to me. We received a 1/2 foot of snow or more the weekend before this outing. I decided to head over to Brookhaven since they seem to have more snow than the Glens Falls area usually. Plus, I'd never led a trip over there. They have nice groomed trails and signage and lots of parking. We explored trails on both sides of the road and with a variety of terrain. Open greens, through the woods, and up and down some hills. It was great to get out and introduce many to this area. Participants: Kim Brown, Mo Coutant, Paul Dietershagen, Dave Freeman, Liz Gee, Jim Jordan, Licia & Steve Mackey, Karen Provencher, Gwenne Rippon, Alison Zoske.
Moreau Lake State Park Wed, Jan 22, 2020, Reg Prouty
- We decided to do a snowshoe as recent snowfall provided just enough to use the shoes. We were going to do a counterclockwise trip around only Moreau Lake but by unanimous consensus we decided to add a circuit of Mud Pond to the middle of the hike. Upon returning to Moreau, we spent lunchtime in the beautiful warming cabin. It was a beautiful day for the hike with a great group of 6: Reg Prouty, Robert Lucaroni, Denise Lucaroni, Joanne Walczak, Robert Gammon, and Mary Gammon.
Hudson Crossing / New Year Outing Sat, Jan 25, 2020, Rich Crammond
- What a nice January day for an ADK outing. We saw many small birds and ducks, but the grand prize was spotting a large wingspread eagle. I'm sure glad to see them make a comeback in New York. It sure was good to hike with folks I haven't seen for a while, also. The sky was grey and so were the squirrels, but to see at least one big bird of prey made my day. Thanks to my hiking buds for sharing your day outdoors. Didn't get no better. Participants: Jean Holcomb, Liz Gee, Alan Gee, Cathy Fleming, Rich Crammond.
Giant and RPR Sat, Jan 25, 2020, Andrew Meunier and Ben St. Andrews
- We started our hike just as the sun was starting to add some color to the sky. A thin layer of snow caused all of us to opt for snowshoes and we were able to navigate a few icy spots without too much trouble. We lingered at Giant's summit longer than we had planned because, despite the breeze, the temperature was unseasonably warm. We took the time to enjoy the lovely views across Keene Valley and most of us donned crampons to scout out the trail to Rocky Peak Ridge. About a quarter of a mile down that trail, we encountered the ice wall that we had read about in trail reports: a broad, pitched slab of hard ice leading to a sheer 8 foot drop. Even with crampons (and the length of webbing someone had left tied to a tree) we judged it unsafe to continue, especially with the weather forecast to deteriorate. We made our way back to the trail junction and most of us used crampons for the descent. These were a big help as the icy spots were much trickier on the way down. Freezing rain started to fall just as we reached the lot around 2pm – perfect timing! Participants: Kim Brown, Ben Norford, Conor Gillis, Brian Noel, Ben St. Andrews, Andrew Meunier.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Jan 28, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- This was a great day. We had overcast skies that would lighten up every now and again to create some dramatic lighting and photos! The trail was snow covered, but packed down enough that we only needed microspikes. We took the red trail up, and, with the leaves off the trees, had views north into the Narrows that we can't usually see. In places there was still some ice on the trees and in others snow, so again...beautiful. We went down the old trail to make a loop out of it, then wound up at Stewarts in Bolton for a snack or drink. Great day out! Participants: Bob Bedore, Kim Brown, Mo Coutant, Dan D'Angelico, Dave Freeman, Sue Howard, Steve Mackey, Dave Roeger.
February 2020
Whiteface from Lake Placid "Rain" Date Sat, Feb 1, 2020, Wayne Richter and Joe Babcock
- Our plan was to park at the DEC boat launch just off Mirror Lake Drive and walk across Lake Placid. We arrived to find a patch of open water just off the boat ramp and what looked like a big patch of water logged snow or maybe even open water in the distance. Time for Plan B: We took the trail from Route 86 via Connery Pond. At the register, we saw that a group of eight from the ADK Winter Mountaineering School had signed in for the weekend on the previous day. The trail to Whiteface Landing is well used, and we found it well packed down, supporting fast progress. Once at the junction to Whiteface Landing, we were in the more narrow, well packed footway made by the ADK school. The participants had stayed at the Whiteface Lean-to, with quite a bit of evidence of their presence. After a snack at the lean-to, we continued up hill – they did a great job of breaking trail in six to eight inches of snow. We caught up to the group a little below tree line, and then went ahead, taking our turn with trail breaking. The summit was obscured in the clouds, but we did find a large group of friendly quebecois who had come up from Wilmington. We enjoyed the summit and the snow formations for a while, then headed down. We stopped for lunch on a open rock that would have had great views if not for the cloud we were in. On our way back, we went down to Whiteface Landing and walked out on to the lake for a bit. Though it felt firm, it was slushy under the snow, and we did not go far. We'll have to wait for a really cold year to try the walk across the lake. Participants: Joe Babcock, Jen Ferriss, Wayne Richter.
Monday Monthly Geocache Mon, Feb 3, 2020, Sarah King
- Today's destination was Schodack Island State Park. We were in search of 11 winter friendly hides which are part of the Winter 33, a winter geocaching series put out by Saratoga Capital Region State Parks. We left Panera at 8:30am and made the hour and 15 minute drive to the park. We parked near the heated restrooms, and started our walk on the trails around 10am. No snowshoes or micro spikes needed. We had an enjoyable walk, finding all 11 containers while stopping to read the informational signs about invasives in the park along the way. One of our favorite hides was called Messengers but we decided a more apt name might be A Murder. Not what you think; this cache container was among a group of fake crows. See photo in gallery to see if you can spot the container. It was a very pleasant day weather wise, starting out a bit on the chilly overcast side but by the time we had finished at noon, it had warmed up to the low 40s and the sun was trying to peek out. Snacks are usually part of our outing, usually provided by Licia. Thanks for the yummy brownies! Another fun outing. Participants: Sarah King, LIcia Mackey, Ed Kopf, and Emilie Gould.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Feb 4, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- We headed to the pond in Coles Woods, but they were actually reflooding and smoothing it out, so we couldn't skate there. We went with Option B and headed to the indoor rink behind the Y that had open skate for an hour or so. There we dusted off our skates and made our way around the rink. It was the first time in many years for some and first time in a new pair of skates for Sharon. They were happy to find out about this free skating option in Glens Falls. One of those little secrets that isn't really a secret; just have to find out about it! Participants: Kim & Malcolm Brown, Sharon Charbonneau, Mo Coutant, Steve Mackey.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Feb 11, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- The ice on some of the walkways and sidewalks in Lake George made us a bit slow and cautious, but it also slowed us down enough to check out monuments and memorials we hadn't noticed in the past. We started out walking by the Town Hall, which houses the Lake George Art Project. Since it was open, we stopped in and checked out the exhibit and met the new director. Then it was down to the water to walk along the pathway. Sarah pointed out the memorial to the Ethan Allen boat tragedy in 2005. Then we checked out the echo spot, but with the exact spot you need to stand covered in snow, we couldn't get it to work as well as usual. Then we walked past dog beach before heading up the hill towards Fort George where we stopped at two other monuments. Steve pointed out a marker along the Knox Trail that is along the route that was used to get cannons from Fort Ti to Boston. Hard to imagine that was done! Barb researched it and maybe we'll do sections of it! Then back to Café Vero for lunch. Just a short trip made shorter due to the ice. Check out the gallery for Liz's beautiful photos from the day! Participants: Sandi Allen, Kim Brown, Mo Coutant, Sarah King, Licia & Steve Mackey, Liz Mulshine, Bill Schwarz, Barb Zuccaro.
Lincoln's Birthday and Valentine Hike/snowshoe Wed, Feb 12, 2020, Reg Prouty
- Due to lack of signups, three of us decided to do a shorter, easier hike up Prospect Mountain from the south. Thanks to the trail breaking skills of Rob Before, we arrived at the summit after a couple of hours. It was a beautiful sunny day, but wind was a little biting on top. It actually was nice to have some real snow to be able to use our snowshoes. Participants: Reg Prouty, Ray Boucher and Rob Before (alias the 3 R's).
Banff Centre Mtn Film Festival Fri, Feb 14, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- We had 2 nights of films and sold out shows. Lots of work for our volunteers and hopefully fun nights for our attendees! We raffled off a few donated items and raised $1300 for the ADK Summit Steward Program in memory of Dan Kane. Thank you to the volunteers, the donors, sponsors, and everyone who attended!
YM: Mt. Van Hoevenburg Sun, Feb 16, 2020, Megan McLaughlin
- Great day for a winter snowshoe. A nicely packed trail made for an easy trip up Mt. Van Hoevenburg from South Meadow. A strong wind on the overlook kept us from staying long, but a good view was enjoyed before we headed back down. Participants: Megan McLaughlin, Rich Rogers, Jennifer Lynn, Jennifer Shepherd, David Kelley, Stephanie Graudons, Ted Letcher, Emily Litwin, Erica Halbrook.
Algonquin and Iroquois Sun, Feb 16, 2020, Jeff Mans
- On a day forecast for beautiful weather, winter had other plans. The trails were in excellent condition and our group spirit soared as we started and made our way through some freshly fallen snow and tree cover. At higher elevations approaching tree line, we got hit with high winds. Four called it a day and turned back with a designated leader to sign out. Ten decided to continue and were met by flurries, howling winds, racing cloud cover and low visibility as we reached open rock approaching the summit. Standing firm against the bluster, we sought the evasive cairns that lead us to Algonquin's peak. Six decided Algonquin's wrath was enough, and returned with a newly designated leader to sign out. Four of us decided Iroquois was fair game and deserving a visit even if no one else had ventured there all day! With compass bearings taken and a GPS if needed, we slowly felt our way down into the tangle of Boundary Pass and over the second bump. There wasn't much to see above tree line beyond about 50 feet, and we had to rely on our GPS and teamwork to get us to the summit of Iroquois. While there were no views, the wild weather made our journey particularly exciting and our senses animated. To our delight, the weather eased slightly on our return as we made our way quickly back to the shelter of Algonquin's tree line, and just as suddenly back to some nice weather for the hike out with everyone accounted for. A winter day to remember with a fine group. Participants: Karen Provencher, John Acacia, Jeff Levitt, Lisa Crandall, Christine Rounds, Tina Strubal, Sidra Smith, John Sasso, Kim Brown, Dave Pawlick, Ben Norford, Cara Benson, Jason Gregory and Jeff Mans (leader).
Tqbletop and Phelps Re Do Mon, Feb 17, 2020, Joe Babcock and Jen Ferriss
- This hike did not happen as planned, as we had no takers for this holiday hike. Jen and I met up with John Acacia and went up to hike the Poke-O-Moonshine Fire Tower. It was a nice hike, the trail was broken out, and we were rewarded with some clear views from the summit. After the hike, Jen and I searched for and found the King Philip Spring before heading home from a great day in the park. Participants: John Acacia, Joe Babcock, Jen Ferriss.
Tuesday Outing Tue, Feb 25, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- We only needed our microspikes for this trip up to the gazebo on the Pilot Knob Lookout trail. After stopping there for a drink, snack, rest, and photos, we moved on up to the waterfall. Some in the group hadn't been up there and, although you couldn't see much water flowing under the ice, it was visible in spots and still pretty. We also enjoyed the reroute on the lower section with the addition of steps and switchbacks. So many trails could use that type of improvement! Participants: Sandi Allen, Bob Bedore, Kim Brown, Mo Coutant, Steve Mackey, Joy Muller-McCoola, Dave Roeger, Denise Thorn.
Basin and Saddleback Sat, Feb 29, 2020, Wayne Richter and Mike Fuller
- This turned out to be an epic hike. With a 6:30 or so arrival at the Garden, we got some of the last few center aisle parking spots. We had a cold start with mostly cloudy skies, and some four inches of new snow. Judging by the frost on the cars, most people had gone in the night before, and the trail was well packed down. We stopped for a snack at Johns Brook Lodge. While we were there, a couple of backpackers came in, with one of them saying that his fingers had been numb all night. The winter caretaker hustled him inside to warm up. As we headed up the trail, we met some of his friends. They had tried to get to Marcy the day before, but had not been able to make it. We made good progress on the still packed trail, but with ever deepening new snow around us, until it was time to turn off onto the Shorey Shortcut. No one had gone that way for quite a while, and we now had to contend with 15 to 20 inches of fresh snow and an often unclear path. We took turns breaking trail, but it was slow going, as much because we often had trouble finding the trail with any number of false leads as because it was hard to go steeply uphill in deep snow. It took us a few hours to get to the Range Trail, which was also not broken out. We stopped for a well needed rest and snack, then headed on to Basin. The trail was somewhat easier to follow, but still slow to travel. Basin's summit was close to socked in, with nearby peaks dimly visible. It was windy and cold, so we did not linger long. The trail off the summit to Saddleback was less than obvious so Mike, spotting a gap in the trees below, led us cross-country over deep snow right to the trail. We took another break in the shelter of the trees in the col between the peaks. With some more difficult route finding, we at last found ourselves at the base of the Saddleback cliffs. Up we went, though with more difficulty than we would have liked. It took some real teamwork and patience, but finally we were all safely on the summit. I think we all felt considerable joy and relief to find that others had come from the opposite side earlier in the day, giving us a well broken out and clear trail to follow back. By the time we had a post-summit snack, darkness was setting in. Fortunately, we made good time back to the parking lot, arriving a bit after 10:00. Participants: John Acacia, Phil Alonzo, Joe Babcock, Joanne Conley, Mike DeSocio, Mike Fuller, Joelle Hartshorn, Bernadette Hogan, Kelly Moody, Karen Provencher, Wayne Richter, Mark Seymour, Anthony Szmul, Greg Travers.
Tabletop Sat, Feb 29, 2020, Andrew Meunier and Jeff Mans
- We left the HPIC around 7:45 with cool but not frigid temperatures and enough snow on the trails to make for excellent snowshoeing. Snow cover increased as we hiked past Marcy Dam and up the trail towards the Tabletop. The herd path was not broken out so we took turns breaking trail through fresh snow. We enjoyed a pleasant break at the summit as we watched Haystack come in and out of the clouds (Marcy stayed stubbornly hidden). Views of Colden and the MacIntyres were splendid on the way down. Our visit to Indian Falls was worthwhile with more views and a fair amount of sunshine, too. On the way back, Cara and Jeff decided they hadn't had enough and opted to sign out and do Phelps Mountain as well. A great day playing in the snow! Participants: Jeff Mans, Cara Benson, Scott Anderson, Andrew Meunier.
Boreas Ponds Ski Sat, Feb 29, 2020, Steve Mackey
- It was a cold day with lots of snow. There was around a 3 foot base with about 6 inches of new snow. We had to break trail most of the way, but we discovered that it was actually better to ski in the virgin snow than it was to ski in the old trail. Breaking trail wasn't that hard, and we got a decent glide even if you were the first person. When we got to the ponds, we started heading north to have lunch by the giant glacial erratic that we had seen the last time we kayaked there. Then we saw the new lean-to that they had erected up on the hill. We headed back and had a nice lunch (out of the wind) in it. Unfortunately, it was cloudy, and though we could make out the Great Range, it wasn't as good as we'd hoped. I hike quite a bit with the "Crooked Canes" and everybody that came is a member. For some, it was the furthest that they had ever skied. Everybody did great, and skied at a good pace. There were a few wash outs from the Halloween storm, which didn't affect us, but could be an issue for cars in the spring. After the hike, we checked out the new Paradox Brewery in North Hudson. They were sort of open, but the actual bar was closed because they were working on it. I hope at some point that they put food in. It will be a must stop, if you are recreating from this exit. Participants: Eric Potter, Lynn Mayack, Fran Herve, Caralyn Jaskot, Steve Mackey.
March 2020
Saratoga Battlefield Ski? Walk? Tue, Mar 3, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- I was hoping for a ski, but we had a warm March day with temps reaching 50 for our walk along the Wilkinson Trail in the Saratoga Battlefield. So, although we did need microspikes in a few places, we definitely couldn't have skied. We actually had equal parts mud and ice to deal with. But it was great to be out. Dave Roeger is a bit of a history buff and his wife volunteers at the Park, so he was able to share all kinds of interesting information. Participants: Kim Brown, Ellen Caffry, Mo Coutant, Paul Dietershagen, David Freeman, Emilie Gould, Susie Imgruth, Jane Kana, Dave Roeger.
Allen Sat, Mar 7, 2020, Wayne Richter and Mike Fuller
- Mother Nature decided that it was time to kiss and make up for the tough time she gave us the previous week's hike to Basin and Saddleback, and gave us a perfect day for a winter hike: a cloudless sky, no wind, and ideal temperatures in the 20s. We even had a beautifully packed trail that enabled us to make good time. We were on the trail not much after first light and soon walked across frozen Lake Jimmy. On past Lake Sally we went, and then along the mostly frozen Opalescent. We were happy to find the Opalescent still well frozen and easy to cross. We had a stop at the gravel pit for a snack, then went up and down the hill to Skylight Brook. After more food and a rest at the base of Allen Brook, we began the real climb. What a glorious day! As we got higher, we reached a zone where rain and snow had stuck to the trees, turning them a fuzzy, frosty white. The day's warmth let us spend quite a while on the summit, enjoying the view, the day, the camaraderie with other hikers, and a guy who put on a Tyrannosaurus rex costume. As usual, the way down gave us a great butt slide. As we headed out in the late afternoon, an early rising full moon hung above Allen, and accompanied us the rest of the way as we finished well before dark. Participants: Kevin Bates, Cara Benson, Christine Bouckley-Moore, Jim Burger, Margaret Casagrande, Amy Duff, Jen Ferriss, Mike Fuller, Aaren Harris, Matt Kelly, Ben Norford, Wayne Richter, Gayle Schutte, Anthony Szmul.
Moreau hot dog roast Mon, Mar 9, 2020, Maureen Coutant
- Due to the forecast, we moved this trip to Monday and we were rewarded with a great day. We met in the parking lot, stopped by the warming hut and dropped our food, and then headed up the mountain to check out the porcupine area. Laurie showed us the caves where they hang out. The snow was gone, so we didn't see their tracks as we usually do, but we could see where they normally walk and found signs they were there (scat and a few quills). Then we headed up a little higher to the overlook. On the way up, we found a deer jaw bone (we think) along the trail and a couple of butterflies flew by. We made our way back down and headed to the warming hut for some hot dogs and all the other goodies brought by the group...salads, chips, brownies. YUM! As we headed back to our cars along the road, we were surprised to see a bat swooping around above our heads. I reached out Al Hicks, our friend and retired DEC bat specialist, and he surmised that it had recently been scared out of wherever it was "hanging out." So, lots of interesting wildlife sightings on this outing. So glad we got out and did this trip when we did. Of course, we didn't know it at the time, but this was the last outing for a while as we had to put the outings on hold shortly after this one. It was a good one to end on for a while. Participants: Gwen Bizal, Kim Brown, Ellen Caffry, Mo Coutant, Carma DeCicco, Paul Dietershagen (for lunch), Emilie Gould, Debbie Hummel, Julie Leonelli, Leland Loose, Licia & Steve Mackey, Liz Mulshine, Joanne Szot, and special thanks to Laurie Williams.
Lower Wolf Jaw from Roostercomb parking area Sat, Mar 14, 2020, Jeff Mans and Andrew Meunier
- A nice late winter day provided an ideal backdrop for the most interesting approach to the summit of Lower Wolf Jaw. The trail passes through some open forest and past the prominent outcrop of Rooster Comb, before climbing more steadily up to the Wolf's Chin and a virtual parade of nearby peaks and cliffs as we made our approach towards the summit of LWJ. One final steep ice pitch provided a challenge on the final summit climb, and especially upon our descent, which required a group effort and Andrew's steady casting of a tow line down the pitch to retrieve crampons to share with those wise enough (or terrorized) to realize that snowshoes and microspikes risked a most uncertain but speedy descent otherwise. On the summit, the wind almost vanished as we sat down for a bite to eat, soak up the sun, and hog some views. A real nice outing with a great group, and a certain return trip in the future. Participants: Greg Grieco, Quentin Grieco, Karen Seward, Scott Anderson, Andrew Munier (co-lead) and Jeff Mans (leader).
Hike to Colden Sun, Mar 15, 2020, Joe Babcock
- We originally had 6 sign up for this fun winter hike. At the meeting spot in the morning, we were a band of 3 hikers. We traveled up to the trailhead at the HPIC, and after getting our gear set, headed down the trail. No need for snowshoes between the lot and Marcy Dam. The trail was well packed most of the way up tp the summit, but we did switch to snowshoes in order to keep the trails in good shape. The view of Colden from Marcy Dam showed some clouds at the summit, but I expected those would clear by the time we reached the top. We headed up the trail towards the junction with the trail to Lake Arnold and the sun started to make an appearance. Still plenty of snow and ice to make for great photo opportunities and just nice views. We made good time up the trail, stopping for brief breaks along the trail. When we reached the junction to Colden, we enjoyed Lake Arnold. The L. Morgan Porter Trail revealed plenty of views, starting with views of Marcy and opening up to much more as the trail climbed. There was a good wind blowing at the first lower summit, but the view was clear and we spent some time soaking it in. Then we quickly made our way to the summit which, though breezy, was nice enough to spend about a half hour exploring. Great scenery all around! It was a pleasant hike back down the trail and we finished early. We ran into friends on the way down as well as in the parking lot when we finished the hike. Great day hiking Colden. Participants: Joelle Hartshorne, Phil Alonzo and Joe Babcock.
Marcy, Grey, and Skylight Sun, Mar 15, 2020, Steve Mackey
- We had a lot of last minute additions and subtractions, but in the end we had five intrepid hikers show up. Paul Gebhard was planning on finishing his winter 46, so we had extra incentive not to let him down. The original plan was to go over Marcy, directly to Gray, take the herd path down to Lake Tear, take the trail up Skylight, and then take the trail from Four Corners back over Marcy. The Van Hovenberg trail was well packed and we wore microspikes until we were half way up the dome on Marcy. It had rained the day before, and the entire dome of Marcy was thick, hard ice. We decided since we all had real crampons that it would be a good time to put them on. When we started down from the summit, we were glad we had them. It was icy enough that, if you lost your footing, it wasn't going to be pretty. I immediately started changing plans because going back over Marcy was a no go. We stopped to regroup, and looking over at Gray, it appeared that we could still go there first. However, there was another group doing the exact same hike (with one of their members also finishing his winter 46), and we had a little discussion. They were going to go to Skylight, then Gray, then contour around Marcy, about tree line level. They assured me that they had done it before, so we decided to take their advice. Everything went smoothly and Paul finished on Gray. He had made a finishing sign, and luckily he didn't put the name of the mountain on it. (He also had knitted a hat, with the same colors of the 46 winter rocker patch). We had a nice ceremony, including ice cream treats, and headed for the traverse. The snow was deep enough, including spruce traps, that we all switched to snowshoes. This made it complete, that we got to actually use all the gear we were carrying. We made good time on the trail again, and made it out well before dark. Congratulations Paul. Here is a link to all our pictures, if you are interested. Participants: Wayne Richter, Cara Benson, Karen Provencher, Paul Gebhard, and Steve Mackey.
Cobble Hill and Hayes Mountain Snowshoe/Bushwhack in Hoffman Wilderness/Loch Muller area in Schroon Sat, Mar 28, 2020, Jeff Mans and Jayne Bouder
- Trip canceled due to the virus, but the leaders decided to take all necessary precautions and met at the trailhead to hike/snowshoe a seldom explored nook in the Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area. What a hidden gem. The highlight was the main sheer cliffs of Hayes, just across and past an open marsh separating it from Cobble Hill, and the views while climbing along the cliffs to the summit. A peregrine falcon gave a cry as it dove down along the cliffs and soared back up. We found a route up the cliffs to the south and followed the ridge up that passed nearby and eventually over the cliffs as they opened up incredible views of Bailey Pond and the Texas Ridge that leads to Hoffman and Blue Ridge Mountains. As we neared the summit of Hayes, an abundance of softened snow was perfect for snowshoeing as we made the summit and then navigated northeast to find the only passage down the cliffs to Bailey Pond short of taking the much longer route north past Marion Pond. Along the way, we ran into fresh black bear tracks in the snow a few times, so it was clear they had come out of hibernation and were now out and about. We walked around Bailey Pond and out on the trail back to the parking lot of the Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area at the end of Loch Muller Road. We will be doing this again as an official outing when the time is right, but for now, I just wanted to post to provide others with some information on this interesting route.
April 2020
Queensbury Medly Wed, Apr 15, 2020, Reg Prouty
- Trip cancelled due to Corona Virus.
May 2020
Spring Bird Walk - Peebles Island State Park Sat, May 2, 2020, Rich Speidel
- Trip canceled due to coronavirus restrictions.
June 2020
Pharaoh Mountain Hike in Schroon Lake area Sun, Jun 7, 2020, Jeff Mans
- Unofficial, but a small informal group got together a day early for a chance to see the most Pink Lady Slippers in full bloom anywhere in the Adirondacks, and while practicing social distancing and other safety measures, including bug netting for the voracious Pharoah Wilderness pests, we were amply rewarded by a display of hundreds of the wild orchids in full glory, and with one of the nicest views all around on a blue sky, brilliant white, fluffy cloud day to be remembered. Bonus on the retrun trip was a diversion to Oxshoe Pond and lean-to, which is situated on a knoll directly overlooking Oxshoe Pond. This wilderness area has so much to offer. Great company on a fine day included Joe Babcock, Karen Provencher and instigator, Jeff Mans.
July 2020
August 2020
September 2020
CTK - The best kept secret in Greenwich until now hike Sun, Sep 13, 2020, Jen Shepherd and Warren Wright-Sedam
- We ended up having perfect weather for the adventure. Tricia, Jake & Benji (Bernese Mtn Dog),
Warren & Biscuit (Whippet), and I enjoyed meandering the nature trails at Christ the King Center.
Our hike began leisurely as the dogs got warmed up for walking. We looped around a couple of trails discussing
various things, then took a break at the gazebo on the hill to take in the views. On a clear day you can see
Vermont mountains in the distance and vast stretches of woods and farmland in the foreground. As it was still
a bit early, we decided to loop the trails back around to the lake where we took a longer break to enjoy snacks.
Benji trotted into the water to cool off while Biscuit hung back safe on the shore to watch and try to scam
chocolate chip cookies from the trip leader. No chocolate for dogs though! We wrapped up our lake stop with
a walk back to the cars just as the clouds began blowing in. It was a nice, relaxing day on the trails with great company!
October 2020
Scenic Trail to Sawteeth Sat, Oct 3, 2020, Jeff Mans
- Forecasted rain and cloud cover on Saturday delayed our outing until Sunday to enjoy the cool but pleasant autumn weather,
and enough sun and blue skies to appreciate the views and seasonal colors. The Scenic Trail to Sawteeth awaited us after we
managed to drop off everyone at the full parking lot, and have the driver park a few miles away in a legal spot and bike back
to start the traditional route along Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake to admire the bright colors and saw teeth that awaited our
climb along the scenic route. Initially following the lake with views of the Ausable Club boathouse and Indian Head, we came
across two rather curious people who appeared like fish out of water, having just gone for a morning swim. Never would have
thought October was swimming season, unless it's one of the Ausable Club's privileges or secret initiations perhaps. No doubt
membership has its rewards, like this GFS-ADK hike to Sawteeth! Climbing over and around the lake strewn boulders, we started
to climb away from the lake, navigating several steep pitches and ladders, while enjoying several numbered outlooks and Marble Point.
Each offered spectacular views of walls, cliffs, peopled Indian Head, Colvin and Blake, Dial and Nippletop, Lower Ausable Lake
and islands way down below, Upper Ausable Lake with the Boreas Ponds in the distance, and eventually Giant, Allen and a wave of peaks.
Plotting, picking and pulling our way up and over Cougar Gulch to the top of the southeast peak of Sawteeth, with the true summit
of Sawteeth standing in the near distance. Down into the col and past the intersection of the south trail coming from the Wardens
Camp and Upper Ausable Lake, we reached the summit rock, and inspiring views of Pyramid, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Marcy, Haystack,
and the lower Great Range, each displaying its own unique array of massive cliffs, slides, forms and profiles, and dressed in crimson
seasonal robes. We had the entire summit, like most of the entire hike, all to ourselves. After hogging the views and enjoying lunch, we returned on the traditional Weld trail towards Cascade Brook and Rainbow Falls lookout; no one dropped out.
Back out on Lake Road and the fastest 3.5 miles at the end of a hike you can find. The Scenic Trail is a must if you've never
taken it before. Good autumn weather, good trails, great day, and especially great group.
Participants: Jeff Mans, Karen Provencher, Jen Ferris, Joe Babcock, and Jeff the trailblazer.
YM: Crane Mt Loop Sun, Oct 11, 2020, Megan McLaughlin
- It was a beautiful day for an autumn hike. We took the trail directly up to the summit, taking our time and enjoying the views as you get near the top. Foliage was just barely past peak, so the colors were great. After spending some time on the summit we headed down the trail to Crane Pond, often stopping at the many overlooks on the way. We then took another break at the pond before looping around back to the trailhead. Participants: Megan McLaughlin, Rich Rogers, Jen Shepherd, Alana Gerus, Davey Kelley, Emily Litwin, Kyle Walsh, and d'Artagnan.
Haystack and Marcy from Panther Gorge Camp Overnight Wed, Oct 14, 2020, Jeff Mans
- Given short notice of early closure of Elk Lake-Marcy trail for hunting season, this mid-week alternative was quickly
hatched and moved up to try and beat the closure, but there were no takers. As a result I just took a day hike to the
Pinnacle trail junction and back. Not much to report except there's a new lean-to up on a rise off the left side of
the trail shortly before you start descending towards the Pinnacle trail junction. It's not shown on the DEC lean-to
locator, so it's an option if you don't want to or can't get all the way to the Panther Gorge lean-to. However, no nearby
water sources except two 5 gallon pails filled with rainwater off the back of the roof. Will have to re-plan again for next fall.
Haystack, Marcy and Skylight Loop Hike from Panther Gorge Camp - 2 Overnights on Oct 16, 2020, Jeff Mans
- On 10/8 DEC announced the closure of the Elk Lake Marcy Trail on 10/16 for the big game hunting season.
As a result, this outing scheduled for 10/16-18 must be cancelled. It is usually closed for the regular big
game season in the Northern Zone, which doesn't actually start until October 24th, so I thought I could get
this one in on the weekend before the season started. From DEC: "The two trails on the Elk Lake Conservation
Easement Tract which provide access to the Dix Mountain, Marcy Mountain, and the Colvin Range will close to
public use on October 16 and will remain closed through Northern Zone Big Game Hunting Season. (10/8)"
Hadley FT Halloween Hike Sat, Oct 31, 2020, Jen Shepherd
- It was a crisp morning to begin our hike but we were blessed with a fantastic day after a few days of rain.
There ended up being two groups, eight participants total. Megan, Rich, and D'artagnian were Charlie Brown,
the little red haired girl and Snoopy. Jen N. was the Great Pumpkin, Dan was a pirate, Davey was a construction
worker, Warren was an ad for high visibility wear, Chandra the 518 rainbow and I was baby shark. The trail was
a mix of leaves, icy spots, and some snow. Our groups made decent time to the summit where we enjoyed snacks,
photos, and stellar views you often find on a crisp day after not so ideal weather. There were prizes for the
best costume - Chandra as the 518 rainbow, funniest costume - me but I didn't count so Dan the pirate, and most
adorable went to the Charlie Brown family. A fun time was had by all, already planning costumes for next years hike!
November 2020
Wyman and Grace from West Mill Brook Sat, Nov 7, 2020, Jeff Mans
- A great hike on the old jeep road along West Mill Brook until we found a few feeder streams, and turned back
towards the main brook, past remnants of an old makeshift camp, rushing waterfalls and a crossing over West Mill
Brook towards a clearing and old beaver dam between Bear and Wyman Mountains. Heading in a westerly direction to
climb and find passage up the ever imposing cliffs, we picked our way up the cliffs, rock passages and seams,
until we gained the commanding, open rock dome popping up immediately before the final climb to Wyman Mountain.
The views were breathtaking and reminded us why we appreciate bushwhacks and exploring these more remote mountains.
It's a must do for anyone comfortable exploring the eastern part of the Dix Wilderness with basic map and compass
skills, and a few companions to share the adventure! After some lunch and a fond farewell, we left to climb and
search for the summit rock on Wyman, before we descended down the southern bump between Wyman and Grace, and then
followed the crease until we found the gigantic radicals and gurgling of water as the source of West Mill Brook
appeared, and continued to follow it along a steady descent until we reached a swimming pool, and then the feeder
streams and waterfalls that led us back to the old jeep road and our ticket home. Just a spectacular hike from
start to finish. Indian Summer at it best. Grace was best saved for another day when time was not as short.
Particpants Joe Babcock, Karen Provencher, Jen Feriss, Jim Z, and the instigator, Jeff Mans.
Takeaways: Wymans? - because we can; and, Why Mans? - Because!
Okay Slip Falls Sat, Nov 14, 2020, Steve Mackey
- It was nice to lead a trip again and have some degree of normalcy. The only things we did differently were
drive separately, wear masks at the trail head, and sit a little further apart during lunch. It was a nice
November hike. A little cold, but not too cold, and a little gray, but not too gray. After a nice lunch enjoying
the view of the falls, we ventured a ways down the hill towards the bottom of the gorge. After descending for a ways,
we decided that it was going to be a huge climb back up, so we went as far as the rope went, and turned around.
Real nice day, with a real nice group. Participants - Patricia Lockwood, Gabi Hughes, Wanda Moccio, Laura Fiske, Steve Mackey.
December 2020
YM- Moreau Lake State Park SW Loop Sun, Dec 6, 2020, Megan McLaughlin
- A small group of 4 of us enjoyed a lovely loop around the southern end of Moreau State Park.
The weather was a cool but pleasant temperature, skies were blue and trail conditions were good.
Enjoyed checking out the new Rock Ledge trail from Lake Ann. Ran into another small group of ADKers
at the Lake Ann lean-to also enjoying the day. Our 4 legged companion enjoyed finding a large barely
eaten fresh apple on the side of the trail, but was displeased when he was not allowed to eat it.
Please remember apple cores, banana peels, nut shells and the like do not magically disintegrate
from the side of the trail moments after they are dropped. Participants: Megan McLaughlin, Rich Rogers,
Davey Kelley, Krista Rivera and d'Artagnan.
Wolf Pond Sun, Dec 13, 2020, Jen Ferriss
- With rain in the forecast for Sunday, we switched the hike to Saturday morning to try and catch a glimpse of
the High Peaks from Wolf Pond. We were trying hard to make out some mountain tops in the clouds but instead we
were greeted to what we believe was Wolf and Boreas Mountains looming in the gloomy distance. The beautiful and
easy hike through tall pines on a snowy path made up for the overcast skies. The company of Willow and Salem made
for fun at the lean-to with dog tricks, romping and a game of fetch.
Trip participants: Joe Babcock, Pam DelSignore, Jen Ferriss, Beth Post, Karen Provencher with Salem, Jim and Slyvian Zwynenburg with Willow.
Mount Marshall from Upper Works via Calamity Brook Trail Mon, Dec 21, 2020, Jeff Mans
- Overall good conditions for the first day of winter that allowed us to use microspikes the entire way,
but cold enough to cross Flowed Lands on the ice, being careful along the Opalescent until we could reach
land and get back on the trail shortly before the Herbert Brook outlet and bridge. The views on Flowed Lands
were awesome, and can only be appreciated in the winter when you can get out on the ice. Turning up the herd
path we were able to follow fresh tracks up along Herbert Brook, as well as some older tracks that diverged
at times, and so it went until it went awry as we followed the fresh tracks that diverged off and away from
the Brook until it was clear that we were entangled in a bushwhack that lost its appeal rather quickly in the
dense forest and deep snow. Of course, if you don't lead you follow, until you realize your mistake. As the mantra
was repeated, stay along Herbert Brook, the brook, the brook, the brook, until the end, we realized our folly,
corrected our course, and got back to The Brook and herd path of least resistance. From there it was a quick climb
to the bog and up to the summit. While the cloud cover stuck around all day, except for a shot of blue skies for
about 5 minutes on the way down, there were some nice views near the summit over towards Colden. Great group and
good conversation. Participants: Jeff Mans, Jim Zwyenburg and Anthony Szmul.