Marcy and Cliff, 7/31/2010

[daLunartik]

I met my cousin PallyGander at the Upper Works PA about 5:30pm on Friday, 7/30/2010. Gearing up took some time, since I was lending him an overnight pack & overnight gear. Had a nice chat with the Ranger who verified we had our Bear Can. Hit the trail a little after 6. Made it to the Flowed Lands at Dusk.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcyAndCliff-030.jpg&600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

With headlamps blazing, we started off towards our eventual campsite by the Lake Colden Dam. I was hoping either the Herbert Brook Lean to or one of the campsites along the way to Lake Colden would be open, but all were taken. For that matter, when we hit the Colden Dam campsites, they were all occupied, though we shoehorned our selves in at the first, large one where there was actually space enough for another couple of tents. The next morning our neighbors turn out to be a French Candien couple who had very friendly, playful and amazingly well behaved 5 month old puppy. And I only mention they were French Candien, as it was interesting to hear them give commands to the puppy in French.

I let Pally sleep in, so we didn't start hiking until 7:30. Hiking along the Opalescent in the morning was just fabulous.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcyAndCliff-038.jpg&600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

We hit Lake Tear of the Clouds a lot sooner than I expected. While pumping water, a few pairs of hikers came along - one of which thought they were headed to Marcy while starting up the Gray herd path. Got them pointed in the right direction, and advised a few others about the cliff bypass before we started off toward Four Corners and our eventual climb of Marcy.

Climbing Mt Marcy was awesome, particularly once we broke out of tree line.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&Marcy_pano1.jpg&800&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

The summit itself was crowded, but we still managed to find a quiet place to eat lunch. Marcy was PallyGanders 1st High Peak, and was my 23rd.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano1.jpg&800&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=
(PallyGander is in the center of the shot, wrapping a bandanna)

I continued snapping Pano's from different points on Mt Marcy
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano2.jpg&800&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

And believe I have all of the 45 visible summits captured in the 3 Summit Panorama's I took - only Grace (East Dix) can't be seen, though both Couchagraga and Stewart are visible, but indistinguishable from Panther and Seward.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano3.jpg&800&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

[daLunartik]

After about an hour on the summit of Marcy, we dropped back to Four Corners. PallyGander was pumped to climb another mountain I needed, and upon seeing the sign indicating 2.7 miles to Haystack, said "hey, we could do Haystack today". When I pointed out that would mean 5 miles just to get back to where we were, he like the idea of heading for Cliff and Redfield much better. :D

Pally was starting to run down by the time we hit the Uphill Lean To. After chatting with two ladies, one of whom was hoping to finish her 46 the next day on Haystack, we headed off to Cliff. The herd path was wet and sloppy up to the cliffs themselves. Lots of mushrooms along the way, with a classic example of Fly Agaric.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcyAndCliff-177.jpg&600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=
Amanita muscaria, var. guessowii.

On the false summit, we were visited by a Hairy Woodpecker, who made lots of noise chittering and banging away.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcyAndCliff-002.jpg&600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

Finally, we hit the summit of Cliff, where Pally threw in the towel and declared he was done - Redfield would have to wait for another day.
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcyAndCliff-188.jpg&600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

We made it down to camp about 7pm and cooked dinner. By 7:45, Pally was in bed - he commented the next morning that was probably the first time since he was in elementary school he's been in bed before 8 pm. Heheh - mission accomplished. :whip:

Packed up and hiked out on Sunday. While driving out the Upper Works road, I came across two guys with fully loaded packs that I had seen come out of the Upper Works trailhead while Pally and I were loading our vehicles. Their car was at the Loj where they started, having decided to make a left at Indian Pass instead of a right turn (knowing full well they were headed away from the Loj and towards the UW). The Forest Ranger stopped as we were loading their gear into my truck, and gave us some possible spots for me to drop them for a connecting ride since I wasn't going all the way up to the Loj. When I dropped them off at the Sunoco station in Schroon Lake, just off exit 28, I refused payment for gas as I explained that was just paying back a ride I had gotten the year previous, so no worries :tup:

GPS recorded 23 miles and 4850' of elevation (http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=733007) (though the EveryTrails elevation shows >6k). These were peaks #1 & 2 for PallyGander, and #'s 23 & 24/46 for me.

More pics here (http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&slides&0&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=). I do have some labeled Pano's that I'll post when I get home.

[ADK_Dreamer]

Great photos, as always.

Is it difficult to find the herd path to Cliff? Do you access it from the east or the west side? My maps don't have any herd paths marked, but I get the sense the entry may be on the east side near Redfield since many people report doing Cliff and Redfield together.

[randomscooter]

Great photos, as always.

Is it difficult to find the herd path to Cliff? Do you access it from the east or the west side? My maps don't have any herd paths marked, but I get the sense the entry may be on the east side near Redfield since many people report doing Cliff and Redfield together.

The Cliff and Redfield herd paths start as one very near the Uphill leanto. After 5 minutes or so the Cliff path branches off to the right.

[daLunartik]

The Cliff and Redfield herd paths start as one very near the Uphill leanto. After 5 minutes or so the Cliff path branches off to the right.

Exactly. There is small cairn in the trail pretty much directly opposite the path to the Uphill Lean To. The Lean To is not visible from the trail, and if your coming up the Opalesent Trail from Lake Colden, you will not see the yellow disk indicating "Lean To", which is facing the trail from the Feldspar. Like RS said, about 5 minutes in there is another cairn that had some metal piled on this past Saturday. It very clearly branches left to Redfield and right to Cliff.

[GrayMarshall]

Nice photos! And congratulations on doing Marcy for your halfway-through-the-46-peak, so you could see the balance of what you have done and what you still get to hike.

enjoy,
Marshall

[mudhook]

I thought that was you over on Marcy,( I had bino's) but I didn't reconize your cousin:D
Nice, been on Marcy twice, couldn't see a thing past my nose either time. I will have to go back.
It was a beautiful day. You're over the 1/2 way mark, way to go.

[Gerard01]

Nice pics and TR. Saving Marcy for last as the crown jewel.

[daLunartik]

Nice photos! And congratulations on doing Marcy for your halfway-through-the-46-peak, so you could see the balance of what you have done and what you still get to hike.

enjoy,
Marshall


Thanks. I actually could see all my remaining peaks (more or less):
http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano1_labeled.jpg&1600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=
From left to right: Redfield, Santa, Couch, Panther, Emmons, Donaldson, Seward, Seymour, Iroquios, Colden, Algonquin, Wright, Street, Nye, Whiteface, Esther, Tabletop, Big Slide, Saddleback, Basin, Rocky Peak and Haystack

[daLunartik]

Combined with my above response to GrayMarshall, these three Pano's should
show all 45 of the visible summits, with the caveat that Couchsachraga is
indistinguishable from Panther, much like Seymour blends into the ridge line of
Seward. I believe only Grace (East Dix) can't be seen from Marcy, or at
least I couldn't get it to line up in Google Earth.

http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano2_labeled.jpg&1600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

http://www.utterlunarcy.com/hp/album.php?newGD&image&MarcySummit_pano3_labeled.jpg&1600&aGUID=KIgVEskrJ&albumKey=

[Snickers]

Very nice Moonray!!

It is so nice to see you out doing some great hiking and your photos are fantastic!!

PallyGander, I likes the sound of that. :D PallyGander and Moonray, nice job.

Happy Trails - Cindy

[daLunartik]

Very nice Moonray!!

It is so nice to see you out doing some great hiking and your photos are fantastic!!

PallyGander, I likes the sound of that. :D PallyGander and Moonray, nice job.

Happy Trails - Cindy

Thanks Cindy. When Pally was a kid, 6 or 7 (he's 24 now) he tried to play the "lets get creative with your name" game with me. Since it's hard to beat my starting point in that game, he lost, and I've called Alexander, PallyGander ever since. Best part is, the dictionary definition of the two words (Pally & Gander) translates roughly into "friendly dolt" :D:twisted:

[daLunartik]

I thought that was you over on Marcy,( I had bino's) but I didn't reconize your cousin:D
Nice, been on Marcy twice, couldn't see a thing past my nose either time. I will have to go back.
It was a beautiful day. You're over the 1/2 way mark, way to go.

Your comment about having bino's is too funny, as I had lent my cousin the camera case that I normally carry my bino's on my shoulder strap with, so he could he get some decent photo's during the trip. This led to a running back and forth of "now if I had my bino's" and "geez, maybe you should brought your bino's". Therefore, I apologize for not seeing you and waving back :D

[billandjudy]

Keep on knocking them off...Nice trip MR:tup:

[LeftRightLeft]

Those are really nice pano shots. You should print 'em out and sell them to people on Marcy for IDing peaks.

[Naturlvr73]

Wow!!! I love this tr and the pictures. I'm going to have to start carrying the labeled panos with me to help with id!

Marcy is on our have to do over list. Zero visibility when we were there!

[daLunartik]

Wow!!! I love this tr and the pictures. I'm going to have to start carrying the labeled panos with me to help with id!

Marcy is on our have to do over list. Zero visibility when we were there!

I send copies of the pano's I take to a bunch of coworkers and friends, most of whom are non-hikers. I found it easier to label the pano's then to try an describe where the peaks are....." and the little nub just left, but not completely left of Nippletop is Dial...". As for the ID's, well, while I was on Marcy, I knew I could see all those peaks, but it wasn't until I got home and started playing with Google Earth and comparing it to my pano's that I could identify them all. And even then I butchered a few (thanks RS! :tup:).

I know I'll climb Marcy again and I'm sure it'll be from the Loj - but I'm glad I did it from Four Corners the first time.