Altbark
03-16-2011, 11:14 AM
Like everyone else, I thought it would be nice to get a couple more peaks in before the winter season comes to a close. I had backed out of a trip to Seymour because of concerns over length and my rather modest abilities to complete. And given that I am a fair weather hiker, one had to wonder if I was going to find that last nice day to hike before the 21st. Fortunately the 15th looked like it would be one of them bluebird perfect late winter days that demands the hiker to be out and about in the bush.
My original plan was to try for Marcy and Skylight but concerns about potential brook flooding, particularly in the afternoon, had me looking towards peaks located off the Lake Road. Since the routes to both Dial and Nippletop and Colvin and Blake were broken out and rather straight forward, I decided a trip to the Keene Valley area was warranted. Colvin and Blake would be the goal for no other reason than they were there.
The hike started at two twenty in the morning. Now some might consider that to be a tad early to be out and about but there are significant advantages to that approach. While the hike starts in the dark, it finishes in the broad daylight when I am tired. And, given the anticipated temperatures (48F upon my return to the trailhead), an early start guarantees great snow conditions.
It took me 12 hours and 20 minutes to hike the 15.88 GPS miles that included an unplanned hike to the Fish Hawk Cliffs. The trail conditions and weather were perfect. You couldn’t ask for better. The Lake Road was starting to get soft and slushy on the way back to the trailhead but that was to be expected. The trip was completed from start to finish in snowshoes and no other aids were required.
Now some would tell you (correctly) that the Wolf Jaws get their name from the shape of the peaks and while that is true I can tell you that a more accurate reason for the name probably has to do with the pack of wolves that was howling at the moon as I approached the trailhead. Some thought was given to trying out an answering howl or two but I decided to take a “mind your own business” approach in my relationship with the pack. In any event, the clatter from my snowshoes on the Lake Road pretty well ensured that none of the usual nighttime critters would come near.
While it is next to impossible to get lost on the Lake Road, it is possible to take the wrong trail and wander off to the wrong peak. And I basically did that. The ADK guide book talks about the inverted “Y” shaped trail that leads into the red Gill Brook Trail and upwards to Colvin and Nippletop. The yellow second trail off the Lake Road is the preferred route to my planned destination. And when I walked past the sign to Colvin and the obviously well used trail, I continued on to the next trailhead; the yellow one going to the Fish Hawk Cliffs. Of course, when I got to the junction of the blue and yellow trails and then visited the Fish Hawk Cliffs in the dark I realized that I might have made a slight navigational error. Sigh! I backtracked to the trail junction pulled out map, compass and GPS and discovered my slight error. My side trip to the Fish Hawk Cliffs (I ALWAYS wanted to see them) cost me an extra 1˝ miles and at least a million feet of vertical. I basically missed the first sign and although I’m pretty good at counting to two, the guidebook presumes that you will start your count at the correct trailhead.
Other than that the trip went well. I am quite pleased at my overall time although I did more than my fair share of grumbling once I got back on the Gill Brook Trail. The ladders on the backside of Colvin are buried except for the top tips. There was no ice along the route. I met up with Trail Boss and his friend Tom as I was making my way back up Colvin. We had a lovely chat. I couldn’t believe how deep the post holes were on the trail. The individual who made them had to be sinking up to his crotch with each hole made. Amazing! I met a total of 5 people on the trail including one fellow I met while coming down Blake. He caught up to me again just passed the Colvin summit on the way back to the trailhead. He was a bit rushed because he had decided to day hike the two peaks and he was now on his way back to Montreal in order to pick up his kids at daycare.
It was a great day and I am delighted that I can now scratch the Fish Hawk Cliffs from my life list. I wonder what they look like in the daytime.
Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=372215&id=812148625&l=aa9c5a18aa
My original plan was to try for Marcy and Skylight but concerns about potential brook flooding, particularly in the afternoon, had me looking towards peaks located off the Lake Road. Since the routes to both Dial and Nippletop and Colvin and Blake were broken out and rather straight forward, I decided a trip to the Keene Valley area was warranted. Colvin and Blake would be the goal for no other reason than they were there.
The hike started at two twenty in the morning. Now some might consider that to be a tad early to be out and about but there are significant advantages to that approach. While the hike starts in the dark, it finishes in the broad daylight when I am tired. And, given the anticipated temperatures (48F upon my return to the trailhead), an early start guarantees great snow conditions.
It took me 12 hours and 20 minutes to hike the 15.88 GPS miles that included an unplanned hike to the Fish Hawk Cliffs. The trail conditions and weather were perfect. You couldn’t ask for better. The Lake Road was starting to get soft and slushy on the way back to the trailhead but that was to be expected. The trip was completed from start to finish in snowshoes and no other aids were required.
Now some would tell you (correctly) that the Wolf Jaws get their name from the shape of the peaks and while that is true I can tell you that a more accurate reason for the name probably has to do with the pack of wolves that was howling at the moon as I approached the trailhead. Some thought was given to trying out an answering howl or two but I decided to take a “mind your own business” approach in my relationship with the pack. In any event, the clatter from my snowshoes on the Lake Road pretty well ensured that none of the usual nighttime critters would come near.
While it is next to impossible to get lost on the Lake Road, it is possible to take the wrong trail and wander off to the wrong peak. And I basically did that. The ADK guide book talks about the inverted “Y” shaped trail that leads into the red Gill Brook Trail and upwards to Colvin and Nippletop. The yellow second trail off the Lake Road is the preferred route to my planned destination. And when I walked past the sign to Colvin and the obviously well used trail, I continued on to the next trailhead; the yellow one going to the Fish Hawk Cliffs. Of course, when I got to the junction of the blue and yellow trails and then visited the Fish Hawk Cliffs in the dark I realized that I might have made a slight navigational error. Sigh! I backtracked to the trail junction pulled out map, compass and GPS and discovered my slight error. My side trip to the Fish Hawk Cliffs (I ALWAYS wanted to see them) cost me an extra 1˝ miles and at least a million feet of vertical. I basically missed the first sign and although I’m pretty good at counting to two, the guidebook presumes that you will start your count at the correct trailhead.
Other than that the trip went well. I am quite pleased at my overall time although I did more than my fair share of grumbling once I got back on the Gill Brook Trail. The ladders on the backside of Colvin are buried except for the top tips. There was no ice along the route. I met up with Trail Boss and his friend Tom as I was making my way back up Colvin. We had a lovely chat. I couldn’t believe how deep the post holes were on the trail. The individual who made them had to be sinking up to his crotch with each hole made. Amazing! I met a total of 5 people on the trail including one fellow I met while coming down Blake. He caught up to me again just passed the Colvin summit on the way back to the trailhead. He was a bit rushed because he had decided to day hike the two peaks and he was now on his way back to Montreal in order to pick up his kids at daycare.
It was a great day and I am delighted that I can now scratch the Fish Hawk Cliffs from my life list. I wonder what they look like in the daytime.
Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=372215&id=812148625&l=aa9c5a18aa