Coon Mountain 5/26/06

[peak_bgr]

Well after our day working the Lake Placid quad was halted by weather we decided to do a couple trails close to home that we have been saving for a rainy day. These were here in Westport, an area we haven't visited yet as far as hiking is concerned.

We decided to go for Coon, there was a trail up it so we really didn't need a GPS. The trail is a very nice one, not overly used and not abused in the least. Near the end it get rather rocky but that's the fun of it all. The views over Lake Champlain were great and the farm land below made me feel like I was back in Ohio.

On the return to the car we decided to do a small loop along the way-there is a small trail that goes into what they refered to as Hidden Valley. Nice spot, new trail, still has survey flags for the route that needed to be cut.

Well we put the GPS on at the summit, I was thinking we weren't on the top, the other parts of the ridge looked higher. Well come to find out we were two bumps south of the true summit, no trail over there. Guess we gotta go back.

[Boreal Chickadee]

That's a nice easy trail for a relaxing afternoon. I took my mother up Coon when she was in her late 70's and still able to hike.

Happy Valley is new to me. Does it branch off the Coon trail?

[adkdremn]

Happy Valley is new to me.

Happy Valley is a great little place in Pennsylvania where God painted the sky blue and white for a reason. ;) A little reference for any Penn State fans out there.

Boreal-I think he said Hidden Valley. :tup:

[catskill_leanto]

Coon Mt. is one of those secret peaks one keeps among themselves. I often like to hike it in the afternoon or evening; in the afternoon one hears the Amtrak trail whistle, then sees the silver cars snaking through the valley. It is a nice peak to have a picnic dinner and watch the sunset and the birds fly overhead. Sometimes I cook up dinner, pack it into a plastic container and eat it on the summit.

The true summit is a bushwhack-- a short one in mostly open woods.

Up the road is Split Rock Mtn. Careful driving, cause the parking area is a little one and one could easily drive right past it.

While we're doing the grand tour of little and unknown sites, there is a small hydro plant in Wadhams. You know it, peak_bagr. It's this ugly looking shack with a metal roof . It's kinda across the way from the library. Drive too fast and you might miss it (all of Wadhams!) It sits on the Boquet.

Moose

[peak_bgr]

We actually did Split Rock that afternoon, I just haven't had time to put up the trip report. Oh, we did drive right by the parking area. I'll put up the TR soon. It was quite an adventure on a marked trail with no trail signs to point you in the right direction. I don't have a map of the new trail system either. Also, the summit, is a bushwhack, no trail up it. All the trails go near or around it.

I know the plant site you speak of-I go through Wadhams fairly often, just out for a drive or a ride on the bike.

[Mavs00]

:?: :?: Is it Me :?: :?:

I know today is the 22nd of May. The trip report is dated 5/26/06... Have I actually been plugged into the Adirondack virtual hiking community so long that I've moved to the higher plane of consciousness and am now reading trip reports BEFORE the hikes are even being completed???

:hippy2: Hooray, I have have reached universal oneness. :hippy2:

[peak_bgr]

:banghead:

[Boreal Chickadee]

Hidden Valley is very Happy! Thinking back to the Catskills. Now I'm really lost. I'm entitled to be confused from now on-it goes with my newly acquired half century mark. :D

[catskill_leanto]

I think Split Rock was made for skiers. I first went there in 2003 -- we had a dumper of a snowstorm, I think about two feet fell. These two friends pick me up and we're the only hikers driving on the road, which isn't completely plowed. Locals with plow's were shaking their heads at us as we skidded to and fro on Lake Shore Dr.

We had to dig out the p.a. and back the car in. We spent hours negotiating the trails, always pushing to the highest point. Now, I don't know about you, but 2 feet of fresh powder -- we probably could have dispensed with the snowshoes -- it's so light and fluffy.

There were ski tracks everywhere. And they went up every little rise and down into the valley.

We kept pushing toward a higher point, but, as we reached it, another, higher one was in front of us. So, after several hhours, we turned around and went home. By the time I reached Grand U in E-town, the roads were plowed and sanded. I returned to Split Rock in the summer and it took me about 20 minutes to reach the high point.

Hey, Mavs -- should this be under TR's? Or, we could make a new category -- Ancient TR's!

Happy birthday BC -- I promise, life gets better with age!!

Elie