lowlander
03-22-2007, 08:17 PM
Or Platteau if you work at the DEC and make signs, also not 3.4 from the col to the summit. (if you've seen this sign you know what I mean)
I started off from long Island at the usual time. I toke my time getting up there and hit the trail head about 830am. Thanks to Jay h's outstanding directions I avoided going down the crappy part of Elka Park Rd. Mink Hollow Rd. is plowed all the way till the end. When I started off it was already about 40 degrees or so. Moonray's description of the snow conditions are dead on, it was horrible. 50ft up the trail I knew it was going to be a long day. I was sinking about a foot everystep. I tried putting on the 8" tails but they only made it worse. They started to ball where they connect, then every part of them started. I toke them off but now they were wet. So I decided to take them back to the Jeep. I left my pack (which didn't help with the sinking) and walked to the Jeep and back. I continue on, and make the intersection with the Devil's Path in about an hour. I figure this is pretty good time considering the snow conditions.
I started down the Devils path, the first part until the big left turn was pretty well packed, so I made fairly good time until I started up hill. Everystep I sank in, and the snow was getting wetter and wetter. and the temps were getting warmer and warmer. It felt at least 50 degrees in the sun. As I got near 3000' I was having to stop every 100' of so to catch my breath. Then I hit the cliffs. The steep sections were murder. I would be near the top at the bottom but each step I toke up was digging me deeper into the snow. After about 10 steps the top of the snow was chest high infront of me. I know I'm only 5'8" but come on. I did develop a system. once the snow got chest high, I would take my hiking poles and honey comb the snow so that I could kick it down with my snowshoes. At the beginning of the steep section, I panned my gps to the summit and hit "go to" just to see how far it was it said .51 this was at 1030am. Remember that, because thats when the fun started. needless to say I kept on pushing forward, stopping to catch my breath, then pushing forward again. Eventually I reach that sign we all love to see so much 3500' no camping". Only 300' left, I push through a couple more steep sections the samething, except now the snow is balling to my snowshoes. Each step is now 10lbs heavier, but I keep pressing on, Im so close. Finally I look up I can see an outlook overtop me, after 5 mins I cover the 20' or so. I finally get a Gps signal again. I'm on the summit cone.
All across the approach the snow is sticking to my shoes. I just keep my head down and push on. Finally I hit a spot where the terrien starts to drop. I look at my gps and smile. I'm a 35'er (except for the descent). The time is 12:48pm. 4hours and 30 minutes after I started. It toke me over four hours to cover 2 miles, holy crap. I do feel better know that I read Moonray's TR, he's a strong hiker and he was getting his but kicked too. Hard to believe we were only about 7 miles apart. No champagne though. Thats in my kitchen about to wash down a 2lbs Porterhouse. The trip down was pretty uneventful. A couple of scary descents that made me a little nervous but side stepping and butt sliding toke care of that problem. If anyone needs Plateau I would do it now the trails nice and broke in. Well my Porterhouse is ready and I've got a bottle of champagne that I've been saving for a special occasion and this seems like one.
Thanks to everyone for all the help. The free advice was very appreciated. Thanks to Moonray, Jim, Tony and Ralph for sharing the trail with me a couple of times. See you at the Dinner.
Ryan
I started off from long Island at the usual time. I toke my time getting up there and hit the trail head about 830am. Thanks to Jay h's outstanding directions I avoided going down the crappy part of Elka Park Rd. Mink Hollow Rd. is plowed all the way till the end. When I started off it was already about 40 degrees or so. Moonray's description of the snow conditions are dead on, it was horrible. 50ft up the trail I knew it was going to be a long day. I was sinking about a foot everystep. I tried putting on the 8" tails but they only made it worse. They started to ball where they connect, then every part of them started. I toke them off but now they were wet. So I decided to take them back to the Jeep. I left my pack (which didn't help with the sinking) and walked to the Jeep and back. I continue on, and make the intersection with the Devil's Path in about an hour. I figure this is pretty good time considering the snow conditions.
I started down the Devils path, the first part until the big left turn was pretty well packed, so I made fairly good time until I started up hill. Everystep I sank in, and the snow was getting wetter and wetter. and the temps were getting warmer and warmer. It felt at least 50 degrees in the sun. As I got near 3000' I was having to stop every 100' of so to catch my breath. Then I hit the cliffs. The steep sections were murder. I would be near the top at the bottom but each step I toke up was digging me deeper into the snow. After about 10 steps the top of the snow was chest high infront of me. I know I'm only 5'8" but come on. I did develop a system. once the snow got chest high, I would take my hiking poles and honey comb the snow so that I could kick it down with my snowshoes. At the beginning of the steep section, I panned my gps to the summit and hit "go to" just to see how far it was it said .51 this was at 1030am. Remember that, because thats when the fun started. needless to say I kept on pushing forward, stopping to catch my breath, then pushing forward again. Eventually I reach that sign we all love to see so much 3500' no camping". Only 300' left, I push through a couple more steep sections the samething, except now the snow is balling to my snowshoes. Each step is now 10lbs heavier, but I keep pressing on, Im so close. Finally I look up I can see an outlook overtop me, after 5 mins I cover the 20' or so. I finally get a Gps signal again. I'm on the summit cone.
All across the approach the snow is sticking to my shoes. I just keep my head down and push on. Finally I hit a spot where the terrien starts to drop. I look at my gps and smile. I'm a 35'er (except for the descent). The time is 12:48pm. 4hours and 30 minutes after I started. It toke me over four hours to cover 2 miles, holy crap. I do feel better know that I read Moonray's TR, he's a strong hiker and he was getting his but kicked too. Hard to believe we were only about 7 miles apart. No champagne though. Thats in my kitchen about to wash down a 2lbs Porterhouse. The trip down was pretty uneventful. A couple of scary descents that made me a little nervous but side stepping and butt sliding toke care of that problem. If anyone needs Plateau I would do it now the trails nice and broke in. Well my Porterhouse is ready and I've got a bottle of champagne that I've been saving for a special occasion and this seems like one.
Thanks to everyone for all the help. The free advice was very appreciated. Thanks to Moonray, Jim, Tony and Ralph for sharing the trail with me a couple of times. See you at the Dinner.
Ryan