mastergrasshopper
05-26-2007, 12:57 AM
" though I might not caution all I still might warn a few " GD
This was to be a nice spring warm up " just for fun hike " but ended up a bit more.I set off at 5:00 from sign in at ausable and headed up HGL trail to bear den and dial.All was well except for it was very HOT and HUMID.I started off in a tee but was soon down to just skin and my lightest weight shorts.I had seen a few patches of snow on the way up dial but less than 1% snow on trail. I had just said to myself glad I wasn't lugging snowshoes, Fool that I am, when what should be around the next bend ? A huge drift of snow !!! from that point on it was 80% snow spine/ice on trail upto summit of NT.Time to NT was 2:21
The way down was snow for the first 1/3 then good trail around the ponds and headed up colvin. Some snow and ice near summit of colvin but the ridge was high and dry on the way to Blake.Time to colvin 3:34 From the col on up Blake there was lots of mud covered ice.time to Blake 4:22.From Blake I went down to col and then on down the carry trail ( very nice trail ) I then followed road to wardens cabin Time to cabin 5:00 hr.
From here I was planning on going up sawteeth and then over to Gothics and on down the range.I stoped at shanty brook crossing and cooled off,changed socks,had a bite to eat,pumped water as I'd already been through about 4 liters of water.I started off up to sawteeth feeling refreshed and ready for the rest of the trip.The little used trail up sawteeth was very pleasent and soft under foot I started noticing red trail markers on the ground and very few on the trees.the trail became very indistinct and seemed to go up a small drainage at the top there was no sign of trail so instead of going back I pressed on ever onward oh ship of fools.I cast back and forth a bit and low and behold there was another disc and a bit of indistinct trail that also soon petered out.The way ahead wasn't too bad so I continued on. I thought I had crossed an old part of the ledges loop and would soon pick up the trail.After about 1/2 hour I realised I was LOST??
It was when I heard a small voice in my head say that any way was just fine that I decided to stop and find out where I was.I came to a blowdown patch and could see that I was on the ridge south of shanty brook trib. and headed up the ridge west towards the false summit of sawteeth.The trail I wanted was across shanty brook trib. and on the spine of the west ridge of sawteeth.I went north down to shanty brook trib. and then started up the ridge but had to keep going east along small cliffs.This continued for some time.I would try to go straight up but be forced to traverse east instead of north.The ridge was very thick and all I had on was my shorts as it was very HOT and HUMID and I wasn't planning on bushwacking:eek: Finally I made one more concentrated push for the ridge and could see an opening ahead, A giant blowdown patch right on the crest of the ridge:cry: but what was in the center of the blowdown but a beautiful red disc and a cleared trail.I was 5 min from the summit.Time to sawteeth 8:40 It took 3:20 (20 min break at stream) to climb sawteeth,2 hours of it off trail.I was way behind time and a bit beaten up as a few times when I steped on rotten logs my foot had sunk through and torked my left knee twice.
I decided to head for home before I got in any more trouble.The way down was nice and rainbow falls was running at full force.On the way down the road who should stop and offer me a ride but Tony Goodwin THANKS Tony and just in case you wonder rides never happen and you shouldn't try to geat one.Anyways Tony had been doing trail work and I told him my story and he said there was a bear who had been ripping down the sign pointing out the trail where I should have gone left.
Still a good day in the woods and I was happy I had my map and compass.Should have checked them a bit sooner?
Hey Neil I'm counting this one as bushwack climb for sawteeth !
Final note friday I did crows,nun-da-ga-o,weston,loop and knee was still a bit sore so I'm home writing TR's and letting it rest.
MG
This was to be a nice spring warm up " just for fun hike " but ended up a bit more.I set off at 5:00 from sign in at ausable and headed up HGL trail to bear den and dial.All was well except for it was very HOT and HUMID.I started off in a tee but was soon down to just skin and my lightest weight shorts.I had seen a few patches of snow on the way up dial but less than 1% snow on trail. I had just said to myself glad I wasn't lugging snowshoes, Fool that I am, when what should be around the next bend ? A huge drift of snow !!! from that point on it was 80% snow spine/ice on trail upto summit of NT.Time to NT was 2:21
The way down was snow for the first 1/3 then good trail around the ponds and headed up colvin. Some snow and ice near summit of colvin but the ridge was high and dry on the way to Blake.Time to colvin 3:34 From the col on up Blake there was lots of mud covered ice.time to Blake 4:22.From Blake I went down to col and then on down the carry trail ( very nice trail ) I then followed road to wardens cabin Time to cabin 5:00 hr.
From here I was planning on going up sawteeth and then over to Gothics and on down the range.I stoped at shanty brook crossing and cooled off,changed socks,had a bite to eat,pumped water as I'd already been through about 4 liters of water.I started off up to sawteeth feeling refreshed and ready for the rest of the trip.The little used trail up sawteeth was very pleasent and soft under foot I started noticing red trail markers on the ground and very few on the trees.the trail became very indistinct and seemed to go up a small drainage at the top there was no sign of trail so instead of going back I pressed on ever onward oh ship of fools.I cast back and forth a bit and low and behold there was another disc and a bit of indistinct trail that also soon petered out.The way ahead wasn't too bad so I continued on. I thought I had crossed an old part of the ledges loop and would soon pick up the trail.After about 1/2 hour I realised I was LOST??
It was when I heard a small voice in my head say that any way was just fine that I decided to stop and find out where I was.I came to a blowdown patch and could see that I was on the ridge south of shanty brook trib. and headed up the ridge west towards the false summit of sawteeth.The trail I wanted was across shanty brook trib. and on the spine of the west ridge of sawteeth.I went north down to shanty brook trib. and then started up the ridge but had to keep going east along small cliffs.This continued for some time.I would try to go straight up but be forced to traverse east instead of north.The ridge was very thick and all I had on was my shorts as it was very HOT and HUMID and I wasn't planning on bushwacking:eek: Finally I made one more concentrated push for the ridge and could see an opening ahead, A giant blowdown patch right on the crest of the ridge:cry: but what was in the center of the blowdown but a beautiful red disc and a cleared trail.I was 5 min from the summit.Time to sawteeth 8:40 It took 3:20 (20 min break at stream) to climb sawteeth,2 hours of it off trail.I was way behind time and a bit beaten up as a few times when I steped on rotten logs my foot had sunk through and torked my left knee twice.
I decided to head for home before I got in any more trouble.The way down was nice and rainbow falls was running at full force.On the way down the road who should stop and offer me a ride but Tony Goodwin THANKS Tony and just in case you wonder rides never happen and you shouldn't try to geat one.Anyways Tony had been doing trail work and I told him my story and he said there was a bear who had been ripping down the sign pointing out the trail where I should have gone left.
Still a good day in the woods and I was happy I had my map and compass.Should have checked them a bit sooner?
Hey Neil I'm counting this one as bushwack climb for sawteeth !
Final note friday I did crows,nun-da-ga-o,weston,loop and knee was still a bit sore so I'm home writing TR's and letting it rest.
MG