ADKJack
08-22-2007, 11:44 PM
So........ Had not a lot of time to plan this hike today, was thinking Cliff - Redfield and that is what I had posted as a possibility in upcoming events Mon. night. Drove out Tuesday night got into S. Meadow about 12:30am and still did not have a solid destination in mind. I had also considered Marshall or Iroquis but not really both. 5:30 am today I wake and start getting dressed. It is a little chilly this morning Like high 30's chilly/ will have to walk fast this morning. Head down the truck road to Marcy dam, run into a guy and his daughter that had a bear in their campsite most of the night and ate all the food, you guessed it. Bear Bag:cry: I politely reminded him that canisters are required in the Eastern high peaks and that the recent rash of bear activity can be directly traced to people not following direction. Sooner or later someone is going to get hurt and some bears will have to be put down. I hope he and everyone else that files a bear complaint while not using canisters get fined big time.
Anyway, head off to avalanche lake and down to lake Colden. I have decided to do Marshall. I walk past the cairn marking the HP but not very far, as I am stepping on the bridge over Herberts Brook it hits me, I go back the 15 ft and there it is. The sun is still out this morning and the temp. perfect for hiking as I head up the path. The path is nice and soft compared to the rock hop I have done for the last cople of hours. The path is in decent shape and is fairly easy to follow .except when it starts zig-zagging across the brook further up. I spent too much time on the left side when to trail went back over to the right. Did a little whacking and then just started going straight up the brook. The brook itself was less than a trickle, not like when Neil and Timmus did it in the rain last year. Significant amounts of mud on the path. Reached the summit and was greeted by a young man that had arrived just minutes before me. I spent way too much time on top before heading back down.
Working my way back to Lake Colden I got to the junction for Algonquin at about noon and decided that I could get Iroquis in today. I forgot how steep that trail is. When I got to the Col and the junction for the HP to Iroquis the cloud cover had moved in and with it some light rain. I took a break, re-fueled, changed socks and shirt and contemplated my next move. It was 1:45 and I would allow myself 0ne hour to get to Iroquis and back so at 2:15 I would turn around no matter what since I did not want to risk hiking back down the trail to the lake in heavy rain. Actually I was on the summit by 2:10. Coming back I decided I would rather climb over Algonquin and head back that way, longer but easier than going back down the trail to colden. Beside I was in the neighborhood anyway. I made decent time heading back this way even though I would have to cut back of to Marcy Dam. I actually had enough time to go exploring the old Mcintyre brook trail for about a mile before whacking back to the main trail, I will have to see if this goes all the way back to the loj like it used to. I know it was abandoned and rerouted for a reason so no info on where I picked it up.
So 24 miles and 11.5 hours later I am back at the truck just before the rain starts. Nice Day for an unconventional walk.
Anyway, head off to avalanche lake and down to lake Colden. I have decided to do Marshall. I walk past the cairn marking the HP but not very far, as I am stepping on the bridge over Herberts Brook it hits me, I go back the 15 ft and there it is. The sun is still out this morning and the temp. perfect for hiking as I head up the path. The path is nice and soft compared to the rock hop I have done for the last cople of hours. The path is in decent shape and is fairly easy to follow .except when it starts zig-zagging across the brook further up. I spent too much time on the left side when to trail went back over to the right. Did a little whacking and then just started going straight up the brook. The brook itself was less than a trickle, not like when Neil and Timmus did it in the rain last year. Significant amounts of mud on the path. Reached the summit and was greeted by a young man that had arrived just minutes before me. I spent way too much time on top before heading back down.
Working my way back to Lake Colden I got to the junction for Algonquin at about noon and decided that I could get Iroquis in today. I forgot how steep that trail is. When I got to the Col and the junction for the HP to Iroquis the cloud cover had moved in and with it some light rain. I took a break, re-fueled, changed socks and shirt and contemplated my next move. It was 1:45 and I would allow myself 0ne hour to get to Iroquis and back so at 2:15 I would turn around no matter what since I did not want to risk hiking back down the trail to the lake in heavy rain. Actually I was on the summit by 2:10. Coming back I decided I would rather climb over Algonquin and head back that way, longer but easier than going back down the trail to colden. Beside I was in the neighborhood anyway. I made decent time heading back this way even though I would have to cut back of to Marcy Dam. I actually had enough time to go exploring the old Mcintyre brook trail for about a mile before whacking back to the main trail, I will have to see if this goes all the way back to the loj like it used to. I know it was abandoned and rerouted for a reason so no info on where I picked it up.
So 24 miles and 11.5 hours later I am back at the truck just before the rain starts. Nice Day for an unconventional walk.