Khp 1/7/06

[Rik]

What a beautiful winter day. It actually felt cold enough to be winter and this morning's bright blue sky was the kind only winter days bring. Seems whenever it is just Charlene and I we get a late start? Didn't start hiking til 10am! Only one other car in the lot which was plowed and manageable in a regular car. I started out with just boots but Charlene put her snowshoes on from the start. The trail was packed well by a snowmobile for about a mile or so. From there we followed a set of snowshoe tracks and a set of ski tracks. Looked as if someone had shoed up and skied down. Someone had signed the trailhead register on Wednesday for KHP. There was some snow covering the tracks but they were easy to follow. Of course the person was taller than me (not unusual) so the tracks didn't really help. And because they had skied down they didn't really leave a smooth treadway just a single set of tracks. So we pretty much had to break trail in snow that was a foot deep at the bottom and two feet at the top. Down low there was a crusty layer but up high was much lighter powder. The trail is wet in all the usual flat spots. The snowmobile loop was machine groomed and we walked right by the summit trail. There was even a set of tracks there! It came up much quicker than I remembered. A few minutes later I thought we had passed but then found another set of old tracks headed toward the summit but definitely not on a trail. If you should go there soon I recommend you avoid these tracks unless you are looking for a longer more difficult way to the top. We did get to the top using them so they will get you there but we used the regular path on the way down so that should be much more obvious. We heard snowmobiles but never saw them. The trip down was uneventful. I tried to smooth the snowshoe track some. We never saw another person but someone was out at Huckleberry Point when we went by that junction on the way down. Some nice views of surrounding peaks all frosted on top. Got a message from Tom Rankin that he had completed his climb of Westkill and was going out to celebrate but unfortunately we couldn't join him. Congrats Tom!

[MattC]

Sounds nice, Rik. We climbed Peekamoose and Table today and had similar snow conditions. Nice to finally have some dry powder in the hills after the various types of crust and slush we've been dealing with. Did you go up the south or north face of High Peak? If you went up the south side, I'm wondering how it was right below Hurricane Ledge.

Matt

[mudhook]

sounds like conditions are similar all over the cats. 12" at big hlw. 2' with drifting near the summit of whp. couldn't ask for a nicer day!

[Rik]

Sounds nice, Rik. We climbed Peekamoose and Table today and had similar snow conditions. Nice to finally have some dry powder in the hills after the various types of crust and slush we've been dealing with. Did you go up the south or north face of High Peak? If you went up the south side, I'm wondering how it was right below Hurricane Ledge.

Matt

We actually kinda went up the NW side as we overshot the path on the way up. We came down the usual path heading north. No tracks coming up over Hurricane Ledge.

[MattC]

We actually kinda went up the NW side as we overshot the path on the way up. We came down the usual path heading north. No tracks coming up over Hurricane Ledge.

Yeah, right below the ledge was where we turned around last March. The snow was very deep on the steep slope below, and we got to a point where we just could not make any forward progress. No hand or fingerholds, no ice on which to use crampons, and it was just too steep to climb up w/ the snowshoes. We were so close I could almost touch the ledge w/ a pole, but it just wasn't happening that day. Plus, we had a dog following us! It was a crazy day...

Anyhow, I think the south approach to KHP is best saved for three-season conditions. Better to come from the north and just go down to the ledge for the view and back up. Thanks for breaking trail, BTW.

Matt

[MattC]

sounds like conditions are similar all over the cats. 12" at big hlw. 2' with drifting near the summit of whp. couldn't ask for a nicer day!

Couldn't agree more-it was just beautiful today. Sadly, the extended forecast has more 30s and 40s temps and possibly more rain. Hopefully that will turn out to be incorrect. We really need some artic air to make it's way down here. This on-and-off again winter is driving me nuts. :shock:

Matt

[TFR]

... Got a message from Tom Rankin that he had completed his climb of Westkill and was going out to celebrate but unfortunately we couldn't join him. Congrats Tom!

Thanks! At least you were out hiking on a beautiful day!

[mudhook]

"Anyhow, I think the south approach to KHP is best saved for three-season conditions. Better to come from the north and just go down to the ledge for the view and back up. Thanks for breaking trail, BTW. "

The South trail is best for fair weather, but the North can be dicy at times. There is another chute on the eastern face I have used a couple of times, once earlier in December with 12" + snow. I'm not sure how it would be if icy or alot of snow. I probaly would not try it again until spring.

[rockysummit]

I remember also having a difficult time, and wishing I had an ice axe on the northern approach one winter. KHP definately has some cool, steep, final stretches to the summit!

[Jay H]

Rik, do you think the north face of KHP is safe for dogs now? My friend on VfTT wants to take his Jack Russells with us on sunday and I'm worried about the possible ice/snow on the climb from the ski trail. Do you think conditions now that it is safe for a small short legged JR? They're fairly conditioned hiking dogs, I've hiked with them before....

Jay

[Rik]

Rik, do you think the north face of KHP is safe for dogs now? My friend on VfTT wants to take his Jack Russells with us on sunday and I'm worried about the possible ice/snow on the climb from the ski trail. Do you think conditions now that it is safe for a small short legged JR? They're fairly conditioned hiking dogs, I've hiked with them before....

Jay

My medium sized dog did it without a problem. I don't think they will have too much trouble.

[Jay H]

Just reporting that Trixie and Dino had no problems scaling the peak on sunday. With short dogs like Jack Russells, it must seem like Everest for them!

Jay