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Allen, Great Range, Rocky Peak Ridge

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  • Allen, Great Range, Rocky Peak Ridge

    My friend and I are planning to drive up arriving at night Friday, May 26, possibly finding a pull off near Allen--any advice on availability of pull-offs on the Friday night of Memorial day weekend? Doing Allen Sat., then on Sun. friend needs Dial and Nippletop, then Monday Rocky Peak Ridge and drive home.

    Any advice on stream crossings for Allen, any sites for the current route? Is a summer tent okay or do we need my 3 season tent (sharing tent)? How difficult is Rocky Peak Ridge?

    Any suggestions for me to do one of the great range solo while my friend is doing Dial and Nippletop? I already did Dial and Nippletop, Colvin and Blake and Sawteeth. I don't like exposure too much, especially alone. I like to hike with a group or at least one other person, so I don't want to pick one that I will have to do the same mountain again with a group. I was thinking Gothics OR Armstrong because the trail head is "across the street" ? I don't think I can do both Gothics and Armstrong and then do Rocky on the next day, Monday. Maybe someone has an idea for just one that I won't be likely to hike again with a group.

    I'm thinking of taking running shoes and just doing Fishhawk and Indian head with my friend and walking out Lake Rd. with the running shoes to save my feet for Rocky on Monday. I don't think Rocky is going to be as easy as she thinks, but she is planning on becoming a 46er this summer and has done a lot of it solo. I'm only up to having done 43 and the only ones I have done solo are Wright, Esther, Street and Nye and Cascade (no laughing, please!) She's also about 10 years younger than me. I'm 67. She wants to do all of these as day hikes, hiking every day. Any advice on general weather conditions to expect on Memorial Day Weekend, snow microspikes, etc.? I know it's going to be black fly season. She has no microspikes, but I am taking mine, at least for Allen for the slime. Please let me know if anyone thinks this is a particularly bad time of the year to be doing any of these peaks.

  • #2
    May 26th is probably going to put you in the tail end of mud season and black flies should be about, so you may be pretty miserable. There is a new bridge over the Opalescent to replace one that was washed away, so rock-hopping across the stream is not required. Memorial Day should make for huge crowds of people.

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    • #3
      There are three free camping sites along Blue Ridge Road.
      http://caltopo.com/m/46LQ
      • The eastern one is at the intersection of the road and the Boreas River. It's in full view of road traffic.
      • The western one is at the southern end of a dirt road by the shore of Cheney Pond. The road is unimproved may require a high-clearance vehicle.
      • In between these two sites is a drive-through site (see map) located north of Cheney Pond. This is probably the most accessible to all vehicles and screened from road traffic (but still very close to the main road). However, it is very easy to drive past both its entrances because they're unmarked. Keep your eyes peeled or set a point in your GPS.

      Here's the description I composed for the route to Allen. Unless something dramatic happened this winter, it's fairly up-to-date: http://www.adkhighpeaks.com/wiki/AllenMountain


      Looking for Views!

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      • #4
        We plan on being among the hordes heading to Allen Mountain on the 27th, so hope we meet up, Cindy49! I'm 70, so I plan on being a mile or two behind you, ha. Will you be going to the 46ers Banquet on the 28th?
        Jim

        "A full appreciation of mountains is not to be experienced by merely looking; that is why men climb." -Francis S. Smythe, British mountaineer

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        • #5
          It seems like your plan will leave you with 45. Which one is the missing peak? Perhaps you should do that one Sunday while your friend is at Dial and Nippletop. Any peak becomes quite a bit easier (or at least the motivation that much stronger) when it's the 46th one!
          ADK 46*/46 CATS 5/35 FT 4/28 Saranac 0/6 Bristol 6/6

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          • #6
            Adding Armstrong onto Gothics does not require a huge amount of extra effort. I would consider it if you choose Gothics. It one of the easier add-ons in my opinion.

            Which way are you doing RPR? Via Giant you're looking at close to 4500' of ele gain on the day. From New Russia around 5000' and more miles. Difficulty is all relative. I'm almost 52 and would find it difficult after an 18 mile day to Allen on a Saturday then another 12-14 miles for whatever you end up doing Sunday. Even just Fish Hawk Cliffs and Indian Head is an 11 mile day.... 7 of those would be road walking but 11 miles is no tiny effort. Your legs might be aching by Monday. If you're up for it... kudos to you guys... but just be aware that RPR won't be a walk in the park after the two other days you're both planning.

            Good luck and welcome to the forum.

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