Friday the 13th: Part Couchsachraga (4.13.12)

[WannabeALjr]

http://adkwannabe.wordpress.com/2012...hraga-4-13-12/

wordy version above, synopsis below.

In the morning my black cat crossed my path and I walked under the ladder to our loft, so I should have known that our plan to outwit Couch was not going to work. We had thought we'd avoid mud and bugs and walk on a nice snow spine in microspikes right to Couch...

Well, we avoided bugs, unless snow fleas count...but we found plenty of mud down low and lots and lots of new, heavy, dense snow up higher so the microspikes rode in our packs all day.

Snowshoes were the order of the day, though not for the group of 10 before us who postholed merrily to the N/O Trail junction...Climbing to Time Square was laborious and it was the hardest winter hike I have ever done...so I'm sure it will count for my W, right?

Everything took longer so we constantly assessed and reassessed our plan, especially as the day got later. At TS we decided to go for it and slogged to Couch. At first the trail was straightforward, but we lost it numerous times and left of maze of tracks, mainly before the first bump. My younger son was awesome at trail finding and had a great sense of where to go, often finding cut logs and other signs. After two hours and twenty minutes we summitted. Suddenly moods were improved and everyone was revitalized. It had taken 7.5 hours to get there.

With a clear path we were able to make it to TS in an hour and forty minutes and back to the beaver pond in an hour and fifteen minutes. Snow down low had thawed quite a bit during the day, so conditions on the blue trail were wetter.

We donned headlamps for the last hour and a half or so and signed out at 9:50...so about 5.5 hours to descend from Couch and thirteen hours total. Thirteen hours on Friday the 13th. Hmmm.

Everyone agreed that they were glad we had continued. It was a really beautiful day with blue skies and mild temperatures, and though the hike felt brutal at times, it was pretty satisfying.

[Hear the Footsteps]

I guess things change alot up there in only a weeks time....nice TR
Don

[Gregory Karl]

Wow! That's a lot of work for an evil little peak like Couchsachraga. Makes you wish the surveyor was still alive so we could murder him.

[Trail Boss]

Originally Posted by Gregory Karl

... Makes you wish the surveyor was still alive so we could murder him.

Gregory Karl. The Angriest Man in the World.

Soon to star in the movie "Hike Angry".

[Gregory Karl]

Originally Posted by Trail Boss

Gregory Karl. The Angriest Man in the World.

Soon to star in the movie "Hike Angry".

It only sounds that way because you misquoted me! You didn't include the little smiley face emoticon, which, by current convention, negates any ill-will, rage, or evil intent. For example: "I wish all of humanity would die from mutant, flesh-eating bacteria" See, that might have sounded unpleasant by your lax editorial standards, when, in fact, it is obvious I wish everyone health and happiness!

[rbalbs]

Way to tough it out and great that you were prepared with snowshoes. Sometimes the best memories come from times when the going is tough but you persevere.

[AlpineLamb]

So here's the secret...what I was telling my sister and what I knew to be true may have been two different things!

I did know there would be snow, but when I saw how much going up the Bradley Pond trail I knew it was going to be a long day...but it was beautiful out and we were there.

I did hint several times that I would be okay if we did not continue, but they were all for it (the little one anyway); so I felt okay that I was not leading them into this misadventure ...on the way up to times square...let's be frank...it sucked! My sister was miserable, the kids were miserable, I was miserable (breaking trail in deep wet snow was more of a work out than I was looking for). At times square I knew they did not want to go on, but I was hoping that the sight of the target and some food would give them a boost. I knew that we would be okay, it was a beautiful day and we were there, we just did all that work, (and I did not want to have to come back! )
So yeah I knew it was about 3 hours in good conditions, (but I also knew it was going to be more than that today) and I knew we would not be out by dark, but we would be back on the blue trail. (That's why we have headlamps!)

I was very happy they decided to follow me when I went to "scout" the trail.

The last push after the swamp was tough mentally, I didn't think we were ever going to get there, but we made it and then, as Joe Cedar says, the rest was just walking!

I am so proud of my sister and my nephews. AlpineAce is a good strong hiker and AlpineNinja is an excellent trail-hound!

pictures:
http://kipplambphotoalbum.shutterfly.com/
(as Neil says f11 makes it better and so does clicking on a picture and using the arrows instead of the slide show)

[Gregory Karl]

Nice pics! The "little one's" expression in the first pic is priceless.

[paulc]

Hey thanks but 8 hours too late for us. I took my son out there today who needed all three peaks to put him at # 45 Therefore there was no turning back. Thank you for breaking out Couch as we did it after finding our way to Panther and we very much appreciated it. It was a very rough go to Santanoni finding trail and post-holing.
Where the hell did all the snow come from? I was out on Marshal, Gray and Skylight last weekend and we hiked the Spine. The Whiteface Weather showed it only snowed 3/4 of an inch this week.
We read the register ( SNOW SHOES ) Couchsachraga however we didn't have them with us and who'd a thought..
I read your brothers response to your post and had to laugh, i too never swore so much as I did today breaking trail to Santanoni and getting caught up in heavy brush and thickets.

Well thanks for posting but we left our house at 3am 4/14

[Gerard01]

I enjoyed reading the full TR on your blog. Great job by Alpine Lamb to follow up the TR with some commentary. Excellent job. Sounds like this hike was a slog. They certainly all can't be easy, right? Ah, but how we wish and do try to accomplish easy.

The pic of Couchy just sitting out there by itself was intimidating. An imposing figure that seems to dare you to try and come over. Then, when you do, it mocks you with another challenge: try and get back.

I wait for that day, Couchsachraga. Glad you got the peak. Good job!

[AlpineLamb]

Originally Posted by paulc

Hey thanks but 8 hours too late for us. I read your brothers response to your post and had to laugh, i too never swore so much as I did today breaking trail to Santanoni and getting caught up in heavy brush and thickets.

Well thanks for posting but we left our house at 3am 4/14

Congratulations on getting to all three and glad all the effort helped someone else
...I did post the conditions report at 12 am on 4/14


Oh and we are sisters!

[DackerDan]

Great pics and blog. Wow - that was a long day, would have been way to much for us. This is not one we are looking forward to even under the best of conditions. You can see the fatigue in your faces.

[Gerard01]

Originally Posted by DackerDan

Great pics and blog. Wow - that was a long day, would have been way to much for us. This is not one we are looking forward to even under the best of conditions. You can see the fatigue in your faces.

If you ever get around to this one, Dan, we can work out a trip to it.

[DackerDan]

Originally Posted by Gerard01

If you ever get around to this one, Dan, we can work out a trip to it.

Let's do it!

We will do this hike, possibly this summer. The plan is to go in the afternoon before, camp at Bradley pond, start the day early with Couchy as the first priority and then if we have time - Santi and Panther before we return down the ridge to the campsite and then hike out the next AM. If we don't get Santi and Panther then we will return and get them another time. Plan for Allen is similar. No herculean one day efforts for these, we have not had to go out under headlamp yet.

Would be glad to work out the plans with you in more detail as the date gets closer. However - since we are relatively close to the park, we have no apprehension about moving dates around to avoid bad weather. My first priority is to make the trips safe and enjoyable so I do not risk loosing my hiking partner.

[uberturtle]

Originally Posted by DackerDan

Let's do it!

We will do this hike, possibly this summer. The plan is to go in the afternoon before, camp at Bradley pond, start the day early with Couchy as the first priority and then if we have time - Santi and Panther before we return down the ridge to the campsite and then hike out the next AM. If we don't get Santi and Panther then we will return and get them another time. Plan for Allen is similar. No herculean one day efforts for these, we have not had to go out under headlamp yet.

Would be glad to work out the plans with you in more detail as the date gets closer. However - since we are relatively close to the park, we have no apprehension about moving dates around to avoid bad weather. My first priority is to make the trips safe and enjoyable so I do not risk loosing my hiking partner.

Don't know if you tent camp or were eyeing up the leanto, but there's a nice looking campsite a ways up the herdpath. We were checking it out after doing Santi and Panther, with plans to return for Couchie. Unfortunately, my youngest daughter (12 - and I just passed along your daughter's blog) still needs all three, so we'll be back!

[Snav3]

Nice TR and great job of route finding on that excessively winding trail.
It is amazing what summiting can do to improve the moods.

[Trail Boss]

(Our weary hikers are resting at Times Square)
AlpineLamb: I'll just scout the trail to Couch, OK?
WannabeAlJr: Huh, what? Oh, sure. We'll be right here.
(AlpineLamb is gone for a long time)
WannabeAlJr: Oh. <groan> Now I get it!
(Everyone rises to catch up with AlpineLamb)

"Leading by example."

The looks on your sons' faces said it all. Hey, there's always a bright side: you didn't have to tip-toe through Couchie's swamp!

Thanks for the TR and photos and the beta on current conditions.

[WannabeALjr]

Originally Posted by Hear the Footsteps

I guess things change alot up there in only a weeks time....nice TR
Don

Yeah, we had read your TR and thought we'd see some signs of your trip...but it was all gone!

Originally Posted by Gregory Karl

Wow! That's a lot of work for an evil little peak like Couchsachraga. Makes you wish the surveyor was still alive so we could murder him.

Maybe murder is a little extreme...lol...but yeah, I know what you mean. My younger son was pretty miffed that it wasn't a "real" 46r.

Originally Posted by rbalbs

Way to tough it out and great that you were prepared with snowshoes. Sometimes the best memories come from times when the going is tough but you persevere.

Last weekend there had been a fair amount of new powdery snow, and with all of the rain during the week we figured it was snow up high. We knew we should at least carry the snowshoes, just in case.

Originally Posted by paulc

Hey thanks but 8 hours too late for us. I took my son out there today who needed all three peaks to put him at # 45 Therefore there was no turning back. Thank you for breaking out Couch as we did it after finding our way to Panther and we very much appreciated it. It was a very rough go to Santanoni finding trail and post-holing.

I'm glad you got all 3...We weren't sure how helpful our track to Couch would be with all of the detours and side routes, but my sister brushed some of them in on the way back.

Originally Posted by Gerard01

The pic of Couchy just sitting out there by itself was intimidating. An imposing figure that seems to dare you to try and come over. Then, when you do, it mocks you with another challenge: try and get back.

I wait for that day, Couchsachraga. Glad you got the peak. Good job!

I thought Couch looked very innocuous from a distance...but knew that was misleading. My sister thinks it looks like a bear with the little ears on each side, but I think it looks like Shrek.

Originally Posted by DackerDan

We will do this hike, possibly this summer. The plan is to go in the afternoon before, camp at Bradley pond, start the day early with Couchy as the first priority and then if we have time - Santi and Panther before we return down the ridge to the campsite and then hike out the next AM. If we don't get Santi and Panther then we will return and get them another time. Plan for Allen is similar. No herculean one day efforts for these, we have not had to go out under headlamp yet.

My first priority is to make the trips safe and enjoyable so I do not risk loosing my hiking partner.

I would say, based on reading your TR's, if you camp and do Couch, you should have no problem also doing Panther. By the time you get to Herald Square (prior to Time Square) you have basically climbed the bulk of Panther's elevation gain. If you can't add Santanoni you could do that alone from the New/Old Trail.

Headlamps were kind of fun, especially on the road walk...but I know what you mean about risking the loss of a hiking partner. We joke that we are making terrific family memories, or material for therapy sessions.

Originally Posted by Snav3

Nice TR and great job of route finding on that excessively winding trail.
It is amazing what summiting can do to improve the moods.

Yeah, summiting was VERY validating and completely changed the whole mindset of the hike.

Originally Posted by Trail Boss

The looks on your sons' faces said it all. Hey, there's always a bright side: you didn't have to tip-toe through Couchie's swamp!

Thanks for the TR and photos and the beta on current conditions.

Yeah, she kept the moral of the group up...but there was no hiding the fatigue. Passing through the swamp was actually really nice, but I can imagine it is not so nice without snow.

Maybe I'll have to go back and see...

Someday.

[Trail Boss]

... or it's even creepier when suggesting to "off" someone while smiling. Yikes!

From Karlpedia:
The emoticon is more powerful that a Catholic confessional; it is your 'get out of jail free' card. Feel free to write the most outrageous statements, even death threats, provided you terminate the phrase with a colon and right parenthesis. These last two characters will absolve you of all sins. Internet Factoid: There isn't a lawyer in the land that has won a libel case once it was discovered the statement ended with a happy face!

Behold! The all powerful smiley!

[Gregory Karl]

Originally Posted by Trail Boss

... or it's even creepier when suggesting to "off" someone while smiling. Yikes!

From Karlpedia:
The emoticon is more powerful that a Catholic confessional; it is your 'get out of jail free' card. Feel free to write the most outrageous statements, even death threats, provided you terminate the phrase with a colon and right parenthesis. These last two characters will absolve you of all sins. Internet Factoid: There isn't a lawyer in the land that has won a libel case once it was discovered the statement ended with a happy face!

Behold! The all powerful smiley!

Well, in all fairness, I was suggesting we "off" a corpse, and I don't think threatening a former someone is illegal or even particularly shocking. And if we are tallying my exploits against those of the Catholic Church, please note that they once put a corpse on trial (the famous Corpse Synod), with a deacon squating behind the corpse's chair and answering the inquisitor's questions. I, at least, would have let the corpse speak for itself!

By the way: I'm not sure you can tell when I am joking. You do understand I was lampooning the mitigating powers of emoticons, right?