Altitude at Lake Road Gate

[bjdg33]

Does anyone know the exact altitude at the Lake Road Gate? I'll need to calibrate my altimeter..

[DSettahr]

According to the USGS topo map, it's between the 400 meter and 410 meter contour lines. So call it 405 meters (1330 feet).

[bjdg33]

Thanks! I kept reading it at 1320 ft., but the difference (from the trail books) between the peak heights and the listed "ascent from Lake Road" totals didn't add up.

[bjdg33]

So I guess the ascent is measured from each different trail..

[DSettahr]

Well, the "total ascent" might also factor in areas where the trail loses elevation, then must regain it. Say the trail drops 200 feet in one section. That 200 feet might get counted twice- first the initial elevation gain, and then the regain after the descent.

I never really rely to specifically on the "total ascent" listed in any guidebook. I'm sure that those numbers aren't very accurate- just general guides.

[TFR]

Originally Posted by bjdg33

Does anyone know the exact altitude at the Lake Road Gate? I'll need to calibrate my altimeter..

Nothing wrong with calibrating your altimeter at the gate, but I suppose you do know you must park down at one of the 2 lots off of Rt. 73? And not even dropping people off at the gate is allowed. I made that mistake once!

[bjdg33]

Yes, I certainly do know- although why that ranger hut doesn't even have a cold one waiting for us is beyond me. It would make the trudge back to the lot SO much better!

[Trail Boss]

I don't believe that's a 'ranger hut' on AMR property. Caretaker or warden might be apropos.

I suspect if you are a member, or a guest, you could get a beer at that fine looking lodge. The rest of us just have to 'move along' and be thankful we're permitted on private property.

[RockON]

Originally Posted by Trail Boss

I suspect if you are a member, or a guest, you could get a beer at that fine looking lodge. The rest of us just have to 'move along' and be thankful we're permitted on private property.

What a wonderful gesture it would be for the club to offer filthy, smelling hikers a cold one on the way out. However I think it more likely that I'll hear "move along, get along, go, move, shift". (with apologies to Christie Moore)

[bjdg33]

We call it (that final .7 to the car) The Walk of Shame- jokingly, of course.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by bjdg33

We call it (that final .7 to the car) The Walk of Shame- jokingly, of course.

I remember well sitting in the parking lot sipping a cold beer with Rik and Charlene watching people coming back from their hikes. Everyone seemed to be painfully limping back in (after heading out that same morning with strong purposeful strides I'm sure).

[TFR]

Originally Posted by Neil

I remember well sitting in the parking lot sipping a cold beer with Rik and Charlene watching people coming back from their hikes. Everyone seemed to be painfully limping back in (after heading out that same morning with strong purposeful strides I'm sure).

I remember drinking beer on AMR property...

[Neil]

Originally Posted by TFR

I remember drinking beer on AMR property...

I hope you didn't use a cell phone.

Interesting that the road climbs something like 500 feet between the gate and the dam. There is no rule against using roller skis on the road is there? That would expedite getting out.

[MTVhike]

On the USGS topo map, there is benchmark at 412.1 meters (1352 feet) located near the start of the Lake Road, between that point and the hotel. If you find that benchmark, then you know the most precise altitude. On the ADK map, it is also shown, but the scale is so small you can't locate it very well. It is not on the National Geographics map!

[pete_hickey]

Pfffffttttt. Walk... What does it matter if it goes up or own or how much. You still have to walk it. the only reason you need numbers is for bragging.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by pete_hickey

What does it matter....
the only reason you need numbers is for...

It really, really matters.
Think about it.
Excel files, multi-coloured charts and graphs. Heart beats per minute as a function of % slope.

Data of this nature is crucial in a wilderness zone and must be uploaded to one's Life Coach for comment and advice immediately.
Have you logged on to TheWiredHiker.com lately?

[Kescrusader]

Originally Posted by Neil

Excel files, multi-coloured charts and graphs. Heart beats per minute as a function of % slope.

Yeah, I tried wearing one of those fancy Biometric watches while hiking once, but as soon as I started hiking up hill, it thought I was having a heart attack and tried to defibrillate me...I really need to exercise more.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by pete_hickey

Pfffffttttt. Walk... What does it matter if it goes up or own or how much. You still have to walk it. the only reason you need numbers is for bragging.

I need to know for safety reasons. A couple hundred feet over 3-4 miles means it might take me 65 minutes instead of 62 minutes to reach the lake. That is critical when planning my turn around time.

[Raymond]

I once dropped off Susan and Cam near the gate and nobody yelled at me, but they proceeded to walk down toward the parking lot where I was leaving the car anyway, thereby negating their advantage.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Kescrusader

Yeah, I tried wearing one of those fancy Biometric watches while hiking once, but as soon as I started hiking up hill, it thought I was having a heart attack and tried to defibrillate me...I really need to exercise more.

In actual fact, I have worn my heart rate monitor on nearly a dozen hikes just to see what it reports my total energy burn as.

When it goes over 8000 calories burned I know I've done a "really big hike". Greater than 10k cals burned is usually a huge hike. Without the monitor I would have had no way of knowing.

Of course I can then download all kinds of juicy data to the PC which then uploads it and stores it on Polar's website where I have can view it, dice it, slice it.....yawn.