Dial, Bear Den, Noonmark (Some like it hot)

Rik · 06-27-2005, 09:25 AM

Well I couldn't come up with a title for this trip report. Too many to choose from. "Dial up some Heat", "Let this be a lesson to you", "Gravestone adventures"...
The forcast looked insane so we tried to get an early start. That didn't happen. We didn't start until 8:30am. It was already warm and the bugs on the trail past Round Pond were almost enough to turn us around! I actually put on bug dope which I hate doing! Once off the trail and headed up Gravestone Brook the bugs were much more tolerable. The route up Gravestone was nice, mostly open. Charlene was going slow due to the heat. Even Dali the dog who isn't much of a swimmer was in the water several times. Once up on the trail we climbed Dial. We saw one couple headed down and another on the summit. When they left we had the summit to ourselves for nearly an hour. The views up close were awesome but the distant views were very hazy. We considered going back the way we came due to the heat but Charlene was feeling better after a rest and lunch so we decided to follow our original plan. OOoops!
After being in the constant breeze on Dial it felt hot in the woods. We went over Bear Den and met a solo hiker going up to Dial. He looked pretty hot. We filtered some water between Bear Den and Noonmark. We saw two deer there that must have been trying to escape the heat and bugs down low. The climb up the shoulder of Noonmark is hot due to the exposure caused by the burn. The views were great and the breeze felt wonderful on the open rocks. We followed a compass bearing into the woods towards Noonmark. The beginning took some time getting through the edge of the burn where there was plenty of downed trees and debris. The woods were not as open as we expected but not terrible either. Lots of 6 foot pine trees have filled in what must have been very open woods not long ago. It looked like a Christmas tree farm. This is where it got 'interesting'. I started feeling nauseous. A couple hundred feet below Noonmark I vomitted all the water I had been drinking. This made Charlene very nervous as we still had to skirt the cliffs to the top of Noonmark and then hike three and a half miles out. I was able to go a few minutes at a time and then would need to stop and rest. The wind on Noonmark felt great and we sat there for about a half hour. It was 6:30pm and we had the summit to ourselves. I was able to nibble some food and sip some water but was not in good shape. I was amazed at how quickly I went from feeling fine to feeling like I wasn't going to make it out. In all my hiking I've never felt like I might not be able to just push through and get myself out. Charlene offered to go ahead but I thought it best that we stay together and just go slow. Good thing the days are long this time of year! Going down Noonmark was torture. That trail is steep! We would go down about a hundred feet and then rest for several minutes and then repeat this for over a thousand feet. At 7:30pm we reached the junction with the trail to Rt. 73. It had taken an hour to go downhill for a mile! After soaking my head in the stream I was determined to just put my head down and go. I was still sweating so I knew I could keep moving and hadn't reached a heat stroke stage yet. Was actually able to make that last 2.3 miles in an hour! For the first time in 7 years I actually asked Charlene to drive home. I was still sick and wondered whether I would be able to hold fluids. After changing cloths we stopped at the spring near Exit 30 and got water. We then stopped at the rest area on the northway and got some gatorade which I sipped the whole way home. I felt a little better by the time we got home and was able to force myself to eat. Still don't feel 100% now on Monday.
Overall this trip is spectacular just not on a ninety degree day! The views were great, we saw very few people (only other fools) , the burn was cool to see how it is recovering (the saplings are all 5-6 feet tall) and Charlene got #26 on Dial. That said please be careful out there in this heat. I consider myself in very good physical shape and felt fine for much of the hike. Getting sick was sudden and scary (off trail 4 miles from the car). I think our biggest mistake was going out in the first place on a day that hot. Only about 180 days til winter!

Going to my neice's Christening the next morning in a hot church was torture. When she's old enough I tell how she owes me!

Gandalf · 06-27-2005, 10:37 AM

Ouch, Rik! "Rough" doesn't begin to describe what that sounds like. :shock: Interesting route though...I might have to check this out on a (much) cooler day!

Neil · 06-27-2005, 10:51 AM

Rik, that's pretty scary, not too mention how misreable you must have felt. The fact that it came on without warning in someone as healthy and in shape as yourself is rather sobering. I'm glad you made it out. I have never experienced anything like that due to the heat but I'll never forget spending a night out in December with vomiting and diarhea. Hauling out a 45 pound pack from the Uphill Brook LT to Upper works the next day was no picnic.

I was thinking of hiking alone a couple of the trailed HH either tommorow or thurs. I'll look carefully at all the precautions I can take. Maybe only do one peak and start early.

Antlerpeak · 06-27-2005, 11:21 AM

Rik, I never experienced that quite so severe. The heat can bother me but havn't reached vommitting, that must have been scarry. I noted you too hate to use bug dope. One thing I noticed ( by accident ) is out west you must use number 45 ( at least ) sun screen or you will burn. For those who have noticed the sky appears a much deeper blue out there. One of the factors is because the humidity is much lower and the sun is more direct, less refracted. ( is refracted the right word) Without the heavy duty sun screen you are in trouble. Well using the sun screen has a side effect of keeping the bugs away. They don't seem to like it. At least in my case. That number 45 is about the lowest number that is effective against the sun. I am talking the infamously wet Cascades here. After climbing 200 plus 5K summits there and not seeing any rain or mud I am becomming more and more convinced the wet Cascades is a myth perpetrated to keep the Easterners back in the humid tropics.

Neil which one of those trailled HH are you doing Tues or Thur?

Neil · 06-27-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antlerpeak

Neil which one of those trailled HH are you doing Tues or Thur?

I havn't made up my mind yet but like the idea of Snowy so as to get a good look all around and something not too far from Snowy. I've never been in that area before. However, since I'm just getting started on a new list anyone of them interests me. My plan was for a trailed peak because, so far, I'll be alone.

Antlerpeak · 06-27-2005, 11:57 AM

I was thinking of doing Moose Mt in Lake Placid this week. If you havn't done that one and want to let me know. Snowy is nice though, there is a small pull out parking area on rte 30 south of Indian Lake. It kind of comes up on you fast. The trail is across the road from it. nice hike though you should enjoy it.

Neil · 06-27-2005, 12:03 PM

Would it be poss. to do Moose and Mckenzie in one go?

Antlerpeak · 06-27-2005, 12:11 PM

Yeah Mavs says the trail from Moose to McKenzie is a good one. Here is the most up to date weather report I have. http://www.wnyt.com/forecast.xml?sb=x209&ag=x156

Sounds like an early start is mandatory though. What do you think?

Neil · 06-27-2005, 12:23 PM

I think it's easier for me to start early from LP versus the Snowy TH. I'm game for both M&M if you're up to it. The earliest I can make it to the TH (BTW where is the TH?) is 7ish. Looking at the map there is a choice between 1: a there and back trip and 2:spotting a car and thru hiking the 2 of them. We could always bail after one peak if the heat is overwhelming. I would prefer tommorow (better weather) but have to talk to my wife first. I'll be AFK for an hour or so: going jogging!

Rik, sorry to have stolen your thread!
Antler, respond to this post on a new thread in the upcoming trips section.

Rik · 06-27-2005, 12:33 PM

Ok threadjackers! I'll excuse you both if you promise to be careful out there and bring extra Gatorade! I think the only thing (except for not going) that I would have done different is more Gatorade. Easier to stomach than food which had no appeal but I knew I needed to eat. My problem was electrolytes. I ate during the day but I'm a sweater (and I don't mean the wooly cozy kind!). I'm sure I had fluids still in me as I continued to sweat the whole time (this was a good sign). I also think I drank too much at once after filtering water. By the time I vomitted it was mostly water (at least a liter). Had I continued to sip instead I might have been able to keep it down. Powdered Gatorade is going back in the pack! As for sunscreen I didn't use any but I didn't get burned at all. We were in the woods for most of the day. The exposed summits were actually the coolest place since there was a life saving breeze. Lying on the summit of Noonmark in the wind helped a ton to put me in a place where I could force myself to march on.

Antlerpeak · 06-27-2005, 04:17 PM

Didn't mean to hijack your thread Rik. It just happened.

Mavs00 · 06-27-2005, 08:55 PM

I wonder if Charlene was able to enjoy watching YOU trying to keep up with HER for a change

.

jk. Sounds like you were on the verge of heat exhustion. Once upon a way-back-when........... in my old ARMY days. I remember watching a guy progress from Hot & misurable (which we all were), to heat exhustion, to heat stroke to near death in a matter of minutes (it seemed).

We were on "full gear forced-march in the buring Alabama August heat (92-94 degrees)". It's kinda a blur now (I was pretty dead myself), but I do remember how fast it seemed to set in and get critical fast.

Anyhow....... alls well that ends well. Glad you are alright.

Rik · 06-27-2005, 09:08 PM

Quote:

I wonder if Charlene was able to enjoy watching YOU trying to keep up with HER for a change .

Ha ha. I don't think she was having a very good time. Well maybe a little? :lol:

Rik: :(

:Charlene

Dick · 06-27-2005, 09:12 PM

Rik, glad you made it out and that you're OK. I know how tough you are, so conditions must really have been bad. Joanne and I are doing Colvin/Indian Head/Fishhawk tomorrow, and your trip is a good warning for us.

Dick

Mavs00 · 06-27-2005, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavs00

I wonder if Charlene was able to enjoy watching YOU trying to keep up with HER for a change

.

jk. Sounds like you were on the verge of heat exhustion. Once upon a way-back-when........... in my old ARMY days. I remember watching a guy progress from Hot & misurable (which we all were), to heat exhustion, to heat stroke to near death in a matter of minutes (it seemed).

We were on "full gear forced-march in the buring Alabama August heat (92-94 degrees)". It's kinda a blur now (I was pretty dead myself), but I do remember how fast it seemed to set in and get critical............... fast.

Anyhow....... alls well that ends well. Glad you are alright.

Neil · 06-27-2005, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick

Rik, glad you made it out and that you're OK. I know how tough you are, so conditions must really have been bad. Joanne and I are doing Colvin/Indian Head/Fishhawk tomorrow, and your trip is a good warning for us.

Dick

Hey Dick! Why dontcha join me on McKenzie and Moose? If you come I'll bring my flute!

Rik · 06-29-2005, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Joanne and I are doing Colvin/Indian Head/Fishhawk tomorrow, and your trip is a good warning for us.

Dick

Anyone heard from Dick or seen any posts by him? After Saturday I'm a little more concerned about everyone hiking in this weather. It was good to hear back from Neil after his hike. Hope they are just sitting by a pool or lake somewhere but no trip report made me wonder.

Mavs00 · 06-29-2005, 02:37 PM

Lets hope they still in the LP area and haven't had a chance to "check in".

06-27-2005, 09:25 AM	#1
Rik Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Where the Truth Lies Posts: 2,601	Dial, Bear Den, Noonmark (Some like it hot) Well I couldn't come up with a title for this trip report. Too many to choose from. "Dial up some Heat", "Let this be a lesson to you", "Gravestone adventures"... The forcast looked insane so we tried to get an early start. That didn't happen. We didn't start until 8:30am. It was already warm and the bugs on the trail past Round Pond were almost enough to turn us around! I actually put on bug dope which I hate doing! Once off the trail and headed up Gravestone Brook the bugs were much more tolerable. The route up Gravestone was nice, mostly open. Charlene was going slow due to the heat. Even Dali the dog who isn't much of a swimmer was in the water several times. Once up on the trail we climbed Dial. We saw one couple headed down and another on the summit. When they left we had the summit to ourselves for nearly an hour. The views up close were awesome but the distant views were very hazy. We considered going back the way we came due to the heat but Charlene was feeling better after a rest and lunch so we decided to follow our original plan. OOoops! After being in the constant breeze on Dial it felt hot in the woods. We went over Bear Den and met a solo hiker going up to Dial. He looked pretty hot. We filtered some water between Bear Den and Noonmark. We saw two deer there that must have been trying to escape the heat and bugs down low. The climb up the shoulder of Noonmark is hot due to the exposure caused by the burn. The views were great and the breeze felt wonderful on the open rocks. We followed a compass bearing into the woods towards Noonmark. The beginning took some time getting through the edge of the burn where there was plenty of downed trees and debris. The woods were not as open as we expected but not terrible either. Lots of 6 foot pine trees have filled in what must have been very open woods not long ago. It looked like a Christmas tree farm. This is where it got 'interesting'. I started feeling nauseous. A couple hundred feet below Noonmark I vomitted all the water I had been drinking. This made Charlene very nervous as we still had to skirt the cliffs to the top of Noonmark and then hike three and a half miles out. I was able to go a few minutes at a time and then would need to stop and rest. The wind on Noonmark felt great and we sat there for about a half hour. It was 6:30pm and we had the summit to ourselves. I was able to nibble some food and sip some water but was not in good shape. I was amazed at how quickly I went from feeling fine to feeling like I wasn't going to make it out. In all my hiking I've never felt like I might not be able to just push through and get myself out. Charlene offered to go ahead but I thought it best that we stay together and just go slow. Good thing the days are long this time of year! Going down Noonmark was torture. That trail is steep! We would go down about a hundred feet and then rest for several minutes and then repeat this for over a thousand feet. At 7:30pm we reached the junction with the trail to Rt. 73. It had taken an hour to go downhill for a mile! After soaking my head in the stream I was determined to just put my head down and go. I was still sweating so I knew I could keep moving and hadn't reached a heat stroke stage yet. Was actually able to make that last 2.3 miles in an hour! For the first time in 7 years I actually asked Charlene to drive home. I was still sick and wondered whether I would be able to hold fluids. After changing cloths we stopped at the spring near Exit 30 and got water. We then stopped at the rest area on the northway and got some gatorade which I sipped the whole way home. I felt a little better by the time we got home and was able to force myself to eat. Still don't feel 100% now on Monday. Overall this trip is spectacular just not on a ninety degree day! The views were great, we saw very few people (only other fools) , the burn was cool to see how it is recovering (the saplings are all 5-6 feet tall) and Charlene got #26 on Dial. That said please be careful out there in this heat. I consider myself in very good physical shape and felt fine for much of the hike. Getting sick was sudden and scary (off trail 4 miles from the car). I think our biggest mistake was going out in the first place on a day that hot. Only about 180 days til winter! Going to my neice's Christening the next morning in a hot church was torture. When she's old enough I tell how she owes me! __________________ This post is for entertainment purposes only.

06-27-2005, 12:33 PM	#10
Rik Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Where the Truth Lies Posts: 2,601	Ok threadjackers! I'll excuse you both if you promise to be careful out there and bring extra Gatorade! I think the only thing (except for not going) that I would have done different is more Gatorade. Easier to stomach than food which had no appeal but I knew I needed to eat. My problem was electrolytes. I ate during the day but I'm a sweater (and I don't mean the wooly cozy kind!). I'm sure I had fluids still in me as I continued to sweat the whole time (this was a good sign). I also think I drank too much at once after filtering water. By the time I vomitted it was mostly water (at least a liter). Had I continued to sip instead I might have been able to keep it down. Powdered Gatorade is going back in the pack! As for sunscreen I didn't use any but I didn't get burned at all. We were in the woods for most of the day. The exposed summits were actually the coolest place since there was a life saving breeze. Lying on the summit of Noonmark in the wind helped a ton to put me in a place where I could force myself to march on. __________________ This post is for entertainment purposes only.

06-27-2005, 09:12 PM	#14
Dick Elder Statesman Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Voorheesville NY Posts: 1,619	Rik, glad you made it out and that you're OK. I know how tough you are, so conditions must really have been bad. Joanne and I are doing Colvin/Indian Head/Fishhawk tomorrow, and your trip is a good warning for us. Dick __________________ "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while care will drop off like autumn leaves." John Muir

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06-27-2005, 10:37 AM	#2
Gandalf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 119	Ouch, Rik! "Rough" doesn't begin to describe what that sounds like. :shock: Interesting route though...I might have to check this out on a (much) cooler day!

06-27-2005, 10:51 AM	#3
Neil Enjoying Wellness Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 8,399	Rik, that's pretty scary, not too mention how misreable you must have felt. The fact that it came on without warning in someone as healthy and in shape as yourself is rather sobering. I'm glad you made it out. I have never experienced anything like that due to the heat but I'll never forget spending a night out in December with vomiting and diarhea. Hauling out a 45 pound pack from the Uphill Brook LT to Upper works the next day was no picnic. I was thinking of hiking alone a couple of the trailed HH either tommorow or thurs. I'll look carefully at all the precautions I can take. Maybe only do one peak and start early.

06-27-2005, 11:21 AM	#4
Antlerpeak Commander Join Date: May 2005 Location: Western Washington Posts: 514	Rik, I never experienced that quite so severe. The heat can bother me but havn't reached vommitting, that must have been scarry. I noted you too hate to use bug dope. One thing I noticed ( by accident ) is out west you must use number 45 ( at least ) sun screen or you will burn. For those who have noticed the sky appears a much deeper blue out there. One of the factors is because the humidity is much lower and the sun is more direct, less refracted. ( is refracted the right word) Without the heavy duty sun screen you are in trouble. Well using the sun screen has a side effect of keeping the bugs away. They don't seem to like it. At least in my case. That number 45 is about the lowest number that is effective against the sun. I am talking the infamously wet Cascades here. After climbing 200 plus 5K summits there and not seeing any rain or mud I am becomming more and more convinced the wet Cascades is a myth perpetrated to keep the Easterners back in the humid tropics. Neil which one of those trailled HH are you doing Tues or Thur?

06-27-2005, 11:57 AM	#6
Antlerpeak Commander Join Date: May 2005 Location: Western Washington Posts: 514	I was thinking of doing Moose Mt in Lake Placid this week. If you havn't done that one and want to let me know. Snowy is nice though, there is a small pull out parking area on rte 30 south of Indian Lake. It kind of comes up on you fast. The trail is across the road from it. nice hike though you should enjoy it.

06-27-2005, 12:03 PM	#7
Neil Enjoying Wellness Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 8,399	Would it be poss. to do Moose and Mckenzie in one go?

06-27-2005, 12:11 PM	#8
Antlerpeak Commander Join Date: May 2005 Location: Western Washington Posts: 514	Yeah Mavs says the trail from Moose to McKenzie is a good one. Here is the most up to date weather report I have. http://www.wnyt.com/forecast.xml?sb=x209&ag=x156 Sounds like an early start is mandatory though. What do you think?

06-27-2005, 12:23 PM	#9
Neil Enjoying Wellness Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 8,399	I think it's easier for me to start early from LP versus the Snowy TH. I'm game for both M&M if you're up to it. The earliest I can make it to the TH (BTW where is the TH?) is 7ish. Looking at the map there is a choice between 1: a there and back trip and 2:spotting a car and thru hiking the 2 of them. We could always bail after one peak if the heat is overwhelming. I would prefer tommorow (better weather) but have to talk to my wife first. I'll be AFK for an hour or so: going jogging! Rik, sorry to have stolen your thread! Antler, respond to this post on a new thread in the upcoming trips section.

06-27-2005, 04:17 PM	#11
Antlerpeak Commander Join Date: May 2005 Location: Western Washington Posts: 514	Didn't mean to hijack your thread Rik. It just happened.

06-27-2005, 08:55 PM	#12
Mavs00 Viceroy Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: the Dark Side of the Moon Posts: 3,476	I wonder if Charlene was able to enjoy watching YOU trying to keep up with HER for a change . jk. Sounds like you were on the verge of heat exhustion. Once upon a way-back-when........... in my old ARMY days. I remember watching a guy progress from Hot & misurable (which we all were), to heat exhustion, to heat stroke to near death in a matter of minutes (it seemed). We were on "full gear forced-march in the buring Alabama August heat (92-94 degrees)". It's kinda a blur now (I was pretty dead myself), but I do remember how fast it seemed to set in and get critical fast. Anyhow....... alls well that ends well. Glad you are alright.

06-29-2005, 02:37 PM	#18
Mavs00 Viceroy Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: the Dark Side of the Moon Posts: 3,476	Lets hope they still in the LP area and haven't had a chance to "check in".

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