Tweet
Disclaimer
Pictures
Update: NAME OF THIS SLIDE IS "THE CRUCIFLYER."
8:15 a.m. found Nangaparbat, Greg Karl and friend/neighbor Matt at the South Meadows trailhead. We had the trail to ourselves for the duration. An eclectic mix of conversations (Frank Zappa, origins of the universe, riots in Canada, Asimov and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) likely kept even the wildlife far away. It also erased any memory of the trail. Before I knew it, whether by my own energy or an unexplained wormhole, we suddenly arrived at Marcy Dam.
Another bump in time and feverish 1 minute bushwhack later, we were sitting at the base of the western gully slide in Avalanche Pass. Ill let the following picture tell the story, but it was a great climb with much diversity. Various route choices, some easy and some more challenging kept the ascent interesting. Dramatic chock stones, fractures and open slab was nearly always nearby. The most challenging portion came at about 3300 around a protrusion from the north side. Some of us scaled it with finger/toe holds while Greg scaled it with the use of some webbing and a hip belay. It wasnt necessary, but made the pitch more comfortable for him.
The long slab climb at the top was the most exposed area the climb but the rough face and fractures made it comfortable underfoot. The headwall can be seen from the first pitches and is the obvious exit. I thought there was perhaps a bit more slab to the left and slightly higher in the drainage. Curiosity got the better of me and I traversed around a rounded ledge and climbed an 8 foot crack of mixed stone, sand and mud. NP and Matt followed as I took my initial steps on to the slab. A few steps up the steep face, I found myself committed to a treacherous climb up dirty slab. I couldnt back down without losing traction and slipping over the wall. I couldnt smear well to ascend so my fingertips and palms bore the majority of my weightI still bear a few small cuts to prove it. After warning NP and Matt back to the other exit, I spent another 10 minutes climbing/traversing the 30 segment inch by inch. There was slab of lesser pitch mere feet to my left 2/3 of the way up, but all I could do was hold myself in place. I finally felt my shoe catch a miniature hold in the face and worked over to the safe zone and into the cripplebrush. I only described this section to warn against climbing it until Mother Nature cleans the sand, mud and 1/8 crumbs of sharp anorthosite from its surface.
A quick climb up a small ledge and through the woods led to the top of the ridge and some much needed lunch. Once atop the ridge to Coldens false summit, the bushwhack went smoothly. We had moderately open terrain for about 10 minutes of hiking and more stunted growth once I climbed a small wall to gain elevation rather than side-slope on the eastern side. It gave me a nice view of the second slide we were planning to descend. NP, Greg and Matt continued below to the eastI heard them tromping about some distance away. We called on regular intervals to maintain voice contact.
Twenty five minutes after our lunch, I sat on the false summit looking at the Irene slide into the trap dike on Coldens true summit. A short while later, I heard the others nearing the edge of the cripplebrush. Wed started around 8:15 a.m. and were now about 4 hours into the trek. 15 minutes was spent sitting and chatting before descending along the path to our next ill-fated mission.
A Nice Bushwhack
Id prepared for an on-contour bushwhack to the headwall from the eastern side of the ridge without bothering to assess which drainage the slide on the northern face of Coldens NNE ridge fell along. Greg suggested we follow the ridge to the false summit and had a map along to aid the quest thereafter. We dropped off the trail to Lake Arnold along a strong drainage after a prominent bump in the trail at around 4200 (correct me if Im wrong here, Greg). All seemed fine until we passed the height where the headwall should have begun. I didnt consider that we might be too far east until it was too late.
After continuing to descend we fanned out, me to the east, Greg to the west and Matt/NP near the center; each a couple hundred feet apart. 45 minutes later and several hundred feet lower we re-integrated our group and trekked east. I climbed a steep ridge and beheld our target; several hundred feet higher and far to the westoops. Thankfully, the forest had not been difficult to bushwhack. The trees were never very dense and blowdown was minimal. I dont think any of us felt crushed by the failure since the slide was really only as a curiosity and convenient off-trail route of descent.
Its drainage was perhaps 20 across and loaded with uprooted trees and mud where we intersected its path (about 3600). The water coursed down the center in small pools and nice cascades. Quite warm from exertion and the heat, I stepped into a deep pool of refreshing water immediately. The descent was actually very enjoyable on the various small runs of slab, intermittent gorges and more than one cascade. About an hour later we diverged from the drainage and intersected the trail once again. 5:15 p.m. found us back at the cars with an end to another exciting ADK day.
Pictures
Update: NAME OF THIS SLIDE IS "THE CRUCIFLYER."
8:15 a.m. found Nangaparbat, Greg Karl and friend/neighbor Matt at the South Meadows trailhead. We had the trail to ourselves for the duration. An eclectic mix of conversations (Frank Zappa, origins of the universe, riots in Canada, Asimov and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) likely kept even the wildlife far away. It also erased any memory of the trail. Before I knew it, whether by my own energy or an unexplained wormhole, we suddenly arrived at Marcy Dam.
Another bump in time and feverish 1 minute bushwhack later, we were sitting at the base of the western gully slide in Avalanche Pass. Ill let the following picture tell the story, but it was a great climb with much diversity. Various route choices, some easy and some more challenging kept the ascent interesting. Dramatic chock stones, fractures and open slab was nearly always nearby. The most challenging portion came at about 3300 around a protrusion from the north side. Some of us scaled it with finger/toe holds while Greg scaled it with the use of some webbing and a hip belay. It wasnt necessary, but made the pitch more comfortable for him.
The long slab climb at the top was the most exposed area the climb but the rough face and fractures made it comfortable underfoot. The headwall can be seen from the first pitches and is the obvious exit. I thought there was perhaps a bit more slab to the left and slightly higher in the drainage. Curiosity got the better of me and I traversed around a rounded ledge and climbed an 8 foot crack of mixed stone, sand and mud. NP and Matt followed as I took my initial steps on to the slab. A few steps up the steep face, I found myself committed to a treacherous climb up dirty slab. I couldnt back down without losing traction and slipping over the wall. I couldnt smear well to ascend so my fingertips and palms bore the majority of my weightI still bear a few small cuts to prove it. After warning NP and Matt back to the other exit, I spent another 10 minutes climbing/traversing the 30 segment inch by inch. There was slab of lesser pitch mere feet to my left 2/3 of the way up, but all I could do was hold myself in place. I finally felt my shoe catch a miniature hold in the face and worked over to the safe zone and into the cripplebrush. I only described this section to warn against climbing it until Mother Nature cleans the sand, mud and 1/8 crumbs of sharp anorthosite from its surface.
A quick climb up a small ledge and through the woods led to the top of the ridge and some much needed lunch. Once atop the ridge to Coldens false summit, the bushwhack went smoothly. We had moderately open terrain for about 10 minutes of hiking and more stunted growth once I climbed a small wall to gain elevation rather than side-slope on the eastern side. It gave me a nice view of the second slide we were planning to descend. NP, Greg and Matt continued below to the eastI heard them tromping about some distance away. We called on regular intervals to maintain voice contact.
Twenty five minutes after our lunch, I sat on the false summit looking at the Irene slide into the trap dike on Coldens true summit. A short while later, I heard the others nearing the edge of the cripplebrush. Wed started around 8:15 a.m. and were now about 4 hours into the trek. 15 minutes was spent sitting and chatting before descending along the path to our next ill-fated mission.
A Nice Bushwhack
Id prepared for an on-contour bushwhack to the headwall from the eastern side of the ridge without bothering to assess which drainage the slide on the northern face of Coldens NNE ridge fell along. Greg suggested we follow the ridge to the false summit and had a map along to aid the quest thereafter. We dropped off the trail to Lake Arnold along a strong drainage after a prominent bump in the trail at around 4200 (correct me if Im wrong here, Greg). All seemed fine until we passed the height where the headwall should have begun. I didnt consider that we might be too far east until it was too late.
After continuing to descend we fanned out, me to the east, Greg to the west and Matt/NP near the center; each a couple hundred feet apart. 45 minutes later and several hundred feet lower we re-integrated our group and trekked east. I climbed a steep ridge and beheld our target; several hundred feet higher and far to the westoops. Thankfully, the forest had not been difficult to bushwhack. The trees were never very dense and blowdown was minimal. I dont think any of us felt crushed by the failure since the slide was really only as a curiosity and convenient off-trail route of descent.
Its drainage was perhaps 20 across and loaded with uprooted trees and mud where we intersected its path (about 3600). The water coursed down the center in small pools and nice cascades. Quite warm from exertion and the heat, I stepped into a deep pool of refreshing water immediately. The descent was actually very enjoyable on the various small runs of slab, intermittent gorges and more than one cascade. About an hour later we diverged from the drainage and intersected the trail once again. 5:15 p.m. found us back at the cars with an end to another exciting ADK day.
Comment