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Marshall - 18 FEB 2013

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  • Marshall - 18 FEB 2013

    Three years ago today I was going through a very dark and difficult time in my life. I had gotten back into hiking the year before by attempting the Northville-Placid trail with my 20+ year old gear and a few borrowed items. I was bitten by the hiking bug, but it was winter, and I hated winters. After reading a little of this forum and much more of the sister forum (for planning the N-P trip), I decided to climb Phelps on my birthday. I prepared as well as I could with limited funds, and borrowed 56" rackets from a friend (yes, you read that right) and drove out from Michigan to do something different. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into, but didn't really care, either. I made it about a third of the way up the Phelps trail before I left the useless snowshoes on the side of the trail, dropping my pack about two thirds of the way up. It was a snowy day with no views, but I made it, and it changed me forever. I've climbed a peak to celebrate my birthday every year since then, and this year it was Mt. Marshall.

    JennyB and I set out from Upper Works at 6:30. We used headlamps to gear up, but stowed them once we got underway. We started out in microspikes, as the trail was bullet-proof from snowshoes, skis, and pulks. Within the first half mile we hit two short sections that had a little drifting. We decided that we'd don snowshoes if we encountered any more, but that was it. We stopped at the Calamity Brook lean-to about 8:30 to change to snowshoes to cross Flowed Lands. We were concerned with the exposure, given the forecast and howling wind at the trail head, but there was just a slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky. It was turning out to be another beautiful day.

    We made it to the Herbert Brook lean-to in no time, where we met a group who had been there all weekend skiing. They were enjoying the sun before heading out. The herd path was well broken, long sections going up the brook in the lower half. We stopped to eat about 11:00 (I prefer my beans warm, and I've found that my thermos is good for about six hours, tops), when Telemarkmike caught up with us. We chatted for a bit before he pushed on, and we finished lunch. We crossed paths again just below the last steep pitch before the summit, him coming down as we were going up.

    We made the summit by 12:15, where we lingered for nearly an hour soaking up the sun and views at the leeward lookout. The trip down went quickly, and before we knew it we were back at the Herbert Brook lean-to, where we took a little break to soak the afternoon sun. We stopped at the Calamity Brook lean-to and changed back into microspikes for the snowcrete sidewalk out. We were back at the car by 5:15. We did the 13 GPS miles in less than 11 hours, beating my typical 1 MPH overall pace.

    Having hiked the Calamity Brook trail and around Flowed Lands a few times in the fall, I much prefer this route in the winter!

    Pictures
    Last edited by CPalmatier; 02-19-2013, 06:40 PM. Reason: Added pictures link

  • #2
    Marshall - 18 FEB 2013

    Nice report. Glad you caught the "bug"; it sure is addictive isn't it? Haven't caught the winter bug yet, but going to try for Marshall this Friday.
    Hope our trip is as successful as yours!
    Moo
    HPHikingmoo

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    • #3
      Happy Birthday, Chris! I am so glad that the dark days are behind you and you enjoyed such a nice sunny day on Marshall.

      Cheers to more like that!
      Ready to join AlpineLamb's flock...

      46W +1W
      AlpineAce: 46/46
      AlpineNinja: 46/46


      http://adkwannabe.wordpress.com/about/

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      • #4
        Hey Chris - Nice to see you and JennyB out on the trail. It sure was a great day. Winter hiking is the best
        offonadventure.com

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        • #5
          The 'bug' sure is a hard thing to shake off! Congrats and happy birthday!
          #7760W

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          • #6
            Happy Birthday . Thanks for sharing your story .You look so Happy in those pics !

            I was lucky to get out to Marshall on Friday . The weather was also beautiful . There was several inches of new snow and it took me 2 hours longer than my anticipated time . We got done in 8 hours instead of 6 like I hoped. Marshall was beautiful though. Normally I wouldn't keep time but I had to hike into JBL after because I was Winter Host for the weekend .

            I stoped to have lunch at the flowed lands leanto on my way out and I didn't notice when I sat but some animal had been pooping all inside the leanto. What a mess, It melted all over the back of my snow pants and then refrozed. I'll say it again what a mess. So Hiker beware!
            Not all those who wander are lost....JRR Tolkien

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            • #7
              Was honored to share you Birthday Hike with you! I hope it's not our last. When I make the trip up from WV, and I know I will, be prepared...I'm going to call you.
              "We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." -T.S.Eliot

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              • #8
                Great TR and Happy Birthday.
                I've read about that route to Marshall several times and it sounds great!
                My son and I are doing our first winter peaks on March 2/3 and we will stop into the Smokehouse for dinner on the way home. I hope you'll be there but if not I hope you'll be hiking.
                Thanks for the inspiration!
                Stuart rose from the ditch, climbed into his car, and started up the road that led toward the north... somehow he felt that he was headed in the right direction. E.B.White, Stuart Little

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                • #9
                  Nice TR and pic's.
                  I can,t think of a better way to celebrate a birthday. I have done a few myself. Gonna hafta find you a better thermos, I am pretty sure those beans would have been great nice and hot on the summit!
                  "Climbing is about freedom. There's no prize money; there are no gold medals. The mountains are all about going there to do what you want to do. That's why I'll never tell anyone else how to climb. All I can say is, This is how I prefer to do it."
                  Ed Viesturs

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                  • #10
                    Congrats for Marshall and Happy Birthday!
                    Looking for Views!

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                    • #11
                      Way to go Chris. Hope to stop by Mr.P's in a few weeks. Mike & Ellen

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by HPHikingMoo View Post
                        Nice report. Glad you caught the "bug"; it sure is addictive isn't it? Haven't caught the winter bug yet, but going to try for Marshall this Friday.
                        Hope our trip is as successful as yours!
                        Moo
                        Thanks Moo, I hope you enjoy your trip as much as I did.

                        Originally posted by WannabeALjr View Post
                        Happy Birthday, Chris! I am so glad that the dark days are behind you and you enjoyed such a nice sunny day on Marshall.

                        Cheers to more like that!
                        Thanks Cynda, we've had blue bird days for our last three hikes. While the winters are slow up here, it sure is nice to be able to be flexible.

                        Originally posted by Telemarkmike View Post
                        Hey Chris - Nice to see you and JennyB out on the trail. It sure was a great day. Winter hiking is the best
                        Great to see you, too, Mike!

                        Originally posted by gracepoints View Post
                        The 'bug' sure is a hard thing to shake off! Congrats and happy birthday!
                        Thank you

                        Originally posted by Blackbear View Post
                        Happy Birthday . Thanks for sharing your story .You look so Happy in those pics !

                        I was lucky to get out to Marshall on Friday . The weather was also beautiful . There was several inches of new snow and it took me 2 hours longer than my anticipated time . We got done in 8 hours instead of 6 like I hoped. Marshall was beautiful though. Normally I wouldn't keep time but I had to hike into JBL after because I was Winter Host for the weekend .
                        It was a great day, thank you. I'd heard/read a few horror stories about Marshall, I'm glad it didn't live up to the bad press.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by jennyB View Post
                          Was honored to share you Birthday Hike with you! I hope it's not our last. When I make the trip up from WV, and I know I will, be prepared...I'm going to call you.
                          Me too, Jenny, thanks for helping make it special. Let me know when you're coming and we'll work something out.

                          Originally posted by Rik
                          Good to see people working on the Birthday 46 list...
                          Ha! I'd never considered that list. How many rounds could a dedicated hiker make in a lifetime? I'd be lucky to get one in at this point.

                          Originally posted by scalidonna View Post
                          Great TR and Happy Birthday.
                          I've read about that route to Marshall several times and it sounds great!
                          My son and I are doing our first winter peaks on March 2/3 and we will stop into the Smokehouse for dinner on the way home. I hope you'll be there but if not I hope you'll be hiking.
                          Thanks for the inspiration!
                          I hope you get a great day, and please do stop in. I'm never far from the store when we're open.

                          Originally posted by ADKJack View Post
                          Nice TR and pic's.
                          I can,t think of a better way to celebrate a birthday. I have done a few myself. Gonna hafta find you a better thermos, I am pretty sure those beans would have been great nice and hot on the summit!
                          Yes, they certainly would be! I might need to shop thermoses somewhere other than Walmart.

                          Originally posted by Trail Boss View Post
                          Congrats for Marshall and Happy Birthday!
                          Thanks Taras! Another successful winter hike in my Moab Ventilators.

                          Originally posted by catdacker View Post
                          Way to go Chris. Hope to stop by Mr.P's in a few weeks. Mike & Ellen
                          Thanks guys, please do.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Happy Birthday! Awesome pictures and great trip report!

                            Chris...did you hike Nippletop and Dial last year for the winter gathering? Your face looks familiar.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by tag View Post
                              Happy Birthday! Awesome pictures and great trip report!

                              Chris...did you hike Nippletop and Dial last year for the winter gathering? Your face looks familiar.
                              Yes I did. Were you with Scotsman's group?

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