Owl's Head Mountain

Trip Report:  Our 10-Year Anniversary on Owl's Head Mtn.

SUMMARY:

HOLY CROW!!   Teena and Mike have been married for 10 years!  WOW!!!  So, what should we do?  What do other people do?  Cruise?  Nah.  A night at the opera?  Not likely.  Dinner?   Hmmm...   That's an idea.   I know....   How about a nice hike up an easy trail in 90-degree heat to a tiny but oh so cool mountain summit we've passed a million times on the road?  Perfect!  That's exactly what we did.  ...And of course, we went out to dinner too!

DETAILS:

It was *ANOTHER* HOT HOT HOT melt the lead off your pencils kind of day. Even on the summit, the heat was oppressive. But, it was cooler on the summit and the hiking path than it was anywhere else, and it felt pretty darned good to be back on a peak for the second time this week.

This is the 2nd time this week that we're taking the kids out (click  here for that trip report), and what a great idea it turned out to be.  Through all the heat, the tree-covered trail was relatively cool, and the mountain breeze made it feel even cooler.  ...Or at least as cool at 91 degrees can feel when hiking up a mountain!

The hike up the mountain was a quick 30-minute jaunt, passing several scenic overlooks.  The summit sits atop a south-facing cliff of about 30' to 40'.  The summit itself is partially treed, with GREAT views to the south and east.  The summit was also...  ...VERY HOT!  The breeze had died down, and the summit was baking under the hot mid-day sun.  We stuck around for 20-to-30 minutes taking pictures and exploring, before we decided to leave.  The hike down was just as quick as the ascent.

When we finished our hike, we drove out to the High Peaks Information Center where Liz and Nick received their pins and patches for climbing Owl's Head.  We hung around for awhile, ate some lunch, hiked around the Adirondack Loj, and then headed back to Lake Placid.  At that point, we finally got out to that nice dinner at the Steak and Seafood restaurant.  We both agreed...  What a great way to spend our anniversary!


Click here for a link to more information on Owl's Head Mountain.

STATS SUMMARY:

Date of Summit: 07/08/2010

Team:  Mike, Teena, Liz, Nick

Location:  Adirondack High Peaks (44.250179,-73.822117)

Summit Elevation:  2,120'

Vertical Ascent:  ~460'

Approach: Owl's Head Road, off Rt 73, about 2-3 miles east of Lower Cascade Lake

Trailhead to Summit: ~0.6 miles

Time to summit:  ~30 minutes

Weather:  Sunny, and HOT enough to melt rock!!!  91 degrees!!!  The heat index was over 100 degrees!!!

Trail Difficulty:  Easy and FUN! A perfect starter hike for young kids.

Pictures:  (24 pictures)  Click on picture to see a larger version.

Liz demonstrates her gymnastic talents at the trail head.

Does Nick look just a little bored?  The trail was pretty easy. Most of it was dirt path with sections of boulders and loose stone.

See all that shade?  It felt pretty good out there!

Lizzard & Turbo pose with Cascade Mountain in the background (left). We'll probably come back in the autumn to take them up Cascade or Algonquin.

This is definitely a "family-friendly" trail with many forested sections.

At the summit.  Pitchoff Mountain is in the background.  ...And that rock is REALLY HOT!!!

Lizzard & Turbo on the summit of Owls Head Mountain. Cascade Mountain is in the background.  Hey...  Are those clouds coming our way????

It was a gorgeous day.  Porter and Cascade Mountains are in the background. 

Hopefully, there will be many more pictures like this one over the next five years than there were over the past five years!

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY!!!

Mike is caught looking at Cascade...   "I think the kids are ready to climb it!"

Turbo attempts to find shade, only to realize that 90 degrees in the shade is only slightly better than 90 degrees in the sun.

Taking a break.... Or was that... BAKING on a rock!!! (Did I mention that it was HOT!!?)

I think this is my favorite picture.

"What do you mean it's time to go?"

Our favorite stretch of highway in the world runs between Cascade and Pitchoff mountains.

The vegetation at the summit looks a little like still art.  All the trees and bushes are funky and small.

Time to go.  It was another day of scorching heat and sunshine, so we couldn't stay long. :-(

After the hike, we drove to the High Peaks Information Center at the Adirondak Loj to get Owls Head pins. Since it was after 2pm, we figured it was a good time to get some lunch too.

Um...   Do you think Lizzard was hungry?

Turbo's looking a little gassed. 90 degree hikes will do that.

Yep... Both tykes were wiped out by the heat. Time to go back to the air-conditioned hotel room, and swim in the pool.

When we got back to our hotel room, our furry little friends were waiting there for us.  Oh...  And it was only 70 degrees in the room.   "YESSSSS!"

"Where are we going for dinner?"

Mt. Jo

Trip Report:  Mt. Jo - The First ADK Hike for the Tykes!

SUMMARY:
After a 6-YEAR hiatus from hiking in the High Peaks for Mike (see here for Mike's last hike) and 10 years since Teena last hiked (see here), we finally got our tails out to the Adirondacks to bang out the rust and prepare for larger hikes in the fall.  Unlike a decade ago when we hiked the hills with reckless abandon, we "re-enter" the High Peaks with the intent of introducing our tykes - Liz (8) and Nick (7) - to them.

DETAILS:

We picked a heckuva week to go hiking.  The temperature in Lake Placid was 91 degrees, and the forecast says it's only getting hotter!  We had an "Adirondack" vacation this year, spending time in Old Forge (to visit the Enchanted Forest and Water Safari), and then in Lake Placid to introduce the kids to High Peaks hiking.  We've camped in the Adirondacks every summer for the past five years, specifically in the Old Forge/Inlet area.  Last year, the Adirondack 4th of July weather was 55 degrees and raining.  We swore at that time that we were going to "hotel camp" in 2010.  With the temps in the 90's all week this week, *THAT* turned out to be a GREAT idea as we very much enjoyed sleeping in air-conditioned rooms instead of swealtering tents!

We decided to "keep it easy" this week by tackling Mt. Jo today, and maybe another small peak or two later this week.  We drove out to the Adirondack Loj around 11:00am. Once in the parking lot, we went through our checklist...

• Water?  Check.  
• First Aid kit?  Check.
• More water?  Check.
• Hats?  Check
• Sunscreen?  Check.
• Bug Spray?  Check.
• Water?  Check.

As is probably typical of parents who take their kids hiking in the High Peaks for the first time, we spent too much time worrying about how well the kids will scamper up the hill. In the end, it was MOM AND DAD who had trouble keeping up with the kids!  It took us us about an hour to ascend the peak (Teena & I did it in 30 minutes a decade ago).  Once there, the kids were surprised by the spectacular views.  But with the sun beating down, the summit was very hot - and we learned how quickly heat saps energy from kids!  So after a brief 30 minutes on the summit, we headed back down.

On the way back to the Loj, we stopped at the Heart Lake Nature Museum.  There the kids checked out the exhibits, used microscopes, and listened to bird and frog audio recordings.  They also held on to bones and teeth of various animals and checked out the butterfly garden.  The naturalist on duty also showed them how the mountains and boulders were formed.  From there, we went to the High Peaks Information Center where Liz and Nick chowed down on ice cream, and celebrated their first hike with a Mt. Jo pin.It was a good end to a good hike.

What will we remember?  The views...   The hike...   But more importantly, that this was the kids' first mountain hike, and they LOVED it!!!

STATS SUMMARY: 
Date of Summit: 07/06/2010
Team:  Mike, Teena, Liz, Nick
Location:  Adirondack High Peaks (44°11′23″N 73°58′05″W)
Summit Elevation:  2,876'
Vertical Ascent:  ~700'
Approach:  ADK Loj short trail
Trailhead to Summit: ~1.2 miles
Time to summit:  ~60 minutes
Weather:  Sunny, HOT!!!  91 degrees!!!  The heat index was over 100 degrees!!!
Trail Difficulty:  Moderate - short, but somewhat steep

Pictures:  (25 pictures)  Click on picture to see a larger version.

Liz & Nick arrive at the ADK High Peaks Information Center.

Liz points the way to Mt. Jo.

Er...   Never saw this before...  Even wilderness hiking seems to be getting more...  Civilized.

"YESSSS!" Lizzard says as Teena signs us in at the trail head.

Hmmm...   Notice the "little" boulders.  These are prevalent on most ADK hikes.

Liz & Nick enjoyed the bouldering aspect of the hike.

Turbo showing off his bouldering skills.

Mike, Liz, and Nick pose during a quick rest.

"What?  MORE boulders?"

The trail is getting steeper...

...And of course, there are boulders.

We arrived at our first open view of the mountains.  Liz had that exact same expression when she saw the mountains from there...

"I'm smiling now, but I'm going to kill you later for taking my picture!"

Turbo points out the local wild life.

"The ground is one big rock!"

Liz and Nick prepare for the leg of the ascent!

Mike, Teena, Liz, and Nick at the summit.  Colden is the mountain with the rock slides.  Whale's Tail is the short mountain on the left.  Wright (4,580') and Algonquin (5,114') are the big ones on the right.  Algonquin is the 2nd tallest mountain in NY.  Mt Marcy (the tallest mountain) is just left of this picture.

Liz and Nick bask in the 91 degree heat and beating sun.  Mt. Marcy (5,344') is the cone-shaped mountain in the distance, just right of center.

Time to go...   It is REALLY HOT atop that mountain!  It's much cooler in the trees.

"MORE boulders???"  Yep...  Had to hit them all over again on the way down.

Mike shows Liz how the trail register works.

Not to be outdone, Nick takes his turn learning about the trail register.  "Can I draw a picture?"  Um...  Sure...

The ADK Heart Lake Nature Museum is on the trail between the ADK Loj and the Mt. Jo trailhead.
Liz looks at an inchworm in the microscope.  She also looked at a leaf, and several other things.

When Nick took over, he looked at an inchworm and asked "Do you have anything cool to look at?"  The ADK naturalist didn't miss a beat, replying "We have some teeth and small bones" and pointing at a bin of "touchable" bones, rocks, etc.  "AWESOME!" was the most commonly heard word for the next twenty minutes!

Liz and Nick pose in front of the High Peaks on the Adirondack Loj road.  The Loj road is basically a 5-mile driveway to get to the ADK Loj and a few houses along the way.  The field at the start of the road has this AMAZING view of the high peaks that you see here.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

Gothics, Armstrong, Upper Wolf Jaws

Trip Report:  A Beautiful Lower Range Trial Hike!

Dates:            September 18, 2004

Location:       Adirondack High Peaks

Team:           Mike, Joe, Alan, & Sharon

Destination:  Gothics, Armstrong, & Upper Wolf Jaw Summits via Lower Range Trail

Approach:     Ausable Club

Author:          Mike

Route In A Nutshell:  
1.  From JBL, moderate hiking most of the way, then steep hiking with a few short, very steep sections from JBL to the Gothics-Saddleback col via the Ore Bed Brook Trail. 
2.  Steep and very steep hiking from the col to the summit of Gothics over primarily smooth rock face.  The trail up the face occasionally passes through small islands of conifers which provide good shelter in case of wind.  A very strong, flexible cable is provided over most of the ascent by DEC to assist those wanting added security during the climb. 
3.  Easy traverse from Gothics' false summit to its true summit.  Easy-to-moderate hiking from Gothics to Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaws.
4.  The descent from Upper Wolf Jaws to the pass between Upper and Lower Wolf Jaws is steep and involves negotiating a number of 5-10 foot ledges.  However, it is entirely in wooded terrain with lots of handholds.
5.  Ascent of Lower Wolf  Jaws is quite steep in a number places.  Fatigue will be a problem for the occasional hiker this late in the hike.  Care is warranted.  LWJ's summit is reached 0.5 miles from the pass and 660 vertical feet above it.
6.  Moderate descent to Johns Brook Lodge via the Wolf Jaw Brook Trail from the Wolf Jaws' pass. 

Details:

Gothics, Armstrong, Upper Wolf Jaws, and Lower Wolf Jaws.   Together, these 4 peaks are generally referred to as Lower Range.   Together with the Upper Range Trail (Basin & Saddleback), they constitute The Great Range.  To do the entire Great Range in a day is more difficult than most hikers can manage, not to mention a waste, since if you manage to do them all in a day, you will be too tired and rushed to really enjoy the splendid views. 

More detail to come...


 
What will we remember from this trip?  The glorious views!  The quick pace once we ascended Gothics! 

Pictures:

Algonquin

Algonquin
Adirondacks
"An Adventure"
a.k.a. "Hot Tubs"
September 27, 2003

It started innocently enough.  It was time for the fall hike. The usual email was sent to the usual list of suspects. A couple of emails and quick conversations later, a day was selected. The emails went out to the fringe groups (anyone not a usual suspect).
And that’s when it got interesting. 
 
Planning
In short order, the group was 4 committed and no less than 6 semi-committed.  Not bad considering they haven’t had a group larger than 3 since April, 1999.  And that group only managed to summit Mt. Jo after failing on Macomb (too much time spent arguing on the trail about whether or not to wear snowshoes or slide across the snow on stomachs [see the trip report here]). 
 
It’s not clear where the planning activities got out of hand. Trying to analyze all the email messages, timelines and threads would be a challenge for the CIA.  At the beginning, this much was clear:

• Alan wanted a GQ hike. GQ is a term Alan coined and is short for "Gentleman’s Quarterly" which we are told is some sort of magazine for “gentlemen.” (No one in this group, save maybe Alan, have seen this purported magazine.)  A GQ hike consists of staying in a motel, a challenging hike that ends before 4:00 PM, showers, nice dinner, and a micro brew to end the evening.
• Sherry just wanted out. Challenging hike. Dinner. Sleep.
• Mike wanted to hike almost anything, preferably something new. He hadn’t been out in 2 years.
• Joe was as confused as ever.

Then the semi-committed started to state their desires and goals. Which, when looking back on some of them, is interesting since none had really climbed a mountain before. A sampling:

• “Can we do all 46 in one day?”
• “One where the weather is nice.”
• “Are they all uphill?”
• “Marcy, Haystack, Grey and, if there’s time, Algonquin.”
• "There are bathrooms on the trails, right?"
• “One that has a hot tub!”

Based on the requests, the demand for GQ, and taking into consideration the number of first-timers with unknown abilities, Joe proposes a plan of attack:

• Shoot for Algonquin – nice 1st peak and doable for most.
• Those wanting more and a new peak can go on to Iroquois.
• Those wanting even more can hike out through Avalanche Pass or hit Wright on the return.
• Backup, if conditions are right: Gothics, which, by the way, is a really neat climb, Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaw.

This is where planning went to the dogs.
There must have been a hundred different counter-proposals. Most of which involved a hot tub. After several weeks of wrangling and well over a hundred emails, Joe suggested that Alan splurge and spend $5.95 for a map of the Adirondacks if he were going to continue to make suggestions to the itinerary. Trying to keep things in control, Mike convened a conference call with the primary trip planners, Alan, Joe and himself. The result: Go with Joe’s original proposal. Had you been in Joe’s office at the time you would have seen steam coming out of his ears.
Somewhere in here the group settled in on Doc Sherry, Alan, Mike and Joe with first-timers Liz, Jackie and Derrick.  Most opted to stay at the Golden Arrow with their indoor hot tub.  Joe & Sherry went cheap.

The Night Before
Joe had the opportunity to meet up with Mike, Teena and kids for dinner.  Also along were Mike's friend, Scott, his wife Cat and baby Reese.   Scott was unable to join the crew on the hike as planned but was enjoying the town.
What a flashback for Joe watching new parents handling kids in a restaurant.  He just sat at the end of the table (soaked from the glass of water Reese had spilled 30 seconds after sitting down), smiled and offered tidbits of guidance.  Like:
J: "Hey, Mike.  Have you heard that crayons make great tools for shoveling ketchup into your mouth?"
M: "What?! No, I hadn't."
J: "Elizabeth has."
M: "Huh?" (turning to see Elizabeth with ketchup laden crayon going in mouth): "Aahhh!!"
Later the rest of the group managed to arrive in Placid and, through the miracle of cell phones, finalize plans. Most of which involved a hot tub.
A few even managed to get to the micro brew for some preliminary introductions.

The Hike
Everyone managed to get out of bed Saturday morning and meet, unexpectantly, at the mini mart for coffee. Caffeine seems to have become a necessary pre-hike staple for the older members of the group.
The forecast could have been better but at least the temperature was decent. The group left the Loj after being instructed in hiking’s prime directive: “Don’t feed Mikey.”
First-timer excitement probably explains why the group was in a good mood even as conditions deteriorated the higher they climbed. While the temperature was in the upper 50’s, the winds were picking up and the odds of getting a break in the clouds looked slim.
About half way the group stopped at the waterfall for a snack and water refills. The first-timers were introduced the finer points of hiking. Specifically, snacks of the experienced. Nothing healthy about most of it. Outside of the occasional piece of fruit or Power Bar there were enough Combos for a small army (thanks to Alan) and peanut butter M&M’s. Another rule of hiking, “You don’t diet on the trail.” Jackie, probably the most health-conscience among them, was looking at this bunch rather skeptically.  Had she joined the right crowd for a first hike?
When they reached tree line the wind was formidable. The summit gusts were probably in the 60 mph range making standing up a little difficult for the lighter members of the group.
On the summit it didn’t take long for before plans of going on to Iroquois were summarily tossed. Quickly pictures were snapped all around. Not that there was much to see. Records of the ascent complete, everyone headed back to the Loj. They didn’t even stay for the traditional lunch on the summit.
Getting below tree line the group spread out on the trail. Lunch was consumed. Everyone was happy again. Except Mike and Derrick. Not satisfied with one peak, they decided to head for Wright where it was rumored that the winds were even stronger. Everyone else just smiled and wished them well. Someone had said something about a hot tub.
Breaking up at the junction to Wright the smarter half of the group headed down and tried to enjoy a couple of breaks in the clouds. There was just enough clearing to see the valley and Placid. Mike and Derrick began to sprint (yes, sprint) up the path to Wright.
Taking their time and enjoying the day, the smarter half of the group was later accosted several miles down the trail by Mike and a somewhat frazzled-looking Derrick as they trotted down the mountain. Except for Derrick’s condition, this was expected. Those that know Mike knew that he was going to go all out to see to it that the group did not leave him behind at the Loj. And he knew there were hot tub discussions.
Derrick’s condition was brought on by Mike’s swift pursuit of the group. He wasn’t out of breath. His expression was more like he had just missed getting run over by a truck. Seems Mike was pushing the safety envelope to catch the group. Again, nothing new.
To make matters worse, the wind was so strong on Wright that Derrick had to sit down and hang on to the rocks while Mike tried to advance to the summit on all fours between gusts.  Neither made it.
The day ended with three new "1er's".  Looking back, with the weather and winds what they were, Liz, Jackie and Derrick had “an adventure” that left them with a tale to tell much better than had the weather cooperated. Had it been nice this would have been just a walk in the woods. From the post-hike emails it seems they want another challenge. Joe is thinking he should get a guide's license and charge if they think he's going to take them up the complete 46.  Although it would be worth doing for free if it means getting city-boy Alan to go backpacking.  Talk about an adventure!
Oh, yeah.  There was a hot tub at the end.  Except for Joe and Sherry.  They just flooded their cheap motel room with hot water and made bubbles the old fashioned way.

Pictures:

Prepared for the worst the Adirondacks can throw at them.  Almost.

Alan

"Dude!  Don't forget we need time for a hot tub break at the end."

Jackie & Doc Sherry

"Are you really a doctor?  I mean, look at what you guys are eating. You want some grapes?"

Mike

"How did I pull water duty?"

 Sherry 

"These Combos taste so good out here."

Alan

"Doc Sherry! Help! I think I got a Combo stuck in my throat."

  Mike & Derrick

Mike: "Hey, Derrick! Look!  I'm soaked and it's not even raining.  This is how you start your journey to hypothermia."

Derrick: "Uh, can't you die out here from that?"

Mike: "Huh?  Oh, its OK.  We got Doc Sherry along."

Sherry:  "Sorry, Mike, you're gonna die."

Mike:  "&*%$ !! Anyone seen my dry shirt?"

 Liz

"Are these guys for real?"

 Going UP!  UP!  UP!

On the Summit

Editor's note: Joe's camera lens had fogged up on the summit and he got no decent summit photos.  Others did get shots, though.  Mike has collected them and agreed to burn CD's for all.  Joe is planning to put some here.  But Mike is withholding the collected photos for ransom.  (Actually, he's had a rough time since the climb and has not been able to get the CD's burned.)  Anyway, check back later to see the summit mayhem.

 On the Summit

Look at the wind!

On the Summit

"Who's idea of fashion is that?"

On the Summit"Oh my god!  I've never seen one that big!  And you said you're going to put it where?"

On the Summit"Alan!  Take your hands off those!!"

On the Summit"Medic!"

 

The Waterfall!

End of day

No worse for the wear they look almost as good as when they started.

"To the hot tub!!"

Liz, Alan, & Jackie

"How do we tell this guy to keep his hands off us?"

Liz & Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, I have one word of advice for you.  Handbags.  Think lots and lots of designer handbags."

Teena & Elizabeth.

"Next trip, Mike gets to watch Elizabeth and Nicholas while I pack a couple of Empire apples and climb them thar hills!"

Note: to understand the Empire apples reference go here.