Work is Difficult

It's really difficult to focus at work after a weekend like that, so here's a quick rundown.

Mike and I left 4:15am Friday morning.

We hit the Mr. V trail from the Adirondack Loj by 11:30am. Hiked something like 8 miles (about a mile and a half was bushwhacking) to the Wolf Jaw lean-to.

Spent the night with some weird-o stoners from Vermont in the lean-to.

Asleep around 9pm

Hit the trail from the lean-to by 7am Saturday morning.

Climbed up and over:

• Upper Wolf Jaw (4185 ft)
  
• Armstrong (up the ladder with the dogs) (4400 ft)
• Gothic (down the cable with the dogs) (4736 ft)
• Saddleback (4515 ft)
• Basin (down the ladder with the dogs) (4827 ft)
  
• Little Haystack (4662 ft)
  
• Haystack (4960 ft) and down to Panther Gorge (beautiful gorge behind Mt. Marcy)
  

Arrived to the campsite in Panther Gorge around 6:30pm. Mike says we did about 5,100 ft of climbing in 7 miles. I think it was more like 5 miles. The book said it would be hard and backpackers weren't recommended to try the route we did. Usually at each peak there was someone to tell us how steep and difficult the next one was and to use great caution with our packs and dogs.

The dogs kicked ass. Pictures to follow. People should shut up when they see a couple of dirty/muddy backpackers and their dirty/muddy dogs.

It rained on us going down Haystack.

In bed by 8:30pm. It rained most the night and while we were packing up camp.

Had breakfast and headed out of Panther gorge around 8:30am.

Decided hiking over Mt. Marcy (5344 ft - tallest peak in NY state) was the shortest option to get back to the car. Made the windy/cloudy summit by 11am. Made the complete 9+ mile trip back to the car by 2:30pm

Home by 11:30pm

No rest for the weary.

- b