Here I
am walking around/under
one of the debris
pile.
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Hiking next to some ice
along the opposite side of the trail from the
debris.
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Jeff alongside the
trail.
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Out
onto Avalanche Lake. The wind whips through here like you wouldn't
believe.
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Finally at the other side. I thought this
picture was cool with the various groups/people in the background.
Looks like some kind of exbidition.
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At a trail
junction shortly before Lake Colden, we stopped to snack. At this
junction there's a trail registry and signs point in everywhich
direction. As we're munching, a wild-eyed older
woman skis up by herself and says she's climbing Mt. Colden. The
last time Jeff and I
were
in the High Peaks, we tried
unsuccessfully climbing Mt. Colden. Not sure if it was the woman or
Jeff just felt like climbing, but next thing I
know Jeff's
signing the registry and were headed up Colden behind the woman. We
had no plans to go up anything this weekend. I was a
little
surprised. I guess seeing that the woman planned to do it solo, with
only a little daypack, snowshoes and no poles or ice ax, we figured
we
could too.
GPS coordinates: N44 07.672 W73
58.442
Elevation:
2756ft.
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We had
to make a lot of stops along the way. The first quarter of the climb
wasn't so bad. After that it was nearly straight up the whole
way.
Somewhere in the middle some French Canadian dude passed us
by himself. How did I know he was French Canadian? He was a rude
asshole like most of the French Candaian men you meet in the
Adirondacks. They don't acknowledge you in any way refusing to say a
simple english "hello" or "thankyou." If you come across a
couple, it's always the woman that talks or makes the
acknowledgement. The
men just put their heads down and plow by
you. In the summer that's fine, but in the winter I think everyone
should be aware and
acknowledge each other. You never know when
you might need their help or assistance in these harsh
conditions.
Sorry for the rant. Notice the cool picture? I
took it on one of our breaks. Jeff's not quite in the shape that I'm
in, so we stopped a lot. Fine by
me. Not
like I had a dinner date at the top or anything.
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This was shortly
before the top or the top we got to. For the most part it was a
cloudy day, but everyonce in a while, the clouds would clear
and
give us a view. The lake on the right is Lake Colden. The one on the
left is Flowed Lands.
Shortly after this spot we ran into the
Canadian dude coming back down. He was all frantic and wild eyed
through his ice covered goggles.
He said the top was gnarly.
Asked us if we had crampons. Said we would fall up top on the ice
and should turn around. I said thanks for the
info, but we'll go
as far as the snow and then turn around. He seemed a little
frustrated with my response. As I asked if he saw a woman
up
there, I saw her coming over a rise behind him. We shooed him
away and spoke with her. She was nuts. Said she got within fifty
feet of the
top, but decided it was too hairy being by herself.
Her hood was pulled tight around her face. Her hair was covered in
ice.
So we had a Canadian dude with decent gear (goggles,
technical snowshoes like ours, ice ax and poles) tell us no way turn
around, and a
wild eyed old woman tell us she almost made it
with no goggles, poles, ice ax or snowshoes like ours. Hmmm what to
do. In our repacks at
the car after the pulk disaster, we both
left our crampons behind. I had also left my goggles.
We
headed on.
Treeline. When you get above treeline in winter,
you better be ready. Every second above tree line, nature assualts
you. Everything is
covered in ice. The wind is relentless.
Constantly pushing and howling at you. You can't hear. You can
hardly think. Every step is a
desperate move for traction. Any
false step can send you on your ass and sliding or falling to
who knows where. The wind robs you of heat,
clarity and
assurance. Your body goes into flight mode. You hunker down for
protection and start fighting yourself to continue up.
I had
been plenty warm going above treeline (as long as I was moving), so
I didn't stop for more clothes. I wished I had goggles, but pulled
my hood tight, like the old woman, and tried to make do. Jeff
was cold. He didn't have enough clothes and didn't like the way
things were
going. He motioned to go back down. I looked at him
and judged by his expression there was no way he was going any
further up. Ok.
Wherever we go, we go together and back
down it was. We thought about a picture or GPS reading, but it was
too gnarly. Couldn't take my
gloves off to use either and
couldn't stop without losing too much heat.
When we got back
to this point I did get a GPS reading.
GPS Coordinates: N44
07.429 W73 57.775
Elevation: 4384ft
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It took nearly two hours to hike up to the
top. It took forty-five minutes to get back down. It was 4 o'clock,
so we decided to have lunch along
side Lake Colden before heading
back.
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It was getting late
and the snow was getting heavier when we got back to Avalanche
Lake.
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