My alarm woke me up at 5:15am, let's get one thing straight, if you want to be a 46er you learn that sleeping in isn't an option. Daylight is a precious commodity in the finicky weather of Keen Valley, myself and three other friends were on 87 North by 6am. We got to the trail head on Lake Rd. at around 8:30 am and started our 13.5 mile trek. It was around 32 degrees outside and we all had our snow gear on, it took my body a few miles to acclimate to the icy breeze but it wasn't long until I was sweating from the swift pace we were marching at.
The hike started in autumn, leaves were all around and dirt and mossy earth beneath my hiking boots, but as we ascended a few thousand feet it changed to winter and we had to stop and put our cramp-ons on to make it up the iced over creek we were now following. It took me a few steps before my newly spiky feet were accustomed to the frozen water beneath me. We couldn't have made it up with out them, we passed a group of twenty-something men who didn't have cramp-ons and were having a hard time getting up a frozen over mini-waterfall along the pathway to the summit of Armstrong. I felt bad for them, they weren't prepared at all.
I walked by them wishing them the best and telling them the gear they lacked was crucial to their safety. We crossed a few wooden bridges and climbed up multiple ladders that were facetted by the ADK trail crew after the hurricane had churned up most of the trails. It was a gorgeous day and each opening of the trees revealed a jaw-dropping few of the Great Range. Visibility hadn't been this good in a while, there wasn't a cloud in sight and it motivated me to keep going up to reach the view of the summit.
Once at the top, the view was out of this world, pictures can't put into words because you have to experience it for yourself. I glanced over at the trees next to the summit's peak and the exposed side was snow covered and icy while the other remained untouched due to the high winds blowing in one constant direction. As we relished in our accomplishment we had only stopped moving for five minutes when the frosty chill of the air made me realized we had to keep moving, keep our bodies warm, otherwise we could be in some serious danger up here.
We traversed over to the neighboring high-peak: Gothics where we enjoyed a lunch of cold soup and trail mix paired with a semi-frozen nalgene of water. The sun was bright and shining down over the curves and craters of the mountains, we were conquerers of the useless.
Steph, Brian and myself on the ridge line towards Gothics peak
This past summer I had the opportunity to live in Lake Placid New York. I have been working for Eastern Mountain Sports for the past 3 years and they are very good to me. I was offered and opportunity to do an exchange program with our Lake Placid store nestled in the middle of the Adirondack Park. For those of you that don't know, the Adirondack Park is the largest Park in the United States, larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite.
Four months I had this beautiful landscape in my backyard to rock climb, white water kayak, paddle board, swim, and mountain bike. Thrusting yourself into wilderness is a therapeutic journey and made me realize many things about myself and relish in everything nature had to offer.
