Phelps Mnt, ADK - 11/12

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Date(s) Hiked:
11/12/05

Trails(s) Hiked:
From ADK loj to Phelps Trail

Total Distance:
~12

Difficulty:
Not too bad, but could have been easier with just a daypack.

Conditions:
Started out VERY cold, turned into gorgeous sunny day, lots of melting snow

Special Required Equipment:
Crampons if anything.

Trip Report:
Getting there
I woke up Friday morning with an extremely dry and sore throat. D'oh!!

My sinuses were plugged up and I knew I was in for days or a week worth of sickness... After much flip-flopping on the issue (hey, I AM a Democrat) during the work day I decided that the mountain air would be the best cure for what ailed me.

I got home, gathered my things and set out at 7pm...
Drive drive drive... the night is clear and on the way there I already spot a shooting star in the sky - a good omen

Arrive at the ADK Loj around 1am sliding around on the parking lot, which had turned into a frozen playground (my e-brake was calling to me... I told it to quiet down).
I went to bed around 1:30am and hoped that my standby 45 degree car bag would suffice for the night.

It begins
Wake up to my cellphone alarm and begin my waking up ritual... snooze, think, shiver, snooze, bathroom urge - ok, fine, I'll get up.
I pack with the intention of making up my mind later on whether I'd be spending the night or not - I wanted snow!


Chilly!!

Started off at 7am, around the same time that about 3 others were leaving the lot. It was extremely cold that morning, my car was an icicle and so were my toes.
Headed out on the trail to Marcy Dam. The trail was thin very packed snow. I was trying out my new winter boots and had been hoping for more snow and possibly snowshoeing opps at higher elevations... none of that now, as I plodded along the trail avoiding all the obstacles that the ADKs have to offer (trees, rocks, boulders, roots, ice, and mud!!).

Marcy Dam
In about an hour I arrive at Marcy Dam. A good speed (I thought) considering my pack size and many stops trying to mess with the boots. The lake was frozen and there were some campers filtering water from the side for their hosers. I look out to the Colden slides and see only a light covering of snow...hmmm

Now I knew that my snowshoes would be kept in the pack for the rest of the day.

Without much more dilly dally I went on to the Phelps trail.

Phelps Trail
The Phelps trail is very scenic as it winds up gradually into the mountains. The veritable ADK trail mixture was still pounding at my legs as high steps were commonplace.

30 minutes into the trail and the front of my left ankle starts to really bother me. Apparently the boots were doing a job on that area and the jabbing pain could not be soothed by any shuffling, reshuffling, or retying effort.

I suck it up and arrive at the side trail up to Phelps. There is some snow coverage, just enough for me to get excited at my first snow sighting of the season.

About halfway up the trail gets icy... very icy


All the ice is gorgeous... and slippery, so I decide to get my crampons on when I encounter the cascade of ice pictured above.

Traction was fun to have, especially since it just got icier farther up.


I finally start to come out of the bigger trees and get a good view of the surrounding peaks (Marcy, Colden, Algonquin...)



While I shed more and more layers I arrive at the top with a slight sweat and an urge to pee (melting trickling water does that to a person you see...).

At the top I meet a hiker named John that was just out enjoying the gorgeous day we were having. We talked a bit about winter hiking, plastic boots, and snowshoes and other little things - very nice guy.


He heads down and I stick around for a little longer taking in the view and taking the obligatory summit picture.


(NOTE:$5 sunglasses bought at some gas station on the way there as I realized I had left mine home. They worked great)

Heading Back
I start down the trail, with the confidence of a crampon wearer, as people passing me going up call me "cheater" and some other names in French

Halfway down Phelps I pass a group that happens to be an ADK guided trip! I stop for a while and chat with the leader and the people in the group. So I find out that the president of the ADK club and the editors of the ADK's "Catskill Trails" (Carol and David) are also in the group - Very nice folks... as they pitch to me the joys of hiking the Catskills - no hard sale there

I get off the Phelps side trail and get back onto the Phelps trail, working my way back through less snow and now more mud.
I meet this couple and I joke around with them about the "usefullness" of our snowshoes on this glacier melting day - the girl then looks at me and says "What's that on your ear?"
Now, for those of you who have seen "There's Something About Mary" you'll remember a scene that starts about the same way... well, I was hoping that... I have no idea what I hoped for, I just froze.
So after I try to feel out what's there and find nothing she reaches over and pulls a sticker stuck to my ear lobe (sticker from my hat) - whew, harmless

I arrive at Marcy Dam at around 12:30. The sun is warm and the only thing chilling is me and the slight breeze coming over the lake.
I sit down on the dam and bask in the sun and the views in front of me - afterall, a good hike transforms into an excellent hike when you can have that moment of reflection and peace.



After about 30 minutes of sun bathing I get my gear and start plodding back. A lot of the snow that I had seen earlier that day had now melted and was replaced by some quality mud.

Ankle still killing, at this point I just want to be done and putting my feet into my trail runners which were regretably left in the car.

I arrived at the ADK loj lot a little before 2pm.

I had planned on possibly doing an overnight, but I was satisfied with what I had done considering my bad experience with my boots and real bad ankle. To me it was worth coming all the way out just to spend a day at the park, I really needed it (funny, I have been needing it much more of it lately ).

I left the Loj and made obligatory stops at EMS and The Mountaineer and headed back home... oh, and I know I'll be coming back much sooner than I think I will...
...they should have a train that goes from the city to the ADKs


Bye, mountains!!