Busting My Adirondacks Cherry: LWJ-Sawteeth Loop 3/31

[MarcHowes]

Date(s) Hiked: 3-31-07

Trails(s) Hiked: Road, Wedge Bk, Ridge, Weld, Road

Total Distance: 14.5

Difficulty: Very hard

Conditions: Nice hard snow and mean nasty steep horrid ice

Special Required Equipment: Stabilicers at least! Crampons for the icy stuff. Snowshoes not needed but should bring them anyways!

Trip Report:

This was the –perfect- day to hike in the Dax for the first time. No wind, clear skies, 100+ mile views, and cool people. I really lucked out this time!

I have a very long trip report on my website as well as pictures. The gist of it is that I was blown away by sheer rock faces on some of the peaks, as well as the ruggedness of some of the terrain. I also met some interesting people including a gentleman from the adk high peak forum who had read about my trip

Full TR and Pics here (yes, the pics are worth it this time ) http://www.hoosactunnel.net/nonhoosac/NY/Gothics070331/

 

[walkerd2]

Wow, some of those pictures were great.
I can't wait to get out there.
Nice trip report, upon hiking the trail in semi winter like conditions, do you think it would be better in summer or winter? It looked like a fun winter hike.

Never been there so I know nothing about the ADKs.


So looks like I have another thing to do before I die.

 

[Mike P.]

The Dacks are a great place, at times I'm not sure which I like better, some differences, larger alpine area in NH Dacks definitely have more slides.

Hoping to get out there a couple of times this year myself + take the family to the Lake Placid area. My wife has not been since 1995 or 1996.

 

[MarcHowes]

I was running several comparisons in my head while on that loop that day between the Whites and the Dax.

My conclusion ultimately came up to them both being great. Each has their own special attributes and differences that makes them unique and interesting. Like you mentioned the tow main differences were the alpinezones vs slides. I think a lot of people make that comparison I also noticed the Dax by and large have longer approaches, and seem to be steeper (at least judging by maps and terrain). The Dax are also somewhat more condensed into a smaller area. I still have a lot more to learn about the area! I understand there are several ADK46r peaks without trails (but all have HPs).

From a psychological viewpoint my interest is more the the Dax right now cause its new terrain I gotta finish up the 10 month NEHH before I really tackle that area much more tho!

 

[Mike P.]

Some of the approaches are short, like Cascade & Porter, Wrights Peak, Cascade & depending on your route, Giant also. That said, there are several more long trips as some peaks are usually done with others.

In the Whites you have Owl's Head, The Bonds, Isolation (while fairly long, not too hard) & that's about it although some winter approaches are longer. There is no short way into Haystack, Marcy, Skylight or the more remote peaks like the Sewards.

When they say steep in the ADK guide, they mean Ammo trail or steeper steep. While the high peaks are in a fairly tight area, the park is the size of VT.

 

[montvm]

Awesome report and Pics

My Uncle and I did some of this trip years ago. Our goals were LWJ UWJ, Armstrong, Gothic’s and sawtooth, but we only made LWJ and UWJ. At the time my uncle worked third shift, I picked him up in the morning, and he was up for something like 36 hours straight, and had a very difficult time adjusting to sleep at night. That week we had torrential down pours and some whicked thunder storms. His pack broke, so we ended up packing it in.

We are thinking about going back this fall. We shall see. I remember even the WJ's being steep and rugged.

 

[MarcHowes]

Ah yes, the wolf jaws are fairly rugged. There are some steep spots on wedge brook but it isn't too bad an approach. The steepest and hardest part on this trip (in the conditions I was presented with) was by far the ascent up Armstrong. Solid ice and steep! yikes! Sawtooth was also a pretty sharp climb.

The descent down Pyramid to Sawtooth was pretty steep too but didnt appear as rugged as other spots. I hear the trail to Saddleback from Gothics is brutal tho.

 

[Mike P.]

Did the Great Range back in 1995 in the summer. Did it as day trips from JBL.

Stayed in Keene Valley the night before so early into Garden on Day 1 into JBL, ditched overnight stuff & extras did LWJ, UWJ, Armstrong & Gothics, descent pretty open at time they had cable on descent, I'm not sure it's still there.

Day two back up Orebed to Gothics/Saddleback Col over Saddleback to Basin & Haystack. Descending Saddleback could be hard if under 6'

Day three headed out over Yarde, Big Slide & Brothers back to Garden with Dinner at Noonmark Diner!

 

[MarcHowes]

if the cable you are talking about is between Gothics and Saddleback then yes