Mount Marshall #29

After a failed attempt to summit Mount Marshall earlier in the week, a second attempt went much better.

The second hike confirmed that I had made a correct decision to abort the climb after loosing too much time following a dead end trail up the wrong side of Herbert Brook. Had I continued after the correct trail was located, the last part of the hike back would have been in the dark. Later in the day near the summit of Marshall I met a woman hiker who it sounded like had made the same mistake that I did. While I only spent a little time bushwhacking for a path after the trail ended, she spent 4 hours bushwhacking her way down the mountain after completely loosing the false trail.

This morning it was quite cool as I left the Adirondack Lodge. Lake Placid was 27 degrees as I passed through, but out of the valley temperatures were above freezing. Heading up towards Marcy Dam within 20 minutes the trail climbed above the inversion and in a light breeze the air warmed up enough to allow my hands to come out of my sweatshirt sleeves.

Since I had taken a lot of photographs four days earlier, to lighten my load I traded my 17-70 walk-around lens for a lighter 30 F/1.4. This hike was more about making good time and reaching the summit, than photography.

A hiker appears to be about to filter water from Marcy Brook to refill his supply

Shortly after passing the junction of the trail to Mt Colden and Lake Arnold I came across these paw prints on a crossing of a wet area. Are these bear prints or just dog? I wasn't taking any chances and rather than walking silently as I usually do, I made sure to make a little noise...

Though I walk fast where I can, much of these trails require more caution.

As I said earlier, this hike was mostly about making it to the top. Most of the pictures I took were similar to those from earlier in the week. It wasn't until passing the point reached the other day did I spend much time with the camera.

The trail to the top was not difficult with only a couple rock ledges but a lot of muddy areas. It probably took me an hour to complete the section that I did not do on Tuesday.

From the summit of Mount Marshall looking south with Calamity Mountain on the left and Mount Adams, with a fire tower in the center.

On the way back down Iroquois Peak with almost a dozen hikers visible on the summit

I love the lichen that grows everywhere up here!

Everywhere in these mountains it is wet. The solid rock of the Adirondacks doesn't allow water to seep through. Depressions are filled with water and mud. Crossing one of these muddy areas my foot slipped off a log placed into the middle and I sank almost to my knee. Shoe and pants came out almost black with mud. (Fortunately, none into my shoe) Then, as they dried off, the mud turned to dust and was eventually gone.

So much green! Everything is covered in moss up here.

Herbert Brook at a trail crossing 

 The Trap Dike on Colden at Avalanche Lake

Back at the Adirondack Lodge there was a continuous line of people signing back in off the trail. With so many people hiking on this day, many had difficulty finding their name on the many pages. Perhaps the pages should be numbered or start time listed to make this process much quicker?

A great hike! 

The night before, I thought it might not be as much fun doing the same hike again, but it was!

...and after almost 11 hours hiking I still felt good.

Mount Marshall - #29?...Not today

During an unusually pleasant and dry stretch of weather in the northeast I decided to get in another mountain or two. Originally I was planning on Basin and Saddleback, but after reading about how difficult the west sides of these mountains were I decided that with the shorter daylight at the end of summer these would be better saved for earlier in the season. (I move kind of slow when the climbing gets difficult)

Instead Mount Marshall would be the goal.

Starting about 7 am, with barely enough light to sign the trail register under cloudy skies I felt great. Leaving the comfort and warmth of my sleeping back and dressing in the cold air I wonder why I do this? But as soon as my feet hit the trail and the excitement of another adventure takes over the question is answered...

It is cool in the morning, but within a few minutes of walking the air feels comfortable. Checking the weather while driving to the ADK Lodge confirms a perfect day for hiking. High temps near 70, mostly sunny skies and ZERO percent chance of showers in the forecast. The clouds overhead should  burn off as the sun get a little higher. 

I walk fast knowing that this hike is listed as 11 hours and decide on a 1 PM turn back time.

The remains of Marcy Dam (destroyed by Hurricane Irene)

Adirondack Firmoss

It took about 2 hours to reach the top of Avalanche Lake, arriving as it began to rain. This was one of the few times that I have hiked where my raincoat was not with me. Fortunately it doesn't rain too hard or long. Though my camera is weather sealed it spent a little time in a ziplock bag.

This was by far the most interesting part of the trail. Leading down to and around the lake, the trail shoulders up against a vertical cliff and around or over large boulders that have rolled off the mountainside.

To the left of the trail are slides off Colden.

Hikers rounding the lake after several days in the mountains

Rounding Avalanche Lake there were many ladders and walkways to make navigating this area of rockfall possible.

Across the bottom of Avalanche Lake

The DEC Interior Outpost on Colden Lake

A small  waterfall on Herbert Brook

It was beyond this point that I made an error following the unmarked trail up Marshall. The trail starts on the right side of Herbert Brook and crosses back and forth a couple times. Walking up the mostly dry and bare rock of the brook I saw what looked like the continuation of the trail into the woods on the left and continued up. What I didn't see was the cairn on the right side.

The trail led me a few hundred feet, in elevation, up the mountainside and became less and defined as it went. At points the only way that I could tell which way to walk was there was only one direction that was passable. Occasional footprints and marks from hiking poles on a rock encouraged me to continue. I know this is a new trail on a mountain that I probably not as popular as others but  it was beginning to make me uncomfortable. The trail finally came to an end at 3570'. I tried bushwhacking back and forth to pick up the trail and even thought about continuing up through the woods but decided against it. I could spend an hour struggling through dense growth only to find that it became too steep.

It was getting close to my turnaround time. After some effort I located the path I was on and headed back down to Herbert Brook. Emerging from the woods I immediately spotted the cairn across from me.

On the correct path now, my first thought was to sprint to the top. After traveling a few hundred feet along the correct, and well defined, trail I did some quick math and came to the conclusion that if it took me an hour and a half to get back to this point, I would arrive back and the ADK Lodge almost an hour after sunset. Though I had a headlamp, walking in the dark didn't appeal to me. This summit will have to wait for another day...

Golden Lake. Algonquin on the far left. Slope and slides of Colden on far right.

Colden in the background.

Avalanche Lake from the south end

All the way back I questioned my decision to turn back with only 700 vertical feet and a little over 1/2 mile to go. 

Back at my car at 6:00 pm there was still 40 minutes until sunset and twilight after that. There probably was sufficient time to summit and return with only the easy trail from Marcy Dam to the ADL Lodge in near dark. 

Oh well. I was both disappointed over not taking a chance and proud of myself for deciding to err on the side of safety. It still was a great hike! 

According to my Fitbit 47,000 steps, 21.5 miles, 302 floors, 582 active minutes, 5,435 calories for the day!

The good weather will last through the weekend. I will try again on Saturday or Sunday. (Otherwise this will bother me until I do...)