Street, Nye, Porter, and Cascade. 2014-05-25

On Sunday, I hiked the last three peaks to complete my fourth round of the ADK 46. My log indicates I need to visit nine more peaks to complete my fifth round but I'm currently focused on finishing my first Spring round. Anyway, record-keeping aside, it was a lovely day to be in the mountains and Street, Nye, Porter, and Cascade made for a great day of hiking.

I arrived around 7:40 AM and managed to secure a parking spot at the Loj. I signed in at 8:00 AM and noticed there were four groups ahead of me. I caught up with the first group, a father and his two sons, at Indian Pass Brook. They were busy donning waders. I put on sport sandals and forded the knee deep waters of the brook. On the opposite bank I dried my feet, put my trail-runners back on and hung my wet sandals in a tree for the return trip. Others who followed did the same.

Fording spot on Indian Pass Brook.

Shoe tree.

The herd-path to Street and Nye was in good shape and easy to follow. I passed the second and third groups before reaching the muddier sections around 3000' elevation. Upon reaching the junction, I turned left for Street. The messiest bit of trail was found a short distance past the junction.

I arrived on Street at 10:00 AM. The lookout offered a limited view so I climbed a tree to get a better view of the surroundings, namely the McIntyre range, Lost Pond Peak, and MacNaughton.

View from Street (if you climb a tree).

On Nye I met the fourth group. Nye's summit is wooded but a nearby boulder, "Nye's Rock", provides a decent view of the McIntyres. In fact, it's better than what you can see from Street (unless you climb a tree).

The re-crossing of Indian Pass Brook was greatly appreciated. On the brook's opposite shore, I soaked my feet in its cold waters until they were numb. Refreshed, I ambled along the well-defined path, taking pictures of flowers, amphibians, and anything else that caught my eye.

Painted Trillium.

I signed out at 12:40 PM and found the parking lot was now full. I topped up my hydration bladder at the HPIC (exterior faucet is located on the building's south side) in preparation for my next hike. I told the attendant that I would not be returning and one extra parking space was now available. As I drove past South Meadows Road I estimated at least two hundred cars lined both sides of the road! I passed a half-dozen more cars heading in the direction of the Loj.

The four parking areas at the Cascade trail-head were full and cars were parked on the shoulders. By sheer luck, I found one empty space right next to the staircase leading to the trail! I dumped a few items out of my pack and departed at 1:10 PM. The trail looked like this:

Trail to Cascade and Porter.

Among the dozens of hikers ascending and descending I recognized a familiar face and greeted Cory_D. I don't know what he was up to but I'm sure Cascade was just a small part of his day's itinerary.

I arrived on Porter's summit at 2:30 PM. I chatted with a few folks and then made my way back to the junction and on to Cascade. Judging by the number of hikers on its summit, you'd think someone had lured them there with an offer of "Free beer!" It wasn't free booze but a warm, sunny holiday weekend and spectacular views of the High Peaks that drew the crowds. I spent a few minutes talking with aspiring 46ers then began my descent.

Busy day on Porter.

Approaching Cascade's summit.

I was back at my car at 4:05 PM, pleased to have completed my fourth round. I was about to descend to the creek to wash off the day's mud and sweat when I was greeted by Veggielasagna. She had just completed a challenging hike over Cascade, Porter and Big Slide followed by a bushwhack; she's one tough hiker! Whereas I was a sodden mess, she looked neat as a pin! We were approached by a couple who were looking for a ride back to their car and Veggielasagna agreed to take them. We said our goodbyes and I made a beeline to the creek to wash away the souvenirs of the Cascade trail.


See all photos.