Whiteface and Esther. 2015-02-22

Observing the Whiteface Ski Center.

Lake Placid.

Photos

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Esther Whiteface and Porter Cascade. 2014-11-15

"A Day in Two Parts" by Esther Whiteface and Porter Cascade.

Part One: Esther and Whiteface

• Slept in; started around 9:00 AM.
• Sunny day. About -6C (21F) at the ASRC and -10C (14F) at the summit.
• Icy; no mud.
• Seems like everyone wore microspikes except for those who lost them along the way.
• As a challenge, hiked to Esther without microspikes.
• Wore microspikes for the balance of the hike.
• Caught a microspike on a root and did a face-plant; injured my pride.
• Broke another trekking pole (unrelated to face-plant).
• Very hard ice above the Wilmington Bend. Had trouble getting microspikes to grip during the descent.
• Hike stats: 10.2 miles, 4000 feet.
• Trip time: 4h 35m

Part Two: Porter and Cascade

• Left after 2:00 PM; two of three parking areas were full.
• Met lots of people descending.
• Trail was thoroughly 'tenderized' by hiker traffic.
• Tagged Porter and was treated to a view of snow flurries on Algonquin.
• Cascade was darn cold; -14C (7F) and windy.
• Saw someone's pack at the junction; I wasn't the last to summit.
• Fun walking on deserted trail at dusk.
• Headlamp came in handy 45 minutes after sunset.
• Hike stats: 6.2 miles, 2300 feet.
• Trip time: 3h 2m

Sum of the parts: 16.4 miles, 6300 feet, and 7.5 hours of hiking fun.

Breezy day on Whiteface.

More guests on the summit.

Snow clouds obscure the approaching sunset.

Beautiful but darn windy and cold.

Photos

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July in the White Mountains. 16-07-2014 to 20-07-2014

Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Arrival

I met Brooks (Biji) at Mr. Pizza in Gorham at 6:00 PM where we broke bread, quaffed beer, and swapped stories. Brooks had reserved an upscale campsite at the White Birches Camping Park in nearby Shelburne. The wooded site, carpeted in pine needles, was large enough to host a troop of scouts. It was located on a hillside in their "Topknot" area along a dead-end road. It was well away from the highway and was very peaceful.

Thursday, July 17, 2014
Moriah

We spotted my car at the Stony Brook trail-head then double-backed to the Carter-Moriah trail-head in Gorham. There's only room for a handful of cars at the dead-end. Later we learned there's a clearing, under a power-line, on the west side of the road about a 100 yards before the dead-end.

The trail ascends over Mount Surprise and provides a few views of Madison and Adams across the notch. Atop Moriah, Brooks' 46th 4K peak, we were joined by several other hikers. We continued along the Carter-Moriah trail over South Ledges to the Stony Brook trail. This proved to be the most scenic part of our day with gorgeous views to the south and east plus beautiful alpine flora including Sheep Laurel.

Sheep Laurel.

The section over South Ledges reminded me of Giant's Zander Scott trail in the Adirondacks. The trail crossed Stony Brook above a lovely pool then led us along a fairly smooth path to the trail-head. We headed back to the White Birches to clean up then returned to Mr. Pizza to replace lost calories. The evening was spent around a campfire and swapping more stories.

Spectacular scenery along the Carter-Moriah trail.

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Friday, July 18, 2014
Isolation

We woke up with the birds because we had to strike camp and meet Tom (Boghollow) at the Glen Ellis trail-head at 7:30 AM. We rolled in with 5 minutes to spare and greeted Tom who had already arrived. Tom and I drove off to the Rocky Branch trail-head, parked his truck, then shuttled back to Glen Ellis where Brooks had graciously completed and paid for my parking pass. We set out along the Glen Boulder trail with high expectations of grand alpine views and we were not disappointed.

Upon reaching treeline we were welcomed by a fresh cool breeze and awe-inspiring vistas. It was Tom's first hike above treeline in the Whites and he was impressed with its grandeur. He, as well as Brooks and I, were equally impressed with the intense cooling effect of the constant wind. It was just this side of tolerable in sweat-soaked T-shirts but not enough to don something more substantial (and lock in the sweat).

Tom and Brooks pause to admire the scenery.

We had hoped to save a few steps by rock-hopping across the alpine lawn to the Davis path but ended up walking the trail to the junction.  We turned south on the Davis path and began an initially gentle then precipitous descent to Mount Isolation. The views to the west, of the Southern Presidential Range, were outstanding. We agreed that Brooks had chosen this leg of the hike well; the return from Isolation to Rocky Branch, the trade-route, was viewless.

We paused for a break at the Isolation-Davis trail-junction. Along the way to Isolation we met a hiker who informed Brooks that our return route, via Rocky Branch, was closed. Brooks had queried two reliable sources before setting out and they did not mention a closed route. We chose to ignore the stranger's beta which proved to be the right decision. Later, during our return, we discovered the portion of Rocky Branch we needed was indeed open whereas the balance was closed.

We cheered Brooks as he approached Isolation's summit, his 47th peak. He has left Carrigain for last and plans to return in August. Isolation offered excellent views of the entire arc of the Southern Presidentials, and Oakes Gulf, leading to the summit of Washington.

From Eisenhower to Washington and on to Boott Spur.

Isolation's summit also harbored fearless Gray Jays who readily landed on our outstretched palms to feed on raisins and peanuts. It was a memorable treat for us all and we eventually attracted several of them. It got to the point where I couldn't point to a faraway summit without having one attempt to land on my hand!

The far from timid Gray Jay.

Tom share's a treat with Isolation's welcoming committee.

Upon our return to the Davis-Isolation trail-junction, we passed a lone hiker heading to Isolation. We greeted one another briefly and continued to the junction where we stopped to wait for Brooks. It crossed our minds that the individual was approaching Isolation late in the day. Brooks arrived several minutes later and informed us we had just passed Jason Beaupre. He had started out to establish a new record for hiking the NH48 but, unfortunately, his support team fell apart. As a result, he was now  attempting a personal record. What Jason had left on his itinerary made my head spin. I hope he succeeded in setting a personal best!

The balance of the hike was a woods-walk and offered few views. I was especially happy we had not used this 'trade-route' for an out-and-back to Isolation! We considered shortening our route slightly by bushwhacking from the Isolation trail to the Rocky Branch trail. When we arrived at the jump-off point, the second-to-last brook crossing, Tom ventured into the woods and concluded the effort wasn't worth our while. We hiked the extra distance, crossing and re-crossing the brook, and arrived at a herd-path that appeared to lead back to the jump-off point. We'll never know where the path emerged precisely but the time to hike the extra distance was a mere 20 minutes; I don't believe the bushwhack would've been a tremendous time-saver. However, in the event of high-water, the bushwhack eliminates two potentially dangerous crossings.

Crossing Rocky Branch brook.

The portion of the Rocky Branch trail leading to the height-of-land near Engine Hill is effectively a brook. Flanked by tall grass, we rock-hopped up the very wet trail and met an elderly hiker. He asked us to inform his family that he was heading out to greet them. We met them, a couple and their young son, at the height-of-land and relayed his message. At the same spot we also met an elderly couple from Colorado. She had hiked most of the NH48 back in the Fifties and was returning to complete them. She said she thought some of the peaks may have changed their names but Brook informed her that there were only 46 4k peaks in the Fifties. Two more were added, resulting from a more accurate survey, and the "changed names" were probably "new names".

We chatted with the two groups for awhile and eventually Grandpa arrived and greeted them. Everyone was heading to the Rocky Branch shelter to camp and then hike to Isolation the following day. The youngest of the group was treated to M&M's whenever he replied positively to the question "Do you have a good attitude?" Naturally, we all chimed in that we also had a good attitude and were treated to M&M's. Two more hikers joined the fray on the narrow trail and signaled time for us to leave. The balance of the descent was uneventful except for the discovery of a message "Meet at car" formed with small pebbles on a large boulder.

After shuttling back to Glen Ellis, we all drove to Bartlett where we said goodbye to Brooks. Tom and I continued to his campsite, at Jigger Johnson campground, where he was a most gracious host and grilled Chicken Spiedies on a campfire. Tom's excellent home-brew IPA rounded out the meal and the evening.

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Saturday, July 19, 2014
Tripyramids, Whiteface and Passaconaway

Despite an early start, we found ourselves scrambling to make the 7:30 AM rendezvous at the Pine Bend trail-head. We arrived a few minutes early and waited for the arrival of Geoff (Kyler) and Ken (Kensquest). They arrived after having spotted Ken's truck at the Oliverian Brook trail-head so we were all set to go. Ken initially hung back but then probably snuck in a 'Lance Armstrong transfusion' and proceeded to lead the group at a spirited pace for the balance of the day. We arrived at the Pine Bend-Scaur Ridge junction 1.25 hours after leaving the trail-head. We covered a distance of 3.2 miles and 2000 feet ascent in just over an hour and that set the tone for the day. I don't know what Ken ate for breakfast but it really put the "Quest" in Kensquest!

Rest-stop after a speedy ascent of North Tripyramid.

We paused on North Tripyramid for a snack and to sample its limited views. All three peaks of the Tripyramids are wooded but there are lookouts to be found. The conditions were very hazy so we mostly saw outlines of distant ranges. The fun began during the descent from South Tripyramid to the Kate Sleeper junction.

I read about the two slides on the southern face of the Tripyramids. There appears to be a preference to ascend one (North Slide) and descend the other (South Slide) based on their ability to provide good footing. I found the South Slide, what little of it we hiked, to be fun if you avoided the "ball bearings". Many of the boulders are peppered with pea-sized gravel and landing hard on this loose material would be a very bad idea. The ball bearings are also found on slopes and readily give way to a descending footstep; I learned this from experience.

Descending the upper section of the South Slide.

The Kate Sleeper trail is a 2.5 mile stretch rising and falling over the two Sleepers and several intervening hillocks. It had a very remote feeling to it that was enhanced by passing through a quarter-mile of jaw-dropping blowdown. The trail-crew that cleared the devastation deserve a medal!

One-quarter mile of devastation along the Kate Sleeper trail.

Whiteface is one of those summits that can be passed in the blink of an eye. Lying along the wooded Rollins trail, a cairn and slender vertical marker (looks like a mezuzah!) mark its summit. We stopped for a break and socialized with the many other hikers continuing to Passaconaway. The wooded Rollins trail runs along the precipitously steep edge of a 1500 foot depression called "The Bowl". Lookouts along the way gave us excellent views of the Bowl and our final objective, Passaconaway.

Passaconaway and The Bowl from the Rollins trail.

After pausing at a lookout to respond to a survey held by a local trail-improvement society, we made the final ascent to the summit of Passaconaway. The sight of its diminutive cairn reminded me of the undersized Stonehenge stage-prop in the film "This is Spinal Tap". We spent at least a half-hour on Passaconaway.

Passaconaway and its undersized "Spinal Tap" cairn.

Geoff descended a side-trail to a lookout and then Tom went looking for him. When neither returned, Ken and I joked that they had gone to the "Lookout of No Return". We began the descent to the lookout but quickly met them ascending. They reported the descent was far more than they had anticipated but they had continued because it was certain to be "Just around the next bend!" Reunited on the summit, we began the final descent to Oliverian Brook but not before one final sanity-check.

Passaconaway has a trail that loops around its summit and has two junctions (three if you count the spur to the 'Lookout of No Return'). We met one couple (who had passed us earlier) staring at their map, thoroughly befuddled by why they were where they shouldn't be. Tom offered his assistance and then spent some time orienting them. They had another nine miles to go, to Chocorua, so time was of the essence.

We met others, who we had passed earlier, who were ascending via our descent route! Apparently, they overshot the first junction on the west side, curved around the summit, and ascended via the east side. During our own ascent we had paused and scratched our heads at a signless intersection. All this to say that if you don't pay attention to the terrain, and the signage, you can can easily hike in circles or end up somewhere other than planned.

While descending, we passed the eastern junction of the 'summit loop' and began descending the trail. In my mind, I thought we were already on the Passaconaway Cut-Off trail, heading northeast to the Oliverian Brook trail. Within short order we started to pass a junction whose sign indicated a meeting of the Walden and Cut-off trails and we were on Walden. In addition, the terrain was rising to our right when it should've been falling away. Huh? I stopped to pull out my low-resolution map to orient myself. Everyone consulted a map and agreed we shouldn't be following the Walden trail. We turned left and that was the last bit of navigation for the day.

The rest of the hike consisted of a brisk descent along the Cut-off and a beautiful walk along the broad Oliverian Brook trail. We emerged at the trail-head, 8.25 hours after leaving Pine Bend and looking forward to a cold drink. Ken shuttled us back to Pine Bend and then left for home in western New York. Tome, Geoff, and I returned to Jigger Johnson to clean up and devour the Michigans Tom prepared on the campfire. Several cold brews later we retired to our tents and slept like logs.

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Sunday, July 20, 2014
Tecumseh and departure

After breakfast, Geoff departed for home while Tom and I set out for Tecumseh. Light showers fell during the drive to the Price Chopper in Lincoln where I parked my car. Let's just say that the worst part of Tripoli road lies along the first few miles of paved road! Tom chose to steer his pickup well clear of a washed out section filled with deep, shock-busting potholes. The remaining miles of dirt were much kinder provided you avoided the rocks jutting out of the roadbed (spray-painted orange for visibility). Tripoli road is lined with many primitive campsites (fee) which appeared to be populated by organized groups.

Showers continued during our hike but very little found its way through the forest's dense canopy. The trail to the summit is unremarkable except for the last few hundred yards which rises steeply to Tecumseh's partially open summit. The showers had stopped but the views were hamstrung by the low-lying clouds. Most of the hikers we met on the summit had arrived from Waterville Valley. We spent a mere 15 minutes on Tecumseh and then returned to the trail-head. Back in Lincoln, we made tentative plans to return in mid-August and visit a few more peaks.

Summit of Tecumseh.

I took the time to follow Brooks' advice and headed to the Mountain Wanderer bookstore. I selected a half-dozen guidebooks ranging from alpine ecology to animal tracks plus Brooks' recommendation "The 4000 Footers". I had the opportunity to meet Steve Smith, the store owner and co-author of "The 4000 Footers". When I introduced myself, Steve recognized my name and that got the conversation rolling. Personable and knowledgeable, Steve answered all my questions including the ones about how to properly pronounce local place names like Tripoli (Triple-Eye), Willey (Will-lee), Coos (Ko-aws), and Kancamagus (Kank-a-MAW-gus or just Kank). Moosilauke seemed to be an even split between excluding and including the trailing "e". I'll never pass for a New Englander but at least I won't hurt the locals' ears with mispronunciations!

Esther and Whiteface 2014-04-21

Monday, April 21st, 2014

On Monday, Tom (BogHollow) and I hiked to Esther and Whiteface from the ASRC. The trail from the parking area to the base of Marble Mountain was fairly dry and free of ice and snow. The route up Marble was a mix of ice, rubble, and running water (much more water when we returned later in the day). We didn't see any other hikers the entire day.

The herd-path to Esther and trail to Whiteface remain covered in corn snow and have a solid snow-spine. We wore spikes all day. Seeing that our snowshoes weren't needed we stashed them at the Wilmington Bend prior to ascending Whiteface.

We hadn't hiked together in over a year so we had a lot of catching up to do. We spent over two hours on the summit, shooting the breeze. The sky may have been cloudy but two hours was plenty of time to develop a sunburn! 

The snow was softer during our descent but still dense enough to withstand post-holing (assuming you stayed in the vicinity of the snow-spine). It was comfortably warm upon our return (T-shirt weather) and we toasted the day's end with Tom's premium IPA.

Tom approaches the Wilmington Bend.

Snowless summit.

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My 1st Single-Season Winter 46. 2014-03-18

Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Esther and Whiteface


I completed my first winter round, in March of 2013. It took me three winter seasons and I thought I'd never do it again let alone in a single winter season. "A single-season Winter 46? No way! It'll feel like 'work', not fun!" I never planned to do a "SSW46" but my involvement in two activities drew me in.

In the fall of 2013, and winter of this year, I had accompanied Neil on several of his "training hikes". They prepared me, mentally and physically, for challenging hikes involving greater distance and elevation gain. His successful completion of his "Project 46" fund-raiser also served to inspire me to simply 'try harder'. I rarely ever hiked two or three days in a row in winter but now I felt I could. I had also accompanied Brian (Pathgrinder) in his quest to complete his first Winter 46 round. He had joined me during my first winter round and it was a pleasure to return the favor.

By late February, mostly by virtue of accompanying others to complete their objectives, I had visited 28 peaks. It dawned on me that, with a little extra effort, I could visit the balance before winter's end. By the time of the ADK HP Foundation's Winter Gathering, serendipity was replaced by planning and I was now on a mission.

On Tuesday, March 18th, on a windless bluebird day, I sat atop Whiteface and celebrated my 46th peak of the season. I had the summit to myself and spent nearly an hour enjoying the ideal weather, the incomparable views, the solitude, and the occasional "cruk" of soaring ravens. It was a fitting end to one challenge and the inspiration to seek another.



Picture-perfect day.

Photos

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Peaks and People

2013-12-28 Donaldson, Emmons, Seward; Pathgrinder, Sam
2014-01-25 Marshall, Cliff; Pathgrinder, Sam
2014-01-26 Cascade, Porter; Solo
2014-01-31 Wright, Algonquin, Iroquois, Colden, Tabletop, Phelps; Neil, Topofgothics
2014-02-08 Couchsachraga, Panther, Santanoni; Doru
2014-02-13 Basin, Saddleback; Neil
2014-02-16 Allen; Pathgrinder, Doru
2014-02-22 Redfield, Gray, Skylight, Marcy; Pathgrinder
2014-02-23 Dix, Hough, Macomb, South Dix, East Dix; Neil, JoeCedar, VeggieLasagna
2014-02-28 Giant, Rocky Peak Ridge; Solo
2014-03-01 Sawteeth, Gothics, Armstrong, Upper Wolfjaw, Lower Wolfjaw; Solo
2014-03-02 Street, Nye; Solo
2014-03-07 Dial, Nippletop, Colvin, Blake; Solo
2014-03-08 Seymour; Solo
2014-03-09 Haystack, Big Slide; Pathgrinder, Sam
2014-03-18 Esther, Whiteface; Solo

Whiteface and Esther 2013-01-15

Mike (TelemarkMike), Rev (Mike's canine personal trainer), and I, visited Whiteface and Esther on Tuesday. The weather was favourable, the trails paved in concrete-like snow, and the views were impressive. Rev set the pace and obliged us to complete the circuit in five and a quarter hours. The three major rest stops of the day (Esther, bend in the auto road, and Whiteface) added up to about 50 minutes. Rev chided us (it sounds like whimpering to human ears) whenever we appeared to stay in one place too long. However, keeping us moving was not Rev's primary motivation. The time we wasted at rest-stops, stood between her and the summit where she was rewarded with doggy treats.

Observations:

• A tremendous amount of snow has melted.
• Trail's snow-spine was hard as concrete.
• Conditions allowed for faster travel than in summer.
• I wore Trail Crampons, Mike wore snowshoes, Rev went barefoot.
• Post-holes were evident but diminished by the recent thaw.
• Dogs, although loyal, prefer to always be ahead of you.
• Large swaths of the auto road are no longer covered in snow.
• The snow cover has deteriorated on the lower portion of the trail up Marble Mountain.
• Met only two hikers (on Whiteface).
• Mike led up. I led down. Rev allowed us to think we were leading.

Personal Trainer Rev's Suggested Milestones
(Concessions made for humans, like rest-stops, and only two legs)
07:45 AM, ASRC.
09:30 AM, Esther. 09:35 AM, Depart Esther.
10:30 AM, Auto road. 10:35 AM, Depart along auto road.
11:05 AM, Whiteface. 11:45 AM, Depart Whiteface.
01:00 PM, ASRC.

Next time Mike and I go for a hike, I'll ask that he put ankle-weights on Rev!

Where sky, trail, and road meet.

Castle in the sky.

Tourist walkway.

Find Mike!

Photos

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Whiteface (ADK 46er x 2) 2011-08-09

I intended to hike all 46 peaks thirty years ago but lost interest four years and 36 peaks later. As a young man, life's many unexplored opportunities drew me in other directions. I left hiking the remaining peaks for a later date. In a blink of an eye, three decades passed. It was not until a medical diagnosis reminded me I could not delay indefinitely. I finished on Allen last summer. The experience piqued my interest to explore the High Peaks in winter. I hiked sixteen peaks and, by season's end, decided to hike the balance before year's end. My second round would present an opportunity to rediscover trails I had hiked long ago as well as improve my fitness. I chose Whiteface to be my 46th peak in order to allow my family to greet me and share in the moment.

On Tuesday, August 9th, I achieved my goal and completed my second round atop Whiteface. On Allen I had raised a glass of Scotch in memory of departed family members. On Whiteface it was a joyous celebration with three generations of my family and a bottle of sparkling wine.

I had originally planned to complete my second round in September. However, my Toronto-based family members could only visit during the second week of August so I accelerated my hiking timetable by one month. The weather forecast for the week of August 8th did not offer the sunniest days of summer. Tuesday was chosen based on a high cloud-ceiling and little chance of rain until late in the afternoon.

I left Montreal a few hours earlier than my family in order to get a head start. The plan was to have everyone on the summit about a half-hour before my arrival. I budgeted a generous four hours to hike the 6.5 miles from Connery Pond to Whiteface's summit. Our cell phones proved very useful for coordinating the summit reunion. Three hours after my departure I was 100 feet from the summit whereas my family was still an hour away! 

I left the Connery Pond trailhead at 8:20 AM and followed the broad, smooth trail to Whiteface Landing. Whiteface Landing was busy with young campers preparing breakfast and a motorboat taking on passengers at the dock.

View from Whiteface Landing.

I continued towards Whiteface lean-to where there were clear signs that a large party of campers had settled in. The most curious sight was a set of three tripods, constructed from tree branches, bearing Sketcher's Pads inscribed with smiling faces. Totems for some sort of backwoods ritual?

Totem at Whiteface lean-to.

I have no idea how many people hike to Whiteface along this path but it is less eroded than the Wilmington trail. On many trails, rocks and tree roots are laid bare whereas here they barely break the surface. Rocks don't appear until the upper reaches where the trail steepens. I reached the first notable lookout at 11:10 AM, paused, and then moved to a higher vantage point about ten minutes up the trail. I heard voices and, thinking a group of hikers was ahead of me, looked up to discover people looking through scenic viewers; I was less than a hundred feet from the summit.

Trail to Whiteface,

I pulled out my cell phone and contacted my sister who informed me she had just passed the town of Ausable Forks. I realized I had at least an hour to while away. Fortunately, I couldn't have picked a nicer 'waiting area'. I stared off into the distance and began identifying the visible peaks.

The sky was filled with layers of gray clouds but, fortunately, they were all above 5000 feet. It was far from being the 'sunny day' they had predicted but at least it was not raining. After an hour, I changed out of my damp clothes and put on a jacket. I called again and learned that my sister and her family were now on the summit and were waiting for the others to catch up. I informed her to walk towards the scenic viewers and look down towards to the open rocks. She said she was already there and could see one person on a rock. I waved, she laughed, and it was time to finish the ascent.

Hugs and kisses from three generations, six years old to eighty-one, made it the best summit experience of all. Whiteface was busy with tourists and hikers but I felt like we had the place to ourselves. As I headed to Whiteface's official summit, I passed a hiker, a winter 46er, who inquired what was the nature of the celebration and then congratulated me on completing my second round. I thanked him but overlooked to get his name; thank you and I hope we meet again.

Summit souvenirs.

After a quick photo next to Whiteface's exceedingly popular and photogenic summit sign, we retreated to an open area of the summit. Folding chairs were set up for the elderly and my brother-in-law began setting up a tripod and camera for a group photo. My wife produced a bottle of sparking wine to toast the occasion. Armed with plastic glasses filled with bubbly, we posed together to commemorate "46 x 2". Afterwards, my wife gave me a souvenir T-shirt, listing all 46 peaks, and my mother-in-law presented me with a wonderful "Yay for you!" greeting card annotated with her well-wishes. I was especially happy to walk around the summit holding the hand of my energetic six year old niece. She fearlessly climbed onto, and jumped off, whatever lay in her path. 

Hugging the youngest member of our clan.

We spent an hour and a half on the summit before a cool wind and darkening sky signalled it was time to leave. The plan was to call my wife upon reaching the Connery Pond trailhead. I predicted I'd cover the 6.5 miles in two hours. Afterwards, we'd meet at the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. I dashed off the summit at 2:15 PM and, in my haste, headed in the wrong direction. I could see the slide whereas I ought to see the ski lift. A quick course correction over the boulders among the cripplebrush and I was back on the trail.

By the time I reached the junction at Whiteface Landing it had begun to drizzle. Before long, it began to rain heavily. I saw no reason to stop and don a jacket because I was in dire need of a shower. The rain was peppered with sporadic downpours and they spurred me to pick up my pace. I arrived at the trailhead at 4:10 PM and signed out. I had planned to head to Tmax and Topo's for a shower but there was now little need for it. A few minutes to clean up and change clothes and I was ready for the pub.

After a hearty meal, washed down with plenty of Ubu beer, my wife presented me with a memorable dessert. A simple tray of brownies was adorned with blazing candles that read: 46 x 2. It was a tasty end to the meal and a wonderful finish to the day. 

Dessert fit for a 46er.

Photos

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Esther and Whiteface 2010-08-01

Summary

• Excellent weather.
• Trail from Wilmington is exceptionally good.
• Great views from Whiteface.

Weather

• Low 70's; warm, dry and comfortable.

Visibility

• Very good. Clear skies; slight haze.

Background
I recently decided to finish hiking the 46 and contacted the ADK 46ers. My assigned contact mailed me photocopies of my type-written hiking logs from <gulp> 1979-1982. I had forgotten how much time had passed since I lost interest in pursuing 46er status.

I got a bit choked up reading those reports, addressed to Grace Hudowalski, written by a hand younger than the thirty years that have elapsed since 1980. The biggest surprise was that my decades-old logs did not jibe with my current recollection of what I had hiked. For example, I forgot that I hiked Blake. I rummaged through my hand-written hiking logs and discovered that I had indeed hiked it on June 22, 1980. The 46er's logs lacked evidence that I hiked Esther and Whiteface. I do recall starting at the ASRC trailhead for Esther (solo) and Whiteface, in early spring, via the road with a friend. 

For Whiteface, I called my old hiking buddy and he confirmed our ascent of Whiteface. I looked through my old photos and discovered two shots of me at the stone structure near Whiteface's parking lot. I'm sporting a sky-blue jacket and pants I had made from new-fangled Gore-tex (yep, I use to make my own clothing and packs) and there's snow on the ground. It confirms my memory of the trip. However, it'd be difficult to believe that I and that 22 year old, with thick dark-brown hair, were the same person.

For Esther, I had memories but no photos of the ASRC trailhead and the ascent past the concrete foundations that were the only remains of an old ski lift on Marble Mountain. Whereas I had logged the names of hikers who registered on trailess summits, as was the custom of the time, I didn't have anything recorded for Esther and couldn't remember why not.

There was no easy way to prove I had hiked them so the simplest solution was to hike them again.


Details
I left Meacham Lake campground at 7:00 AM and traced out a route to Wilmington via Paul Smiths, Gabriels, Bloomingdale, and past Franklin Falls Pond. Somewhere east of the hamlet of Gabriels there's an awesome view of Whiteface's western face.

I arrived at the Atmospheric Science Research Center (ASRC) at 8:00 AM. At 8:15 AM I was heading down the path towards the radio tower. The area was very familiar to me and affirmed my belief I had hiked it before. The road led down the side of a small valley, past a radio tower, and up the north side of Marble. It ascended past four pairs of concrete blocks that had formed the foundation of a ski lift. The only difference was that I remember the terrain being more open (young trees) and leafless (early spring) and whereas now, in mid summer and thirty years later, it is fully forested.

The trail up Marble is unusual for the Adirondacks because it is dry and filled with loose rubble. The forest was filled with the song of my favourite bird, the Hermit Thrush, and I stopped to film the woods and their wonderful sounds.

I reached the junction with the Wilmington-Whiteface trail at 8:45 AM. The Wilmington trail was a treat. It was dry and mud-free for most of its length. The trail bed varies from bare rock to compacted soil and appears to be well-maintained (evidence of waters bars and the like). It also offers numerous views through the trees.

I pressed on and reached the junction with Esther at 9:45 AM. By 10:30 AM I was at the summit of Esther, sitting by the bronze plaque embedded in the rock commemorating Esther McComb's ascent. There are great views of Whiteface from Esther's summit and from a lookout located shortly before the summit.

At 11:00 AM I was back at the Wilmington trail and having a snack. I hadn't planned the day's provisions very well. I had one Cliff bar for breakfast and my last one for a snack. Lunch, planned for the summit, would consist of an apple and a peach. Fortunately, I had started out with 2 liters of water and I could buy more on the summit if I ran out. Despite having hiked Donaldson and Seward the previous day, I was not unduly sore or fatigued although I was apprehensive my knees would fail me at the summit. I needed to be in good shape for the descent. I was having second thoughts about proceeding to Whiteface.

While snacking, I watched an energetic young family arrive, pause, and then head towards Esther. Close on their heels was a young man in sneakers without a pack, water bottle, or other supplies, who also dashed off to Esther. I decided I was being overly cautious and proceeded up the path to Whiteface. Shortly before the intersection of the hiking and ski trails, the young man in sneakers bounded past me. I remarked that he "travelled light" and, with a laugh, 'super-hiker' zipped up the trail.

By 11:30 AM I crossed the alpine ski trail and at noon I reached the impressive stone bulwark of the road. Lounging by the road was super-hiker. It was comforting to know that he was a mere mortal and also needed to pause occasionally. From its intersection with the road, the trail led through low cripplebrush and finally onto bare rock where it provided unobstructed views of the summit and the surrounding peaks. Once above treeline, all thoughts of tender knee joints disappeared and there was nothing but exhilaration to be above treeline on such a perfect day.

I reached the summit at 12:20 PM and I was far from alone. I had no illusions about Whiteface's summit. My first very ascent was in the early 70's, with my family, in my Dad's '68 Chevy Belair (its brakes overheated on the descent and gave us one more souvenir of Whiteface). The summit was alive with car-trippers, hikers, bikers (the motorcycle kind), young, old, fit and the disabled. I used to dislike the idea of Whiteface's road but I grew to see its value in offering everyone the opportunity to experience a summit and perhaps develop an appreciation for the outdoors.

Whiteface's summit provides a commanding view of Mirror Lake and the High Peaks. I took the requisite self-portrait with Whiteface's mountain-shaped summit sign along with one of my bare feet and the USGS marker.

After finishing my meager lunch, a young man asked if I had time to answer a few questions. He was attending St. Lawrence College and working on a photo essay of Adirondack hikers. We had crossed paths during the ascent and I had watched him interview other hikers on the summit, so I agreed to participate. After answering the basic set of questions, and submitting to a portrait, we exchanged hiking stories and other anecdotes about the High Peaks for a good half-hour. He'll be hiking in the High Peaks for another two weeks, so if you should run into him, take a few minutes to become part of his essay.

I purchased a bottle of water and left the summit at 2:00 PM thinking that, when I'd reach the intersection with the road, I might continue my descent via the road in order to spare my knees. When I did arrive at the junction, I was feeling quite good and opted to return the way I ascended.

At the stone wall, I met the young family, Mom and Dad looking especially worse for wear after hiking Esther, making their way up the trail. I commented that the 2.5 mile side trip to Esther has a way of taking one’s spark away and they agreed. I indicated that they’d feel a good deal better once they get above treeline and it was only a few steps away. I think they’ll remember Whiteface for years to come.

I arrived at the ASRC at 4:30 PM and by 6:30 PM I was back home in Montreal. Donaldson and Seward on Saturday and Esther and Whiteface on Sunday; it was a great weekend.