FAMILY CAMPING STYLE REVAMPED--CAMPER COMFORTS!

Many of our friends can attest to the fact that for many years we stood our ground and said, "we don't need a camper because tenting is good enough." Well that story changed over the course of about year. Last summer, 2018, our camping friends allowed us to borrow there camper for 3 days so that we could experience it for ourselves. We didn't go far, about 30 minutes from home, to Green Lakes. Bottomline, we really enjoyed it and came to some realization that having a camper definitely has it perks. 

In July, we found a great camper for a great price and we jumped on the opportunity to purchase it. And that story is now history. Here we were with a 26 foot mobile camper ready for our first adventure. This time history repeated itself as we decided to take the first trip back to Green Lakes. After all if we forgot something or something went wrong, we could be home in no time. 

It's not a lie, that with any excessive toy, there are some excessive expenses. But at the end of the day its worth it because memories are made and the experiences are cherished by the family. 

My in-laws decided to join us for the first time out. This was their first time to Green Lakes. 

On our walk around the lake we came across some really cool things. Cicadas were going through some exoskeleton shedding . The neat part was being able to see each of the stages on several different insects.  

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Since there was a big hype about the transparent kayaks at Green Lakes we decided to try them out for ourselves. The first problem with these boats was they aren't really transparent because there are so many scratches on them. Secondly, the plastic gets warped and ages with time in the sun. The chair quality was probably the worst on the market. And worse yet it was like a plastic tub with a metal frame on the inside. In the slightest of breezes the thing spun like a cork in the water. It didn't track at all. In conclusion of the rant, the paddling experience to some of the good spots on the lake were a major chore. DON'T RECOMMEND IT ALL!

On a better note. The biking trails at Green Lakes are also very popular. Last year I saw several bikers on the trails and this time around I checked it out for myself. The only limitation on this outing was the incoming thunderstorm. I had about 45 minutes before the predicated downpour. I was able to cover 6 miles of trail and explore. In the process I discovered there a many trails that don't allow bikes. I picked up a map at the camp store to verify the info. So it was a bit disappointing to stare at a maze of trails and only be able to use like 15 percent of them. 

The reasons we got a camper:

1. We found a camper that we were looking for: double bunks in the back, private queen bed in the front, large enough lounging area for the rainy day, and most importantly the fridge had to big enough to store food for a week. 

2. The convenience factor: all of the camping gear minus the clothing and food is stored in one location. Its distributed nicely around the camper in convenient storage cubbies.

3. We would like to potentially camp in cooler weather. And it really helps to have heat in your lodging. On the flip side, if its rainy weather during the summer, we don't have to set up a huge tarp over the entire campsite. 

4. And of course there are many more comfort reasons. 

Lesya and I have been camping since we got married. We brought the kids on their first camping trip even if they were 6 months old. And as a family with a camper we hope to explore new places and make many more memories in the years to come.  

HIKING MOUNTAINS STREET AND NYE!

There is are several reasons to hike in the Adirondack high peaks but the fall attracts many people for the beautiful foliage. With another couple (Sarah and Jarod) along with my wife and I, we decided to head north and enjoy the beautiful cool fall weather and of course the leaves. 

On the way up to the mountains and on the return trip we traditionally stop along the way to eat at a mom-and-pop restaurant. Every time we go we try to change it up. This time we stopped by O.P. Frederick's. They have a great menu that is reasonably priced and when we sat down at 5:30 pm we just beat the crowd. It was about one hour from Keene Valley.   

It was another busy weekend in the High Peaks Region because the weather was going to be really nice. So the only place that had a vacancy was the Ausable Inn in Keene Valley. We stayed there several times before, and its a very inexpensive place to lodge for hikers. Its on the same street as the Garden parking lot. Its definitely a popular spot because we encounter many hikers every time we are there. 

The night before the hike, I asked the waitress at the restaurant located on the first floor of the Inn, about making some coffee. She showed me how to use their machine and I was able to brew some coffee for us and several other hikers. After a breakfast of bagels and coffee/tea we made our way to the ADK Loj. When we pulled into the lot at 6:30 am, and payed a $12 parking fee for the day, we saw lot that was almost full.  

From the parking lot, we had to walk back towards the entry booth and to the left of it is a 3-4 car parking area with the above sign on the right side. Once again, Street and Nye are "unmarked trails" and therefore we didn't have any markers to follow except for landmarks and cairns. From the start, attention to details was important. The trail heading towards Indian Pass runs heads west on the northern shore of Heart Lake. 

At 0.6 miles, we turned right onto the Old Nye Ski trail. In a very short 0.3 miles there was fork in the road, and we veered left. The trail then began a gradual descent to the brook at about 0.9 miles or about 40 minutes from the parking lot. 

The herd path turned right to follow the east bank. At this point there are several side trails that cross over the brook but we kept going on the main eastern trail that eventually lead to the Indian Pass Brook. Later we realized that those side trails were early points of crossing the brook because it is much wider and deeper further downstream. 

Nevertheless, at 1.5 miles from the Loj we came to the brook which was much wider and deeper at this point. We ran up and down the banks a couple times in search of higher ground to cross but it was futile. So we simply decided to remove our boots and cross over with bare feet. The water was super cold and halfway across our feet became numb. It was definitely nice to have some trekking poles for stability.  

On the other side we dried our feet and geared up again. We never saw the cairn on the other side like other bloggers and books described. There was a well beaten path that split left, going up a steep embankment and to the right which went in the same general direction just on lower ground. The upper trail is probably used during the wet season or in the spring when the brook is in the flood stage.

The trail continued to meander deeper into the woods and further away from the brook. It then went around an open tributary from the west. The stream as seen the photo below guided much of the trail. 

At some point the trail crosses over to the north bank of the stream. Shortly after the crossing we walked past rusty remains of several metallic items such as a bobsled, water jug, and other unidentifiable objects. 

At about 1.8 miles from the Loj, and about 1 hour and 15 minutes into the hike there is a moderate ascent. From this point on the trail swings back and forth across the stream. This spot was one of the wet areas on the hike. The way back the stream washed our boots really well. 

At 2.8 miles (about 2 hrs 15 min.) there is a flat area on the Nye shoulder. Then it hooked right and it the trail turned really wet with several boggy areas. 

As we continued on we came to the steepest section of the trail and there were some open rock areas that gave you some glimpses of the altitude gained. 

As soon as the ground leveled out again, at the 3.3 mile mark, a cairn marked the split. There is also a tree that has "N" marked on top with an arrow above it indicating that is the direction to Nye. The second marking is "St" for Street with an arrow pointing to the left. We decided to do Nye first. But before we took off we noticed there was a leaning pine with a dollar bill stuck in it. 

In about 12 minutes we made it to the summit of Nye. We were the only ones there at first. As we were getting ready to leave another couple arrived and shot a photo of our hiking party. 

The flat areas on Nye and Street were really wet and this photo shows the deep puddles. 

Putting one muddy boot forward, we trekked through the wet areas. 

It took us about an hour to hike from the summit of Nye to the summit of Street. There were more bad spots than good that required us to slow down, use the trekking poles for balance, and jump around the boggy spots. But nevertheless it was nice to make it to the summit of Street by 11:08am. 

We enjoyed a 30 minute break at the top. Unfortunately, the weather turned sour after about 10 minutes, it started to rain with 20-30 mile/hour wind gusts. Out came the rain gear. We then proceeded to take some photos and then wondered over the look out. There are several paths that scatter in every direction at the top but the path that leads to some decent views hooks to the right. 

The wind was really strong on this side of the mountain and we didn't linger too long as we started to feel the cold. The views were still nice!

On the way down we had to take a photo on one of the dozens of large blowdown trees that we had to  get around. It definitely slowed us down. My poor wife got all kinds of bruises on her thighs as she had to get creative in order to get over and around these obstacles.  

As a result of the all of the rain that we had received earlier in the day, all of the rocks were wet, along with the huge trees in the way. It was a bit slippery on the way down but nothing to write home about. 

It was a great trip overall as we enjoyed the company of Jarod and Sarah. Once again, we created great memories of our adventures in the ADK high peaks. 

TRIP STATS:

0652 Started at Loj

0955 Split in trail (S & N)

1005 Nye Summit

1012 Left Nye summit

1108 Street summit

1142 Started descent from Street

1500 Finished at Loj

Elevation Gain: 2300 ft

Total Distance: 8.5 miles

Total Time: 8 hrs with stops

HIKING TABLETOP MOUNTAIN--A FATHER AND DAUGHTER HIKE!

Officially our family has another ADK high peaks hiker, my 9 year-old daughter, Alexis. This hike was originally going to be a guys get-a-away hike but as it turned out a hiking buddy Merritt wanted to bring his 9 year old son on the hike and my daughter really wanted to go as well. Slava, a family friend, also joined us on the hike, to experience the high peaks for the first time. 

Last year I challenged our family with a 6 mile round trip hike up St. Regis mountain. After that hike we knew that 6 miles was the limit. Earlier this year, Alexis said, "Dad I really want to do a 10-mile hike this year." So with a strong desire to hike and being the father that I am, I said, "If you want 10 miles then let's go for 11."  

For a fall hike in the ADK, we couldn't have asked for better weather. The Vermont High Peaks Forecast had predicted that it was going to be cloudy in the afternoon but we never saw the clouds until we were well on our way home. 

We decided to make a day trip instead of spending the night in town but that meant leaving the house at 2:30 am and driving for 4 hours. A few weeks ago we got to the ADK Loj at 6:30 am and at 6:45 am the parking lot was full. So in order to avoid the 4 mile extra hike down the road we left early. We made really good time on the way up and had plenty of parking options at the Loj on American Columbus Day weekend and Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. 

It was a chilly start with temperatures in the high 30's and I had forgotten my gloves so I purchased a pair at the LOJ store which was already open. We signed in at 6:50 am and were on our way.  The morning sun was rising quickly and after an hour of hiking we had to get rid of layer, including our hats and gloves. The trail from the Loj to Marcy Dam is relatively flat with minimal rocks, roots, and other obstacles. 

The last time that I had been to Marcy Dam was in September 2007. I had only seen photos of the damage that Hurricane Irene (2011) did to the dam, so I was excited to be back and explore the new changes.

Even with all the changes, Marcy Dam is still a gorgeous place to be in the central high peaks any time of the year. We took a break on the rocks that used to be part of the pond and did some walking around. 

After several photos and snack we headed for the new bridge that is about 100 yards down stream from the dam. Once on the other side, we took advantage of the outhouses before hitting the trail again. 

At this point its been about 1 hour and 40 minutes since we left the Loj. After Marcy Dam, the trail terrain drastically changes to a rock stream bed with planks for high water times.

About 30 minutes later we came to a fork in road with a trail sign that marked the start of the Phelps trail.

Another 30 minutes later we came to a left turn in the trail with a sign confirming that we are still on the blue marker trail. 

It was a steady incline in the trail terrain but very gradual and easy walking. The next trail sign 45 minutes later indicated that the trail was making another sharp left turn. 

About 2 minutes later we came to the Tabletop trailhead marker. It is the only sign for the trail since it is one of the unmarked trails. From this point it was simply following a herd path. But since we weren't the first people up the trail that day, it was more like following the packed down muddy trail. At times it was a little challenging because of excessive mud and alternative routes were created around huge boggy areas. 

The final approach was two fold: the flatter areas were super muddy and slow to cross and the remaining parts were steep but quickly navigable.  

From the trailhead to the summit, Alexis and I hiked for 1 hour and 15 minutes. This had to be the most challenging aspect for Alexis because of the mud and steeper terrain. It was psychologically challenging as well but she was victorious. At some of the steep sections, the views were rewarding and when Alexis saw them for the first time she was captivated. It really put into perspective how far we hiked and it was very encouraging. 

We made it to the summit at 11:30 am and were rewarded with warm weather, amazing views, and the rest of our hiking party. We stayed at the top for about 40 minutes, giving ourselves plenty of time  to rest and recover. Alexis benefited from the longer break the most. Slava had a nice rock lounge with great views of Marcy.   

Alexis and I had a great ascent together. This marked my 34th high peak. And it was the first very memorable high peak for Alexis. 

We made it back to Marcy Dam around 2:30 pm and then took a nice 30 minute break on the remaining old wooden platform. A ranger assistant was hanging out as well and so we bombarded him with several questions. The 9 year-olds learned a lot about bears and their capabilities. 

From that point forward we put away our hiking sticks as the return was relatively flat. Alexis felt good not needing to work out her upper body with the hiking sticks.  

We really enjoyed the foliage on the way back more than anything else. It dominated our view and we soaked it up. 

We got to the Loj parking at 4:10 pm and it was bustling with activity. There were plenty of hikers hanging out at the little food place and plenty more at their vehicles. Many were returning from their days adventure and some were just starting theirs. The clouds started to roll in pretty quickly and we had a short sprinkle while we changed. Alexis quickly changed and was on her first dream before we rolled out of the parking lot.

I picked up an ADK Mountain patch and the Tabletop patch as little souvenirs and awards for Alexis' great accomplishment.  

It has become quite traditional for us to stop by the Noonmark Diner on our way out for a well deserved dinner and dessert. From time to time we stock up on their delicious pies and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. My favorite combo on the drive back to help me stay awake is their coffee and cookies. It always does the job because the rest of the crew is usually taking cat naps. 

TRIP STATS:

0650: start at ADK LOJ

0758: Marcy Dam

0815: left dam

1017: Tabletop trailhead

1130: Tabletop summit

1210: left summit

1430: Marcy dam

1455: Left dam

1610: ADK LOJ parking lot

Total distance: 11 miles

Total time: 9 hrs 40 min

Total ascent: 2,500 ft