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View of the Great Range from the summit of Nippletop
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| Making dinner at the High Peaks Hotel |
A few weeks after returning from our last trip up north there we were once again in the car heading north. Dan and I had signed up for a crampon and ice axe class for the next morning then planned to grab Dial and Nippletop mountains. This trip was being planned on a budget so we decided to check in to what has since been dubbed "The High Peaks Hotel". The hotel is anything but, it's actually just the welcome center rest area for the high peaks region of the Adirondacks. We arrived late and grabbed the stove out of the trunk for a nice dinner of chicken and rice. We found the whole ordeal hilarious, little did we know just how much of a tradition this would become.
We woke up the next morning and got dressed and headed out to the Cascade trailhead for our class. The class was hosted by Adirondack Mountain Rescue, and our instructor was absolutely amazing. The class was small, 5 or 6 of us in total. We went over basic crampon and ice axe techniques. These skills were invaluable resources that we would begin to put in to practice immediately. The class finished up and we headed to lake road to tackle what we thought would be an easy day.
There are 2 main routes to Dial and Nippletop, one you climb almost immediately, the 2nd you go a few miles down Lake Road then tackle Nippletop first. We chose the latter of the 2 routes figuring it would be easier to knock out the miles at the start and go for a steeper climb. It was a beautiful day in the Adirondacks. Temps were hovering right around freezing, and just a few miles in we were shedding clothes. As the ascent began we passed a group descending on their butt sleds. The joy and laughter from the girls coming down the mountain was infecting. I still remember just how much fun they were having being out there. It encouraged us to press on.
As always the conversation was good and helped to ease the pain of the steep climb. About a mile from the top we stopped for a break and to feed our stomachs. Not surprisingly the climb was taking longer than expected, but we pressed on. Eventually we reached the ridge and the split, we took a right and made our way to the summit of Nippletop. We snapped a few photos and enjoyed the amazing view we had of the Great Range. After a few minutes we decided to get going, it was getting late and obvious we weren't going to make it back before dark.
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| Trail to Nippletop on the ridge |
The trek to the summit of Dial was grueling. We were tired, and the sun was just about down. The wind was picking up and the sound of frozen trees swaying back and forth filled the air. A few weeks back we had bushwacked up the side of Spruce Knob, the highest point in the state of West Virginia, during a storm. All I could imagine was one of those widow makers coming down. We pressed on, the conversation dimmed as did the last remaining light from the sun. By the time we reached the summit it was pitch black minus the glow from our headlamps. No pictures, no celebration, no congratulations, just more steps. Exhaustion had passed and finally I hit the wall, "get me off of this fucking mountain" were the exact words.
Dan and I have spent enough time together on the mountain that we know each other's limits, and each other's moments. We always tend to hit that wall at different times, tonight it was my wall that was hit first. We found a rock and sat. It was cold, late, dark, and windy, but without some fuel we weren't going to make it much further. I forced myself to eat some snacks I had in my pack. A brownie, some Cheetos, a few peanuts. Swished around some water and after about 15 minutes we were back on our feet. We trudged on, up and down and up and down. We failed to realize this ridge was more of a rolling ridge than an easy descent. The beautiful day that had started with frozen waterfalls, laughs of strangers, and views of the Great Range, had diminished to a cold, dark, dreaded slug back to the car. Eventually the rolling stopped and it was just downhill. The warm weather had melted a lot of the snow in the lower elevations so we were dealing with lots of ice. We slowly navigated down thankful for our gear to give us the grip needed.
A few hours later we were back on Lake Road. Flat Lake Road. Steady downhill Lake Road. Relief set in and the pace quickened. Finally back at the car I sat on the guard rail on the side of the road and just breathed. I looked at Dan and said, "I'm ready to go back". Just a few hours after declaring to be off the mountain I was ready to be back on. There's something about the mountain that just draws you back in. It beats you up, teases you, breaks your heart, and gives you this sense of accomplishment that you have fought and been granted a chance that day. A chance to make it to the top, but also, a chance to get back home.
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| Summit of Nippletop |
We undressed and hit the High Peaks Hotel for a quick bath in the sinks and headed down the road. I awoke around 5am in a parking lot with Dan snoring. The original plan was to grab Big Slide on Sunday but exhausted and dehydrated we decided to start the trek home. We decided to make a stop in Saratoga and check out the Battlefield. Saratoga was the site of an important battle during the revolutionary war. Being from George Washington's hometown I've always enjoyed different things dealing with the war so I was excited to stop and check it out. We spent a few hours walking the battlefield before heading home.
We knew this would be our last trip to the Adirondacks for a few months as spring was moving in and with it the dreaded mud season. We had a big trip planned for June to come up and bag a bunch of peaks and spend a few days in the woods. As I would soon learn, and have to come to terms with is that my plans are not always God's plans. But right now, I was elated to be heading home, alive, warm, all my digits, and an amazing women waiting for me when I got there.
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| Saratoga Battlefield |
