Dennis Dixon is heading North!: Adirondacks Sept. 2019

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 - Enough about "camping" and "hiking" - its time to do some MOUNTAIN CLIMBING! I'm now into "The Northeast 111". It is supposed to be the 111 mountains in the Northeast (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, plus New York) over 4000 feet, but, to quote the amc4000footer.org page: When the list was first compiled there were only 111 peaks. Since then, measurements have gotten better, and there are now actually 115 peaks that comprise the list. Since I did the 2 down in the Catskills last May 2018, that leaves the 46 mountains in the Adirondacks:

This area is TOO FAR to day-trip, so I've been a little worried about how I'm going to handle this: rent a cabin-in-the-woods for a summer and just bang them out day-by-day/week-by-week/month-by-month?

But upon looking at the map, it seems like there are areas-of-mountains (consecutive peaks along ridge lines), and therefore maybe I can bag multiple peaks in single days. Let's see what happens!

I was able to bag 6 of them in 2 days last May:

Let's try to hit 3 pairs of them over these 3 days:

Thursday I did Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain, and yesterday I did Esther Mountain and Whiteface Mountain, so I'll try for Nye Mountain and Street Mountain today:

I checked out of the Quality Inn at 7:30 AM, and was heading down the road to the Adirondack LOJ when I just had to stop a take some pictures:

Then 5 more minutes down the road I saw the cars parked on the other side of the road, heading north. I've been to enough concerts, so I just did a u-turn and became the next-in-line. Aside from the fact that we were still over a mile away from the trailhead, it was pretty cool - hikers eating breakfast, stretching their legs, walking their dogs. I like the vibe.

I pulled my stuff together, locked the car, and joined the hikers. 1.2 miles later I was at the Adirondack LOJ entrance:

I had guessed correctly - the Parking Lots were FULL:

Very pretty walking down to Heart Lake:

My trail goes around this Lake to the right.

As you continue on the trail, be sure to register:

I love this trail - although there are some roots and some rocks, it is mostly pounded dirt - Great for hiking!

It goes alongside Indian Pass Brook for a while, before you cross:

Looking downstream as I crossed over:

From here you start going uphill. There are basically 3 parts: not-so-steep, steep, and really-steep. This is a picture of the steep area, which sort-of goes up a dry brook ("dry" is a relative term - I certainly would not want to try this in May!):

At least you don't get self-deluded by thinking it is going to get easier.

Eventually you get to the clearing which has the intersection with the trail up to Nye Mountain:

In this picture, the trail came in from the right, the trail up to Nye branches straight ahead, and the trail up to Street goes left out of this photo. And for those people who think there are "no signs" up here:

At 10:55 I was at the top of Nye Mountain:

Nice chat with a fellow hiker. I've read "complaints" about "too many people", but I like passing people and saying hi - there are NO SIGNS on these trails, so seeing another person means that you are on the right path.

Wonderful path through the woods:

Fabulous moss all around up here:

I made it to the top of Street Mountain at 11:30, but because I was looking down (avoiding mud), I missed the sign on the tree. I continued down a side path and quickly came to a couple of guys with a pair of very friendly dogs - and a beautiful view:

I asked about a sign, and they said "Oh yea, it's back there up on a tree." So I found it:

It was now 11:36 and I had been hiking 3 hours and 20 minutes - let's see how long it takes to get back down (while enjoying the hike, of course).

Back at the trail clearing/intersection, I heard some girls coming up, speaking French. So I stopped for water (and also because these trails are NARROW, and almost-only allow single-file). They popped up and I said "Bonjour!", and they smiled and said "Good morning!", and we wished each other Good Hiking.

Nice view as I'm banging down the "really-steep" part of the trail:

I signed out at the Register at 1:40 PM:

Walking back up the road at 2 PM:

Wonderful view from that bridge:

And there is MY CAR at 2:10

WOW - Great Hike! 11.86 miles in 6 hours 1 minute:

So - I have more plans for today. The Adirondack Experience (formerly the "Adirondack Museum") in Blue Mountain Lake is displaying some of its seldom-viewed collection:

This exhibition is only running from May 24, 2019 until October 14, 2019, so it is definitely on my to-do list. The Museum is open until 5 PM.

Additionally, I want to (need to) become familiar with the various trailhead options - their locations, ease-of-access, etc. One centrally-located trailhead is Upper Works Trailhead, which is located at the yellow star:

So I have 2 1/2 hours of driving ahead of me:

I actually only got 2/3 of the way up to the Upper Works Trailhead before I ran out of time:

but it does look like a paved road! I changed into my "museum clothes" here.

I made it to the Adirondack Experience at 4:30

Unfortunately, because half the exhibit was works from Private Collections, no photos were allowed. But I had previously printed the checklist for the works in their collection, so I could "check off" the pieces that I see. (images from their online database) Highlights include:

Thomas Cole - "Schroon Lake, ca. 1846:

Sanford Robinson Gifford - "A Twilight in the Adirondacks", 1864:

William Trost Richards - "In the Adirondacks", 1857:

as well as a SUNNY picture by Ralph Blakelock - "Untitled: the Log Cabin", 1890 ca.

And then it was 5 o'clock - time to HEAD HOME!

I know "they say" 5 hours, but they don't account for a McDonald's stop just north of Albany, or a couple of "stretching breaks" - Home at 10:30. WOW - Thank you God for this Great Adventure!

Let's get today right into music:

HA HA HA - the first song today was "Take Me Home" from Phil Collins - No Jacket Required, 1985