New Year's Eve, Johnny Rocket, Avalanche Lake and Algonquin

The rocket and I on Algonquin

A lean, mean, wrecking machine

An old road leading to Marcy Dam

The Rocket

This one's for the VPo Man: the Wright slide

Approaching Avalanche Lake

A cool ice formation

Avalanche Lake

Trap Dyke

The Rocket on Avalanche Lake

CPo on Avalanche

The storm clouds rolling in

High up on Algonquin

Near treeline

The icy summit of Algonquin

Tim and the Rocket nearing the summit 

Frozen waterfall

The defeated rocket signing us out

Johnny Rocket and I set out for the Adirondacks for the New Year.  The high peaks have not received much snow yet.  This usually means one thing: plenty of ice.  So moving would be slow.  This did not deter the Rocket from thinking a 14 mile day up Marcy would be obtainable.  I was having none of it.  After talking to a local the previous night, I thought Avalanche Lake to Algonquin would be realistic.  If it wasn't, at least we'd check out Avalanche Lake.

After hitting the Noonmark Diner in Keene, we made our way to the Adirondack Loj.  The Rocket set a blazing pace to Marcy Dam through the freezing rain and snow.  Would he keep this up for 11 miles and the 2300 foot climb?  The Rocket showed some signs of slowing down on the small ascent to Avalanche Lake.  But once there, the Rockets legs recharged and crossed the lake at a brisk pace.  Walking across the lake was an amazing experience.  I felt like I was an extra in fargo, except for the mountains rising steeply from both sides.  To the left Colden rises sharply.  Some ice climbers were making there way up the trap dyke.  To the right, Avalanche Mountain rises up.  The trail runs along that side.  In spots there are boardwalks.  

Although the weather didn't look inviting, we proceeded on.  Once we hit the trail to start ascending Algonquin, the weather eased up on us.  It stopped snowing and the wind was slight.  The clouds never cleared, so views were minimal.  But I was O.K. with that.  The temperature never dropped below 20 and the cloudy, low visibility added some character to the hike.  

On the way up, we met Tim.  We stopped and talked.  He told me he was heading to Iroquois.  Unfortunately for him, he dropped down over a thousand feet, missing the junction to Iroquois.  Tim made for a great companion to hike up the mountain with us.  He has made his way up Kiliminjaro and Rainier.  In a month he's planning to do Aconcagua in Chile, the highest mountain in the Americas.  I had plenty of questions to ask.  Basically, I found out I really need to get out and winter camp if I plan on entertaining thoughts of climbing these peaks.

Fortunately for me, the Stabilicers (one of my absolute favorite purchases I've ever made) were sufficient to ascend and (most importantly) descend big bad Algonquin.  Last year while attempting to summit big Al, I left the stabilicers in the car and wore snowshoes instead.  On top of that, I did not have poles and the ice was far thicker.  Live and learn.  

Hopefully the Rocket does the same.  The walk down from Algonquin was mercilessly slow.  The Rocket was hurting.  His feet were sore.  His hands were cold.  The Rocket did not bring waterproof gloves.  He did at least have wool.  And we all know why wool is so great, right?  It keeps you warm even when wet.  The Rocket's crampon bag came off and gone also were his micro spikes as he changed to crampons on the ascent.  We walked the last 2 miles in the dark.  Did Johnny Rocket have a headlamp?  Yes.  Did he have batteries that worked? No.  He did have a light from his phone.  So the Rocket slipped and slid to the finish, having taken off his crampons and having lost his micro spikes.  But finish he did.  The last time I saw the Rocket, this walk would have been out of his reach.  Live and learn.  

And why did Johnny Rocket's feet hurt so bad on the way down?  The Rocket would soon discover in the hotel room he forgot to put the soles in his boots.  Live and learn.  

Christmas in the Hudson Valley

No walking to Kruger Island today.

Overlook from Tivoli Bays

Rip Van Winkle Bridge from Dutchman's Landing

Olanna

Catskill Creek 

The Catskill Creek heading into the village of Catskill

Although a mild winter thus far the nights have been cold.  I set out to the Tivoli Bays hoping to be able to walk out to Kruger Island.  It was not to be.  There is a three month window (October to December) when the trail is open.  It does not look like I will make it this year.  Despite this, I had a lovely walk.  I spotted a heron just before I scared it off.  I listened to the ice cracking as the tide came up.  And the still frozen mud, made for a great walk.

I then headed up to Dutchman's Landing Park and historic Catskill Point.  The walk along the river at Dutchman's Landing provided some great views and exposure to some icy cold wind.  I then walked over to Catskill Point, which is the area where the Catskill Creek empties into the Hudson.  Again I felt the impact of the wind, but that would be offset by my visualizations of what this would be like in a kayak come summer time.  

Walkway Over the Hudson Loop

So much for a night time walk

This is part of rail trail east of the walkway

The walkway.  It's very well done.

A bird's eye view of Poughkeepsie

The view north up the Hudson

The bridge leaves quite a shadow!

The view south of the Mid Hudson Bridge

The vital stats!

The bridge was once the longest in the world!

The Mid Hudson Bridge

The Walkway as viewed from the Mid Hudson Bridge

Beautiful Catholic Church with the Walkway in background 

I came across this statue of a former governor from colonial times

I had been meaning to check out the Walkway over the Hudson for a long time now.  I went briefly two years ago around this time of year.  Like today, it was blistering cold.  The Walkway spans for over a mile over the water.  And you are exposed!  My face really felt it.

I parked just east of the main lot to avoid the $5 parking fee.  Why not a dollar?  Instead of walking the road to the start, I walked up to where I could make out the former tracks.  Here the trail is grown in.  I immediately thought this may be a bad idea.  But I made my way through the brush and blow down.  I made my way over an old rail bridge that tested my fear of heights.  At first it looked like it'd be easy, but as I moved along there were a few railroad ties missing.  A bit sketchy, but it was pretty cool to do.

Once passed the parking lot, the rail trail starts to rise offering up views of the great city of Poughkeepsie.  They clearly don't want jumpers to land on the roads below as they have high fixed fences at these points.  If someone jumps to their death and lands in somebody's backyard, Who cares?

Once over the river the wind really started to kick my ass.  So far this winter (technically it's still fall) I have been a real wimp to the cold.  Wishing I had warmer clothes, I soon took it as a challenge to wake my ass up to the cold that's on it's way.  Many great views along the river.  The Mid Hudson Bridge and the Hudson Highlands to the south.  To the north the Catskills could be made out in the distance.

While walking across the Walkway, I thought it'd be cool to walk back by going over the Mid Hudson Bridge.  Well, apparently there is a marked trail (an urban trail, it's all roads) to do this.  How cool is that?  While on the Walkway you get views of the Mid Hudson Bridge.  Then the Mid Hudson Bridge provides the walker with views of the Walkway.  It made for a surprisingly rewarding walk that surely I will do again.

The Walkway is also great to take out the unicycle!!!

 

Ferncliff Forest Before and After Work

The Pond before sunrise

Sunrise

The lights form the Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge

The pond at Ferncliff Forest

Swampy area

The view south from the tower towards Port Ewen

Waking up to the sound of a howling wind gave me the idea to take a short walk at Ferncliff Forest before work.  It would be extremely windy at the top of the tower, but the views were worth it.  Cloudy, but the sky was a lovely dark blue just before sunrise.

After work I met up with Pat.  We walked around some of the other trails in the Forest.  We used an old rock wall to avoid walking through ankle deep mud.  A nice day out.  Although the sky was full of clouds, the views from the tower were gorgeous as usual.  Breathing in the clear, crisp air without any mosquitos reminded myself how I love getting outside this time of year.

Morning Walk

Moon at Ferncliff

The moon over the Catskills

Mist over the Hudson

Sunrise

I've been weak thus far this winter. The recent cold blast has kept me mostly indoors. The past weekend was gorgeous and I did not get out and check out the full moon (although I did notice it while walking about town at night and enjoyed its beauty). So, this morning I experimented with my camera taking shots of the setting moon. Cold. But it felt great to be about so early. I could even hear deer rustling about in the woods while on the tower in Ferncliff Forest.

North Lake

North Lake

North Lake and Roundtop

Ice and a view towards North Point

Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop

The trail to North Point was very wet

The trail up to North Point

North and South Lake from North Point

The towns of Hudson and Catskill also from North Point

The sun shining bright on the Escarpment

Ice. Winter is on its way!

Catskill Graffiti. It fucking sucks!

Newman's Ledge

The view north towards Albany

Sunset Rock with North Lake below

The wonderful pine needle covered Escarpment Trail

North Lake may be the most sought after destination in the Catskills. This may have been the first destination in the Catskills I visited as a child (as long as the fact that I lived below Mettacahonts does not count). But I have not been to North Lake very much. I camped there as a teenager, walked across it in the winter and stopped for a quick lunch when I did the entire Escarpment Trail last year. Still, I feel I should have investigated it more.

I have been to Kaaterskill Falls quite a few times and it's these waters that make the fall over that beautiful waterfall. The first part of the hike I decided to circumnavigate my way around the lake. I mostly walked on pavement and thought to my self, "Damn it'd be great if this lake were more wilderness." But its proximity to NYC sealed its fate a long time ago. This area was home to two grand Catskill Hotels, the Catskill Mountain house and the Kaaterskill Hotel.

The "two lakes", North and South Lake, rest at over 2,000 feet. They are connected and locally the "lakes" are known as North Lake. Looking at a map you have to wonder, Why aren't they called East and West Lake? Early on in our country's life this became a hot destination. Why would it not? Surrounded by mountains and over 1,500 feet above the valley below, it's a beautiful spot. Many artists of the Hudson River School were inspired by this area. And it's readily apparent why. I enjoyed the walk around the lake like so many others before me, the sun shining off the lake, the wind making its presense felt without the protection from the trees and the views of the mountains surrounding the lake.

I then made my way up to North Point. the view from here provides the perfect vantage point of the North Lake nestled in the mountains and high above the valley below. I'd bet their are some great paintings from here with the Catskill Mountain House being the dominant man made structure with in view. Today its mostly obscure buildings in the Valley and some structures along the eastern beach of north Lake.

I then made my way along the Escarpment Trail back to North Lake. Great views along the way. Views into the valley. I often think this would be a great spot to go hang gliding. Then I made my way to sunset rock. I will have to stop here someday when the sun is actually setting. A beautiful spot. The lake with Kaaterskill high Peak rising above. It does not look very impressive from here. you have to wonder how the hotel owners got away with advertising Kaaterskill as the highest peak, when it looks nothing of the such around North Lake.

I then made my way around a bend to sight I won't soon forget, a big white ass. My first time seeing someone squatting, taking a piss in the wilderness (I did see breasts one time near echo Lake after a couple were finished fucking, I presume. That also wasn't one of the most pleasant sights. Couldn't blame them though, it's probably a nice spot to get it on.) But, I guess when your old you don't give a fuck. Just squat down on one of the most popular trails and piss. Why should only the men have it so easy anyhow?