The next series of Adirondack winter hikes I knew would require camping as the distance was just too great for one day, especially in winter when a chunk of time would be hiking in the dark. I had to mentally get myself into this if I was going to finish the final 12 mountains, as the remaining mountains would be the most challenging ever for me.
In January, I hiked 4.2 miles in to the Bouquet lean-to, near the base of Dix Mountain. I knew I had to camp if I was to attempt the Dix Range in the winter and given the distance and my own ability. My goal for the next few days was attempt to summit both Dix and Hough. So once I arrived at the lean-to about 5pm, I settled in for the night. I pulled out my bivy; inserted my sleeping mat and -20C sleeping bag and extra liner as it was going to be a cold night, about -17C. I heated some water for my meal, had a hot drink and refilled my thermos with hot water and filled my Nalgene bottle with hot water to take to bed with me. I slipped into my liner and into my sleeping bag and was cozy for the night. By morning, I didn't want to get out of my nice warm sleeping bag so I decided to wait until sunrise which was 7:30 am so when I finally got up, I had to thaw out my boots as they were frozen solid from the cold. I started up the stove, heated some water and kept my boots close to the heat as I ate my porridge. I packed by bag and was ready to hike by 9:15 am. There had been fresh snow along the trail from the previous day when I started, making fresh tracks and it continued into the next day with added snow drifts but I could still recognize the trail. Once I arrived at the slide of Dix, there was more snow and no path but I knew the route so I started breaking trail. I realized I should have started earlier but it was too late and I was quickly getting discouraged. Once it was 12:15 pm, I was already 3 hours into the hike and still hadn't reached the junction which would leave me with another 0.4 of a mile left, but it was steep with heavy snow. I was so close yet the steepness and snow cover, I had to make a decision to continue and still not reach the junction or turn around and enjoy the camp and make a fire for the mountaineer team coming in a couple of days later, so I decided to turn around. The next day I packed and headed out. My pack was still heavy and it would still take me 5 hours to reach my car. Dix I decided I would leave for my last mountain.
On February 16, 2020, I decided to attempt again hiking with a full pack for 2 nights into the Adirondacks. This time from Upper Works. I would stay at the lean-to at Flowed Lands and hike Redfield and Cliff. I arrived at 9:40 am, got ready and headed out to the lean-to. It was an overcast day but the next day would be sunny with clouds and about -10C. When I arrived at the lean-to I wanted, it was occupied by two brothers, Darren and Brian, both farmers trying some winter camping for the first time. I asked if they had room for one more and said yes and made room for me. They were pleasant and good company. I set up my spot and prepared my meal. I told them that I would be getting up early, 5am, and they reassured me this was fine. They had pulled for 4.5 miles a packed sled by rope the day before to this lean and were exhausted from that so they only did a small hike to a pond the day I arrived and were heading out the next day. A group arrived coming back from having hiked Redfield and Cliff and took a break at our lean-to. The lead hiker described the trail conditions and when I asked about Cliff, he explained how the pitches were difficult and scary for some of them so he decided to break trail down the opposite side of Cliff, near the summit which is a trail used in the winter but had not been broken out until now. He said it cuts off about 2 miles. So I decided to go for it. I set my alarm for 5am and had everything I needed near me so I could be efficient come morning. I was able to pull myself from my nice warm bed and pour some hot water from my thermos, eat a bar and get dressed. I was on the trail by 6am. I did great time getting to Redfield. I summited at 10am back to the junction between Redfield and Cliff by noon and then headed for Cliff. Once I arrived at the first wall of ice and snow, I put on my crampons and pulled out my axe and strapped my snowshoes and poles to my pack. Being short, I had to get on this fallen tree and grab another tree and pull myself up enough that I could stick my free foot into the ice and with my axe pull myself closer to the trees and on to the snow. I continued climbing and once I reached a plateau, I checked the topography on my GPS, and decided to change back to my snowshoes but kept my ice axe out. The mountain leveled out for a bit until I came to another steep pitch, I was able to make it up to the top with my snowshoes even over certain icy patches but there was enough snow to grab onto and my ice axe was used most of the way, securing me as I pulled myself up. As I was climbing the last steep pitch, I heard a voice from the top calling down. It was a man untangling himself from a down tree that actually stopped his butt slide from speeding down to certain broken bones or death. As I reached him, we spoke about the mountain and it was his first time on this mountain and assumed snowshoes would be fine all the way with the snow so he left his crampons in his car. I told him coming up is much easier than going down but that it was up to him what he was comfortable with. I continued on and summited Cliff and then proceeded to take the bushwhack trail down to Flowed Lands. It was somewhat of a nice trail but lots of knarly trees grabbing my pack. Once at Flowed Lands, I started to cross the water, there was a dip down and I could see a few snowshoes had broken through the ice so I followed another set of steps that hadn't gone through the ice but once I stepped onto to it. Both my feet broke through the ice and I immediately went on my belly and pulled my legs up. The snowshoes quickly froze and my boots took in water. I had to get my snowshoes off right away to move on. The clips loosening the straps were freezing so I had to act quickly in clearing the clip with the heat. By morning, my boots were frozen and had to thaw them out by my stove, the hand warmers had not effect but I had plastic baggies to insert in my boots that fit my feet, which carried my food but at this point, I didn't need them anymore. I left the lean-to at 9am, after getting up at 7am and arrived at my car by 12:20pm. I changed my clothes with the clothes I had in my car and then started down the road. I arrived at Long Lake at 1:30 pm called home, assuring I was safe and on my way, and bought a extra large coffee at Stewarts and started home. This was a journey I would not forget easily. It taught me and pushed me outside my comfort zone to expand my understanding of my own body, elements and resourcefulness. My priority was to get home and I am so grateful I have a home to go to with a loved one there waiting for me.
Starting out fresh as a daisy!
A beautiful walk through the snow-covered forest
Only 4 miles to go
A down tree I had to crawl under without the pack on
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