Sunny and I have been jogging just about every morning for the past three weeks or so and it was time for another hike. We need to get into hiking shape before our first High Peak of the year, so a few easy hikes were in order. The hike up Buck was easy enough, so I decided to increase the difficulty slightly. The Hurricane trail is a couple of miles longer and twice the elevation gain, so it seemed like just the thing.
I was cognizant that the higher peaks are still not recommended for hiking at the moment, so I wanted to be prepared even though Hurricane's elevation is only 3600'. I was expecting a lot of mud, so I wore my big boots. Recent reports indicated that there was very little ice left near the summit, but I brought my spikes anyways just in case.
As usual, Sunny was impatient to get started.
As with many of the hikes in the High Peaks region, this one began with an initial climb out of the road in the valley before a long, flatish path to the main ascent. The first mile and a half or so were a bit damp, but no real standing water or mud.
The second leg of the trail featured dense pines and mosses.
This trail was very well-maintained with a lot of sturdy boardwalks over the wetter spots. There were a few trees down along the way, but that's to be expected in April.
All of the crossings were easy to navigate, even after the rain last night.
The main part of the hike which concerned me from my research was a marsh crossing. I wasn't sure how sturdy the boardwalks would be or how high the water would be. My concerns turned out to be unfounded. This part of the trail was just as well-maintained as the rest.
Only one log was floating and we were able to navigate it without a problem. I was starting to regret wearing my heavy boots. Still, my feet did stay dry the entire time.
As it turned out, the marsh was probably the prettiest part of the hike.
This is my favorite shot of the hike. I believe that's Nippletop in the distance.
After the marsh, the terrain began to climb and the conifers gave way to bare deciduous trees. The trees aren't quite budding yet in the High Peaks region.
Sunny is disappointed that I need to take a break.
As we gained altitude, the pines started taking over again.
The trail jogged along a ridge for a bit and we encountered our first ice.
We caught a glimpse of the summit before the trail bent back into the woods.
Big rock.
More snow!
I love snow, Dad!
There was just a short bit of scrambling prior to the summit. There was really no technical climbing to speak of on this trail. I'd definitely recommend this hike for introducing people to Adirondack hiking.
The views at the top are pretty great. The bald top reminded me of Pitchoff which isn't surprising considering Pitchoff isn't far off from here. The fire tower and bald top offers true 360 degree views meaning this summit has real bang for your buck.
Obligatory landscape.
Another obligatory landscape.
Sunny made some friends from Montreal!
Sunny is good at reflective gazing.
Sunny wanted to follow our Montreal friends, but I didn't want to have to ask for a ride from Crow like the poor hikers we had to help last year.
Dad, are you sure we need to finish our hike? Are you sure you don't need more Seratonin?
This was a really great hike to get warmed up for the big stuff. The trail and summit were both very pretty and featured a variety of terrain. It's also another
Lake Placid 9er in the books.
It was a moderately challenging ascent and under 7 miles up and back. I wouldn't call it easy, but it's certainly easier than tackling a High Peak. I can definitely see myself coming back to this one in the future, possibly making it an April tradition.
The map.
I may take Quinn out to Moreau next weekend, but the next big hike I have planned is Lower Wolfjaw via Rooster Comb in a couple of weeks. I look forward to the challenge, and we'll be continuing our morning runs in order to get the ol cardiovascular system ready.
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