A Couple of Winter 12sters

I got it in my head that I'd try to get my Winter 12ster this year. I think the terribly warm weather has made that all but impossible. Still, I've had a couple of great hikes with my favorite people in the pursuit of that goal. This February, I was lucky enough to climb Thomas with Quinn, and Black with friends and Sunny.

Thomas Mt. with Quinn

I'd just returned from a week-long cruise to the Carribean with my Aunt and I felt it was important that Quinn and I get some one-on-one time when I got back.  I like to do a hike with just Quinn from time to time anyways. Leaving Sunny at home allows me to give Quinn my undivided attention and I think that's probably good for our relationship. We both had the day off for Presiden't Day so I figured a quick hike up Thomas Mt. would be perfect.

The day started out cold and sunny when we got to the trailhead. GPS took us on an alternate route to avoid the bridge out on 11. We were in good spirits. Quinn was excited about using his new microspikes. 

Our microspikes did get a workout since the trail was a hard-packed superhighway of snow and ice from start to finish. We moved pretty fast, though, even with an almost-5-year-old who wanted to explore and play the whole way. We passed the time spotting trail markers and playing games like "favorite things".

The descent down Cat and Prospect had annoyed Quinn so much that he was ecstatic to find how easy it was to walk in the microspikes. He intentionally walked on the ice whenever we came across it. He made very few complaints on the ascent, though there were a few times when he hopefully said "is this the last up?" and was a bit disappointed to learn it was not. I let him look at our progress in my phone once or twice so that he could see how far we'd gone and how close we truly were.

We're almost there!

I was very impressed with how quickly we made it to the top of Thomas. It was actually easier to climb this mountain in the winter. Thomas's ascent is a nasty boulderfield in warmer months and since the trail is very wide, there's little protection from the sun. It was actually quite lovely today.

After a bit of exploring, Quinn and Sully decided it was time to enjoy their summit snack.

Since there was very little wind and a lot of sunshine, Quinn was content to stay on Thomas for about an hour despite the cold. He cheerfully threw sticks and snowballs around and stomped around in the snow. I enjoyed his company and the view.

After the main descent, Quinn started reporting that his feet hurt and once we were on the long flat back to the trailhead, he seemed to be in real pain. I lifted him onto my shoulders for about 1/8 to 1/4 mile until we saw the gate. He finished the last leg on his own just fine. 

Again, I want to reiterate how important I think it probably is that he enjoy his time in the woods. That's more important than achieving a 100% unassisted hike. Today I reinforced that Dad will be there for him when he needs me, that it's okay to ask for help, and I'll be proud of his achievements.

I don't have any illusions that he'll want to do these things with me in his teens, but I do hope that we hike together for at least a few years to come. I hope he'll have good memories of his time outdoors with me. Maybe he'll return to it later in life and look back on our trips fondly when he does.

Winter Camping on Shelving Rock Rd.

I was lucky enough to be invited out on a camping trip which was scheduled shortly after I got back from my Cruise. I was honestly not sure whether I ought to go, but Wendy bought me a new ultralight tent for the purpose while I was on vacation, so I figured I had her blessing. I'm really a lucky guy.

Jay's plan was to camp on Shelving Rock Road on the SouthEast side of Lake George, then hike Black Mt. the next day. Dan and I both needed the mountain for our Winter 12ster and it seemed like just the right length for a casual hike while camping.

Site 12 on Shelving Rock Rd. is really great. It's set a bit far back from the parking area across a small stream. It's flanked on one side by a hill and the other side by a larger stream. There's lots of room at the site for hammocks, but a bit uneven for tents. There was one big, flat area near the fire pit the fellas used to erect an easy-up with three walls to shield us from the wind. 

Jay has exactly the same tent as the one Wendy bought me, so he helped me raise it for the first time. I was grateful for this because I think I'd have been frustrated to do it on my own. Site 12 has some decent shielding from the wind on most sides. Most importantly, my tent was shielded on the side coming up the valley from the lake.

Sunny was very impressed with John's kitchen setup.

It was in the teens Farenheit, but Sunny seemed content with his sleeping bag under him.

As usual, John's cooking game was strong. We ate very well that night with all manner of meats and veggies. We snacked on some charcuterie I brought while the delicious smells from the firepit filled the easy-up. John was kind enough to provide Sunny a chicken thigh since I absentmindedly forgot his kibble. 

Even as it dipped into the single digits, we were fairly comfortable by the fire.

Sunny and I slept very well until about 2:30am when I woke up with a hangover. I try to maintain a decent water to alcohol ratio, but I was having such a great time chatting with the fellas and eating, that my water consumption slipped my mind. Worse, I'd failed to keep my water in my bag with me, so I had to wait a good 30 minutes for it to thaw enough to drink. 

Throughout the next 3 hours or so, I napped and drank my water. There were a few times I woke to find Sunny exposed and shivering, so I had to re cover him and cuddle him up with me. At 6am, Sunny and I got up, got in the car, and drove to Lot 5 to call the family and finish an audiobook while waiting for the fellas to wake up.

Rin stopped by in the morning for a visit. She approved of our site.

Black Mt.

It was about a 40 minute drive to the Black Mt. Trailhead. I got water and snacks for Sunny and me. Although we hydrated fairly well on the drive, it wouldn't be until the next morning that I fully recovered. Still, I felt stronger and refreshed by the time we got to the trailhead.

As with the Thomas hike, the hike up Black was a packed snow and ice racetrack. We made quick work of the trail in our microspikes. Well, at least quick work by my standards.

Sunny had the best day ever.

We were in no great hurry. The hike up Black and back to the trailhead is under 6 miles. Moreover, the day was beautiful and the wind was light. I made the trip with just my base layer, shirt, and shell layer. My puffy only came out at the summit. I still wore my snowpants, however, and my legs did get a little sweaty.

We were rewarded with a gorgeous, bluebird day summit.

It's hard to see in this photo, but the High Peaks were very clear to be seen today, as were the Vermont peaks. I love how you can clearly see from this summit that Lake George and Lake Champlain run parallel with one another for several miles. 

After enjoying sammiches and some conversation with other hikers, Jay snapped a quick selfie before we headed back down. By the time we got back to the car, Sunny and I were ready for a nap! Sunny did take a nap. I stopped at Stewies for a tall coffee. The fellas went back to the campsite for another evening of camping.

I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with this weirdo, then slept like the dead.