Rock Pond near Indian Lake, NY

 Actually hiking on some snow for the first time this year.  I bare booted it...but most of the group wore snowshoes.  They would have been handy for the bushwack part of the trip we did.  I post holed for about half a mile but the destination was well worth the effort.  Total mileage was just under four. 

 Part of the Rock River as it flows into Rock Pond.

 Crossing Rock Pond with a look back at Blue Mountain. 

Spectacle Pond

Love this 3 mile round trip hike in Schroon Lake.  Did it twice in the month of February.  Once with the coworkers and once with my husband.  I am making a hiker out of him!  Totally planning to camp here as soon as it is warm enough.  I am thinking mid May. 

New Years Day on Tongue Mountain

 

My 3rd annual New Year's Day Hike with some awesome coworkers and their significant others.  We like to find a lean to, build a fire and eat heartily!!  This year's buffet included shrimp, hot beef stew, deviled eggs, cheese and pepperoni and beverages.  These people are not afraid to carry some heavy food and drink.  A couple of bottles of wine, some physician's assistant's recommended Yagermeister and several cans of beer made the trip.  Too long partying at the lean to contributed to our hike down the mountain in the dark and rain.  It was icy and slippery; my first time using my microspikes which are well worth the investment.  My father bought himself a pair the next day.  Nonetheless, it was a perfect start to 2012. 

#26 Lower Wolfjaw

Well, we are getting the first real snow storm of the season with only 3 weeks to go until the first day of spring! How appropriate with this strangly warm...snowless up until now...winter we have been having. I have been getting my map of the high peaks out at night already debating which mountains will be summitted in a july backpacking trip. Even the snow above 4,000 feet will be gone by then. We have 20 peaks to go and I would like to make a big dent in that number this season. My husband is likely to join my father and I on one of what I hope to be two summer backpack trips in the high peak region. I would like to take Reagan on that trip as well as an overnight at Spectacle Pond in Schroon Lake. Anyway, during this planning stage I realized that I have fallen behind in my reporting to the 46ers but reminded myself that all of my hikes are captured here on the blog. Oops, except for Lower Wolf Jaw. The lone hiked high peak of 2011. I cannot believe how the pace of life kept us from doing more than ONE peak. On July 4, 2011 we parked at a pull off of route 73 near the AMR but not having to cross their land. We hiked alongside Deer Creek on a very picturesque trail. Now when I say "we" I mean my father and I and my son Greg and his girlfriend Mikayla. I have figured out the carrot that will lead Greg up a few more high peaks. Lucky for me he has a very athletic and enthusiastic girlfriend who more than willingly agreed that it would be nice for her and Greg to come along. In much better shape, they hiked way ahead of us and had plenty of time to rest at the summit waiting for us and their lunch! At only about 9 miles it was a good hike to tackle as the first and only hike of the season. My father and I took it easy, rested quite a bit and drank plenty of gatorade. It was a hot one. We are now at 26. Greg has 4 and Mikayla 1. The hike was pretty uneventful, a nice return to the peaks and we were done early enough to eat at the Noonmark Diner for the first time.