Hikes 'n Stuff: ADK Visit in Winter

View from Big Slide towards the High Peaks

I've been trying to hike in the Adirondacks for a number of years, only to be thwarted by an early spring snowstorm this past Memorial Day, and an early fall snowstorm several Septembers ago. So this time around, I planned a 4-day visit in February with the help 4 other friends. Surely a snowstorm would be a welcome event on this trip! As luck would have it, it snowed about 12" the week before our visit adn stayed nice and cold all week.

We started our trip with a big breakfast at the Noon Mark Diner in Keene Valley, just a mile or so from our trailhead parking lot. (If you're hiking in the area it's a must-stop eatery for a cheap & filling meal. Don't miss the pie, turnovers donuts, they have it all!) Soon after we were loading up our backpacks & polk sleds for the first leg of our trip, a 3.5 mi trail to Grace Cabin, owned and operated by the Adirondack Mtn Club. The location of this cabin in the High Peaks Wilderness is a perfect jumping off point to hike the following ADK 46 peaks: Big Slide, Lower & Upper Wolfjaw, The Gothics, Armstrong & Haystack... and if you're up for a looong day, Mt. Marcy & Skylight. Other lodging in the area, also run by the Adironack Mtn Club include John's Brook Lodge (summer only), Peggy O'Brien Cabin and several lean-tos.

Larry & his sled

Crossing John's Brook, approaching the cabin nearby

The cabin turned out to be a warm & welcome haven for hikers of all seasons like us, as well as backcountry skiiers & ice climbers (as we detected from the log book). While it has no running water or electricity, this one room structure for six features two sets of bunks beds, a kitchen table w/ benches, a 2 burner cooktop, refrigerator, water buckets, gas lamps, propane heat controlled by a thermostat, and all the cooking utensils, pot and pans you need to feed six. Cubbies made it easy to store gear, and two hanging lines helped to dry our clothing. Two food lockers were useful for storing dry goods, though we found no evidence of mice. We did find many decks of cards, checkers, maps and a few books neatly arranged by the kitchen table. A large front porch was helpful to de-ice our hiking gear, and a small outhouse was located a short walk from the back of the cabin. There was also a binder of instructions for the cabin's many appliances, This turned out to be very helpful, as we had to replace the propane gas tanks that ran empty (thanks Jeff!). But if you want to stay here, you better prepare in advance, the cabins regularly book up a year in advance.

Grace Cabin

After we arrived at the cabin, we left our overnight gear inside and headed up Big Slide, our first hike of the trip, and my first 4K in the ADKs. The trail was tracked out from previous hikers and made for good footing. The views were lovely from wide ledge on the top. We stood and pointed at the distant High Peaks we would hike in the following days.

In the weeks before our trip, hardly anyone had reported using snowshoes on the unusually low snowpack this year. The Adirondacks are well known for its wet trails in summer, which in winter usually translates into lots of ice walls & ice bulges under the and rocky ledges. Snowshoes are required if the snowpack is 8" or more in the ADKs, so for this trip we wore snowshoes almost the entire time.

NY State trail marker

View of Upper Wolf Jaw, from Lower Wolf Jaw

Sliding down the steeps

After the hike to Big Slide, we returned to the cabin to cook up veggie soup and shrimp stir fry (and to devour Emily's homemade dessert). We felt lucky to eat so well and stay in a heated lap of relative luxury in the woods. By 9pm we had crawled into our respective bunks and settled into a routine of early to bed, early to rise, hike, eat well & repeat.

New Olympic Sport - ice climbing in snow shoes

Upper Wolf Jaw Summit

The following morning we arose to another cold and sparkling sunny day and ham, egg and cheese sandwiches (yay!) Our hike took us to Lower WolfJaw & Upper Wolfjaw. A few obstacles were made easier with the use of an ice axe and a short rope, but overall it wasn't technical or difficult with the correct gear. Crampons would have been helpful, and even though we had them, we stayed in our snowshoes and made it up the obstacles just fine. Views were had from both the Wolf Jaws, and hile Armstrong lingered nearby, we deicided to save it for the next visit. While this meant another hike for next year, it also meant more time to eat appetizers, nap and cook another big dinner (pasta in a hearty veggie & meat sauce). The stars were out among the tall pines surrounding the cabin. The moon, which appeared to be full for several nights, lit the way to the outhouse without a need for a headlamp. (Well yes, you did need one INSIDE the outhouse).

The third day was a rest day for me, as I felt usually nauseous by morning (possibly my overeating of the yummy pasta?) The rest of the group ate oatmeal with fixings and soldiered on to Haystack, the third highest in the park, enjoying a 11 mi hike with some above-treeline views and exposure.

Lean To

Bunny on the bridge

Back at the cabin, I slept in, read a magazine and felt alot better by the afternoon. I took a walk in the surrounding area to get some fresh air, taking note of the various lean-tos, John's Brook Lodge and the many bridges that crossed the brook. I saw only one other pair of human tracks that weren't part of our group, and many animal tracks including deer, mice and rabbits. Later I hauled a few buckets of ice water from the brook back to the cabin (a daily ritual usually completed after each hike). The rest of the crew soon arrived and told stories of a very cold, yet successful summit of Haystack. That night we ate homemade chili, soup and rice from previous meals and homemade dessert of course! Our final day was nearly upon us, so all our extra food had to be eaten...and we easily took on the challenge.

On our last morning we ate homemade granola, cleaned up and hiked quickly through the bitter cold woods. We soon found ourselves at the Noon Mark once again, enjoying a big lunch & pie, discussing plans for our next winter trip to Grace Cabin.