Woods Wanderer

Every once in a while, wandering around in the woods isn’t enough. I need to climb a mountain. I need the huffing and puffing, muscle-aching, goal-oriented pleasure of it all, complete with grand views. So I drove to Lincoln Gap in central Vermont a few days ago and set foot on the trail going up Mount Abraham. It would be a challenge for this recently minted septuagenarian: 1,600-foot climb, 5 miles round trip.

I hiked Mount Abe four years ago. Did okay going up but had a hard time coming down. A half century of trail pounding has worn out my joints. So this time I traded in my trusty wooden walking stick for a pair of solid-shank, aluminum trekking poles. I figured the joints would appreciate it, especially my knees.

After a little up-and down action right away, the trail became a steady climb to Battell Shelter. The surrounding boreal forest turned vibrant green. I was digging it.

That was the easier two-thirds of the hike. The trail was wet, though. A front had passed through the night before, soaking the forest and leaving puddles on the trail. Thanks to my trekking poles, I managed to stay on my feet.

Not too far beyond the shelter, the trail steepened. I took lots of breaks, in no rush to do this. The final ascent was sheer rock cutting through conifers diminishing in size to krummholz.

Then all of a sudden I was on top, just above the treeline. The landscape sprawled before me fifty miles in every direction, beneath a partly cloudy sky. I put a wool shirt and jacket over my sweaty t-shirt and stayed a while despite a chilling wind. I slaked my thirst, munched away and looked around. When I’d had enough, I began the descent.

That’s when the trekking poles came in real handy. I shudder to think what the descent would have been like without them. By the time I reached the shelter, I was mildly surprised by how well my joints were holding up. A mile and a half later, I was in pain –– mostly my right knee. Shortly thereafter, I limped off the trail, letting out a big sigh of relief upon reaching my car. Then I congratulated myself. I did it! But the next time I go for a hike, I think I’ll pick a trail that’s nearly flat.

Tags: above the treeline, boreal forest, climbing a mountain, early summer, Green Mountains, hiking

This week I did two day hikes in the Adirondacks on two completely different trails. One took me deep into the wild. The other provided great views.

First I went to Pigeon Lake Wilderness on the western side of Adirondack Park. I hiked a narrow, mostly earthen path in a 7-mile loop through the woods. The trail was wet and muddy in places as I skirted beaver ponds and wetlands. I stopped at Queer Lake for lunch. It was so quiet there that I could hear water lapping to shore and leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. After lunch I sat against a fallen log and let my mind wander. I closed my eyes and napped for a short while. Then I slowly packed up and hiked out. Even though I took my time leaving the forest, I still worked up a good sweat. And I never saw anyone the entire time I was out there.

The next day I drove to the trailhead for Blue Mountain –– one of the most prominent features in the central Adirondacks. I got there early. There were no other cars in the parking lot when I arrived. I set forth up the mountain, following a heavily eroded, rock-strewn path about five feet wide. It was uphill all the way for about two miles. Even though I took lots of breaks, I managed to do the 1,800 feet ascent in less than 2 hours. The view from the fire tower on the summit was phenomenal. The Adirondack Park spread before me in all its glory, making me truly appreciate the sheer size of it. Two young hikers appeared just as I was descending the fire tower. While sitting below the fire tower, I listened to them chatter excitedly as they pointed out the summits and lakes in the distance. On my way back down the trail, I passed nine or ten more parties of hikers. There were over a dozen cars in the parking lot when I reached it, with more arriving.

Without a doubt, the view from the fire tower on top of Blue Mountain was well worth the climb. And I enjoyed the endorphin rush that came with the physical effort necessary to get up there. But hiking up that mountain wasn’t a wilderness experience by any stretch of the imagination. For that I would recommend a venture into Pigeon Lake Wilderness, or something like it. There is something about being alone in an undeveloped, rarely visited place that completely changes the way one looks at the world. Doing both was great, of course. But if I had to choose between the two, well, I’d choose the latter.

Tags: Adirondacks, climbing a mountain, deep woods, hiking, wilderness experience