Hikers/Back packers/Firetowers

[quercus21]

You can't beat hiking with family members. We haven't been to Bald Mountain yet. Some time in the future.
This last hike, we started on the trail head around 7:15am and returned around 4:15pm. It should have only taken us 5 - 6 hours but........ I hope no one was following our trail. Up on the summit there was a lot of people.
Enjoy the day

 

[happycountryhens]

You can't beat hiking with family members. We haven't been to Bald Mountain yet. Some time in the future.
This last hike, we started on the trail head around 7:15am and returned around 4:15pm. It should have only taken us 5 - 6 hours but........ I hope no one was following our trail. Up on the summit there was a lot of people.
Enjoy the day

I know the feeling. Gotta plan our next outing. Hmmmmmm.

 

[quercus21]

We have one, maybe 2 planed for this weekend. Lone and Rocky along the neversink. I hope the streams are low or it's going to be a wet one. For a different prospective on topo maps, have you tried this? USGS maps You can find free ones or pay for others. I always carry one when we bush wack, weather I use it or not, is another question.

Enjoy

 

[happycountryhens]

How were your hikes? Any pics?

Went to the park for a while on Saturday.

Cleaned under roost today and went for a short walk looking for tracks over our hill. Found some dog/coyote tracks - nothing else, but the ground was frozen and most of the snow was gone.

 

[quercus21]

Went out Saturday and it was great. We did a repeat of the weekend before. This time a more concentrated effort. We want to get back up there in the warmer weather and play around some more. We might do a over nighter or 2. Here are some pics from last Saturday.

Balsam View of Ashokan Res.


Balsam in the background - from Friday


Cabin View - Little tan/brown spot has a cabin on it. You have to skirt around it. You have to follow the ridge up to the and past the cabin to Friday.


Close to Friday summit


Last ledge before summit - Friday


frozen bear track - Balsam


Maple burl


Start and end of trail - Vinny waiting for us.


There was close to 35 people on the mountains looking at the canister books. We were lucky, we didn't follow them, but saw their tracks.
Enjoy

 

[happycountryhens]

Nice pictures...really love the bear track one and the one of the lake waaaay down the mtn.
Have had to work a bunch of weekends so that curbs our winter hiking a little.
Also liking the trail. It looks a little primative and thus fun.
Backpack broke last hike - it's more like a bookbag and I had too much stuff in it. Brought extra winter socks, gloves and hats in case we got wet along with our lunch, emergency kit and other good stuff (sunscreen, string, pocketknife).
So now I have to look up good (real) packpacks - one for me and another for my son.
Any favorites?

 

[quercus21]

I have to give the better half credit for taking the pictures. Mine is to bulky to take with us on these type of hikes.
As far as backpacks, it's hard to say. My main one is large, but doesn't have enough "compartments". I use it more often for winter hiking and bushwhack camping. It has I believe a internal frame which is nice on the back. Also, besides shoulder straps, I would look for one that has a belt, a strap across the chest and multiple adjustments on the shoulder straps. The size of the pack would depend on what you want to do with it. I have a smaller, lighter one for fire towers and canoeing.
The better half, her pack is smaller then mine ( she's a lot smaller then me). Some places will let you try them on and see if they have weights to see what the pack feels like loaded. My pack came from LL Bean and hers came from EMS(?).
Enjoy

 

[Ole and Lena]

Never been a huge hiker, but I live near canoe country and have done a lot of wilderness camping. You guy's should check out the Kekekabic trail in the Boundary waters canoe area MN. I've crossed it several times on canoe routes, goes through some amazingly beautiful wilderness... real wilderness, not many people... and loops through pretty wild lake country. Also some great trails along the North shore of Lake Superior. I've hiked legs of the trails between roads grouse or deer hunting and snowmobiled some in the winter. Incredible scenery in the fall traveling through wild and broken country. You'll need a good map and preferably a GPS. Most of the wilderness trails up here aren't really well marked and get surprisingly little use. Worth the trip someday!

As for packs, I like military surplus ALICE packs. They have an external frame, tons of pockets and tie-down points, they are nearly indestructable and sling the weight low for good balance. I once packed 75 lb of bear bait in 6 miles and 200 lb of bear meat and hide out (2 trips) some really rough cross country with one.

 

[quercus21]

Ole and Lena: Thanks for the input. The pack I use has some limitations. I could use extra external compartments. Next time I see a Army/Navy surplus store, I am going to stop in and see what they have. I found them on line and they seem reasonable in cost. But, I need to do that touchy feely thing before I can purchase one. What would you say it weighs empty? Does yours have a frame?

Thanks

 

[happycountryhens]

Hi, Thank you for the input on backpacks. Now if that refund check would come from the irs......

We did do a city hike this week and learnd a little history of the town. Then went to the library to warm up. Ahhhh, the smell of books. sigh

Heart run/walk is coming up soon as well as another city hike to area churches. (Of course with stops inside to warm up.) Sometimes I feel that cold/warm/cold/warm makes you colder than just dressing in layers for the cold/colder/cold/colder weather. You all will know what I mean about that. A hot cup of coffee cures the chills, however.

The MN trip sounds like fun, but we have to work up to that. Like...purchase a canoe....have a car rack to put it on....have time off to go.....but the way I look at it is that if you never plan for it and work tward it, you will never go. Sometimes you have to go..."Pack up, we are leaving on a surprise trip in a half hour. Hup hup hup!" but not on a canoe trip in the MN wilderness where you want a GPS in order to get home.

More pics of hikes please.