To end out the year, I hiked Big Slide. This was weirdly the first time I did it over the Brothers, which is the typical way most people first approach it.
It's the first day of winter, time to start hiking winter peaks again! Unfortunately, there was a major rain storm in the week leading up to the 21st, and that did some major road damage by Owl's Head on 73. Coming into the day, I was concerned about water levels around the washbowl. I totally forgot that on the ridge trail you cross the outlet 3 times.
Today it was Hurricane Fire Tower. I chose to go up this one as training for winter hiking, being only a week or so before winter, and someone had reported a couple days earlier that they used snowshoes all the way. I was pumped to use my snowshoes again. Sadly, the weather warmed up and all I used was microspikes.
To continue on my fire tower challenge, I did Hadley and Kane fire towers.
First up was Hadley. This trail was a bit icy and I had to put on the microspikes shortly after I left the car. The trail up was overall not bad, just steep and a few open slabs to climb up. The views from the top were lovely, and this is a wonderful hike that I highly recommend.
This time, I went and worked on completing the Tongue range for the Lake George 12, doing the lower 3 peaks. I started off on the crossover trail and next thing I knew I was on the ridge and heading south. When I got to 5th peak, it was a slight backtrack up to the leanto and actual peak. The views there were gorgeous, and I could easily see myself camping there, if not for the lack of reliable water nearby (yes, I can hike down to the lake, but that's a steep climb back up.)
Another day of trailhead stewarding, and another hike after, and trying to do Big Crow once again. This time I knew the trail was not next to the register, but the other side of the lot. This is a weirdly steep trail for the length. Not horribly difficult, short, but still not a walk in the park. The views though, my, they're worth it. This is another Lake Placid 9 down... now 3/9.
More Lake George 12 today. I had originally planned to do the entire tongue range, but it was a hot and humid day, so I cut it short by hiking out to Fivemile and then coming back to the top of the tongue. Overall, this is a beautiful hike, and on the north end not horribly difficult. The views though, somewhat lacking. There was a slight view at Brown, nothing at Huckleberry, and you had to scramble up a rock off the trail to get any view at 5 mile. I fortunately? didn't see any of the rattlesnakes that the tongue range is known for.
I continue my work on the Lake George 12. This time it was Buck, Erebus, and Sleeping Beauty out of the Fort Anne area. First up was Buck from Shelving Rock Road. The hike was just a dream. There was a bit of steep right at the top, but I was up in no time and didn't realize how fast I was going. The views were amazing too! No wonder this is one of the hikes that "everyone" does, and I'm surprised it took me so long to get to it as it's only about an hour away.
Looking to do a short hike after working as trailhead steward, I went to do Big Crow from O'Toole road, part of the Lake Placid 9 challenge. I get to the lot, sign in at the register, and start hiking the trail next to the register. After 15 min or so I start asking myself, am I on the right trail? I thought this trail was only 0.7 miles and steep, but I've gone at least 1/2 a mile and it's been flat! I check the GPS, and yup, I'm on the wrong trail, I'm heading towards Hurricane! Oops!