Why is there no ice on the Marcy plaque?

[DEEPFOREST]

So why is the Marcy Plaque bare of ice?
Ice freezes to metal, copper, brass, nickel, etc. right? so why not this plaque?
I'm sure there will be a few different theories and opinions and I am curious to hear them all.

[Zan]

I'm not sure, but that is a great photo!

[lumberzac]

My guess is it is because of two things. 1) people brush the snow off to read it and 2) because of its dark color, the sunlight heats it up melting any remaining snow and ice on it.

[Rik]

My guess is it is because of two things. 1) people brush the snow off to read it and 2) because of its dark color, the sunlight heats it up melting any remaining snow and ice on it.

I think Zac has it in answer one. I have seen it coated with ice and every time I'm up there with someone they brush the snow and ice off.

When was that picture taken?

[Tuchov]

If the sun was working alone, the ice within an inch of the plaque would be gone as well, while the metal radiates the heat away. So people have to be helping.

What I am sure of though, is it must have sucked having to carry that plaque up there in the first place :P The trails probably weren't as good as they are today.

[Skyclimber]

What I am sure of though, is it must have sucked having to carry that plaque up there in the first place :P The trails probably weren't as good as they are today.

Grace Hudowalski once told me, "that Marcy used to be a three day trip."

[Boreal Chickadee]

Skyclimber's comment that Marcy used to be a three day trip reminded me of Orra Phelps. We're all woosies today (yeah, even the he-man bushwhackers reading this) compared to this woman. Read this and you'll see why:

Doc : Orra A. Phelps, M.D., Adirondack Naturalist and Mountaineer
by Mary Arakelian

Mary Arekelian is her neice (?) or some relation. It's been a couple of years since I read the book, so my memory is a bit foggy about the author. But what I read is burned forever in my mind. One of the best books you can read about the history of the Adirondacks. Orra Phelps, Clarence Petty..these people have my respect and admiration.

[Judgeh]

I don't understand. It still takes me three days to reach Marcy.

Great photograph.

[Boreal Chickadee]

I don't understand. It still takes me three days to reach Marcy.

.

That must have been pre- knee replacement when you had to crawl!

[Neil]

I happen to know that that plaque is heated with 2 AAA batteries. I put a new set in every time I go up. Rechargeables of course because they are enviro friendly.

3 days just to get Marcy?

I did it in 2:25 minutes last Sept. only to have an olympic skiier come along behind me in 1:25!

What the hell? Didn't they have GoLite back then?

[Skyclimber]

I don't understand. It still takes me three days to reach Marcy.

Great photograph.

That reminds me, when Grace also told me, "That the Sewards were a three day trip too." That's when I had to laugh and say, "Grace it still takes three days."

[DEEPFOREST]

When was that picture taken?[/QUOTE]

This pic was taken on sat 1/20. The skies over Marcy were in & out of the clouds and the wind was ferocious from the west. We ascended from 4-corners and broke a fresh trail w/ s-shoes the way up. Right before treeline we changed into crampons, face mask, mitts and down jackets. We geared up as if we were about to step foot on the moon.

The wind was so powerful it prevented us from looking up, we had to keep our heads down and could only sneak in quick looks to the top. The entire ground was covered with ice & snow. The ice was wind blasted and super hard, my 12 point crampons barely penetrated the surface. It wasn't snowing but the wind was whipping snow around as if it was. Visibility was around 100 feet directly on Marcy but you could look in other directions and clearly see the HP's, which really helped with sight-navigation.

It started to feel like I was climbing Everest because you had to work so hard for every step. We would then hit snow drifts past our knees and post hole through it. My heart was pounding with excitement and we couldn't get to the top fast enough. I was really nervous of a getting caught in a white-out, but the skies were just inviting enough to press for the summit.
Once we came around the plaque wall the wind was no joke, it was full on from the top, we jumped up on the final ledge, turned our back to the west set our crampons in real good, leaned forward, dug the pole handles into our stomach as support and took the blast for about 10 seconds. That 10 seconds will live in my memory forever.

We came off the wall took a couple of pics and boogied off the mountain real quick. (If you look at the photo you could see the left side of my hood being smashed against my face by the wind).

[Judgeh]

How did those Black Diamond mittens of yours work out? Just got a pair myself (on sale at EMS), but no plans to do Marcy in those conditions!

[Judgeh]

That must have been pre- knee replacement when you had to crawl!

The crawl returns when you're on the eve of your 55th birthday, bad knee or not.

[Boreal Chickadee]

The crawl returns when you're on the eve of your 55th birthday, bad knee or not.

Excuse me while I go hiking! NOW!