taking it to the next step

[accoustic]

Hi everybody,

I'm a quite experienced hiker and I'm in great shape (I did Marcy in 3 houres two weeks ago). But now I'm kind of bored of my expeditions. I would want a harder thing. You know taking it to the ''next step'' - the kind of ascent where you need a rope and an helmet. I though of doing the N face of Gothics from the left trail (I think it's called the Jeanne trail), but I'm planning this trip for early January so I don't want to start an avalanche :P.

Anybody have a suggestion?

P.S. : I have a few things from rock climbing and I can rent the rest, I know a few nails and I did the Sirius med wilderness medicine 40h course.

Thank you!

[adkh20]

Anybody have a suggestion? Thank you!

This would be a good place to start:

http://www.mountaineer.com/mountainfest/mountainfest12.htm

[James_W]

Why not take a step back from hiking considering you obviously have experience and work on some true mountaineering skills.

ADKH20 has a good idea by going to Mountainfest and learning hard skills they have many options available.

If you want to climb any good route in the mountains this will require skill leading and rope experience. You will also need to learn glacier and avalanche skills.

The Adirondacks is a great place to experience winter so get yourself on a top rope ice climbing and enjoy the season!

[accoustic]

Thank you guys for your suggestion,

This thing clearly looks awsome, but it also looks **FULL** :P
But be sure that this is on my calender in 2009...

Is there any other clinics like that in the region?

Do you think that Colden by Trap Dike would be a nice ascent for me in january?

Thank you again

[DEEPFOREST]

What are you really looking to do, straight up ice climbing or hike "with a rope and helmet". Meaning are you an ice climber? Or are you looking to hike very difficult and somewhat dangerous routes without protection(screws and cams)?

For starters the trap dyke in Jan. may be just as unsafe as anywhere in the dacks because of avalanche proneness. The dyke had a avalanche last winter that snapped trees like twigs at the base.

There are dozens of hikes to do in winter if your looking to push your limits but what exactly are you looking for? Verticle ice routes, slide climbs, mixed climbing or are you just looking for some serious winter hiking challenges?

[adkh20]

Thank you guys for your suggestion,
This thing clearly looks awsome, but it also looks **FULL**

Several of the classes that would be appropriate for your level of experience
are not marked as "full" including:
Avalanche ABC's with Chuck Boyd
Beginning - Intermediate Ice

I would encourage you to get some avalanche education if you plan
to do any winter travel on ADK slides.

[accoustic]

For the MountainFest, I never did any ice climbing, so I was looking for the beginner course. I saw it full for Saturday, but I didn't see that there was the same course the Sunday. Sorry my mistake.

No I actually don't have any avalanche skills, that's quite why I'm posting this on the forum. I don't want to kill myself in a stupid avalanche. I'm aware of the risks.

What I'm looking for : Serious hiking or slide climbs. I'm not from the region (As you probably already understood with my bad English), but I just felt in love with the ADK so I would want to know what could challenge me out there. It's just that I'm bored of walking without seeing that it goes upper. I need something new. That's all.

Thanks guys.

[James_W]

Avalanche ABC's with Chuck Boyd

I would encourage you to get some avalanche education if you plan
to do any winter travel on ADK slides.

Really great advice for anyone looking to travel the slides in winter. A buddy went up the trap dyke about 1 month ago.The exit looked like steps of WI2 that most non climbers would probably pitch out so make sure you are prepared before heading out, the snow may have changed the route quite a bit.

[mikeharo]

The Chuck Boyd class is an excellent source of information. I learned much about weather, snow, human impact. Most importantly were the practical skills - learning how to dig a pit, how to do tests on the snowpack, how to make solid decisions. I took the Monday course too - we spent time outside with beacons learning how to approach rescue situations. They gave us books and a ton of paperwork with so much information. It really was well done. Chuck Boyd was excellent and Jeff (I think that was his name) from tuckerman.org was also great. Its a great intensive way to get thinking about how things happen. I recommend strongly. The only downside, if you see it, is that the class is all day inside. I'm a student and plan to be one for a long time so it didn't bother me but I could tell some people there needed to get outside. Anyway, I enjoyed the course and took a lot from it.

[accoustic]

I just took a look at my schedule and realized that I'll be in Hanover the 11-12-13......damn-it

Yeah, I'll go to the mountainfest in 2009. But I wont wait until 2009 to do my next expedition... :-P So is there any way I can take these courses outside of the MountainFest?

Don't desperate, we're gonna make something of me...

[mikeharo]

Local guide services like Cloudsplitter (Jesse Williams) do private lessons and group workshops. On mountaineer.com, click on the guide tabs. I'm thinking of getting my girlfriend an ice lesson in January so we can do more ice climbing.

Rock and River do guiding (and I think instruction) and they have guest cabins for lodging.

I started on rock during a summer in Oregon a bunch of years ago. As I got into climbing more, I found a style that I like and got full into that. Now I'm focused on winter climbing and moving to bigger alpine style objectives. I can't offer advice about trying to learn basic techniques - rope management, knots, belay safety, protection - in the winter. I can offer insight though - as I think about it, I'm glad I had those skills when I got into winter climbing. Meaning, its probably more dificult to get those skills in the winter - the weather can be distracting.

[Anita]

there's Adirondack Mountain Guides (Ian Osteyee) too. really nice guy, and good rates for private instruction, comparable to what you'd pay at IME in NH.

[accoustic]

Thanks for the info.

Cloudsplitter seems to have a great schedule and some nice prices. I'll take an Ice Climbing School in late January, and maybe try a summit climb with them to.

For now I'll just look for the most technical hiking expedition that I can do in the ADK without any ice climbing or avalanche instruction. And after a few classes with Cloudsplitter, there a few slides that I would want to try :P

So what was the hardest hiking ascents you ever did in the ADK?

[Mavs00]

Define hard?

[DRIFTER]

Define hard?

I'm not sure, but if it lasts longer then 4 hrs you have to seek medical assistance!