Rocky Peak Ridge - Neil's 46th

[Dick]

You couldn't ask for a clearer day! A bunch of people descended upon Rocky Peak Ridge for Neil's 46th peak! People arrived and at different times, and some approached from Rt. 73 via Giant, while others went the long way from New Russia, so it's hard to say how many were celebrating. Joanne and I left from New Russia so as to get a "head start" knowing full well that Neil would catch up with us. The roller coaster trail goes up and down over several "bumps" including Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, very steeply up Rocky Peak, then finally to Rocky Peak Ridge, for a total of 4700 ft. elevation gain. Neil and company in fact did catch up to us somewhere between Blueberry Cobbles and Bald Mt. Joanne and I took our usual slow pace, and managed to meet up at Bald Mt., beckoned by dulcet tones of Neil's flute. Moving on, we passed an interesting glacial erratic, then down into a notch, and then very steeply up to Rocky Peak (not to be confused with Rocky Peak Ridge). Passing briefly over a few more bumps, we had lunch and the circumvented Lake Marie Luise, for the final ascent of RPR. The summit was quite crowded, though I wasn't sure if everyone there was from the "celebration" group. We were late arriving (OK, we were slow to arrive!). After congratulating Neil, we were greeted by several people who recognized us from our picture (guess I gotta get a new one up). Lots of picture taking and champagne toasting. It was nice to meet everyone in person. A list included people from other sites as well (in no particular order): Neil & Sylvie and sons Dominic and Daniel and friends, Rick & Charlene, (and "Dolly"), Tom Rankin, Funkyfreddy, m(att)corsar, Pin-Pin, Tom (masshysteria) & Tom jr., Dynotrick & wife Oxana, JimB and daughter (her first time on a mountain!). There may have been others I didn't see or didn't know.

Rather than hike over Giant, a group of eleven of us decided to bushwack from the col via Dipper Brook. The size of the group and the variety of bushwacking experience made for a slow trip. Eventually we traversed to the Ridge Trail and Giant's Washbowl, donned headlights and hiked the .7 mi. out -- slowly, in part due to some malfunctioning headlamps! Bushwacking group included Rick, Charlene, Sylvie, Tom, Tom Jr., Funkyfreddy, Matt Corsar, Dynotrick & Oxana, Joanne, and Dick. From there it was home for some, and to the Ark Trail Lodge (motel) for dinner and much needed rest.

Photos: Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, Bald Peak & Blueberry Cobbles from Rocky Peak, Giant from Summit of Rocky Peak Ridge, col between RPR & Giant.

Dick

[Kevin]

Congrats to Neil.

[RonandJon]

Congratulations!

Nice going, Neil and Dominic. Congratulations -great place and great way to finish! Ron

[Judgeh]

Crongratulations!!! (in lieu of the usual dancing you know what)

[Dick]

I finally got Kodak Gallery to work. Here are all of the few pictures we took that day.

Apologies to Dominic -- it was his 46th too! Congratulations, Dom!

Dick

[percious]

Neil

Congrats. Sorry I could not join you for the culmination of your adventures with the 46. Hopefully you will be up for some repeats in the future. Looks like you had a beautiful day.

-percious

[Rookie]

Congratulations to Neil and Dominic.
It really is a great accomplishment.

[Neil]

Thank you everybody for your kind words. Here,s my version of the day's events:

It certainly dosn't get any better than this. A stunningly beautiful hike and summit, as fine a day as they come, (most of) my family present and wonderful friends and wellwishers along the trail and on the summit.

I was actually excited the night before just like the night before Christmas when I was a kid. At the TH I was nervous and in spite of doing my best to be organized I forgot to put the batteries in my camera! No biggie, I always have lithiums in my pack.

Tom Rankin had checked the register and mentioned that JimB was on the trail. Jim is particularly signifigant because when we met he and his son Jason were in their 40's and Dom and I were in our early teens. Plus, we met at 3am at the Bradley Pond LT in what was our first taste of a more hardcore ADK experience. I knew Jim had come just for our 46th and that heightened my anticipation a notch. (He had brought his daughter on her very first 46er peak and so the wheel keeps turning...).

The hike up was in Masshysteria sr. and jr.'s company, then Tom R and his hiking partners' company. We caught up with Dick and Joanne and met up with Mark and Kelly en route. I was feeling festiver and festiver as we toodled along. The views along the mostly open hike were paradisiac (that's french for paradise-like). The Dix range dominates the landscape and one's perspective gradually changes.

I hung out alone for a while on the plateau below the summit blowing tunes on my flute when Dominic called down to get my butt in gear so we could summit together so up I went, starting to feel my quads and calves. As we topped out there was a crowd clapping and taking pictures and then...we were 46ers! I was very moved by the sincerity of the congratulations, the deep eye contact, the hugs and the handshakes. Pin-Pin was sitting alone off to one side and he gave me a quick wink and a thumb's up as if to say, hey guy, bask in your glory, we'll talk later.

The view was breathtaking, people kept arriving, Sylvie and Daniel arrived with a special gift of new BD hiking poles for Dom and a bottle of champagne for me. I felt like I was at a reception. And what a view! Somebody called me up from Jay Mtn. on Tom Rankin's radio to wish me well but I never caught his name. Mick Jagger and David Bowie never made it but I had the people who really count with me.

Eventually, those of us who remained realized we weren't going to be airlifted off the summit (or it wouldn't count) and all 16 of us descended to the col. A last minute group bushwhack got organized and I recalled posting somewhere about not wanting to feel responsable for bushwhacking with a large group, including people who had never bushwhacked previously. Besides, Daniel, Dom and his buddies had zero interest in prolonging the hike so we ascended Giant's flank then hiked down to the car.

Then we proceeded to wait and watch as darkness rapidly fell. We waited some more and began to hypothesize as to what the hell was going on. Eventually it was pitch dark so I went to the NM Diner and phoned poor Mrs. Totdt to say we would be late as my friends and my wife were still on the mountain. Her displeasure crackled down the phone line but at the time I had other concerns.
Back at the TH we were running through the different possibilities and discussed procedure should they not exit at all when we saw Matt and young Tom. What a relief! I was so worried. I went to the TH and the first thing FunkyFreddy says to me is, "It' not my fault!"

Anyway we (Dick, Joanne, Matt. FF, MassH and son, Dynotrick and spouse plus my gang went back to the Ark Trail at 8:30 (where a liquid gift from HarryK and a note from Rico awaited) and had a very nice meal.

Everybody was worn out from their day so we all went to bed, or drove home, at a very respectable hour.

Thank you everyone for being a part of a day I will NEVER forget. True, I have finally finished the 46, but as you all know, "It's only the beginning".

[Mavs00]

Sweet................

You know I wished I could have made it, so'll I'll spare you. And, while the Judge may have some decorum, you know I don't..................... Here they come

[Judgeh]

Sweet................

You know I wished I could have made it, so'll I'll spare you. And, while the Judge may have some decorum, you know I don't..................... Here they come

Tim, you have no self control.

[Night Dog]

Congratulations! Looking at the pictures makes me realize how much I miss the Adirondacks. I can't wait until Nov. comes because that's when I will be back in the High Peaks.

[Adirondoug]

Congrats, Neil! You picked a great peak to finish on...although I did it 19 years ago, Rocky Peak remains one of my all time favorite hikes, and one I look forward to re-visiting. So....what next for you????

[Dynotrick]

Well I'm really upset right now because my dad erased all our trip pictures off the camera before saving them, an accident but still

Anyways I putting out a plea to everyone on the trip for any pictures you may have of us and the trip in general. In return I can offer free prints (within reason, any size up to 8x12) of pictures from this trip.

email: jburr3 @ rochester . rr . com (just take out the spaces)

Thanks
Justin