Allen Mt.
Weather the previous week had been beautiful. As has become the rule for me before a hike, it rained the night before as a cool front was passing thru that morning. Forecast for slight chance of showers in the morning, clearing as the day went on to mostly sunny.
Shirley and I pulled into the TH around 6:05 to find Bill and Beth and James getting ready. We all got ready, and signed in at 6:30 and headed out.
We all had read numerous trip reports on Allen but never anything about lots of mud. This hike had lots of mud!
We had a nice easy stroll out over the suspension bridge, the plank bridge and to the new water crossing. We all were prepared with addition footwear for the croosing. We crossed the cold stream, mid calf in height at the worst and before we knew it, we were back on our way. After this hike, I have a better appreciation for the DEC signs with mileages. It's difficult to know exactly where you are and how much is left.
The weather was still humid as the cold front hadn't swept by yet. I was getting wet on the outside from the shrubs, weeds and bushes we passed and from the sweat on the inside from the humidity.
We started up a ridge leveled off then we proceeded going down. Who's trick was this? I knew this wouldn't be fun on the way out. We crossed a few small brooks and finally we hit the brook with the nice waterfall. We knew from here we started going up. We thought it was 1.5 to 2 miles to the summit with about 1800 ft up. Climb was long and tedious. Much harder than I thought. Weather was changing and there was a cool breeze that dried me right off. We went in and out of the slab/slide that had lots of water cascading down. I can tell you, the slab is extremely slippery in spots. We slipped and slid up but I don't remember anyone falling. After a long hard climb we hit the ridge and proceed a short way northeast(general direction) to the summit at about 12:05. Ahhhhhhh! We were all very happy to get here and have this one out of the way. We had some food and drinks. Bill scouted around and found an amazing lookout to the NE. What a view of the mountains! Simply amazing. There was Skylight and Gray, Marcy and Haystack. We got a wonderful look at Gothics and a great view on why they call Sawteeth that. Views off to the Dixes,Nippletop, Giant and RPR. Even little Noonmark could be seen. Bill also found another viewpoint facing SE where we got more views of the Dixes and down to the Boreas Pond areas. There were lots of clouds but only Marcy looked like the only summit in one.
We spent about 45 minutes at the summit then started down. We went very slow down. We knew the rocks would be treacherous.
Bill's quick report indicated some new dance steps. I don't think they were new, my guess is others have performed them as I did. Since no one had fallen on the way up, I had to make the way down a little more fun. Couple times my feet went right out from under me, as I went sliding down the rock slab or falling right into the cascading stream. It wasn't fun really but i was very happy I had nothing breakable in my pack, as it took most of the fall. It wasn't pretty, few cuts, bruises but mostly just pride hurt.. Finally we all got down to the waterfall. We were relieved that was over and prepared for the long slog out. Beth led us out at a quick but good pace. Here's where a couple of us just loved that climb back up to the ridge and over. It's not a big or steep climb. Just you know you're doing it.
Time flew after we hit the top of the ridge, we hit the water crossing about on schedule. From there alittle more than an hour and Beth yells "I see the cars" 4 of the nicest words I heard on that trip. Out at 6:05pm
I have to agree with Bill, it was a great trip made mostly by the great people we went with. We had fun. Even though i'm paying for it today, I'm smiling because of what we succeeded doing yesterday. I look forward to hiking with all of you in the future.
Good Luck to Bill and his better half on their upcoming nuptials next month. And the same goes for Beth and James in October. Shirley and I wish you both happiness in your new upcoming partnerships!
My Pix's will follow.
Bill I love the graceful and Not photo's. The not had already dried by then.
Bill's photo's
Paul and Shirley's photo's
Weather the previous week had been beautiful. As has become the rule for me before a hike, it rained the night before as a cool front was passing thru that morning. Forecast for slight chance of showers in the morning, clearing as the day went on to mostly sunny.
Shirley and I pulled into the TH around 6:05 to find Bill and Beth and James getting ready. We all got ready, and signed in at 6:30 and headed out.
We all had read numerous trip reports on Allen but never anything about lots of mud. This hike had lots of mud!
We had a nice easy stroll out over the suspension bridge, the plank bridge and to the new water crossing. We all were prepared with addition footwear for the croosing. We crossed the cold stream, mid calf in height at the worst and before we knew it, we were back on our way. After this hike, I have a better appreciation for the DEC signs with mileages. It's difficult to know exactly where you are and how much is left.
The weather was still humid as the cold front hadn't swept by yet. I was getting wet on the outside from the shrubs, weeds and bushes we passed and from the sweat on the inside from the humidity.
We started up a ridge leveled off then we proceeded going down. Who's trick was this? I knew this wouldn't be fun on the way out. We crossed a few small brooks and finally we hit the brook with the nice waterfall. We knew from here we started going up. We thought it was 1.5 to 2 miles to the summit with about 1800 ft up. Climb was long and tedious. Much harder than I thought. Weather was changing and there was a cool breeze that dried me right off. We went in and out of the slab/slide that had lots of water cascading down. I can tell you, the slab is extremely slippery in spots. We slipped and slid up but I don't remember anyone falling. After a long hard climb we hit the ridge and proceed a short way northeast(general direction) to the summit at about 12:05. Ahhhhhhh! We were all very happy to get here and have this one out of the way. We had some food and drinks. Bill scouted around and found an amazing lookout to the NE. What a view of the mountains! Simply amazing. There was Skylight and Gray, Marcy and Haystack. We got a wonderful look at Gothics and a great view on why they call Sawteeth that. Views off to the Dixes,Nippletop, Giant and RPR. Even little Noonmark could be seen. Bill also found another viewpoint facing SE where we got more views of the Dixes and down to the Boreas Pond areas. There were lots of clouds but only Marcy looked like the only summit in one.
We spent about 45 minutes at the summit then started down. We went very slow down. We knew the rocks would be treacherous.
Bill's quick report indicated some new dance steps. I don't think they were new, my guess is others have performed them as I did. Since no one had fallen on the way up, I had to make the way down a little more fun. Couple times my feet went right out from under me, as I went sliding down the rock slab or falling right into the cascading stream. It wasn't fun really but i was very happy I had nothing breakable in my pack, as it took most of the fall. It wasn't pretty, few cuts, bruises but mostly just pride hurt.. Finally we all got down to the waterfall. We were relieved that was over and prepared for the long slog out. Beth led us out at a quick but good pace. Here's where a couple of us just loved that climb back up to the ridge and over. It's not a big or steep climb. Just you know you're doing it.
Time flew after we hit the top of the ridge, we hit the water crossing about on schedule. From there alittle more than an hour and Beth yells "I see the cars" 4 of the nicest words I heard on that trip. Out at 6:05pm
I have to agree with Bill, it was a great trip made mostly by the great people we went with. We had fun. Even though i'm paying for it today, I'm smiling because of what we succeeded doing yesterday. I look forward to hiking with all of you in the future.
Good Luck to Bill and his better half on their upcoming nuptials next month. And the same goes for Beth and James in October. Shirley and I wish you both happiness in your new upcoming partnerships!
My Pix's will follow.
Bill I love the graceful and Not photo's. The not had already dried by then.
Bill's photo's
Paul and Shirley's photo's
That view to the NE is one of my personal favorites so far in my climbs.
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