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Today's weather couldn't have been better (for late January). Temps at 7AM (start) were about 5F, stayed relatively steady throughout the day. Sunshine until late afternoon. There was about a foot of snow at the trail head, maybe 2-3 feet above 3,500'.
I was to meet up with several 46ers hiking Macomb from an old snowmobile trail that started at Route 9, ran under I87 near the border patrol/rest stop and towards Macomb/S Dix for about another 3 miles along West Mill Brook. At one point you continue to head Northwest, leaving the trail/road (that starts heading West and Southwest). This route will take you to one of the shoulders for Macomb. (see topo)
After some muddling around for 30 minutes we found the correct lookout point and started our ascent (see pics from the shoulder). Several nice views of the smaller mountains, and as you headed up a ways you could see S Dix (Carson) and Macomb, as well as the ridge line leading to its summit.
I didn't do a lot of trail breaking (did some, and looking back, it just happened to be on the worse part of the trail
). There were plenty of spruce traps to be had, I fell 3+ feet into one and took me a few minutes to get out. This was my first true bushwhack to a summit, but I wasn't looking to experience EVERYTHING on my first try! 
We were making decent progress, but my body was slowing down. By time I made summit I was hiking for 2 minutes, stopping and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. Add to this the exhaustion of pecking spruce branches, occassional issues with my snow shoe bindings, problems with finding the 'right fit' in my new jacket, etc... and I was one unhappy hiker by time I made summit. I shot my photos and headed out after maybe 10 minutes on top. There was very little breeze and the views were great, but I was perpetually hungry (sandwich and trail food wasn't enough
) and starting to feel the hike taking its toll on me physically and mentally. This brought back memories of hiking Skylight in a day last winter. By time I made Lake Arnold on the return trip I would have paid $100 for a shuttle home.
So anyway, we made our way back down, making good but not great progress. Changed out of snow shoes into crampons for some of the slicker spots (which helped a lot, thanks for the suggestion Mike). Death march began midway back to the cars. I only remember thinking how much I want to sit in my warm vehicle and eat McDonalds. Began at 7AM, summit at 1:45PM (15 minutes shy of my turnaround time), and arrived back at my vehicle at 6:30PM. 11.5 hours for about 12 miles round trip. LONG DAY!
On my trip home I listened to no music and reflected on the day. My inintial impressions were "I won't ever do THAT (bushwhack a summit) again". This was immediately followed by reassuring pain. lol Not that I didn't enjoy parts of the hike, but the incessant slapping of the branches, blow down, and breaking trail (a guarantee if you're whacking in the winter) all painted a rather gloomy picture of what is supposed to be pleasure-filled and fun.
While I'm willing to bet I could 'get used to it', this begs the question "SHOULD I get used to it?" Will I just become desensitized to the negatives in light of only a few positives? I got to thinking about terms like masochism. Still can't think of a reason I will ever bushwhack another summit, especially when there's already a much easier trail or herd path to the same spot/goal (the top). Maybe I could see it as a challenge? Well, maybe I could just carry 200 pounds of sawdust with me to each summit and be the first 'sawdust 46er'. I'm not being cute, I really was having this discussion with myself today!
So while I knock the whole bushwhacking a summit thing, I did gain an appreciation of the hiking pioneers whose only route to the top was doing what we did today. It definitely takes a certain sense of commitment, and insanity that I just may not have...
[BTW, I believe all the people in attendence were: Joe (adk-46r), Mike, Phil, Christine, Sean/Shawn (sp?), and myself]
Today's weather couldn't have been better (for late January). Temps at 7AM (start) were about 5F, stayed relatively steady throughout the day. Sunshine until late afternoon. There was about a foot of snow at the trail head, maybe 2-3 feet above 3,500'.
I was to meet up with several 46ers hiking Macomb from an old snowmobile trail that started at Route 9, ran under I87 near the border patrol/rest stop and towards Macomb/S Dix for about another 3 miles along West Mill Brook. At one point you continue to head Northwest, leaving the trail/road (that starts heading West and Southwest). This route will take you to one of the shoulders for Macomb. (see topo)
After some muddling around for 30 minutes we found the correct lookout point and started our ascent (see pics from the shoulder). Several nice views of the smaller mountains, and as you headed up a ways you could see S Dix (Carson) and Macomb, as well as the ridge line leading to its summit.
I didn't do a lot of trail breaking (did some, and looking back, it just happened to be on the worse part of the trail
). There were plenty of spruce traps to be had, I fell 3+ feet into one and took me a few minutes to get out. This was my first true bushwhack to a summit, but I wasn't looking to experience EVERYTHING on my first try! We were making decent progress, but my body was slowing down. By time I made summit I was hiking for 2 minutes, stopping and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. Add to this the exhaustion of pecking spruce branches, occassional issues with my snow shoe bindings, problems with finding the 'right fit' in my new jacket, etc... and I was one unhappy hiker by time I made summit. I shot my photos and headed out after maybe 10 minutes on top. There was very little breeze and the views were great, but I was perpetually hungry (sandwich and trail food wasn't enough
) and starting to feel the hike taking its toll on me physically and mentally. This brought back memories of hiking Skylight in a day last winter. By time I made Lake Arnold on the return trip I would have paid $100 for a shuttle home. So anyway, we made our way back down, making good but not great progress. Changed out of snow shoes into crampons for some of the slicker spots (which helped a lot, thanks for the suggestion Mike). Death march began midway back to the cars. I only remember thinking how much I want to sit in my warm vehicle and eat McDonalds. Began at 7AM, summit at 1:45PM (15 minutes shy of my turnaround time), and arrived back at my vehicle at 6:30PM. 11.5 hours for about 12 miles round trip. LONG DAY!
On my trip home I listened to no music and reflected on the day. My inintial impressions were "I won't ever do THAT (bushwhack a summit) again". This was immediately followed by reassuring pain. lol Not that I didn't enjoy parts of the hike, but the incessant slapping of the branches, blow down, and breaking trail (a guarantee if you're whacking in the winter) all painted a rather gloomy picture of what is supposed to be pleasure-filled and fun.
While I'm willing to bet I could 'get used to it', this begs the question "SHOULD I get used to it?" Will I just become desensitized to the negatives in light of only a few positives? I got to thinking about terms like masochism. Still can't think of a reason I will ever bushwhack another summit, especially when there's already a much easier trail or herd path to the same spot/goal (the top). Maybe I could see it as a challenge? Well, maybe I could just carry 200 pounds of sawdust with me to each summit and be the first 'sawdust 46er'. I'm not being cute, I really was having this discussion with myself today!
So while I knock the whole bushwhacking a summit thing, I did gain an appreciation of the hiking pioneers whose only route to the top was doing what we did today. It definitely takes a certain sense of commitment, and insanity that I just may not have...
[BTW, I believe all the people in attendence were: Joe (adk-46r), Mike, Phil, Christine, Sean/Shawn (sp?), and myself]
It is trips like this that gives us a little temporary sanity. While I might not hike today or tomorrow, I will do it again next week. Just looking at the pictures that you took remind me why I enjoy my insanity. Even the pain in my shoulder was forgoten when I veiwed your pics. While there are more traveled routes we got the treat of veiws that the thousands of the hikers that hike the Adirondacks will never experience. Trips like these are an aquired taste. While it may not be appealing at the time you will find something about the trip to reflect on and decide to give it another try. Soon you will become addicted. Look at Neil"s trips lately. It is one disaster after another but yet He returns.
Some summer trips on established trails can be as insane as bushwacks in the middle of winter. By the way, I wish I had brought a camera with me. That picture of you in the big spruce trap was priceless. I am sure Redhawk and some others on this forum would of paid big bucks to see it. Overall with the pain,cold and bushwack I had a good day with some good people. That's why I put up with this insanity. 
).
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. It's the most obvious and direct route if you look at the topo, so my guess is that someone looked at the maps one day and figured this hike to be the most sensible from the east side of the range.
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