Adirondacks Buttkicker II

“Artex,

I'll send you an e-mail to-morrow.”

“I'm super duper pumped about this trip.

I'll keep an eye out for the email, Gremlin. Write soon, I need to ask you something (teaching related).”

“Hey Artex...

I've been thinking about your itinerary....and was wondering for the peaks you want to bag that it may be better to come in from the East at The Garden (Keene Valley)?

We would still have access to all the peaks you want but without going over any with a full pack....

I think SirPete and Gremlin have a great deal of knowledge about the lean-tos on that side....

Just smack me if I'm being a pain in the a$$.”

“By the way Gremlin...

Do you need me to send the money ahead of time?

Its $10?”

“Not having to drudge your packs over ANY peak is a good idea.”

“Nope, Adventurist, just bring it with you.

I think it's a good idea. I was a little concerned about the trip back to the southern rim after doing the range.

Anyway, I'll keep in touch.”

“Adventurist, that sounds like a good plan. Let's plan on that.”

“ok...cool....

By the way there is a Full Moon Tuesday night....

It looks like it is 3.5 miles to John's Brook Lodge from The Garden. From JBL the Ore Bed Lean-to is 1.1 miles.
From JBL the Wolf Jaws Lean-to is 1.1 miles.

If we stayed at JBL on Wednesday night we could do a 16 mile trip that would be:
Phelps Trail to Mt. Marcy (6.0 miles), down the other side...take the Elk Lake-Marcy Trail to the Haystack Trail over Haystack and Little Haystack....take the Range Trail over Basin and Saddleback and back down the Orebed Brook Trail back to JBL.

What do you think about that for Wednesday? Is 16 miles too much?”

“That sounds like a lot of pain. All in favor, say aye.

AYE!”

“man...you are too easy to get along with....maybe I should try and ask...

I was wondering if we could all make monkey noises when we get to the top of Mt. Marcy?”

“Is a frog's ass watertight? Of course we can!

OOOK OOK OOK EEK EEK EKK!”

“Adventurist,making monkey noises? And this would be different from?

Im in favor for any route. I just want some pain. Pain is your friend.”

“I noticed you said "Pain is YOUR friend", and not "Pain is MY friend". Do explain, Dare? Is this a Freudian slip of sorts?! Deep down, are you trembling like a wee school girl and crying for your mama?!”

“lol....look who I married. She beats me....I know pain. Not that I dont like that sort of thing....”

“don't think we are going to whip you on this trip if that is what you are getting at....”

“IMO...16-miles in the High Peaks is preposterous”

“Daypack is the key....”

“sherpa more like it”

“Which lean-to do you think would be best SirHighHair?”

“You might want to check this web site out. It's a good sorce of info when you're planning out a trip in the high peaks.
http://www.adirondackjourney.com/”

“That's an awesome website!

Thanks a bunch...never seen it before.

Do you hike the High Peaks often?”

“Hey Gremlin...looks like for a guest its $13 not $10...no biggie for me...still a great deal!

Link to Alpine Club of Canada Lodge in Keene Valley”

“Adventurist
I'm up there almost every weekend all year”

“lumberza, feel free to meet up with us. See our intinerary on the trips page. :-)”

“Topozone Overview

Keene Valley Website

Great Link for 46er Info!

Backpacker Article

Hey! What are these guys smoking when they write these articles???
A 24 mile dayhike in the High Peaks???? And somebody thought 16 miles was nuts!”

“hey I'll have to think about it. But I don't think I can get the time off. It runs close to my NP trail trip.”

“That's cool, Adventurist, see ya then. BTW, I'm in northern Ontario right now at my daughter's place. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys. I hope you're all having a great 4th of July. Happy trails.”

“5 weeks....”

“Tic toc, tic toc. My legs long to climb mountains again. I'm really looking forward to this.”

“me too...can you tell?”

“So, has the itinerary been finalized as to where we start? Upper Works to Lake Colden or from the East?”

“From the East....Keene Valley”

“Ahhhh.... can Artex edit the trip description?”

“Done.. please double check to make sure that makes sense. Most of you know the 'Dacks better than I.”

“Don't take Basin & Saddleback lightly. They are propably two of the most difficult mountains in the ADK's. Carry plenty of water with you.”

“Holy Crapola Batman...

Artex, If we come in from Keene Valley we would most likely make an area around Johns Brook Lodge the basecamp, Information Here. Coming from the Garden to go all the way to Lake Colden would be way out of the way.

Give me a few days and I have a scanner copier here at home...I'll try to scan the maps and highlight what I think would be best and put the images in my Webshots album. Then we could comment, discuss, vote, or just let you say Eany, meany, miny, mo?

This way way we are all on the same wavelength......254 nm.”

“Feel free to correct me as I have never been there. But when I asked about coming in from the Garden instead of from the west I was thinking more like Slant Rock for a base camp. If it's possible to do a loop, Haystack to Lower Wolfjaw, from there as a day trip back to base camp looks like it saves the easy part for last. Just asking, I'm in for what ever. And I need to get a map with trail names on it.
HIKE PAINE!!”

“Either pick up the AMC version of the High Peaks or there is a colorful map by the Wilderness Map Company called Mt Marcy and The High Peaks.

The one problem about Lower WolfJaw is that we are most likely going to have to toothbrush to nab it....its not really part of a loop.”

“Slant Rock is another 3.3 miles up the trail from the JBL area...also it is only a good base camp for one day of the hiking.... it seems that somewhere right around JBL or the Orebed Brook Lean-to might be better.”

“Ummmm, I'll just follow you guys. Im getting information overload from this trip thread. IM SO CONFUSED...lol. I guess thats why AmyG never lets me hold the maps. It's easier in the Army, I just listen for loud bangs and go that way. Im getting pump for this trip though. HIKE PAINE!!!”

“Be afraid....be very afraid....mu ha ha.....”

“Adventurist and I talked on the phone. He knows the area better than I, and came up with what sounds like a very kick arse plan. The final itinerary will be posted soon.

Once again, I can't WAIT! HIKE PAIN!!!!!!!!”

“I have no clue what he is talking about...I never talked anyone named Artex......”

“You mean that 900 number he called wasn't you? I can't wait to see the itinerary.”

“I bet Buddha Bear called Artex pretending to be Adventurist. We'll probably end up hiking in downtown Albany.”

“The Buttkick’n Adirondacks Trip


Wednesday, Day #1

Park at The Garden located on Johns Brook Road in Keene, NY
Hike 3.5 miles on the Phelps Trail (Northside) to area around JBL (Johns Brook Lodge)
Make camp in area around JBL or at OreBed Brook Lean-to

After setting up camp do the following loop, which is 8.6-9.0 miles.

Take Orebed Brook Trail to Range Trail
Take Range Trail over Gothics, Armstrong Mtn, Upper Wolf Jaw Mtn, and Lower Wolf Jaw Mtn
Come back from Lower Wolf Jaw to Wolfs Jaws Trail
Take Wolfs Jaw Trail to Woodsfall Trail back to camp

Thursday, Day #2

Total “Kick Ass” distance for day is 15.7-16.0 miles

From camp take the OreBed Brook Trail to the Range Trail
Take the Range Trail over Saddleback Mtn and Basin Mtn to Haystack Trail
Take Haystack Trail over Mt. Haystack to the Elk Lake-Marcy Trail
Take the Elk Lake-Marcy Trail over Mount Marcy to the Phelps Trail
Take the Phelps Trail back to the JBL area.

Friday, Day #3

Total Mileage for the day is 13.5-14.0 miles

Take Woodsfall Trail to Wolf Jaws Trail, which becomes the Wedge Brock Trail
Take the Wedge Brock Trail to the West River Trail
Take the West River Trail to the Scenic Trail
Take the Scenic Trail over Sawteeth and over Pyramid to the Range Trail and back to the Orebed Brook Trail

Saturday, Day #4

Hike Back Out!”

“Cool!! I'm digging that itinerary. It's gonna hurt sooooo good.

HIKE PAINE BABY!!”

“If we're going in from Keene, forget parking at the Garden. We will have to park at the Marcy aeroport and take the shuttle (3 $). I have reservations at the ACC house in Keene and will need to know how many are spending the night of the 12th there by the beginning of August. BTW, I'll prepare dinner if some people want to bring wine (your whadja call it, your basic overboard Gremlin dinner).

Please note my e-mail address: dougmurdoch@yahoo.ca.

CAN'T WAIT!”

“Adventurist did some research and came up with a modified game plan. It looks kick ass to me. Check it out, I updated it on the trips page.”

“Or... just look at his above post! LOL, I didn't see that at first.”