Was it Algonquin or Algonqin?

 After completing the hike to the first summit we descended quickly down the rocks. Once we hit the tree-line I felt instantly better- the wind blowing over the giant rock slab that is the top of Wright's peak was chilling me to the bone. We followed the trickle of water down towards the trail crossing- stopping momentarily when I had my first big slip and jammed my toe/knee into the side of a boulder. It honestly felt like I lost my nail it hurt so badly- but... it was either give up or keep going (and we had just started). I came to grips with the fact that I'd have a very bloody sock to deal with later and we got moving. The distance between the two summits was not great, the tree-line eventually broke again and we were guided by the cairns to the top. We paused just below the summit to take a few pictures- there was a sign that said “drop your rocks here”. Unfortunately, we missed the sign at the bottom about bringing the rocks up- but it was great to see the effort all the same.

Top of Wright seen from Algonquin

There were also signs saying “please stay on the rocks, protect the local arctic vegetation”. I soon learned why exactly those signs were there as the absolute klutz in me accidentally slipped off a rock and put my foot straight into the moss-looking plant. It was the softest thing I've ever stepped on as it gently caught my foot and I steadied my balance. At that moment I felt absolutely awful for what I had done and actually sprinted away from the spot. I don't think my one footprint did too much damage- but the thought of hundreds of other people doing what I just did made me really cautious from there-out.

Not falling on the vegetation!

At the summit we met the “Summit Steward” (a person whose lone purpose was to chat with the people at the top of the mountain). He told us about the efforts to preserve the arctic vegetation and helped us take some pictures at the top where the plaque was planted. One of the more interesting facts I learned was that the name was actually spelled incorrectly on the plaque!

If you look closely you will see it's spelled “Algonqin”.

We stopped here for lunch (aka peanut butter on a bagel and a power bar) and took a LOT of pictures. The view was clear, and then all of a sudden a cloud passed over us and everything around us was gone. I actually watched one cloud as it crept up the mountain and that was hands-down one of the coolest things ever. It appeared to pass around us more than over us- as I could always see everyone at the top of the mountain but nothing beyond that- AJ frowned slightly and asked me if he was pathetic for actually understanding the science behind the movement.

I love my fiance. Mostly for taking me on this hike... but you can't deny the level of adorable.

The Left to Wright

Our plan for the day was to tackle three peaks: Wright, Algonquin and Iroquois. We were going to finish the day by looping back through Avalanche Pass (which promised some spectacular views). Algonquin is the second highest peak in the “ADK 46” at an estimated 5,114ft. We started off at the base and signed the book at the trail-head. For those of you not familiar with this type of hiking, you need to fill out your name, the number of people in your party and your purpose in a log so that the park can account for you. It was fairly flat to start and the trail was MUDDY because it had been raining a lot. There was a sign at the entrance that told you to walk through the mud as much as possible so you would not widen the path. I suppose I knew that my brand-new hiking boots wouldn't stay clean for long.

I got a nice new pair of Merrell's at REI the week before our trip. AJ and I decided to become members to receive discounts (which is great- because I see us going back there a LOT). He told me that this would be the most important purchase of the trip, and that I had exactly one week to wear them as much as possible so I could break them in. They had a “rock” in the store with a handle that you could step on/climb on/lean on to test out the feel of the shoes. I tried on 3 different pairs and finally chose the most comfortable based on the fact that my toes didn't get completely angry at me on the down-facing angle, and that they felt fairly light for jumping/moving, yet durable at the same time. This came in handy as I can't count the number of times I whacked my toe against a rock that day. I also bought 2 pairs of hiking socks which give your feet a little extra cushion against the shoes. AJ settled on a similar pair to mine (just the man’s version) and we took a walk every night that week after dinner to break them in.

We trudged through the mud and hopped over some sticks and stones before we really began to climb. It's interesting to see the people around you- there were actually quite a lot of them to start the day. You tend to frog-hop around one another (especially if you're in groups) because you'll start off quickly and then notice your shoe isn't tied properly, or you'll want to adjust this, or stretch that before you really get going. There were a lot of people that didn't speak English, which, I have to say, I wasn't expecting. Most of them appeared to speak French, although I don't know a drop of it I was assuming they were Canadian. I love being around that atmosphere because you realize tones, no matter what language you speak. Some people were a little impatient with one another, others were encouraging. Everyone was smiling though... and everyone always said “hello”. There were cross-country ski trails that intersected with our paths, and a few different ways that people might choose to go. It didn't take long for the crowds to disperse a little and we each got into our own hiking “groove”.

The climb was a beautiful jungle with a nice, small waterfall and lots of big rocks to ascend through the trees.  At one point, Jared stopped us and told us to look around- we glanced back over our shoulders and saw a huge rock face, jutting up towards the sky.  I immediately took a picture thinking "oh my goodness this is spectacular".  Not even realizing that this was just a glimpse of what we would be seeing later on in the hike.

On the way up to the top you cross a path that leads you to Wright (4,580 ft) which was a nice detour on the way up to Algonquin. We hiked through the woods- following a path of giant, slanted rocks and a small stream (which had me a little apprehensive as I wasn't quite sure-of-foot just yet). We passed a few people who were on their way down- all bundled up. At the time I was wearing shorts and a tank-top and completely drenched in sweat so it was a little confusing, but upon reaching the tree-line I understood.

When we broke the tree-line for the first time I remember looking up and going “wow”. It was all rock to the top! I learned that day what “cairns” are.

Cairns are piles made up of smaller rocks to help guide your path

We saw a lot of these on the way to the top of Wright. Every one of those cairns appeared to signify the end- but just as you reached one there was another up ahead. It was a beautiful first peak- something I have NEVER seen or climbed before. When we reached the summit it was extremely windy and absolutely freezing. For someone that was dying from the heat it was quite amazing how quickly I cooled off. We admired the view for a brief moment before huddling in the pit of the rocks to shield ourselves from the wind. We took out our trail mix and our jackets and sat for a few moments to rest and regain some strength.

We chatted with two men at the top- one was a Civil Engineer and part-time teacher at RIT (he looked at AJ and goes “my typical speech is 'take off your hat and put down your cell phone' those crazy kids”). There was wreckage from an old plane that crashed there in the 60s and we caught a glimpse of it- unfortunately it was down a steep patch of rock and we didn't quite have the time to explore if we wanted to make the other two peaks. Next time I'm there we will definitely hike to the plaque, and I can write more about the history.

 We had someone take a picture of the four of us at the top- and spent the next few moments admiring what was around us: mountains. Mountains and clouds, and more mountains. I have never, in my life, seen such a view.





















I saw a glimpse of Mt. Colden, which has the biggest rock slides you can imagine from past avalanches. I saw a rock-cliff in the distance that completely carved off the side of a mountain. I saw lakes, I saw trees, and- most importantly- I saw the top of Algonquin.

The summit of Wright was everything that I could have dreamed of and more- and at the same time, it was not enough. How could it possibly not be enough? Views that I could never have dreamed of before that day... clouds kissing the mountains in the sky and giant patches of sun rolling with shadows on the trees below. It was not enough, because at that exact moment, I caught that glimpse of the hill next to me, and all I wanted to do was reach the top of Algonquin. I had caught what James Burnside refers to as “summit madness” and the only known cure is to climb the other 45.

 A nice, warm, partly-cloudy morning at the KOA in upstate New York. I woke up to the smell of dead campfires and bacon- and the sound of birds chirping and tent-zippers slowly opening. Camp was beginning to stir as I got up and took a breath of the freshest air I've had in awhile. Camping on any summer morning has always been my favorite- I love everything about it. I love waking up to the peace- to all of those sites and smells. On this particular morning I enjoyed waking up, opening my eyes, and looking through the tiny window in the top of my tent at an extremely blue sky. This morning, I was prepping for an all-day hike in the mountains. Not just any mountains- some of the highest peaks New York has to offer. The day was planned by AJ and Jared- they looked at the maps and came up with a few different options for the hikes we would be able to do. All of the numbers and statistics and time-goals were rattled off numerous times, but they all pretty much rolled over me. The highest mountain I've probably ever done was Sleeping Giant (CT) so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I only knew that the Adirondacks were AJ's favorite place to be- and I was completely prepared to be a part of whatever brought him that joy. He knows what I can handle so I completely trusted him- he got my pack ready with trail mix and water, we packed the camera and he handed me a rain-jacket. We then joined our friends Jared and Kasie in their car for the ride to the base.

I've decided to become a blogger. It's something I've always wanted to do but never felt eloquent enough to sustain it. I've never had enough passion for something to keep writing about it. One day in those mountains and I knew this was what my blog needed to be about. One day in those mountains has completely changed my outlook on life. One day. It changed all of the plans I've had for myself and makes me want to re-write my future. I felt like I was plucked off of Earth and transported to another planet- like I gained access to this entirely different world. Just as quickly as I was there, I was taken away... and I haven't felt the same since. I don't just want to go back- I HAVE to go back. I purchased a book by James R. Burnside (entitled "Exploring the 46 Adirondack High Peaks") who wrote about his own journey. He lists varying degrees of hiking difficulty, sights his own journal entries that he wrote along the way, and talks about the general history of the parks. With his help and my experiences I would like to do something similar for myself. I want to document how I feel, the people that I meet, those that I journey with. I also want to educate my readers about the history of the parks, the training it took to for me to get there, and the equipment I'm slowly learning that I need in order to survive more of these treks through the woods.

For fun... I'll also post pictures of the bear figurines AJ and I have decided to collect.

If you read this blog for no other reason than to look at the pictures, I'm perfectly fine with that also- because I've personally stared at each one for lengthy periods of time. Sure, the feeling isn't quite the same as actually being there- but it sure is beautiful. So please, help cheer us on. AJ has already completed over 20 mountains with the help of his father and his twin sister, Cara. They've been hiking since they were 10 years old. I'm so glad I've been able to start and document my own journey from the beginning- you need to document and send in pictures to become an official part of the '46-r' club. I will be writing entries, for the most part, one peak at a time. I actually intended my first blog post to be about our entire first hike, but quickly realized I had way too much to say about every moment that I just wouldn't be doing it justice lumping it all together like that. I still remember laying eyes on my first mountain as we drove up to the campsite through Keene Valley. I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped to the ground- AJ could do nothing but smile and laugh at me as I stared out the windows of the car with my nose pressed against the glass- twisting and turning trying to take in everything before we rounded the next corner. Well, here we go!