KEENE VALLEY LIBRARY ASSOCATtON Keepe Valley New York 12943 ADIRONDACK PEEKS Adirondack FortySixer VOL XlX NO2 Newsletterw

VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2 FALLWINTER 198283 1500 copies this issue

ADIRONDACK PEEKS From the Editor With winter settling in for its three month tour of duty your Ed SemiAnnualNewsletter of theAdirondack FortySixers would like to remind all of you diehards who refuse to let winter slip by without a healthy jog into the bush to remember your CONTENTS snowbound Ed who is always on the prowl for a wintry story out yonder Fall Meeting Minutes June Behr And search out yonder I did for this issues feature story In Search of Written by first time writer to these pages Joe Vance Vybram Concept by George Amedore Bandhold 46er 1579 from Willsboro New York Joe shares with Illustrations Maxine Fabian by in us his late fall adventure searching out the locations of two Presidents Message Phil Corell downed aircraft in the Adirondack High Peak Region out downed Maintaining our role in the stewardship of the And while youre searching for planes be sure to Adirondacks make note of Ditts change of address below He isnttrying to get away from us its just that his local post office changed their route The Boulder Grace Hudowalski Report thus a new box 390 A report from our historian As for your Ed its the other way around Patti and I have moved 76 new members report in during 1982 to a new address 5 miles out of town since the last issue but our number the same When write us need to in Search of Story and Photos by Joe Bandhold box stays you you only include the POBox not the street address You need the Late Fall adventure in searching out the sites only street address if send us material via or wish to it off of two downed aircraft you UPS drop in person readers 13 Letters from our As most of you know if you were at the Fall Meeting Jim Goodwin is down as Trailmaster Jim has worked long and 46ers Take To the Trails Jim Goodwin 14 stepping hard over the years keeping our trail work programs going strong A report from our trailmaster With this issue Jim gives us his final Trailmasters Report In his Jim gives us his final report as trailmaster place Chris Behr will take over the reins Jim adds in his report that Photos by Tom Lee 1 am confident that under Chris leadership the FortySixer ethic of service to Adirondack terrain and its hikers will continue to flourish Front Cover Winter snows pile up at Cascade Pond leanto Rounding out the issue is Graces Historian Report She fills us in Blue Mt Lake Region Photo Tom Lee on how aspiring 46ers are fairing with two trailless peaks Marshall Cover Late Autumn vista of Lake Inside Front George and Allen And Phil gives us an update on our organization with his Black Mountain Photo Jim from 2646 Appleyard Presidents Report Until the next Back Cover Winter in the Central Adirondacks issue Happy Hiking Photo Tom Lee

EDITOR Summer May 15 Deadline Winter November 1

The membership of the Adirondack FortySixers consists ofhikers whohave climbed to the summits ofthe 46 major peaks of the Adirondacks Dedicated to environmental protection to education for proper usage of wilderness with NYS ofEnvironmental to meet areas and to participation in workprojects in cooperation Dept Conservation these objectives

Adirondack 46er

EDITORIAL STAFF OFFICERS 46er STAFF

J Dr AG Dittmar Joseph P Turon Philip B Corell Donald Hoffman Executive Treasurer Editor President Vice President Secretary POBox 36 15 Stafford Drive Patti Lee Turon Maxine Fabian Cadyville New York1291 Black RiverNew York13612 Grace Hudowalski Assistant to the Editor Illustrator Historian EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chris G Behr Editorial offices Correspondence to the editors Tom Lee John Swan JrChris Behr Sr Donna and photographs should be addressed to Trailmaster manuscripts Cole Tom Standwood Jules Comeau Walter G Adirondack Peeks 5 Northern Pines Park POBox 121 Herrod club Ballston Spa New York 12020 Share your hiking 46eroffices Correspondence about membership Wilderness experience with us today Past Presidents climbing folders 46er merchandise Leadership Workshop Program and other related 46er Werner O Grace L Hudowalski 194851 Bachli 1951 activities should be addressed to the Executive a the William E 195356 Herbert C Adirondack Peeks is published twice year by 53 Endicott Alien Jr Secretary Adirondack FortySixers RFD 1Box 390 Adirondack FortySixers a non profit organization 195657Rudolph W Strobel 195758Richard E Bab Morrisonville New York 12962 Adirondack Peeks is free to members in good standing cock 195859Robert B Mitchell Jr 195960Henry N to others and nonmembers150asingle copy 300for Germond 196062 Peter Stone 196264 Clinton H 46ersshould addresstheir to one year 525 for two years or 700 for three years Miller Jr 196466James GBailey 196669William C Aspiring correspondence the Grace New York Starers add NYS Sales Tax To subscribe Frenette 196970 Glenn W Fish 197073 Winifred Historian HudowalskiTheBouldersAdiron G New York 12808 After Labor Day to May 15th send your subscription order to Adirondack Forty Lamb 197375Edwin H Ketchledge 197578Walter dack Cardinal New York 12209 Sixers RFD 1Box 390 Morrisonville New York 12962 Herrod 197881 129 Avenue Albany Rocky Peak and the Green Mountains from Giant 46er Fall Meeting October 2 1982

The October 2nd meeting ofthe 46Rswas called to order at project continues to be a very worthwhile club endeavor and Tom Stanwood Conservation Service Awards to 825pmby President Phil Corell whowelcomed members presented guests and introduced club officers Executive Secretary Jack Harrington and Frank Trerise Treasurer Ditt Dittmar reported that the clubstreasury is Jules Comeau had no update on the Wilderness Leadership stable although public service projects have depleted our Workshop at resources and we are currently at alow period before the dues Old business included the possibility of holding meetings come in He felt we could keep going until May 1983 and would other locations and the status of the High Peaks Unit have a full report then Dirtalso thanked the people who got Management Plan Dr Edwin Ketchledge has agreed to give a out the special meeting notices when he was hospitalized report on this at the Spring meeting Historian Grace Hudowalski reported there were 59 new Under new business a nominating committee to prepare a 46Rs and asked them to introduce themselves slate of candidates for the Spring meeting was appointed Phil informed the membership ofTrailmaster Jim Goodwins headed by Glen Fish and assisted by Peter Fish and Mike Shaw desire to step down and appointed Chris Behr to fill this The Spring meeting was tentatively set for the Memorial Day will follow in Peeks On financial position An engraved brass Sierra cup had been presented to weekend Exact dates maintain Jim at the Executive committee meeting as a token ofthe clubs matters the decision has been made to the 2 dues A appreciation for all his fine work new item a 46R tshirt will be offered for sale and information Since Jim couldntbe present Chris Behr reported on the regarding this will be included with the dues newsletter A days work parties One group of volunteers had cleared the question was raised regarding the canister on Nye being on the Mr Van trail of downed timber and done some bridge building wrong summit and Phil mentioned a committee will be while another group did trail improvement approaching Phelps appointed to look into this After the completion of club brook with the Marcy Dambased Ranger business the evenings special program The 1982 American Ranger Peter Fish remarked about the days record crowd Everest Expedition was to be presented by Dr Edward Hixon to Marcy and informed us that five park rangers had been on The meeting was adjourned at 905 pm duty during the summer months He discussed the great number of violations of the distance regulations concerning Respectfully submitted camping near trails and streams and was particularly concerned about water quality problems and the hazards of beaver fever June Behr Recording Secretary citing himself as a recent victim He stated that the litter bag A Message frOm the President

Greetings to the membership There is much news to Area The DEC District Director at Ray Brook is reluctant share with you Our Fall meeting was a great success to take any action until a Unit Plan has been formulated and Eighteen volunteers joined Jim Goodwin and Chris Behr with approved For this reason controversial issues such as ours their trail projects on Saturday Work was done on the will be placed on hold indefinitely Mr Van trail and on the reopenned stretch of trail between In comments made to me Ketch reflected the frustration Marcy Dam and Phelps LeantoThe weather was excellent felt by the twelve member committee The High Peak Plan is and contributed greatly to over 630 signatures at the Loj 10 on the Statesestablished priority list for the trailhead that day alone approximately 130 parcels which will eventually need Unit Later at the Executive Meeting Jim Goodwin was Plans The group has been working for 10 years and is only presented with an engraved brass Sierra Cup in appreciation now finishing Plan 4 The State refuses to allot the necessary for his services as 46er Trailmaster We had hoped to make finances or manpower needed to stepupthe completion of the presentation at the general meeting but Jim was not going these Unit Plans As Ketch quipped the present format is in a to be able to attend He has held the position of Trailmaster state of institutional enertia The DEC was delegated a since it was first created in 1978 As previously announced legislative responsibility which they are not rapidly fulfilling Chris Behr will be taking over for Jim Please address any Ketch has agreed to fully update us at the Spring meeting questions or comments regarding the program to Chris Hopefully some way to generate more progress will be found The evening meeting was highlighted by Dr Edward At the meeting I also appointed a nominating committee of Hixonspresentation on the American ChinaEverest Glenn Fish Peter Fish and Mike Shaw Anyone wishing to Expedition conducted last Spring Over 100 members and run for office should contact one of these individuals A slate guests enjoyed his slides and talk of candidates will be finalized by February 1st As you have heard by now the Executive Committee is The Spring meeting is scheduled for Saturday May 28th taking a hard look at the Financial status of our organization at Adirondak Loj Once again we will be meeting at 800 AM Should the fund balance continue to decline we will be faced that day at the CamperHiker Building for trailwork All with the possibility of raising dues or curtailing some of our volunteers are welcome We have also tentatively scheduled programs The executive committee stands firmly behind our the Fall 46er meeting for Saturday September 24th The philosophy of maintaining our role in the stewardship of the Adirondack Mountain Club has asked us to move our Adirondacks We will makeeveryeffort to maintain our public weekend up to avoid a conflict service programs at their present levels Once against thank you for your past support and One additional item of concern has been brought to my cooperation hope to meet more of you in the future either attention by Dr Ed Ketchledge one of our past presidents on the trails or at one of our 46er activities is Ketch a member of the Forest Preserve Advisory Good Hiking Committee which will eventually formulate the High Peak Phil Corell Area Unit Management Plan Without this plan there is currently no official channel through which critical issues concerning the High Peak Area can be resolved For example we have volunteered to work with FinchPruyn to establish a legal approach to Allen from the Twin Brooks Report of the Historian

The Boulder Report

A candid review of the 1982 climbing season

Suzanne Lance wrote that on hours to reach the summit from our is via Herbert Brook The brook is very August 12 She heard a disturbing camp near Marcy Brook Only four pretty with all this moss growing in the rumor that no one has reported having hours to get back down via Sand Brook streambed and around it We wondered area what a beaver climbed Allen this year not so by my This really gives you a feel for true during our climb made records five climbers had made Allen wilderness decide to build a dam so high up the their 46th peak by August and at least IfIhad my questionnaire to do over mountain seven have finished on Allen since then again I think Id rate Allen firstWalter Bob Marshall one of the three first Susan Beeler another hiker wrote Pauk of Ithaca wrote Hereswhy I 46ers wrote that he recalled Herbert Any hints on climbing Allen I took a enjoyed the perfect quiet there sitting Marshall and Allen as mountains for look at the route from Skylight which on a goodsizedlog among pine needles real wilderness values They still are for doesntlook too great For Kay Van with that nice piney woodsy aroma and those who take their time and walk Woert Allen is the only one we have eating your lunch and drinking the clear softly What can compare with that leftwetried it a few weeks ago from water from your canteen especially lovely waterfall at Allensbase doubly Elk Lake and end up on top of Mc with such a good companion as Ed Lutz enjoyable after the struggle to get there Donnel to our dismay But she and 46er 1442 or Herbert Brook with its moss and Ned went back this past Sunday using Marshall is also the subject of many ferns all that lush greenness As Lee the route most climbers take today letters that come to me from climbers Hall a new 46er put it When I climb They hit Allen Brook a bit too far up on the way up Those who approach it my wife tells me to take time to smell encountering plenty of ice in the stream from Indian Pass encounter all sorts of the roses bed but they did finally reach Allens blowdown once on top of the ridge The Ulrichs father and son summit thus ending their quest of the between Iroquois and Marshall This is Anthony from Quebec had the 46 summed up for many by the Rosenthals phenominal good fortune of having continue to get more inquiries on Mike and son Daniel who reported eight days of glorious sunshine in the Allen than any other mountain A ahorrendous climb following pieces of Adirondacks consecutively while climber whose name eludes me at the red wool to the hogback between climbing untrailed mountains I believe moment spoke of climbing Allen in 3 Iroquois and Marshall where they it was at Twin Brook Leanto they met hours from Lower Twin Brook Leanto abruptly ended in heavy blowdown Dan Wolfe whose climbing companion others say four hours But time is irrele Noother herd paths could be found so had been unable to complete their vent for each hiker has his own pace after taking a compass bearing through climbing schedule Danswife suggested Several issues back PEEKS SPRING dense growth we arrived on Marshall he go back to the Adirondacks as he SUMMER 1981 carried Finch Pryuns An aside on this was their stop at the might find someone to climb with map and suggested route to Allen ruins of the original leanto at Scotts Following her suggestion he went and which their Woodlands Manager had Clearing The previous night Ernest met the Ulrichs and enjoyed several kindly furnished us There may be easier LaPine of Keene Valley had told them great climbs with them legal routes but it is the one we know how he had built this leanto with only Wolfe is trailmaster of his hiking best Climbers using it have relatively an ax It was his first leanto and he club in Williamsport Pa and involved in little trouble Some veer a bit too far left learned as he built it wrote Mike maintenance of a 60miletrail in Central after crossing Lower Twin Brook and A group of campers from PokO Pa As he put it Im actively trying to land too far up Skylight Brook Charles Moonshine reported their ascent of become a 46er but the going has not Skee used a metric map which shows Marshall in the same manner After been too smooth The last I heard he everything about the area and having climbing the other Maclntyres we was nearing the aspiring mark had a good compass and altimeter we dropped down off Iroquois to get to And speaking of wives Jay OHern were prepared Marshall This way is certainly to be of Camden said his wife does not back The first weekend in September Joe followed by only the most adventure pack or hike When he climbs she Pollock and three friends climbed Allen some who do not mind dropping off spends time in Lake Placid browsing from the stream bed that goes up the ledges and contending with some ofthe and shopping Between her purchases col between Allen and McDonnel Joe worse cripplebrush there is in the motels etc this climbing is costing me said the reason they climbed that way Adirondacks But of the worse cripple money but shessuch an inspiration I was because of the terrible blowdown brush there is in the Adirondacks But love it he wrote that existed on Sand Brook On the its exhilarating for those who like Recently Barbara Fox from Harris topog map this route looks great but something different burg Pa reported the 32 mountains the blowdown here is ten times worse Ferdinand Ulrich of Canada writes shes climbed Rick her husband is than on Sand Brook It took us seven more on Marshall Our favorite route attempting Gray Peak his 46th as we write this and plans to eventually get Jordan Bill was so excited about seeing knit work with stained glass or cla but her up the 46 somehow Her passion a Blackbacked three toed Woodpecker wait until this year Have I got a project is birdwatching and shes aiming at on the way to Couchsachraga that he to show Its called46ers Here 1 Come membership in the exclusive 600 Club wrote this is the highest area we have And speaking of projects Troop 70 which consists ofpeople who have seen seen them The only other place Ive of Scotia started climbing the 46 as a over 600 species of birds in North seen them before was a bog near Eagle trooptwentyfive years ago and finished America So birdwatching takes prece Bay New York September 25th on Whiteface J Cole dence However while climbing in the Recently Jill wrote Every year man White 46er 754 whose years as Adirondacks she saw Bird 177 the around Christmas the staff where I assistant scoutmaster were ones of Water Pupit on Haystack Her bird list work being in projects which they have constant enthusiasm for the high peaks currently stands at 424 worked on through the year Its called was here from California for the event Barbara might like to compare On your own Time rve never been Dallas Cain 46er 1411 scoutmaster of notes with Bill and Jill Borgstede of able to bring anything since I do not Troop 70 has kept me updated on their progress While I have no other records on climbing the 46 as a troop there are many Boy Scout 46ers who climbed as 76 NEW MEMBERS FINISH THEIR 46TH PEAK members of Troop 709 in Caughdenoy New York There areso many interesting letters Mason M Howlett J John Hayes that come to me I wish I could share Donald P Berens Jr Margaret B Moore more with you However Iam especially Gary F Mitchell Charles Kerry Skee proud of the youngsters who write us is Peter Selig Donna M Skee Sara Elizabeth Mashs letter so delightful that I have reproduced it else Douglas H Wall John W Conway where in this report Jr Russell Ley George Hrubenak While I know nothing about Mom Anthony N Roscigno Robert J Hrubenak arch Butterflies Jim Carrs letter of Paul A Wilkinson Fred A Johnson September 30 caught my attention it James LaRue Costley Lewis Hall was interesting to see no less than six Monarch Butterflies migrating right Steven B Phillips Hank Bickel over the summit of Colvin during our Karen M Robbins James Kobak short stay thereAnd in this day of acid Somers W Ellen Robert Bredenberg rain talk and reported lack of fish in Mary A Crook Robert A Dorner Adirondack waters Im delighted to Larry A Crook Daniel M Noeller quote from Dave Wrights letter The Gilbert P Smith Russell L Wilt next day after climbing Colvin we rested around Chapel Pond Sally Livingston David Michael Greene watching some rock climbers and catching a John R Beth Harris Wiley Mary tasty breakfast of brook trout Stephen W Davis Terry Harris Oh yes that weird gutteralvoiced Tim Becker Linda Nerwin creature who would create quite a stir Bernard Ries Walter Pauk at five in the morning at the Boulders SUMMER 1982 We even Asher Ethan Miller David W Lance See PEEKS tually saw him by the bird bath early one Robert Brown Suzanne E Lance morning when I crept quietly down Thomas P Otis J Allen Ripley stairs It was a handsome red fox Upon Raymond F Shandorf Donald A Reynolds checking with the Park Ranger at Sheila R Hartman Douglas S Reynolds Schroon Lake I was told that the fox Dennis L Nemhauser Douglas C Frackelton continued on page 13 Adam Sobel Ronald Bernard Pelinski Ted Rupert Richard L Wilkins Dennis G Martin Robert Andrew Vititow David Paul Weisser Daniel Rosenthal G Barrett Rich Michael A Rosenthal Jeremy Henry Greshin John Russell Michael S Mathras Jr Anthony Ulrich Larry E Pringle Ferdinand Ulrich John Van Hook Paul M Schurman Michael A Bomberg Richard C Fox Daniel L Tanner Katherine S VanWoert Ned VanWoert Peter E Shafran

Climbing numbers for the above will be assigned in the Spring of 1983 In Search of

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BANDHOLD

more formidable each EditorsNote This is the first in a series of In Search of noticed the cripplebush getting with step articles that Joe Bandhold 46er 1579 from Willsboro New and there was nary a sign of a breach in this wall of slash to the Another intense of rain then York has agreed to do for Peeks The stories will deal with the west and towards Marshall volley searching out of the crash sites of downed aircraft in the descended on my now bedraggled personage causing my Adirondack Region patience to straddle a knife edge of sanity Silently Ipleaded for In Joes first In Search of he shares with us his a sign of hope amid this treacherous mass of vegetation now adventures to the crash sites of a Cessna single engine plane in confronting me the IroquoisMarshall col and to the B47 crash site on the Just when all seemedlost cameacross a footpath diverging southern flanks of Wright Peak off in my desired direction tseemed well worn and one could only assume that it would lead me right to the Marshall canister was ecstatic and smiled at my good fortune on such a dismal It all started back six years ago in August of 1976 thatswhen I found myself hiking solo up the yellow trail that connects Indian Pass with Lake Colden Hiking conditions were horrible Rain rain and more rain My objective for the day was to climb Mt Marshall from the IroquoisMarshall col though the ADK guidebook stated to do so would be hazardous to ones health Between the much heralded blowdown and this incessant soaking rain I was now contending with it was a surety that this climb would not be a picnic However tunnelvision had pushed reason aside and I would attempt the route anyway The drenching rain turned into a downpour not seen since Noah had set sail in the Ark Hurtling across the last of what had been innumerable swollen stream crossings I began to speed up the if pace as I continued my ascent Time was of the essence this climb was to be successful As neared the top of the pass

8 An impressive view of Indian Pass and Wallface Mountain from Scotts had a summer home on Big Tupper Gary thinks Mr Simmons Clearing wife was going to pick him up at the Saranac Lake airport He went on to say Iremember getting to him just before dark and day as this After a brief break I resumed the hikeby dashing off it was raining The rescue was made the next morning by winch the trail and onto this mysterious herdpath that had escaped from the DEC helicopter Mr Simmons now lives in attention in the guidebook Tupper Lake Putting myself in the proper bushwhack attack mode I was This discovery had put a damper on my climb of Marshall for soon darting under and around heavy thickets of scrub Then the Itwould have wait day to instead I continued my trip down while lost in onebrief moment of pathfinding Ibecame startled the far side of the yellow trail to Lake Colden I thought about as I was confronted with the skeleton of a metallic flying monster It was a Cessna single engine airplane Now this was an an was in to to certainly unplanned discovery Obviously mysecret trail was autopsy order find clues a side to the burial this just trip ground of decrepit wreck The the planes unfortunate demise shell of the plane was fairly intact and somehow gave off an eerie appearance when viewed from the front Way up there amid the awful grayness swirling mist and soaking rain this relic looked the possibility of other planes having met a similar fate out here like some ancient creature that had come up in the pass to die I in the High Peaks It was obvious that other crashes would not stared at it for awhile It stared back The silence save for the be as easily accessible as this one was The taskof finding these before pelting rain added much to this rather macabre scene Minutes planes the forest swallowed them up sounded intriguing ticked until into Therefore I I by Ifinally moved out the tiny clearing where the vowed that somedav would pursue this matter plane lay Idetermined that an autopsy was in order to find clues further and try to locate other High Peak Sky Kings who had to the planes unfortunate demise One quick glance at the tasted Adirondack scrub through the years it Now we fuselage and some graffitti scrawled upon told me that the pilot flash ahead to November of 81 I had now armed myself with information leading to the whereabouts of other downed birds in the High Peak area This was all done with the I resumed the hike off the trail by dashing gracious help of Ranger Gary Hodgeson who had described all and onto this mysterious herdpath that the known crash areas to me In perusing this list of plane accidents it became apparent that though there had been had attention in the many escaped guide crashes in the mountains overthe past twenty years most of the book planes had been hauled out for parts leaving only a few memorials for posteritys sake However in looking at what remained I could see that a few would make for interesting had survived the crash and had also returned to this spot with explorations and decided to go for it his family to pay homage to the deceased This fellow must I selected for my second trip the wreckage of the B47 have led a charmed life to survive this crash and also have a trail bomber on Wright Peak The bomber had crashed on January twentyfive yards away I then looked inside and my investi 16 1962 while enroute to Plattsburgh Air Force Base Four men showed evidence of the other gation plane encountering were killed Two years later in 1964 the Air Force set a plaque in wayward travelers The cockpit was stripped bare from the rock near the summit This coupled with the plane in the souvenir hunters and everything towards the back was guttea IroquoisMarshall col constituted the easier sites to reach A look around outside showed one of the wings not in the crash My companion on this trip would be Jim Allen a friend of area soon My fertile imagination had the plane skipping along mine hailing from Willsboro New York Jim had been with me the this some jack pine shearing wing off at point further back in on previous hikes and I was glad he would accompany me on the wood with the aircraft finally coming to a halt here fman this particular expedition because ofthe need for an extra pair were meant to fly was all I could think about later learned of eyes to spot debris Our plan would be to bushwhack up to from Ranger Gary Hodgson that the pilot of the plane was Peter the Wright slide make camp at the slidesbase and reconnoiter Simmons now living at Tupper Lake New York His plane above it for signs of debris Finding pieces to the bomber would crashed in August of 1969 Gary belived he was flying at night hopefully lead us to our main objective the airplane wing when Mr Simmons was caught in a downdraft At the time he laying somewhere on the southern slope of Wright This piece was said to be visible from various peaks and openings to the There buried amongst the scrub forest of thecol was this Cessnaairplane south of Wright especially when the suns reflection would Obviously my secret trail was just aside trip to the burial ground of this decrepit wreck strike it at the proper angle Regrettably I had never witnessed this phenomena for myself as it might have given me more help in addressing the problem of pinpointing the wings location on the mountainside

My only other information concerning the wing wasobtained from Ditt Dittmar He had once located it by a very unique method to say the least If I recall correctly Ditt had split his large family troop into two groups half on Mt Colden and the other upon Wright With the assistance of radio communication the Colden party relayed directions to the Wright party as their progress toward the wing was viewed with binoculars In this way the Wright party led by Ditt was able to find the lair of the wing Boy I love that Hitech hiking Jim and I would not be blessed with thiswealth of manpower and equipment but we were still confident we could make a good it as go of So November 15th dawned bright and clear it was off to Heart Lake and the first episode of In Search ofHigh

9 the slide It took ashort for us to break out into the to view thedesolation of Reaching the slide proper we bouldered our way up narrow shoot only time open slide scarred Wright and its beckoning summit still far above us Peak Planes way before This made me cocky and I informed Jim that our we Upon arriving at the parking lot quickly donned our gear hike would be cake since I was now under the assumption our and gave one final glance toward the sky for a weather check buddy knew where he was going Such is the stuff that makes for before departing It appeared quite agreeable for hiking cool rude awakenings in and crisp with just a tinge of haze the air Prospects looked An hour and a half later it became readily apparent that our good so we set out for Marcy Dam newly appointed leadersrecognizant faculties were on the fritz A short walk beyond Marcy Dam brought us to our As we followed his footprints through the snow his chosen crossover point on Marcy Brook Once over the brook we both route was taking on the appearance of a boa constrictor tieing observed how sparse and scarred the tree cover was on this itself into a knot The highlight to all this was our being led into a work side Obviousythe of the Marcy Dam tree pruners wall offive foot high balsam which we floundered through like association Luckily though this made for easier mobility as we two spastic chickens Upon this final insult to our intelligence we now followed along side the stream coming out of the Algonquin concurred that a mutiny was in the offing We then escaped Wright drainage basin At this point snow cover had increased back down to the security of our stream and its much easier just enough to obliterate any chance of accurately following the I herd path assumed was somewhere under ourfeet Having no it path to follow we proceeded through the hardwoods in became readily apparent that our serpentine fashion keeping our watery companion well in sight newly appointed leaders Fifteen minutes into the climb I contributed to our first screw recognizant were on the fritz up by second guessing our position relative to the stream I faculties consulted Jim as to the possibility that the path might be on the other bank and suggested we cross Jim not knowing where in traveling conditions Shortly thereafter we arrived at the slide Gods name we were anyway agreed with me then started junction where we began our assault of the slide proper As we across a small draw adjacentto the main stream channel Upon bouldered up the narrow slide shoot confronting us the canopy further inspection via adeep plunge into some goo now of branches above began insidiously plucking and clutching I about ourbodies a surrounding me determined this area to be in the fullfledged Here Iwould have liked dollar for everytime bog class and hastily retreated to the safety of our former myski hat was yanked off my head by some hidden tendril This position Jim then smirked and mentioned something about my maddening scene was relieved only by the relatively short time it leadership qualities while I cursed myself for being so cerebral took for us to break out into the open to view the desolation of Well stay over here I stated in as prophetic a voice as one slide scarred Wright and its beckoning summit still far above us could muster under the circumstances Dragging ourselves up the slide to a point above the trees we It was only minutes later that our second problem dropped stopped and broke for lunch The view south from this point was by in the form of another hiker An exchange of hellos and very impressive To our right was the towering presence of inquiries brought on the exciting news that he had been up this Algonquin its upper flanks flecked with snow and ice to the left of Algonquin stood savage Colden its bulk rippled with many steep slides all plunging down into the abyss ofAvalanche Lake Then standing so regally in the distance her rocky dome filling the sky rose the granitic mass of earth Mother Marcy In addition to all this rugged beauty was a shared feeling of tranquility and solitude brought about by the absence of trail traffic on this side of the mountain Save for a far away stream making its downward run and some glib feathered friends chattering in the trees the forest here was so very quiet Both Jim and Ibasked in this peaceful easy feeling with great relish I ruined everything though by suggesting we set up camp so we would hike the slide in the remaining daylight Boy its a good thing Jim wasntarmed With camp pitched on a semilevel area that would make for some interesting sleeping positions later that night and with other particulars out ofthe way we soon started for the summit About onequarter of the way up we found our first bit of wreckage a khaki colored hunk of sheet metal whose function was a mystery to me It was of good size and this brought on the speculation as to whether it had landed or slid there Seeing this we both became excited that we were on to something and moved on up the mountain The climb continued on with more discoveries made at the halfway mark on the slide These findings coincided with Gary Hodgesonsinfo that most of the wreckage and the wing should be in the forest cover to the right of us looking uphill I filed that away and continued upward clop clop clop After vaulting one last rock pitch and sur mounting a 20 yard wide garden of cripplebrush we found ourselves on the summit A break was taken to orient Jim to his surroundings this being his virginal ascent while also giving us a chance for a snack Then a short descent brought us to the memorial tablet commemorating the air disaster we were now all of of which Pieces of strewn all about the The mountainside was virtually littered with sorts goodies half investigating wreckage lay are still up in the trees summit attesting to the tremendous impact this crash had

11 wrought We busied ourselves for several minutes studying the bigger posse Meanwhile a look up at the sky showed that our weather was about to end I decided that it various pieces and trying to guess where they went on the plane good whereupon tracks back out to Jim this With great reluctance though we had to depart as darkness was would be best to make leaving we arrived at unsolved for the time making its presence felt Hastening downward mystery being its mountainside Once out on the Jim and I climbed back up to the camp just as evening cast shadow upon the slide on what had out in the An hour after dinner found both of us back up on the slide summit while I gave him the scoop I seen look around to showed the weather sharing some small talk The night was glorious as both the near brush A last lingering up beginning to deteriorate rapidly so we headed down towards the Algonquin trail roach snell Alas the worst part of the trip I dealers strode through a junk paradise was yet to come As per usual the multitudes who had made their to summit had packed the rather The mountainside was virtually littered pilgrimage Wrights limited snowfall into one long chute of ice Gingerly then we with all sorts of half of which are goodies started down With many a tenuous hand hold and precarious foot we descended the Then one still up in the trees placement alongside icy path final leap had us down at the junction and an easy hike back to the Loj and distance peaks silhouetted themselves perfectly against the As we rode home talk centered on this and future trips We view our was so moonlit nightime sky In fact the from perch now would have to wait out the winter until the spring melt serene and beautiful that time seemed to move all too swiftly Plans would be made for other excursions Let there be no check of Jimswatch revealed it be 130 In The last AM way past doubt we would head up again search of more High Peak more work than our bedtime Waking up was going to be planes yesterdays hike But like good troopers we found our way out of bed relatively early I especially would like to thank Jim for getting breakfast After breakfast I headed back up the mountain to find out what lay hidden on the south slope Arriving at the halfway mark turned to diverge into the woods For the next fortyfive minutes strode through a junk dealers paradise The mountainside was virtually littered with all sorts of goodies half ofwhich are still up in the trees Besideswanting to find the wing had heard that the blackbox was still lurking somewhere in here too Now wouldntthat be a trophy So there Iwas walking up and down over and around here and there taking pictures where possible searching searching searching and alasI could not find it I would not be too off base to suggest that I had found every other part to the plane except the wing and knowing that was so close yet so far only served to get me closer to the point ofterminal frustration Next time well need a

Pieces of the B47 wreckage lay strewn all along the slide and summit of Wright

12 e2 6 V n s o 4 These Wright After we had fought the stiff spruce at top and took time to look around decided bushwack off aiming hit old ski trail that went from Mac Trail comes down Marcy Dam We did it too But third member of our party was all tuckered out also among first climb Phelps Mt When I climbed there no Al West gether He then Ranger found a pole fastened his white handkerchief raised wanted find whether he could see where remember scrub so thick on crawl under like snakes The other article interested in one N P not walk Boardwalk just south start split logs but got us across swamp For improvers think they are good enough What if losses balance can step into get wet still knows goes celebrated my 80th birthday Terrel Pond leanto only thing have is birch walking stick cut for me as came last slope done stretch along Cold River 1928 with mother didn t follow way turned Duck Hole do Preston Ponds Indian Pass Henderson Then thru arrived Heart Lake spent night dam Shattuck clearing This bragging letter ll close certainly am glad hiking camping 30s 40s Keep perking Dr Orra 47 Wilton New York 13

The Boulder Report

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would come down to hear his echo Not

apleasant sound He was there right up to the morning I closed camp October 13th Sometimes coming at dusk other times around midnight and often around fiveamemiting his gutteral call Otto my black Persian cat was often on the hill when he came While he would send chills through me when I hastened to call Otto in she always took her time Dear Ditt slowly walking down the hill from the direction he called from so he must The fall issue of Peeks came today as a have seen her He woke up everyone in and always I want to do little has the area but I never heard of any bragging lm sorry that age 87 damage he caused And he never kept me from joining the some of your festivities Inote that our Phil barked just gave his rather blood President curdlig gutteral call again and again It Correll climbed Wright by the slide I was it a was a summer to remember one of three that climbed week after it happened in 38 That Grace Hudowalski August was long before the plane crash on

On Oce 82 T C Ir l Report of the Traflmaster

46ers Take To The Trals

able to lay down a hundred yards of Removal of down timber alone kept us Photos Tom Lee stringers through the swamp east of on the trail nearly to dark The bridge A record number of volunteers gave Wallface Ponds This latter effort com raising crew using shovels winching their services at one time or another to pleted a project begun last year to make equipment and human backs will be FortySixer trail maintenance and the ponds trail reasonably walkable in blessed by future spring and otherflood abovetimberline seeding projects in spite of sphagnum moss mud time hikers for creating a bridge usable 1982 We had 54 participants this The three July weekend assign yearround season This is particularly significant in ments were fun but a test of endurance Our following two weekends July light of the fact that this years trail work On July 10th and llth fifteen of us 1718and 2425 were also physically program was probably the most chal removed all down timber on the Elk challenging especially the former which lenging in our history LakeMarcy Trail as far as the four involved working during a heat wave Knowing that no YACC or other corners between Skylight and Marcy Both Elk LakeDix trails had been trail crews had preceded us on May We also raised the bridge over the inlet neglected for some years the yellow 29th none of us planning the work to the Upper Ausable Lake above flood trail climbing directly from near Dix program for our spring outing at level This involved five miles of back Pond being so overgrown with cripple Adirondak Loj expected that we would packing to a camp site on State Land brush that it was in some places harder be able to remove down timber from near the Inlet a hundred yards up the to follow than a herd path Camping by the Wallface Ponds trail or from the trail Colvin Ridge Trail Those going as far Slide Brook for both sessions our crews leading to the summit of Indian Pass as the four corners regretted that removed all down timber and cut back Yet volunteers turned out in sufficient though previous ADK efforts had greatly brush on all section of the Dix trails not strength to allow us not only to saw improved passage across Marcy only high up on the mountain but at through downed logs on both trails but Swamp our group lacked sufficient lower elevations as well Our engineers evento go on to check the ladder on the time to lay down log stringers in the also built a magnificent bridge over south side of the pass We were even soggy areas below Panther Gorge Slide Brook complete with a stone

Our faithful trailmaster Jim Goodwin clearing cripplebrush from the Elk LakeDix Trail In some places the trail was harder to follow than a herd path Below in mid July our trail crew working during a heat wave removed all the down timber along the yellow trail leading from Dix Pond to the summit of Dix Right

14 filled piling in the center of the brook As most of you know I bowed out pointing up stream Alltold we left the as Trailmaster at the end of the past 46er Volunteers Elk LakeDix trails in firstclassshape season to be succeeded by Chris Behr However Adirondack elements I enjoyed every part of my assignment Richard Ayling John Harrington James are fickle On Appleyard Walter Herrod August 25th tornado including the making of many good Betty Lou Bailey John Kennedy type winds the worst in more than a friends What impressed me most was Christopher G Behr William Kozel decade zerOed in especially on the the uniquely great spirit of thisorganiza June Behr Thomas Lee trails leading away from Elk Lake tion The 46 peaks must choose care Christopher M Behr William Lee them with more down timber those who to covering fully persevere climb them Richard Bolte Katherine McDonell we in than had dealt with July Yet at all I woudhave thought in 1976 that Elaine Bocha Robert McElwain least of during most the summer these in a year or two the project would have James Burnside John Nicoll trails were clear and there are a lot lost its mystique and that there would George Buttler Peter Nolan fewer logs for future sawyers to cope be few volunteers But today six Donna Jean Cole Patricia Oresson with than if we hadntbeen around years after Dr Ed Ketchledge launched Robert Clements Joseph Pollock James Racette On October 2nd during our fall this service project the seeds of Cooper Stephen at of William Coonradt David Rakov outing Adirondak Loj eighteen the which Glenn Fish had sown some years Philip Corell Gail Reitler faithful turned out some to clear the before there are more volunteers Joseph Coughlin Mike Schmeditcke Mr Van Ski Trail of down timber and than we had a number of originally Lawrence Crooke George Schmit some to work on projects in the veterans of that first Marcy them year Mary Crooke John Schneider Dam area under the direction of the The Three Behrs Chris G Thomas Ellis Friedel Schunk Dam The Mr Marcy ranger Van project June F and son Chris M have been Glenn Fish Gordon Shaw involved dealing with some sizeable present at nearly every trial work Jon E Freckleton Thomas Stanwood tree trunks but in an amazing number session in my administration They Jon K Freckieton Stephen Stearns Melinda of instances our crew was so inspired were the first to qualify for their service Freckleton Frank Trerise John Freeman Mark Vermilyea that using mass team work we merely patches They are dedicated they love Charles Gibson David Vermilyea grabbed the offending log and threw it the mountains and they are able engi out George Goebel George Viscome of the way neers They know about everyone who Stephen Halleck Douglas Wahl For a second season DEC Ranger has volunteered for trail service The Gary West was present at all of our FortylSixers are very fortunate that maintenance sessions In addition to Chris has taken over my assignment as supplying DEC tools which we lacked trail master I wish him well and am he modestly gave us the benefit of his confident that under his leadership the experience and knowhow along with FortySxer ethic of service to Adiron working as hard or harder than any of dack terrain and its hikers will continue the rest of us His presence and to flourish encouragement added much to the Jim Goodwin Trailmaster success of our operations

Our soon to be new trailmaster Chris Behr ponders a moment as work proceeds along the yellow ElkLakeDix Trail Above Right Bill Lee to and seed summit Dr Ketchs helps spread fertilizer grass along the of Algonquin during on going program of replanting grass along the summits of major peaks in the Adirondacks Above

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