|
Location: |
Spruce Lake
 ,
as approached from the Piseco Trail Head to the Northville-Placid
Trail (where
Haskell Road crosses Cold Stream) |
| When: |
June 12-13, 2010 |
|
Who: |
|
Mike M.
Oliver P.
Zach C. |
John Ivory, Mike Fitzsimmons, Brian Pratt,
Tony Caltigirone, Jason Musits |
|
|
Notes: |
Special thanks to "Toasty" for helping with some of
the photography. |
 |
Honestly, this was without a doubt one of the more
challenging and painful hikes of the year (as you be able to guess from the
expression on the young man's face to the left).
The terrain was much more difficult than the 900 foot
elevation change would have suggested. The weather was just miserable,
with it being a steady, cold, rain all the way out. The rocks were
slippery, and our packs got heavy and waterlogged. |
|
We didn't even bring dogs with us for this one, as we knew it would be kinda
rotten. It was hard starting a fire, and we never did get warm. The
lean-to was small and cramped (again, as you can see in some of the photos).
There were falls in streams, soaked feet, and bruises and blisters that took
weeks to heal. |
 |
 |
Some on the trip were even rather ill before we even began
walking.
But you know something... despite all of that... or perhaps
because of it all... this also turned out to be one of our better hikes.
We gained a better understanding of how we work as a team (which was one of
the goals in prep for our trip to Yellowstone). |
|
Kids who thought they'd never make it past the first mile ended up making it the
full 20! Dad's had a chance to experience some trauma and challenges with
their sons, and shared the load to overcome them together. We ate well,
and laughed at the lunacy of this little adventure. And the result was worth
it. Spruce Lake is peaceful and serene. We came out of the woods
exhausted, but also stronger. |
 |
|
