Copied from a portion of the post to my LiveJournal.
The hike took place Friday, 21 July 2006.
The day started out overcast and damp. As I drove to the point where I was to meet up with Travis I encountered some very light rain. I was a little discouraged as I knew that this would significantly reduce visibility from the summit, but I was intent upon hiking. Indeed, only torrential rains or very windy conditions would have stopped me from hiking this trail on this particular day. Torrents, merely because I wasn't equipped with the proper equipment to make the hike a success, I would likely have been forced to turn back rather early due to poor trail conditions, and this was before I learned that my boots were horrible on rocky surfaces. Winds would have been problematic because there is an area of the mountain that appears to be older forest, and one can see how the wind has ravaged the tress. There was one section of the trail where the wind has blown a tree across the trail and hikers must duck beneath it. I regret that I did not get a photo of this. Hopefully I will soon acquire a pack that lets me keep my camera more readily accessible. I purchased some bottled water for the trip and some protein bars to eat on the hike, but I soon realized that Travis was significantly late. I finally called him, he answered, and indicated that it had been pouring at his house, he attempted to call me (wireless battery died on me overnight), and failing to reach me didn't prepare for the hike. We discussed the situation, decided that the weather report was not all that threatening to us, and that we'd make the trip. Travis did indicate that he would take a little while to prepare since it turned out his cousin Christina was interested in making the hike. We planned on meeting between 11:30-12:00n, which was over an hour later if we hit the early end. It would turn out that Travis and his cousin would arrive at 12:15, just as I was preparing to leave on my own. Anyhow, at this point we set out to the north hoping to hit the trailhead at around 1:00, which is roughly when we made the trailhead.
When we arrived at the trailhead we must have looked quite odd to anyone that saw us. I was dressed in hiking gear, but had a very plain and inefficient (so far as backpacking is concerned) backpack. Travis was wearing a decent pair of Merril hikers, but was wearing cotton socks, mesh shorts, a cotton-tee, but he had a legitimate daypack. Christina was wearing skateboarding clothes, skate shoes, denim clam-diggers/capris/whate-evers, tank top, and a green shirt over that, oh and she too had cotton socks. She had no pack, but Travis would carry her water. We were technically underequipped and Travis and Christina weren't dressed very well. Of course, everything went without incident, but I would like to acquire more approrpriate gear. I used to be a Boy Scout, that "Be Prepared" thing is still stuck in my head.
Shortly after we set off we met two other hikers that were coming down. Despite my worries that my group looked unprepared, I never did pay attention to what these other folks were wearing. It was presumably a father-son hiking combo that we met, each one had what appeared to be a well stocked and packed backpack and were each sporting a collapsing hiking stick. I'm still rather on the fence about those things. If anyone reading this has a reason that I should invest twenty dollars into one of these things, please comment. We stopped shortly after meeting these two hikers, Travis wanted to spray himself with some insect repellent, Christina needed to relieve herself, and I wasn't certain which trail we were supposed to follow (which is why I'm going to purchase some bloody maps ASAP). Christina returned to us, and she wound up spraying herself with insect repellent as well before Travis spotted the trail marker and we set off again. The lower portion of the trail is easy. One could wear trail runners and be comfortable. One could probably run this portion of the trail comfortably and without increased concern for injury. I think it was a little more than a mile in before the trail began to take a more challenging form. The lower gravel trail, which eventually turned into top soil, ultimately turned into a mixture of ensnaring roots and loose stone. This is also the point where the grade begins to become more dramatically uphill. This is where lack of conditioning and extra poundage started to set me back from Travis and Christina. they were very cool about waiting though, which was fantastic because I had told them I wasn't well conditioned and might cause for some delays. Despite the delays they invited me to hike with them next week. I'll start planning a destination for the following week. We're hoping to hike together every week until Travis leaves for Europe. I did well for a while on the lower portions, but when I started to breathe heavily and felt the lactic acid accumulate in my legs, I knew I had lost the battle to keep up. These delays proved to be quite interesting. Not only did we chat a bit more when we stopped, but we took notice of our surroundings.
These berries were spotted on our first stop. I sat just across the trail from them, and found their blue color to stick out from the rest of the surroundings. I'm not certain what they are, currently I own only the field guide for trees. So, if you have any idea what these might be, or any direction to at least point me in, leave a comment. I and my hiking companions would love your help.
While we were waiting, we took notice of how quiet it was on the mountain. Truly, this is something of a luxury when hiking in the area of Lake George. Motorboats are so common on the lake that their noise of often deafening. Fortunately, much of the hike up Black Mountain was on the the side opposite the lake, and when we were able to gaze upon the lake, the elevation almost certainly drowned out the traffic noise. As I commented on the lack of noise Christina complained of all the noise from the insects that she evidentally was unable to get away from.
We would make several stops on the way to the summit, some quick breathers, and a couple more that were stops to rest and rehydrate. One of which was a mere 100 yards from the summit. Of course, we didn't really know any better at the time. We quickly heard the windmill that was at the summit, presumably used to help in powering the fire-tower.
Soon the wooded canopy opened up to a small grassy area with a patch of Tiger-Lillies, flowers that I wish I had thought to photograph at some point. There was a narrow path worn through the grass to a broader area full of timbers. I suspect that the timbers are the remnants of the picnic tables that used to be on the mountain. I am not entirely certain, but it would seem that some fools had to destroy the tables for their own entertainment. I didn't notice this at first, as I was entranced by the view that was unfolding before me.
These are my favorite moments when hiking. I love when these beautiful views open themselves up before me. Truly, my heart lept with joy as I stepped closer to the edge. The pain in my legs and in my lungs were forgotten as I looked over the <i>Queen of American Lakes</i>.
I think we spent nearly an hour atop the mountain, ignoring the summer sun as it beat upon us from overhead. Christina borrowed my sketch pad, which I wasn't terribly interested in using at the time. I might have used it if we could have stayed longer -- perhaps next time. I was just too interested in looking around. I took a few photos before I returned my camera to my pack and began to explore the immediate area. Travis and I checked out the windmill and the area surrounding the fire-tower. The firetower is locked up pretty tightly, which is unfortunate. I have read that the view from it is spectacular. There are efforts being made to restore these towers and keep them open for public use. This firetower on this particular day probably would not have been of much use because of the hazy conditions and the cloud cover, but on a clear day I would love to survey all that the tower overlooks. My father even said that you could see the Empire State Plaza in Albany from atop the firetower.
Travis and I found a trail that was on the opposite side of the summit from where we came out of the woods. Lacking maps or any prior experience with these trails we chose not to adventure too far down this trail, although I have read information that indicates a potential for the trail to travel two a few locations. Particularly, the ponds that are accessible from a split in the trail about 1.6 miles of hiking below the summit -- and secondly, the shores of Lake George itself. I'm looking to acquire some Topographic maps of the area, and I think for Yule my parents are considering the purchase of a GPS system, if they believe that I have a real interest in backpacking. With those items I'd be more willing to explore the area.
Due to our late departure on the day, and our interest in visiting Huletts Landing for a swim, we eventually packed up again and set to our descent from the mountain. It would take longer than we had anticipated, and we would have to scrap our plans of hitting the water because Travis and Christina had plans to see Blue October in Clifton Park. It was a great hike, one that I would love to do again. Truly, I would like to make an overnight trip to Black Mountain. I think it would be a beautiful sight to look out over the lake at night, especially a clear night with a full moon. The thought also reminded me that it might be nice to have a tripod and a Digital SLR. Hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities for that in the future.
Now for some more of the photos I took on Black Mountain:
The hike took place Friday, 21 July 2006.
The day started out overcast and damp. As I drove to the point where I was to meet up with Travis I encountered some very light rain. I was a little discouraged as I knew that this would significantly reduce visibility from the summit, but I was intent upon hiking. Indeed, only torrential rains or very windy conditions would have stopped me from hiking this trail on this particular day. Torrents, merely because I wasn't equipped with the proper equipment to make the hike a success, I would likely have been forced to turn back rather early due to poor trail conditions, and this was before I learned that my boots were horrible on rocky surfaces. Winds would have been problematic because there is an area of the mountain that appears to be older forest, and one can see how the wind has ravaged the tress. There was one section of the trail where the wind has blown a tree across the trail and hikers must duck beneath it. I regret that I did not get a photo of this. Hopefully I will soon acquire a pack that lets me keep my camera more readily accessible. I purchased some bottled water for the trip and some protein bars to eat on the hike, but I soon realized that Travis was significantly late. I finally called him, he answered, and indicated that it had been pouring at his house, he attempted to call me (wireless battery died on me overnight), and failing to reach me didn't prepare for the hike. We discussed the situation, decided that the weather report was not all that threatening to us, and that we'd make the trip. Travis did indicate that he would take a little while to prepare since it turned out his cousin Christina was interested in making the hike. We planned on meeting between 11:30-12:00n, which was over an hour later if we hit the early end. It would turn out that Travis and his cousin would arrive at 12:15, just as I was preparing to leave on my own. Anyhow, at this point we set out to the north hoping to hit the trailhead at around 1:00, which is roughly when we made the trailhead.
When we arrived at the trailhead we must have looked quite odd to anyone that saw us. I was dressed in hiking gear, but had a very plain and inefficient (so far as backpacking is concerned) backpack. Travis was wearing a decent pair of Merril hikers, but was wearing cotton socks, mesh shorts, a cotton-tee, but he had a legitimate daypack. Christina was wearing skateboarding clothes, skate shoes, denim clam-diggers/capris/whate-evers, tank top, and a green shirt over that, oh and she too had cotton socks. She had no pack, but Travis would carry her water. We were technically underequipped and Travis and Christina weren't dressed very well. Of course, everything went without incident, but I would like to acquire more approrpriate gear. I used to be a Boy Scout, that "Be Prepared" thing is still stuck in my head.
Shortly after we set off we met two other hikers that were coming down. Despite my worries that my group looked unprepared, I never did pay attention to what these other folks were wearing. It was presumably a father-son hiking combo that we met, each one had what appeared to be a well stocked and packed backpack and were each sporting a collapsing hiking stick. I'm still rather on the fence about those things. If anyone reading this has a reason that I should invest twenty dollars into one of these things, please comment. We stopped shortly after meeting these two hikers, Travis wanted to spray himself with some insect repellent, Christina needed to relieve herself, and I wasn't certain which trail we were supposed to follow (which is why I'm going to purchase some bloody maps ASAP). Christina returned to us, and she wound up spraying herself with insect repellent as well before Travis spotted the trail marker and we set off again. The lower portion of the trail is easy. One could wear trail runners and be comfortable. One could probably run this portion of the trail comfortably and without increased concern for injury. I think it was a little more than a mile in before the trail began to take a more challenging form. The lower gravel trail, which eventually turned into top soil, ultimately turned into a mixture of ensnaring roots and loose stone. This is also the point where the grade begins to become more dramatically uphill. This is where lack of conditioning and extra poundage started to set me back from Travis and Christina. they were very cool about waiting though, which was fantastic because I had told them I wasn't well conditioned and might cause for some delays. Despite the delays they invited me to hike with them next week. I'll start planning a destination for the following week. We're hoping to hike together every week until Travis leaves for Europe. I did well for a while on the lower portions, but when I started to breathe heavily and felt the lactic acid accumulate in my legs, I knew I had lost the battle to keep up. These delays proved to be quite interesting. Not only did we chat a bit more when we stopped, but we took notice of our surroundings.
These berries were spotted on our first stop. I sat just across the trail from them, and found their blue color to stick out from the rest of the surroundings. I'm not certain what they are, currently I own only the field guide for trees. So, if you have any idea what these might be, or any direction to at least point me in, leave a comment. I and my hiking companions would love your help.
While we were waiting, we took notice of how quiet it was on the mountain. Truly, this is something of a luxury when hiking in the area of Lake George. Motorboats are so common on the lake that their noise of often deafening. Fortunately, much of the hike up Black Mountain was on the the side opposite the lake, and when we were able to gaze upon the lake, the elevation almost certainly drowned out the traffic noise. As I commented on the lack of noise Christina complained of all the noise from the insects that she evidentally was unable to get away from.
We would make several stops on the way to the summit, some quick breathers, and a couple more that were stops to rest and rehydrate. One of which was a mere 100 yards from the summit. Of course, we didn't really know any better at the time. We quickly heard the windmill that was at the summit, presumably used to help in powering the fire-tower.
Soon the wooded canopy opened up to a small grassy area with a patch of Tiger-Lillies, flowers that I wish I had thought to photograph at some point. There was a narrow path worn through the grass to a broader area full of timbers. I suspect that the timbers are the remnants of the picnic tables that used to be on the mountain. I am not entirely certain, but it would seem that some fools had to destroy the tables for their own entertainment. I didn't notice this at first, as I was entranced by the view that was unfolding before me.
These are my favorite moments when hiking. I love when these beautiful views open themselves up before me. Truly, my heart lept with joy as I stepped closer to the edge. The pain in my legs and in my lungs were forgotten as I looked over the <i>Queen of American Lakes</i>.
I think we spent nearly an hour atop the mountain, ignoring the summer sun as it beat upon us from overhead. Christina borrowed my sketch pad, which I wasn't terribly interested in using at the time. I might have used it if we could have stayed longer -- perhaps next time. I was just too interested in looking around. I took a few photos before I returned my camera to my pack and began to explore the immediate area. Travis and I checked out the windmill and the area surrounding the fire-tower. The firetower is locked up pretty tightly, which is unfortunate. I have read that the view from it is spectacular. There are efforts being made to restore these towers and keep them open for public use. This firetower on this particular day probably would not have been of much use because of the hazy conditions and the cloud cover, but on a clear day I would love to survey all that the tower overlooks. My father even said that you could see the Empire State Plaza in Albany from atop the firetower.
Travis and I found a trail that was on the opposite side of the summit from where we came out of the woods. Lacking maps or any prior experience with these trails we chose not to adventure too far down this trail, although I have read information that indicates a potential for the trail to travel two a few locations. Particularly, the ponds that are accessible from a split in the trail about 1.6 miles of hiking below the summit -- and secondly, the shores of Lake George itself. I'm looking to acquire some Topographic maps of the area, and I think for Yule my parents are considering the purchase of a GPS system, if they believe that I have a real interest in backpacking. With those items I'd be more willing to explore the area.
Due to our late departure on the day, and our interest in visiting Huletts Landing for a swim, we eventually packed up again and set to our descent from the mountain. It would take longer than we had anticipated, and we would have to scrap our plans of hitting the water because Travis and Christina had plans to see Blue October in Clifton Park. It was a great hike, one that I would love to do again. Truly, I would like to make an overnight trip to Black Mountain. I think it would be a beautiful sight to look out over the lake at night, especially a clear night with a full moon. The thought also reminded me that it might be nice to have a tripod and a Digital SLR. Hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities for that in the future.
Now for some more of the photos I took on Black Mountain:
also, i'm trying to get a darien lake event around for end of aug/beginning of sept possibly. check out the thread in the group for more info and let me know what you think.
C_K
your new (slightly pushier, but well intended) group owner