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Adirondacks > Mount Colden > Not Too Cold on Colden
Not Too Cold on Colden
Trip Report
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Not Too Cold on Colden 

Page Type: Trip Report

Location: New York, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 44.12690°N / 73.9603°W

Date Climbed/Hiked: Feb 1, 2007

Activities: Hiking

Season: Winter

 

Page By: Puma concolor

Created/Edited: Feb 4, 2007 / Feb 5, 2007

Object ID: 266724

Hits: 2014 

Page Score: 90.45% - 33 Votes 

Vote: Log in to vote

 

Table of Contents

Quick Stats

January 26: -22F and a Non-Attempt

February 1: A Much Better Day

Images

Quick Stats

Elevation: 4,714 feet

Adirondack Order of Height: 11

Partners: Solo

Summit Conditions: 16F, light breeze, blowing snow

Round-Trip Distance: 12 miles

Round-Trip Time: 8 hours

Total Vertical Challenge: About 3,000



Enlarge
Mount Colden bathed in late afternoon sun

January 26: -22F and a Non-Attempt

It is the kind of cold that drains your enthusiasm faster than it saps you body heat. It is 9 o'clock on a Friday night and I have just arrived in Lake Placid for a winter attempt on Mount Colden the following morning. The cold hits me as soon as I step out of my truck. -22F. Shit. I remember these nights from when I lived up this way during the 90s. Not fun for much of anything except watching ice freeze in sort of an eery fog from the comfort of a warm car or house. My plan had been to hit the trail exactly nine hours from right now. It is not supposed to be this cold!! A few degrees below zero with it warming steadily through the night and continuing that trend the following day. That's what I was expecting based on the forecast. Two hours pass ... -23F. The forecast for 6 AM for Lake Placid is now -15F with a chance of snow. As always, I am solo and my mind soon turns against me. The weather isn't doing what it is supposed to be doing. Mount Colden - with its plunging slides - isn't a good place to get disoriented. I don't like it. My gut is telling me to go home. I'm outta here and pack up my stuff before I have a chance to talk myself into it.


February 1: A Much Better Day

Five days later, I am back. Mount Colden isn't the type of mountain that should cause me anguish. I'd climbed it during my round of the 46Rs more than 10 years ago, although never in winter. I basically wanted to re-climb Colden because I thought it would make a great snowshoe hike and I was dying to test out the Atlas 1230 snowshoes that my wife had gotten me for Christmas. But failure doesn't sit well with me ... even if it is a failure based on what I felt was a good mountain decision. So for the next several days after my non-attempt, it kind of ate at me. I had been looking to Sunday, February 4 as a possibility but as the days went by, it began to look like another Arctic front would soon be taking hold in the Adirondacks. By Tuesday, I'd started eyeing Thursday, February 1 as a good day. High of 26 with a chance of a passing snow shower. Not perfect, but too good to pass up. I ask for and am given the day off. This time, I decide on a later start, allowing me to sleep at home before leaving to drive north at 5:30 AM.


Enlarge
Lake Arnold sits at 3,700 feet on the flanks of Mount Colden


By a few minutes after 8 AM, I am on the trail. Only a few cars are in the Adirondack Loj parking lot ... pretty much the norm for winter weekdays in the Adirondacks. Hard to fathom that so few are back in the High Peaks on a crisp winter day when one considers what the parking lot looks like on a holiday weekend in summer. A striking contrast to say the least. I have always preferred solitude in the mountains, so days like this are the ones I relish. Even so, I do see a couple of folks early on. One woman, in fact, signs through the register with an agenda of a dayhike of Phelps, Table Top and Colden. "Yeah right," I think, as I read her entry. "Have fun trying."

My altimeter watch is telling me it's 20-degrees. Just about perfect for winter hiking if you ask me. It is cloudy, but the sun shows some signs of breaking through. I am wearing my snowshoes right from the word go although they are not really needed over the first 2.1 miles to Marcy Dam. I notice crampon tracks from another hiker and a gentleman in bareboots soon blows by me as if I'm standing still. Upon reaching Marcy Dam, a chilly wind blows across the foot bridge and a couple of dogs can be heard barking at God-knows-what. Most of the foot traffic continues along the Van Hoevenberg trail, but I break toward Avalanche Lake. Fresh snow has fallen but there are also new cross-country ski tracks along the route. I soon pass a skier on his way back to Marcy Dam and he remarks on what a perfect morning it is. He will be the last person I see for quite some time.



Enlarge
A magnificent glow on Mount Colden



I am making good time. My hope is to make the summit by 1 PM. Much after that and I will probably be looking at finishing my hike in the dark - something I prefer to avoid in winter. I cover the relatively flat first 3.2 miles to Avalanche Camp in just over 90 minutes. This, however, is where the work begins. While the well-travelled route to Avalanche Lake and beyond continues straight ahead, I turn off along the Lake Arnold trail. There has been activity on this trail, but probably not in close to a week. From here on out, I will be breaking trail. At first, it's not bad, but I know that by the time I reach the summit in another 2.9 miles, the work of breaking trail by myself will be taking its toll.

I fall into a relatively steady pace. The rate of ascent is fairly even all the way to Lake Arnold although the snow gradually increases in depth. At first it is just a few inches. By the time I reach Lake Arnold, it is probably a half of a foot. I am really impressed with my snowshoes although my pace has slowed down considerably. It takes about an hour to cover the 1.5 miles to Lake Arnold. I am not hungry but stop to drink a liter of Gatorade. I tell myself not to take any pictures until I reach the summit area. I am in grunt mode and don't want to distract myself.


Enlarge
Mount Colden's summit looms just ahead


The trail becomes annoyingly uneven above Lake Arnold. Relatively flat stretches alternate with steep pitches. The snow depth is all over the place as well. In one area, it will only be 6 or 8 inches; in another, the drifts will be a foot or more. On the steeper parts, the snow slides away and I need to dig into the underlying ice with the front points of the crampons on my snowshoes. The Atlas 1230s are getting tested in every way and passing with flying colors. The 1.4 miles to the summit seems interminable and I am getting knackered. At a few points, I just collapse onto my knees to catch my breath. Additionally, the inconsistency of the workout is wreaking havoc on my thigh muscles. Managing cramps starts to become a concern. I drink more Gatorade and after what seems like an eternity, I begin to emerge on the bare summit cone of the lower north summit of Colden. The true summit seems close enough to touch but I know getting there won't be easy as I'm now running on fumes. The hiking distance from Lake Arnold is only 1.4 miles, but it's already taken me over 90 minutes to cover the distance. I'm bonking but press on. After a few minor dips, I reach the summit just before 12:30 PM - 4 1/2 hours after leaving the Loj but just about 2 full hours from Lake Arnold.

The snow is blowing around up top and I am struck by how much more vegetation seems to be on the summit area than when I last visited the peak in 1994. This is the second time in the last year I have noticed such a trend on an alpine Adirondack peak - perhaps a product of efforts to keep folks on trail in the Arctic alpine tundra zones or perhaps a product of generally warmer winters and/or less acid rain. Maybe a combination of all.


Enlarge
North summit of Colden from summit area


I'm not looking forward to the first part of the descent as I have a few more uphill stretches to go to reattain the north summit. I seem to get a second wind, though, and am back at Lake Arnold by about 1:15 PM. At this point, I am surprised to meet up with the woman who had signed through with plans to hit Phelps, Table Top and Colden in the same day ... a 17-mile loop. She is making amazing time and thanks me for my trail-breaking efforts. As I talk with her, I learn that she has hiked all 46 high peaks within the last year and is working on finishing them all in the same calendar winter as well. With nearly two full months of winter left, she has already climbed 33! Clearly, she is in great hiking shape and I wish her well. From here on out, the rest of the descent is fairly uneventful and I am back at the trailhead just before 4 PM. Another great day in the Adirondacks.


Images



Comments

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Viewing: 1-18 of 18

Jerry LWho was that woman ?

Voted 10/10

I wonder if that's the same woman that Hillman hooked me up with when I was there last month ? Sounds like a possibilty anyhow. Good read.
Posted Feb 6, 2007 1:30 am

Puma concolorRe: Who was that woman ?

Hasn't voted

I wish I could remember her name. She was fairly petite and I'm about 98-percent sure she was from Burlington, VT. We talked for about 10 minutes and she mentioned having gotten into hiking after being attacked by a dog. Thanks for the vote.
Posted Feb 6, 2007 1:56 am

hillmanTHe woman...

Hasn't voted

I'm pretty sure thats Inge. She is a true hiking and climbing machine. She runs the great range, and competes in all the big uphill races around the NE. I'm not sure how she supports her climbing, but she gets lots of it in. I met her trail running the sewards in january up on emmons.
Posted Feb 6, 2007 4:26 pm

WalksWithBlackfliesRe: THe woman...

Voted 10/10

And Inge usually hikes on weekdays.
Posted Feb 7, 2007 1:15 pm

WalksWithBlackfliesI know that feeling...

Voted 10/10

of gut-gnawing failure. I failed on Whiteface twice before I got it. During that time, I swear I could hear it taunting me.
Posted Feb 7, 2007 1:17 pm

Puma concolorRe: I know that feeling...

Hasn't voted

Funny you should mention Whiteface. That was the first winter peak I ever tried to climb (winter of 93-94). Was wearing 3-season hiking boots and jeans. Also carrying downhill skis and ski boots in my pack because I planned to ski down. Made it to treeline ... which in retrospect wasn't so bad. If there had been internet hiking forums back then, I think I would have gotten eaten alive!! Thanks for the vote on the TR.
Posted Feb 7, 2007 10:27 pm

Holsti97Hey Cougar...

Voted 10/10

nice trip report. Your photos have a wintery, cold feel to them that depict the conditions of your hike well. Good gear report on the snowshoes as well. Hope to get out there and hike in the Adirondacks soon.
Posted Feb 8, 2007 11:40 am

Puma concolorRe: Hey Cougar...

Hasn't voted

Thanks Holsti. What a difference a digital camera makes. I was very happy with how the photos came out. If you're looking for a partner when you're out this way, be sure to let me know. Cheers.
Posted Feb 9, 2007 12:25 am

evolution_starNice!

Voted 10/10

Looks like a day off from work well spent!
Posted Feb 8, 2007 6:55 pm

Puma concolorRe: Nice!

Hasn't voted

Any day off of work is a good day. Any day in the mountains is a great day! Thanks for checking out the report.
Posted Feb 9, 2007 12:26 am

CRiedel2Can't wait

Voted 10/10

to do some real winter hiking next winter up there. Great trip report and photos. I'm goin' nuts down here in VA! I'm gonna look into those snowshoes too, they sound pretty nice.
Posted Feb 9, 2007 12:43 am

Puma concolorRe: Can't wait

Hasn't voted

Thanks! Virginia has some nice-looking mountains, though. I'm sure you could have worse assignments! I've gotta hand it to my wife on the snowshoes. She did all the research and surprised the heck out of me on Christmas morning.
Posted Feb 9, 2007 1:49 am

shknbkenice

Hasn't voted

Another nice Adirondacks report, Mark. You need to start finding some snowshoe slaves to join you so you can split up the trailbreaking! Are you hoping to do all the 46ers in winter?
Posted Feb 9, 2007 2:13 am

Puma concolorRe: nice

Hasn't voted

Not into doing all 46 in winter at least at this point. Just enjoying getting out a handful of times every winter for some fun hikes. As to trailbreaking, there's a certain perverse satisfaction in doing all the work yourself!

I can't even imagine how excited you must be with your Kili trip right around the corner. My daughter has a 'Dora the Explorer' video that features Kili and she thinks it's very cool that Dad knows someone who will be climbing it. Have a blast!
Posted Feb 9, 2007 11:07 am

Rob Awow...

Voted 10/10

front page good job Puma!!!
Posted Feb 9, 2007 3:03 am

Puma concolorRe: wow...

Hasn't voted

Thanks, Rob. I was kinda surprised by that, but it's cool to see our Northeast mountains get a little attention!
Posted Feb 9, 2007 11:15 am

climbxclimbNice report!

Voted 10/10

I will be climbing the Trap Dike next weekend...again this year....I only hope it will not be -35F at it was last year...
Posted Feb 9, 2007 4:31 am

Puma concolorRe: Nice report!

Hasn't voted

Damn! You're definitely more hardcore than I am. Hope you have a fun trip ... winter has finally taken hold in the 'Dacks.
Posted Feb 9, 2007 11:11 am

Viewing: 1-18 of 18


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