Mac,
Unfortunately, Dave and I only made three
of the four. We took a wrong bearing of Lone (just like last time), ended
up doing a peak that turned out to be three miles away instead of
one mile and happens to be much more rocky, icy, craggy, treacherous, and
contains some of the thickest Balsam forest in the Catskills. In rechecking
the map we should have headed 80 degrees instead of 60. I think the compass
was partially frozen or something. We didn't realize it until we got to
the top and very luckily found the cannister. We had ascended the dreaded
Friday Mountain, perhaps one of the most inaccessible, inhospitable peaks
but scenic peaks in the Catskills. We were drenched to the bone, dislodging
copious amounts of snow as we squeezed, forced and snapped our way through
thick balsam forests for almost an hour, constantly snapping branches off
as we forced our way up and through, sometimes with only a foot width between
trees, climbing ice covered rock formations containing numerous shallow
caves, climbing over huge fallen pines that sometimes fell in patterns
that created a warren of impenetrability. When I dropped my ski pole, it
couldn't even hit the ground the trees were so close together. My thumbs
still feel bruised from mild frostbite. Having found the cannister, we
luckily were able to reorient and make it back down to the Neversink River
that we all camped alongside a few falls ago. It was an 11 1/2 hour
slog. By the way, this was the same combination of peaks (Lone and Rocky)
that did us in on that fall trip where we came back at 11:30 p.m.
This time, unfortunately, we didn't end up getting to Rocky, but we did
add two additional ones, Peekamoose and Table. Unfortunately my winter
35er certificate will have to wait till next year; I am shy one mountain!
The hike was beautiful, with the trees sugarcoated with yesterday's snow
storm. When the sun shone through over the top of the mountain in the morning,
the canopy looked like a crystal chandelier. Over and out, end of last
snowstorm of winter report. Abner
-----
Original Message -----
From:
Mrfishski@aol.com
To:
abner.berzon@worldnet.att.net ; vze332bq@verizon.net
Sent:
Tuesday, March 19, 2002 5:22 PM
Subject:
Fwd: LAUREN BLACHER'S 35TH B-DAY BASH
Hey
Guys,
How
was the peaking? Hope it was good and if you made it, congrats!!!!!!
Here
is Lauren's evitation. Hope to see you there.
--
G