Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6 - 7

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6 -7

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

After a nap and meal, we set off from Barafu to hike past Millenium to Mweka camp for our last night. The hike took us back into the land of plants and thicker air. I didn't know how I was going to hike for four more hours when I first returned from the summit, but a nap and meal made everything feel possible.

I luckily had no knee pain.

We traded email addresses over dinner and enjoyed sharing our plans for the first things we would do when we returned to Arusha. 

On the last day, we got up extra early and hiked 3 1/2 hours to the Mweka gate. It started raining halfway through the hike, so we used raingear and pack covers.

Porters will be RUNNING down this section of the mountain, so be careful and stay left.

The entire hiking party must be present when signing out, so make sure you know where all your hiking mates are. The line can get quite long mid-morning.

There are people who will sell you soft drinks and beer as well as clean your boots and gaiters.

There is a wait for the official certificates, so make sure you have snacks if you get hungry before lunch.

Everyone was happy, even with the rain! Watching the trucks maneuver around the parking lot reminded me of India.

We tipped the porters before we left Mweka camp and I tipped my guide when I got my certificate.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Summit night: Barafu to Uhuru

I woke up before midnight and it took a full half hour to put on my hiking gear and get ready before breakfast. Do not let yourself be rushed! 

No one had much of an appetite but I appreciated the hot food. 

We started off very slowly walking through camp. The sight of headlamps snaking their way up the mountain let me know that it was our summit night and made me feel like a part of a larger group. Later on in the hike, I looked back down and saw the headlamps below us. I used the headlamp line to get a sense of where our hike was going throughout the night.

The middle hours of the hike were discouraging. I felt exhausted and my heart was pounding. My thoughts and interior monologue were dulled and I felt like I was barely surviving. I decided to never hike again in those hours, until I remembered the Star Trek TNG episode ‘Tapestry,’ where Jean Luc Picard sees how his life would have ended up if he hadn’t gotten into a bar fight when he was young. I decided that this climb was my bar fight, and I summiting would be my success.

I was dressed well and didn’t feel cold. In fact, my face was exposed and event my nose never felt cold. I would pull my balaclava up over my chin when it got windy.

I never had a headache or nausea and never breathed too fast or shallow. 

Once the sun came up, I was amazed to see the number of hikers that were clearly suffering along the side of the trail. I never felt any sickness from the altitude.

I used 2 liters of water on summit night. I put one liter in my Camelback and kept drinking every few minutes until the tube froze a few hours into the hike. I knew the tube would freeze, but having constant access to water during the first part of the hike was important. I switched to Nalgene bottles covered with insulators. Our guide recommended that we carry our bottles upside down in our packs so the ‘bottom’ of the water bottle would freeze and we would still be able to drink water from the top. Because of the insulator, my bottles never froze.

Urinating and drinking water at a rest break is exhausting. I concentrating on just resting on our third break of the hike and felt better when I resumed hiking.

Listening to empowering fast paced music really changed my attitude and unlocked energy.

Concentrating on holding on until the dawn helped me through the night. The sunrise raised my spirits and I knew that the summit was near, even though I had an hour and a half of hiking left.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 5

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 5

 by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Karanga to Barafu

My temper got short and I had easily hurt feelings. Luckily, I had my husband to listen to my troubles and I realized it was a combination of altitude and being far away from home with new people around. 

The trail was hot and dusty. I took my time and made the final ascent quite slowly to not overwhelm myself. 

The mountaintop seems close from here! 

We slept and had dinner and tried to sleep again. I have been having vivid nightmares for a few nights now and sleep felt like a drug-induced state. 

We camped right at the end of the trail. The camp itself is long and uphill from the end of the trail. The hikers that made the trek to sign in at the rangers station found the additional walking quite discouraging, likely due to the altitude. 

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 4

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 4

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Barranco to Karanga

 

By the time we got to Barranco camp, my nose was sunburnt and my nails were dirty. 

I wore pantyliners and changed them daily and took a baby wipe with me to the restroom. I used the water we were given in the morning and evening to wash my face. I even put my feet in the bowl a few times! I used baby wipes to wash my body. 

I started to feel sensitivity where my sports bra covered the side of my body because I wasn’t used to wearing a sports bra 24 hours a day, but I didn’t have any redness or rash. 

I stored my toothbrush and toothpaste with my pills in my “pharmacy” bag and took it to breakfast and dinner. I used a cup of warm water to brush my teeth after dinner and my fellow hikers quickly followed suit. The other option was to brush our teeth in the cold darkness outside our tent. 

My gaiters did an excellent job of keeping stones out of my boots and keeping the bottoms of my pants clean through multiple wearings.  

I took some napkins from the Zoey’s Double Hex in Manchester, VT and put one in my pocket each day for blowing my nose. The napkins worked well but my nose was getting raw from all the blowing.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 3

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 3

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience. 

Shira Camp to Lava Tower and Barranco Camp

It was a windy night at Shira camp. I saw the glaciers glowing in the moonlight.

I tried a new technique for handling peeing at night – I stayed awake for an hour in my tent, then went to the bathroom and was able to sleep through the rest of the night.

Due to the decrease in temperature, I wore an extra layer to bed. I wore a Buff over my ears.

I found peeing to be exhausting. I felt like I had to ‘push’ more to urinate.

Next time, I would pack more pairs of lightweight gloves and an absorbent hand towel. I was using my sleeping gloves during the daytime and would have been more comfortable with separate pairs to keep my sleeping kit clean.

The Pimsleur tapes have really helped with my Swahili. My nickname on the mountain was ‘Swahili Woman’ and my porter's nickname was ‘Pombe Tatu’ after my recurrent joke about wanting three beers.

Our cook ‘Frank the Tank’ is amazing! The food is plentiful, delicious and there are different dishes for those with food allergies. The soup is the best!

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 2

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 2

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

The plant life is amazing and the night sky was incredible. I saw the Milky Way!

I discovered my new favorite drink on the mountain – Milo, sugar and hot milk. A porter would come and serve us tea or coffee in our tent shortly after the wake up call.

I had to adjust to drinking plenty of water – I got a slight headache in the afternoon but it went away after I focused on drinking and had lunch.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route - Day 1

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route Day 1

My gear spread out for gear check at the hotel

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Keep your passport handy at Machame Gate – the officials need to see it and they will place a Kilimanjaro stamp on one of your pages upon request.

The weather stayed cool and the cloud forest kept our packs damp on the outside. It would be a good idea to put a raincover on your backpack if you want to keep it absolutely dry.

The trail was steep in parts, but there was excellent trail work throughout the route. Hiking poles were needed when the trail got slippery and slightly muddy.

The latrines are well spaced. If you have to pee, ask your guide how far away the latrine is – you might be able to make it to the next latrine instead of having to pee in the forest.

Earplugs came in handy on the first night. I didn’t really feel the altitude until I tried blowing up my sleeping pad. I had my porter blow up my sleeping pad on subsequent nights.

The personal toilet was well worth the additional cost.

I bought a money belt to keep my cash and passport. I wore it during the day and even at dinner. I placed it in my sleeping bag at night.

New Hampshire Presidential Range

Hiking Mount Washington and Mount Eisenhower - Presidential Range New Hampshire Hike Report

by Kathleen Lisson

We chose to hike Mount Washington in New Hampshire as our last prep hike before the Kilimanjaro trip. Arun and I stayed at Carlson's Lodge in Twin Mountain, NH because we wouldn't make it to NH until well past quiet time at the local campgrounds. I enjoyed the 'grandma's house' feel of the lodge. They serve cereal, toast, milk juice and coffe for breakfast. 

 Sign along the Mount Washington trail

Sign along the Mount Eisenhower trail

I relied on the AMC White Mountain Guide for trail information for both hikes. The highlight of the Mount Washington hike was eating soup at the AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut in the middle of the hike. We started by hiking the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail from the entrance behind the Cog Railway building off of Base Road. 

We hiked Mount Eisenhower using Edmans Path. Eisenhower was a good second day hike, providing a steady climb and views of Mount Washington at the summit. 

Lessons Learned:

• Mid hike soup tastes amazing.

• Krummholz is a name for the trees that grow near treeline.

• The Mount Washington summit is a zoo, due to a road and a cog railway taking non-hikers to the summit. They do have a gift shop with some hiking-related trinkets. 

• Bring cash for the soup and for any purchases at the summit gift shop. 

Rachel Cushing's Trip up Kilimanjaro

Rachel Cushing's Trip up Kilimanjaro

by Kathleen Lisson

Watching Rachel Cushing's video diary of her ascent up Kilimanjaro makes me feel excited for my upcoming trip to Africa! It is empowering to see other American women taking this journey and enjoying everything that comes with climbing the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.

Part one is here: http://youtu.be/7bksHGHvEYo

Part two is here: http://youtu.be/Z_xFjX5l25Q

Peekamoose and Table Mountains Catskills hike report

Peekamoose and Table - Catskills Hike Report

by Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I hiked Peekamoose and Table Mountains. This time Arun came down with 'summit fever,' the irresistible urge to hike past overlooks in search of the summit before stopping for a break. We ended up enjoying the overlooks on the trip back to the trailhead.

Lessons Learned:

• Camping is better than dayhiking - we didn't start hiking until the afternoon because we could lounge around our house. Waking up in a tent ensures we get an early start.

• There are several parking lots on the way to the trailhead. Luckily we asked a local for directions and she pointed us further down the road. 

• The DEC didn't put enough sheets in the trail register! Arun had to sign us in on the back cover. When we signed out, we found that other hikers had followed our lead and signed in below us. Signing in at the trail register ensures that rescuers have basic information about you and your planned hike in the event you get lost. It also helps the DEC allocated funding for trail upkeep.

Peekamoose and Table Mountain hike information from New York New Jersey Trail Conference:  http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/peekamoos-and-table-mountains

Sunrise Hike up Mount Marcy - Adirondack hike report

Sunrise Hike up Mount Marcy, NY - Adirondack hike report

by Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I decided to take advantage of the Strawberry Full Moon in June to hike up Mount Marcy in the dark and experience sunrise from the highest point in New York. This trip would also prepare us for the summit hike up Mount Kilimanjaro, which also starts at around midnight.

We stayed at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake and had dinner at the Adirondak Loj. The folks at the Loj packed a trail lunch for our summit meal, complete with their delicious Marcy bars!

CHANGING WEATHER ON MOUNT MARCY

Up until we lost cell phone reception when we left Lake Placid, the weather looked good. It was overcast, but set to clear out Saturday night and be sunny and mid-70's on Sunday. We set up out tent and got an hour of sleep before dinner. There was a drizzle of rain on the tent when I woke up. That should have been my first clue that the weather was changing, but I held out hope. We had dinner and slept some more. Waking at midnight, it was cold and completely cloudy. We set out and I left my waterproof jacket on until we arrived at Marcy Dam, then took it off because I felt warm. 

THE FEELING OF HIKING IN THE DARK

Those first two miles were interesting - hiking in the dark left me feeling a little lonely. I asked Arun to give me a hug at one of our snack breaks. I used the hike to practice using my headlamp and hiking in the dark.

HIKING: PLAYING WITH LAYERS

We continued on the path and the light misting of rain never let up. Since we were hiking seven miles to the summit, that light mist had a chance to get our outer layers completely wet, even though we didn't ever feel it "raining." Luckily, I had a base layer, hiking pants and gaiters on the bottom, a hat and three layers on top. As we got higher up and closer to the treeline, I told Arun it was time to put the pack cover and rainjackets on. I felt much warmer with the rainjacket hood over my hat.

MOUNT MARCY SUMMIT EXPERIENCE

Once we were in the alpine zone, it was light enough to take off our headlamps. The wind really picked up as the trees got shorter and Arun told me he saw snowflakes. We also hear the call of a white-throated sparrow. It was a unique setting, the chilling fog/rain blowing sideways and the sweet, happy call of a bird at dawn.

The call of the white-throated sparrow: http://youtu.be/sL_YJC1SjHE

As we hiked on the solid rock slabs of the summit, the weather was increasingly poor. Wind blew steadily and threatened to knock me over. I had to take extra care to not step on any of the plants. The rain/mist blew sideways and the howl of the wind was only overcome by the occasional bird song. 

It was humbling to see the plants and animals surviving and thriving in these harsh conditions and think about the negative impact that humans can have on our environment. The tiny flowering plant survives ice storms, snow cover, howling wind but would be harmed if I stepped on it with my boot. 

We turned back onto the blazed path and headed to tree cover before eating our Marcy bar. 

If it had not been socked in by a storm, this is the view from the summit of Marcy: http://youtu.be/WkCJp_diXAw

After we took a shower and a nap at the Wilderness Campground, we packed up and had a late lunch at the ADK Cafe in Keene.

LESSONS LEARNED:

• Always wear layers, and bring extra layers and gloves in your pack.

• Don't rely on a weather report. 

• Buy the brighter headlamp.

• Hiking in the dark can bring out emotions. 

• Wearing a bearbell on the Camelback tube ensures it will ring constantly. 

• Shower + nap after a long hike is the best way to relax.

• I can hike in harsh spring conditions!

Read about another Mount Marcy sunrise hike in the Summer 2014 edition of the ADK Cloudsplitter: http://www.adk-albany.org/cs_dnld.php

Other Mount Marcy sunrise hikes:

http://noreastmountainmill.blogspot.com/2011/09/sunrise-on-mt-marcy.html

http://www.newschoolers.com/forum/thread/32205/Slept-on-top-of-Mount-Marcy

Freshette Review

Freshette Review

By Kathleen Lisson

On the advice of Kilimanjaro veteran Jenne Fromm, I purchased a Freshette.

Freshette

I have used it a few times while hiking in the Adirondacks and will take it to Kilimanjaro with me. What I have learned:

• Peeing like a boy is much better than peeing like a girl. I can walk a few paces from the trail and face a tree to pee instead of tramping across vegetation until I cannot see the trail anymore before I drop my pants. 

• There is a skill to removing the Freshette from my pants after urinating. I must keep the plastic close to my skin or I will have pee running down my leg. I think having the device at the correct angle was also part of my problem. 

• Keep everything less dirty by placing a wet wipe in the pink part between uses. I also rinsed it with water after using, kept it in a plastic sack inside my backpack and cleaned the whole thing between hikes.

• A panty liner will catch any stray pee. 

I look forward to using Freshette on Kilimanjaro! 

Hiking in the Catskills

Hiking in the Catskills

by Kathleen Lisson

Here are a few photos I took on recent Catskill hiking trips. I enjoy living so close to these mountains. Arun and I have spend many weekends together camping and hiking in preparation for Kilimanjaro. When I hike the Catskills, it gives him a chance to spend one day hiking and the other rock climbing.

Noonmark Mountain Hike Report

Noonmark Mountain Hike Report

by Kathleen Lisson

Ladder on Noonmark

Arun and I hiked Noonmark on Memorial Day. We planned it as a half-day hike on our way from the Adirondak Loj to home in Troy. 

After dinner at the Adirondak Loj the previous night, a Loj employee read the weather report - warm, overcast and windy at the summits.

I learned:

• Waterproof pants are empowering - I was more willing to climb on wet rocks because my butt would not get wet. They're NOT just for rainy days!

• Hiking poles make a steep trail easier on the knees. 

• Noonmark's summit is rocky, which makes for amazing views BUT was dangerous in the day's windy conditions. 

• I used my rock climbing skills to get up part of this trail. A visit to the rock gym is part of a good hiker's cross training.

• Just because a peak isn't part of the 46, DOESN'T mean it is "easy." 

Summit of Noonmark

Noonmark Mountain Hiking Information from ADK - http://www.adk.org/page.php?pname=hiking-noonmark

Catskill 3500 Hike Review - Slide, Cornell, Wittenberg

Catskill 3500 Hike Review - Slide, Cornell, Wittenberg 

by Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I began at the end of this weekend's hike by camping at the Woodland Valley Campground. We camped spot #47, right next to the trailhead sign and directly across from the day-use parking lot.

Trailhead at Woodland Valley end of hike

Bridge at Woodland Valley end of hike

We drove to the other end of the trail and left one car at the Slide Mountain Parking Area on Oliverea-Frost Valley Rd. / C.R. 47, then climbed Slide, Cornell and Wittenberg mountains before descending to our campsite at Woodland Valley.

3500 Foot Mark at Slide Mountain

Plaque at Slide Mountain Summit

 Lessons Learned:

• BUG SPRAY - I did use my bug face net on the summits, but I forgot to put bug spray on my socks and legs and now I have a rash above my ankles from bug bites. Luckily, I took a shower immediately after the hike and discovered the rash. I put bug bite ointment on my legs before dinner. 

• EATING - I ate on all three summits. My husband didn't eat on Wittenberg and he ended up asking me for a snack to keep up his energy on  the long descent. 

• FOOD - We stopped in Phoenicia for breakfast and bought some good trail treats from Mamma's Boy Coffee Shop. 

• SHOWERS - A campsite hike is the best! I was able to walk straight to the showers. I felt like a new woman after my shower and was ready to relax and enjoy dinner. 

The campsites at Woodland Valley campground:

BAD - feel very close together, there is not a "secluded in the woods" feeling,

GOOD - but the campground was at the trailhead and alongside Woodland Valley Stream.

Catskill Mountain Guide

I used the Catskill Mountain Guide to guide me on this hike. The book has an excellent trail map in the back cover and a lengthy description of popular Catskill hikes. I read the description of the upcoming section of trail at each summit.

Tabletop and Phelps Mountain Adirondack Hike Review

Tabletop and Phelps Mountains Adirondack Hike Review

by Kathleen Lisson

We hiked to the summits of Tabletop and Phelps mountains from Adirondak Loj on Memorial Day weekend. 

Lessons Learned:

• Hiking pace varies from mountain to mountain.

• A waterproof clothing system is a must during spring hikes. 

• Wear waterproof pants even if it is sunny outside!

This hike really drove home the lesson that there is no clear formula for determining hiking pace. Two base to summit hikes with the same mileage and elevation gain can take two VERY different ascent times. 

The two miles from Adirondak Loj to Marcy Dam were quick, the next two miles to Tabletop were slower, and the ascent times for both Tabletop and Phelps initially had us staring in disbelief at the distance markers on the signs. Of course, the signs were true. Hiking up an active stream in the forest on Tabletop and over a boulder strewn path on Phelps slowed us down. 

For me, gaiters are an item of must-wear hiking gear on muddy trails

I got the chance to put my waterproof clothing system to the test again. Wearing waterproof boots, gaiters and waterproof pants made me much more willing to stay on the trail when it was wet / muddy and more willing to climb up wet rocks as well. After the hike, I could take off my gaiters and waterproof pants and look 'presentable' in my reasonably clean hiking pants for dinner at the Adirondak Loj.

Adirondack Trail Report - Algonquin and Iroquois

Algonquin Peak Boundary Peak Iroquois Peak Hike

by Kathleen Lisson

My husband and I hiked Algonquin, Boundary and Iroquois Peaks on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. 

We slept overnight at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake and had a hot breakfast at Adirondack Loj before setting out via the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) trailhead. We reserved a bag trail lunch when we arrived at breakfast. 

We met Jack the summit steward at the peak of Algonquin. He was very friendly and educated us on the delicate plants present at the summit. The summit was rocky and it rained off and on while we were there. 

We ate some of our lunch and continued on to Boundary and Iroquois Peaks. Jack gave us good directions to Iroquois, but we were tired from our hike and didn't listen to the most important part - DON'T TURN LEFT at the tree line and proceed down a very steep path. Arun soon realized we weren't heading toward Boundary Peak and we retraced our steps. 

We spent a few minutes enjoying the view on Iroquois. The view of the summit of Algonquin was obscured every few minutes by rainclouds. 

Back on Algonquin, we got a reward for hiking in the rain - a beautiful Adirondack rainbow. I have never seen a rainbow from above! This was a rare double rainbow a few minutes before this shot. Jack said it was prettiest set of rainbows he had ever seen. 

We used the Adirondack Park Trails Illustrated Map and High Peaks Trails ADK book for all of our hikes in the Adirondacks. 

We got a late start on this hike and proceeded slowly due to the rain, so we opted to save Wright Peak for another hike. 

What I learned on this hike:

• Some Summit Stewards are volunteers - be sure to strike up a conversation if you are on Marcy or Algonquin and find out more about them.

• With the right waterproof gear, hiking in the rain is do-able. I wore my waterproof pants, gaiters, wide brimmed hat and waterproof jacket, and put my water cover on my pack. Gloves can also help if the temperature is low. 

• There is still ice on the highest peaks in May. Yaktraks and poles helped. 

• If you have to pee on an alpine summit, pee on the rocks, not the plants. 

• Sleeping until 7 - 8 a.m. and having a hot breakfast near the trailhead is a great start to any hike. Being able to walk to your car and take a warm shower as soon as you finish hiking feels SO good! 

• Wearing layers will make you look fat in hiking pictures, and hours of hiking will make you look tired. Take photos anyway! 

Find out more about the Summit Steward program here: http://www.adk.org/page.php?pname=summit-steward-program

The Every Trail Guide to the MacIntyre Range is here: http://www.everytrail.com/guide/macintyre-range-wright-algonquin-iroquois

Funny Climbing Up Mount Kilimanjaro Daily Hike Report Videos

Funny Climbing Up Mount Kilimanjaro 

Daily Hike Report Videos

By Kathleen Lisson

Jenne Fromm has the best sense of humor ever! Watch her straight-from-the-mountain reports of her hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. 

My biggest takeaway is to put sunscreen lip balm on the INSIDE of my lips. I am thinking about bringing some sort of spray for the inside of the tent, too.

Day One Recap

 

 

Watch more of Jenne Fromm's Mount Kilimanjaro video diary here: https://www.youtube.com/user/jenneink/videos

Indian Head / Twin Mountain Catskills Hiking Report

Catskill Hike Review - Indian Head and Twin

by Kathleen Lisson

I hiked in the Catskills last weekend, climbing to the summit of Twin Mountain via the Jimmy Dolan Notch, then retracing my steps and hiking over Indian Head via the Long Path and Devil's Path. I paid a short visit to the Devil's Kitchen Lean-to before returning to the car.

My husband and I tried out our Kilimanjaro camping gear by staying overnight at North - South Lake Campground. We took a short evening hike from the campground to North Point. 

It was raining off and on that afternoon, so I had the chance to try out my wet weather gear. My system of waterproof pants and gaiters works quite well, and my sunhat and water resistant jacket were good enough protection in a light rain.

LL Bean Women's Gore-Tex Cresta Hikers, Leather 

LL Bean Women's Winter Walker Gaiters

I highly recommend North - South Lake campground. I love that my home in Troy is right in between the Catskills and Adirondacks. Mountains are only a few hours drive away, but the luxury of being at home means that I rarely get out of the house before 9 a.m. to hike. Being in a campground meant that I woke up with the birds at dawn and was in the car, ready to hike, by 8 a.m. The staff at North South Lake campground was friendly and the showers had warm water.

Catskill Hiker trip report on Indian Head and Twin - http://www.catskillhiker.net/Catskill35/peaks/indianhead.shtml

North / South Lake Campground - http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24487.html

Tongue Mountain Range, Lake George Hike Review

Tongue Mountain Range, Lake George Hike Review

by Kathleen Lisson

I was in Lake George for a wedding last weekend, so I spent my weekend hiking the Tongue Mountain Range. 

On Saturday, I hiked from the Clay Meadow Entrance to the Five Mile mountain lean-to and back to Clay Meadow, reaching the summit of Five Mile mountain and Huckleberry mountain. The kind hikers I met at the Lean-to said they referred to the area as Brown Mountain, but my map says that Brown mountain is North of the lean-to. 

On Sunday, my husband and I hiked from the Clay Meadow Entrance to the summits of Fifth Peak, French Point mountain and First Peak before looping back on the trail along Northwest Bay. My husband likes a difficult hike and he was not disappointed. We had an early lunch at the Fifth Peak Lean-to. By the time I reached the trail intersection near Montcalm point I was ready to stop climbing mountains. Though it should have been, the last 5 miles of trail was not easy. We were walking slowly because I was breaking in my new boots. We finished the 13.5 miles hike in just over 8 hours.

My husband and I joked that the trees in the Adirondack Park are carnivorous. Many trees seem to be 'eating' the DEC trail markers by covering them with bark.

We signed out at the trailhead and went to have a delicious dinner at Cate's Italian Garden on Main street in Bolton Landing. The service was flawless and the food was delicious. I recommend the warm mozzarella and tomato crostini.

I appreciated that our waitress let us sit in a corner so our sweatiness didn't offend any of the other customers. The restaurant has tables outside for warmer weather, I look forward to coming back later this summer.

Off On Adventure blog's trip report of the section of the trail we hiked on Sunday: www.offonadventure.com/2014/01/tongue-mountain-range-lake-george-wild.html

The All Trails report of our Sunday hike is here: http://alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/tongue-mountain-range-loop