Chapter 134B

This Upper Plateau lean-to shelter was (torn down now by DEC)  was just up hill from the intersection of the Van Hoevenberg Trail and the Johns Brook (Phelps) Trail that leads to the Mt. Marcy summit. DEC officers had to put down a bear somewhere in this Marcy Dam/ Johns Brook Valley/ Lake Colden area last month.

Although there was less hiker traffic 30 years ago, there was still the inevitable coming together of man and beast. In July 1973 Pete (in Army coat) was speaking with a Canadian hiker in the calm morning fog after our previous night's ordeal. We had hiked in the previous day about 12 miles from Keene Valley to the east along the Johns Brook Trail and set up a tent on the bare rocks of Marcy above tree line. When the thunder and lightning came rolling in, we high-tailed it down to this shelter in the darkness and re-pitched my red pup-tent.

When the lightning got more intense, we squeezed into this shelter with some other hikers. Didn't really know who or how many were in there. In the pitch black they told us of their encounters with bears bothering them and other hikers along the way. They'd banged some pots and pans and yelled to shoo them away. We'd already had enough adventure battling the weather so we decided to hike back out by sun-down that day. I recall jumping off one rock on the way down and twisting my ankle. Was limping pretty good by the time we reached the car but then a warm meal at a tavern just felt really good.