chapter 477

7/29/2017

Cascade Again

you only live twice

link to my Cascade Mt photos

It wasn't nearly as difficult as it may appear yet this path here is the official easy slope to the top of the mountain. After the wonderful winter experience going up there I wanted to feel what it was like in the summer. Heck, we might climb this one 46 times and give ourselves a 46er* title for one mountain. 

I try to capture the most dramatic angles and was pleased with this one showing the granite slabs along with the mountain horizon. When you are there you are kind of mesmerized with the grandeur of the whole scene. The danger is you might just snap away not thinking about composition and end up with only routine snap shots.

Rock rocks rocks. I was thinking can they find anymore rocks to put on the trail? It really made it difficult going over around and through them. That's generally good physical therapy for your lower extremities but with my limitations it certainly added a degree of difficulty. You need to watch where each step will proceed just about all of the time. 

Before we even started I was at only perhaps 84% of my maximum capacity. Was limited by a sore right knee, achy left hip and strained left achilles. Hate to make excuses of course and going up was exhausting but really rewarding. Coming back down I could barely make it to the end of the trail having to take numerous breaks to compose myself to ensure no falls. Not complaining though, it was a great day and another rewarding accomplishment.  This was about all I could muster for this day. Colleen faired well, had her own excuses and of course blamed me for lack of accurate weather forecast. National Weather Service predicted a maximum mountain top temperature of only 60 degrees for the day. That was pretty accurate but but we did have to shed some clothes on the way up to keep from overheating.

It was a difficult climb for everyone but not impossible for even the inexperienced crowd, or families or dogs. We met a Dad from Marcellus who was backpacking a 2 year old earlier in the climb. His wife in red had another child plus the girl and dog were part of their group who we happened to sit next to at lunch. The number of hikers on this weekend day was indeed high but they were all pretty pleasant and congenial. Just beware of the danger of people loving it to death. 

Lower Cascade Lake lies below the mountain along Route 73 on the way into Lake Placid.

Mountaintop lunch was a little wine, cheeze, and bread with a luscious orange and granola bar. Stopped at my favorite Adirondack Brew Pub in Lake George for some Bear Naked Ale and a great meal on the outside deck. Have been stopping there since 1999, a really great spot.

Lost another previous teammate this week. Jim Heath on my right shoulder from Chapter 120 at Adirondack Silverbacks at Gray Wolves Tournament Syracuse 4/21/06 video . Played in several of Jim's groups in Schenectady, Albany and Troy in past years. One or two other members of this team have also gone on to that hockey rink in the sky. Hard to keep track. What does this mean? Our days are numbered:  just be glad you had the opportunity to participate in whatever it is you do.

.