Sunday, August 1, 2010

Street and Nye

Yesterday I climbed Nye Mountain and Street Mountain, my 8th and 9th high peaks, respectively. These were my first unmarked trail climbs, though the herd path that has formed over the years is in good shape. I went with a group of about 16 from the ADK, picking up another hiker along the way.We began our day around 6am dividing into a few carpools at Panera Bread and forming a convoy up to the Adirondack Loj. We followed the Indian Pass Trail a short distance to the registration box where we went off onto the Old Nye Ski Trail. At a second junction we had to make a decision to take a right toward the Mt. Jo Trail or straight/leftish to the unmaintained trail. We continued on for a short distance and the leader decided that might have been the wrong way to go. Turning around to go back to the most recent junction the group deliberated for a few minutes then decided we had actually gone the right way. We retraced our steps and continued on to the Indian Pass Brook. Crossing the brook, the herd path continues on to a second brook to cross.


Traveling a total of 3.4 miles we arrived at a small clearing and junction of the two trails to Street and Nye. It is marked by a cairn and a tree carved with a N and S for Nye and Street with arrows pointing in the direction of the trail for each.


It was only 0.2 miles to the summit of Nye which we ascended first. A small yellow disk marked with "NYE" is nailed to a tree. It's a rather small summit with no view.

After taking photos, we returned to the junction and went up Street which was 0.6 miles to the summit. We actually passed the sign marking the summit and came to a herd path that went both left and right. While trying to decide which way was the best way to go, someone noticed the yellow disk and painted wood sign "STREET" way above our heads on a tree. We continued on the herd path to the right hoping to find some views, and from a small break in the trees we could see Iroquois and Marshall!



We went back down to the carved tree where we ate our lunch and met a kid from St. Lawrence University doing a project that combined photography, hiking the 46 high peaks, and interviewing hikers. With just a small stipend for his project he has been camping out mostly while staying in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks.

The weather was perfect. It was a cool sunny day, probably no higher than 70 degrees and no precipitation in the forecast. We finished our hike in just under seven hours, which is pretty good timing for two mountains and over 8 miles round trip!

6 comments:

loonyhiker said...

This was a cool hike! I live in SC and do a lot of hiking. Are you the one related to Diane? She was my online friend and we met when hubby and I was in NY and also when she came down to Charlotte. I hope I read her note right but if you aren't, sorry.

A Keeper's Jackpot said...

Diane is my mother-in-law. Did you hike at all when you were in NY?

diane said...

I'm happy that you two have met! Pat, Jackie and my daughter, Ellen, completed the "Fire Tower Challenge." Now Jackie in aiming higher!

A Keeper's Jackpot said...

I just told Ellen if she does a high peak w/ me I'll buy her a pita sandwich and beer at the Lake Placid Brewery!

Bill said...

Congrats on your trailess summit. Hiking without trails has a different feeling, doesn't it. Nice to read about your adventures, and hope to follow others in the future.

Great post.

Bill:www.wildramblings.com

Forrest Crooks said...

Thanks so much for posting these pics - I appreciate it as I'm headed up in two weeks to hike these two! It's always a slight bummer when there's no "defined" peak and you wonder if you've overshot it!