The funniest 12 mile hike...

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard on a hike! Between Pam postholing every three feet and Nancy wondering just how we expected her to navigate a steep section, my stomach muscles were sore...and I thought it was from hoisting myself up and around trees, LOL!

We were a few minutes behind schedule when we arrived at the parking area around 7:30am. The walk up Lake Road to the sign-in was uneventful, until we got to the bridge crossing. There was a crew dismantling the bridge--I don't know why because it "looked" to be in good shape--but then again, what do I know! The crew leader said the new bridge would be finished the next day...ummm, but we're going in and coming out the same day. Hmmmm.

Anyhoo, Brian wanted to go up the Gill Brook Trail. It was a little bit longer, but we enjoyed seeing the spring run-off and staying cool near the water.It was pretty loud in some spots.

Another photo-op on Gill Brook, me looking a little rag-a-muffin-esque. I was heating up so I unzipped at the knees.Here we are headed up to Colvin---we put our microspikes on just before this. Brian let Nancy use his 'spikes beacause he has better balance and he's good like that---wink wink! There was still plenty of ice and snow up there. Pam and Nancy were doing great. I told Nancy that if she was getting too warm, we could trim her pants up on the trail because Brian had his survival knife. She didn't think that was a good idea, but she is considering buying a pair of convertibles for future hikes.

We encountered some questionable terrain---mostly precarious sections of the "monorail", snowbridges, and steep slabs meant for mountain-type goats not humans. Probably the most fun we had was trying to get up a slab just below the summit. Brian, without traction aids, somehow managed to get up to a safe spot. Basically, he told us where to put our feet and hands and when we were ready, he would hoist us up. I don't think Nancy enjoyed this part of the hike---but she did it. Another 30 feet or so and we were on the summit of Colvin...eating our lunch and changing our damp (and in Pam's case very dripping wet) socks.

Considering this was Pam's 2nd High Peak and Nancy's 1st, they did an excellent job! We had hoped to make over to Blake in order to avoid a return trip, but it wasn't going to happen. I figured it might take a good 2 hours to get over there and back...and Nancy still had to work that night. At least we got Colvin under our belts. I'm actually looking forward to going back in a weird sort of way.

Hiking...gangsta style. See, right above my head...that's Brian and I were on the 18th. And the long skinny bare spot...that's Nippletop Slide. He climbed that...Alone...in the winter...Last year. Thank.God.for.Ice.Axes!

Lower Ausable Lake

By the time we finished lunch, it was about 1pm. We started down and of course we had to get down the "dreaded slab". Brian jumped. Pam slid down and proceed to get all sorts of muddy. I went down like Pam, but took maybe a minute longer...minus the mud. Nancy went last with a little encouragement. Only 6 miles to the truck. Woohoo!

We managed to make it back to the Lake Road and got our ponchos ready for the rain. The weatherman predicted t-storms in the afternoon, but all we got was a light rain. Ok, remember the bridge...well, there was no bridge (except for the frame), just like the man said. It was either rock-hop across the very cold and wet brook or carefully walk across a six inch wide I-beam over the cold and wet brook. Big girl panties, don't fail me now!

Good weather+lots of laughs+willing participants=excellent hike