Blue

Have you ever had something you wanted to do that just felt insurmountable? Climbing Blue Mountain has been my nemesis for the last four years. I'm game for climbing anything but...

Yes, the road does go to the left and DOWN before getting closer to Blue Mountain.

For years I've driven past THIS and completely talked myself out of climbing Blue. It's too high! It's too hot! It's too whatever!

Taken from ADK Museum parking lot.
Trailhead is 1/4 mile to the left.

Finally, last week when I knew I was taking one last camping trip for the year, I told everyone that I was going to climb Blue. I figured if I told everyone I couldn't talk myself out of it...even when I came down with bronchitis the day before my trip.

Oh, such a sight for sore eyes after climbing for 2 hours

The day dawned a brisk 36F which turned out to be very nice hiking weather. Blue is a 2 mile climb with the first mile very rocky and mildly steep while the second mile was very steep rock face "scrambles" that have been known to be quite damp and slippery. A bonus for a drought year is a completely dry hike!

And then, yes, I also climbed the tower.
You can see from the cement where buildings used to stand.

I felt quilt slow after taking 2 hours to huff and puff my way to the top but I've been told that I made pretty good time. I was the first person to summit for the day (9:45am) altho there was a worker at the top dealing with the radio towers. He rode up a brand spanking new $1,000,000 road on his ATV = cheater! It was fantastic to enjoy the view in near solitude for nearly an hour before heading back down the mountain.

Sun rays were an unexpected bonus

Now that I'd made it to the top of Blue I feel like I can climb anything I want to.

first building on left is under 1 of the comm towers - you can see the guy wires
building in middle is where a ranger lives in the summer
fire tower is top center
second comm tower is off to the right

I like to hike mountains and flat trails alike but lately I've been trying to complete some of the hiking challenges that are around the ADK. Most of the challenges offer a patch for finishing and I plan to sew the patches to the new woodsman quilt I'll be making!

remember the shot up above taken from the parking lot?
the finger points to the parking lot. eek!

One such challenge is for firetowers (I've now climbed 2 of the 5 mountains) and another is called the 4-3-2-1 Challenge (which includes an increasing amount of difficulty for the 10 required hikes but I've already completed 5 of the 10 if I can count hikes from 2015). They both include three of the same (difficult!) mountains and crossing off Blue has given me the gumption to plan on finishing both challenges next summer. It's going to take a lot of hard work but I've got a "few" months to up my hiking skills and I KNOW I can do it!!

Well...I think so any way.

Bwahahahaha!

Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park is...
 ...locally known as the Grand Canyon of the East!!
 ...nationally known as the #1 State Park in the country per survey at USAToday!!

LSP is a mere 7 minute drive from my front door, yet I rarely made the time to visit for pleasure, only arriving with the ambulance crew for an emergency. Missing my annual second camping trip to the ADK mountains, I decided to take advantage of the beauty in my own backyard.  I've hiked a couple times with my friend Kim and her family and a couple times on my own. If the weather holds this coming Saturday, after I work the 5K for our local library, I hope to hike again. Keep your fingers crossed!

Pedestrian bridge over the river just downstream (north!) of the Lower Falls.
It's 167 steps down to viewing area above the bridge.

Old train trestle over the Upper Falls. The bridge will be replaced in the next couple of years so that the trains can maintain their travelling speed over the gorge. They currently must drastically slow down to cross the current bridge.

Early morning fog rising out of the gorge - looking towards Lower/Middle/Upper Falls.
The river runs north (left), just like the Nile in Egypt.

Sun rays through the trees.
When I was a kid, this is how people got to heaven :)

Park entry is free before 9am so I've been enjoying the solitude and cool weather in the mornings.
Lets just hope I don't come across this in person!
 There is an indentation on the right that could be a 5th toe. Check out those claws tho!What do you think? Bobcat (4 toes) or bear cub (5 toes)?