[at-l] Hike Report DWG->HR Day 6

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Thursday May 2

As I write, tornado warnings are heard in the distance.

Hippy knew the weather report was changind and not clear. Weather
Channel had told me that on Tuesday. Her last info was rain late which
began about 2AM this morning. This would be continued intermittantly
with fog and a big storm tonight. She got it right.

I was up at 6:30 and almost left at 7:30 when she awake and we chatted.
She advised me to reduce clothing to Tshirt and rain jacket, no shirt
of rain pants, and to move quickly in order to "blow out of NJ". She
suggested a stealth campsite at Fitzgerald Falls - 14 miles and a
shorter walk on Friday to Fingerboard Shelter. NY doesn't allow camping
except at shelters. The opportunities to camp safely get tougher the
closer one gets to the Hudson. 

Out of the gate at 8AM, out of NJ at 9:45. I slipped and almost fell at
the state line.

Once in NU, they put the trail on a ridge line which has been scraped
and polished by several glaciers over several Ice Ages. The weather was
rainy or drizzling, but always foggy. The great eastern view of
Greenlake and NYC were nonexistent.

I slipped and fell three times. The last was as I tried to avoid the
slippery path on the middle of the smooth curved ridge rock, trying the
edge of the rock in hope that traction would be better. A lichen came
loose, a branch broke and I was on my chest sondering if I would fall
another 20 feet east. I picked myself up and found nothing broken. My
right hand hurt, leading me to find a pretty nasty cut above the wrist
near the base of my thumb. It bled for quite a while. I got it stopped
and fashioned a pressure dressing with duct tape as nothing else would
stick. Biocclude was worthless as there was no way to have a dry wound
in this weather. I was glad to have been wearing glove liners, as it
took the biggest punishment. 

I still bled as I had to use my poles for balance. This was an example
of poor trail design as there was no side trail (blue blaze) for bad
weather. 

I made fair time and put into Wildcat Shelter about 3 PM. I decided
against going further to the falls, knowing there are ricks and bad
wather coming. As the lightning and hail and deluge surrounds the
shelter, I know I made the right decision. 

I repaied my hand, ankle and myself, but not the cell phone. If there
had been a need for 911 or a person, I would have been out of luck. I
saw no one except drivers while crossing the old Continental Highway.
Dinner was shell noodles, tuna jerky and dried tomatoes from home.
Dessert was deliscious hot cocoa.

I walked about 12 miles today. Even with the injury and weather, this
has been a good day.

OrangeBug

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