[at-l] There are good summers and there are....

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 03:40 PM 10/23/2003 -0300, Marielle & Paul wrote:
>I went in the Adirondaks with my daughter (V?ronique) in September. I
>took a trail from the Keanes Valley which is about 16 miles past Lake
>Placid.
>
>V?ro was scared to death when a bear kept us awake all night and ate
>our food on the first day. I was kind of shitting in my pants myself. The
>food bag was over 20 feet in a tree but bears now know how to pull it down
>with the cord. The ranger had warned us (because of previous incidents
>including the night before) and had given us a bear canister to protect 
>our food
>but since there wasn't enough room I still had to use a bag up a tree.
>Those bear canisters work and I'm getting one.

The trick when you are in areas where bears have learned to find food (and 
get it down) is hang it where no one else has. That usually means well away 
from the lean-tos and camping areas. It's inconvenient but so is losing 
your food, well worth 5-10 minutes of walking in my book.

>We couldn't reach the summit
>of Haystack the next day and since V?ro didn't want to camp out again at
>the same spot, we had to go back. It was a nine-hour walk back to the car.
>That trail which I forgot the name offers incredible scenery and bears won't
>stop me from going back (only mosquitoes will).

If your friend went in from Keene Valley he had 2 or 3 options but since he 
doesn't mention any other peaks I'm guessing he was on the Slant Rock 
Trail. If he went over Basin and Saddleback via the Range Trail (a very 
rugged hike with a full pack) that would account for "incredible scenery". 
Haystack is not the most accessible of mountains at 10+ miles from the 
trailhead. They might want to try staying at  JBL (John's Brook Loj) next 
time. Haystack (all the peaks in that area for that matter) is doable as a 
day hike from JBL. JBL is a back country lodge 3? miles in and is similar 
to the huts in the White mountains but somewhat less expensive the last 
time I looked. It is owned by the Adirondack Mountain Club.
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