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[at-l] Trip report






Got back to hitting the Catskills again yesterday, climbing North Dome and
Sherill. Learned something about snow conditions too. Last year I climbed
Bearpen on a very cold day through six inches of champange powder over an
icy crust layer. Climbing I had to kick though the powder to get purchase
on the crust, and descending was a fast glissade. Yesterday was a weak icy
crust layer over four to six inches of powder. I came to consider this a
special form of hell. The crust wasn't quite strong enough to walk on top,
so you had to kick through it and try to find some purchase underneath. By
the time we reached the col my butt was pretty much whipped. I was climbing
with my buddy Ralph, and while he's in great shape he's also in his late
sixties, so I get to do most of the trail breaking.
We reached North Dome after checking out every bump on the ridge to see
whether it was the top or not. Found one other hiker reached the summit
just before us. A very quick and cold snack break and then we doubled back
to head across the col to Sherill. The climb on Sherill was steeply up
though ledges, very interesting climbing in snowshoes. The weather was
supposed to be partly sunny, and while we did see occasional patches of
blue sky I don't think the sun ever came out. There wasn't much in the line
of views so I don't think we were missing a whole lot. Just as we were
starting to leave Sherill something from the "partly sunny" sky started
bouncing off of my jacket..
We did make much better time on the way back down, lots of daylight left
when we hit the car. Quite a hike for the first one of the year, I think I
fell asleep at 8:30 last night...

skeeter