Saddleback Mountain

Nothing ruins a peaceful lunch break in the Jay Mountain Wilderness, or anywhere else in the Adirondacks for that matter, like a horde of black flies. Unfortunately, my energy and water were in short supply from the climb up from Lot 8 along Derby Brook, and both will be essential in the ascent of the ridge running between McDonough and Saddleback Mountains.

The break gave me time to ponder my next move. Since I missed my opportunity to see the NYCO Mineral mine on the way in because of a late start and a rain delay, this would be my late chance, with McDonough Mountain being the perfect place to do so. Always one to look for the easiest way to get from backcountry point A to remote point B, so the col to the north running between the second and third peaks to the west of McDonough Mountain.

With my backpack back in its usually position on my back, now fully stocked with water and depleted by a single lunch, my climb starts with moving westward along the wet meadow, searching for and finally finding a small stream emanating from a col to the west of McDonough Mountain. This stream shall act as my guide through the col and giving me the option of heading up that mountain if time allows, or continuing west if the amount of daylight left demands otherwise.

Section Stats:
Date: June 20, 2014
Length: 2.4 miles (5.0 total daily miles; 20.6 total trip miles)
Difficulty: Difficult

The climbing starts almost immediately upon leaving the meadow. Luckily, I stumble upon a herd path going in my general direction, and not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I follow it as long as it keeps doing so. The stream remains just a short distance to the east of the herd path, making the initial part of the climb a delightful hike. At many points, it appears as if I am following an old road, with the terrain in the immediate vicinity of the path being both level and void of any trees. Whether this is an optical illusion after the wild climb up Derby Brook this more or not, is anyone’s guess.

After about a half hour, my weary legs suggest a short rest before the climbing gets too intense. Looking north from my rest stop, the slope because more aggressive, giving me a rough idea where I am on the USGS map. Soon after starting again, the climbing starts in earnest. The surrounding forest becomes increasingly dense, with balsam firs become increasingly common, as are boulders and exposed rocks. It is almost as if I am climbing a mountain or something.

With the rougher terrain, the herd path slowly disappears, forcing me to free-style my bushwhacking for a while, before reappearing shortly afterwards. Apparently, deer have a hard time following one another when the climbing gets too arduous. Or maybe it has something to do with my slow drift to the northeast due to the rougher terrain. At least my drift is taking me toward McDonough Mountain’s summit, making the decision on whether to visit its summit all the more easier.

Finally all evidence of a herd path disappears and just as the climbing becomes more intense. Fortunately for me, it remains largely manageable and after a short scramble using both my hands and the abundant small firs to hoist my way up the steep slope, the terrain levels out at the ridgetop. The forest becomes a little more open here with ferns growing thick and abundant.

From here, it is decision time, either head west toward Saddleback Mountain, or climb the closer McDonough Mountain, and hope for the best afterwards. With Saddleback Mountain way too far to reach today, and McDonough within striking distance, it really is not much of a choice at all.

Herd path

Finding a herd path along the ridge appears likely, but after a short period of searching, no such path makes an appearance. Failing to find such a path makes my choices limiting, so I strike out on my own, heading east toward McDonough Mountain’s peak. It is just a hop, skip and a jump over one small peak and down into a col, and with such open forest, it should not take much effort at all. If only.

The openness and dense ferns soon end as the trees close in once again, appearing more like any typical mountain range in the Adirondack Park. Steep open rock cliffs soon follow, forcing me downslope, causing me to lose some of the hard-earned gains from just a short time ago. My disappointment is palpable, as I continue to descend until finally I can turn east again, climbing gradually back onto the ridge I left mere moments ago. The forest remains think and mostly coniferous now, with enough paper birch mixed in to keep it from becoming completely uniform.

After bushwhacking for a while east, the ridge starts petering out, with the trees becoming smaller and increasingly denser, giving the appearance of finally reaching the summit of McDonough Mountain. A small clear patch gives the appearance of a staging area, where visitors past stood around and did their thing. I am not much different, as I lose my backpack and stop for a snack break.

Forest along ridge

A boulder sits within sight to the south, with a sliver of open sky beyond, suggesting a possible view. The rock is visible despite the dense coniferous forest, since little foliage exists within the closed canopy at ground level. Leaving my backpack behind at the staging area, I grab my binoculars and camera and make a beeline for the boulder.

The vegetation is thick and nearly impenetrable on the far side of the boulder, so scaling the rock on a single corner appears the only viable approach. Although the rock is only about head five feet tall, it is not easy to climb for a shorty like myself. Although a slight indentation in the rock and a close growing small tree provide some assistance, the short climb requires a good deal of effort, especially with my small binoculars in my pocket and my camera bag dangling on my hip.

The effort is definitely well worth it though. A wide-open view enfolds to the south, providing good views of many other mountains. A carpet of green covers the undulating terrain, with mountains as far as the eye can see. On a few of the mountain tops, gray bare rocks stands in contrast to the trees covering most of the others.

McDonough summit forest

Viewing rock

Saddleback Mountain dominates the view to the south, its many tree-covered peaks running along a single ridge, an occasional gray rocky cliff breaking through the monotonous green. A fire tower resides on another mountain located at around 220 degrees, while off to the northwest, I catch glimpses of Jay Mountain through the surrounding trees. A range of mountains in the distance, one with multiple gray rock slides seems familiar, as if I should know them. Gothics perhaps or maybe Giant Mountain or the Green Mountains of Vermont?

Low clouds hang over much of the view, with less to the east and more so to the west. A few breaks in the gray clouds provide some direct sunshine, as well as exposing the azure blue sky beyond. The lack of direct light makes the photographs easier to take, but the darkening sky to the west foments a sense of urgency within me. Getting farther along the ridge toward Merriam Swamp for tomorrow before setting up camp is an imperative, so I forego exploring for any more views to the east and instead decide to work myself west along the edge before it gets too late.

The lack of a view of the NYCO Minerals mine to the east of Lot 8 is disappointing. My desire to get a pseudo-aerial view of the mine was a priority of this trip. Unfortunately, it appears I will have to get by without one. [Note: Unbeknownst to myself at the time, there are apparently views further off the summit to the east, but I did not explore enough in the area, and therefore did not find them.]

Mountains to southeast

Mountain ridge to southeast

McDonough Mountain is behind me by the time half-past four in the afternoon arrives, as I head back in the direction from whence I came just an hour or so before. The detour off the ridge from before still fresh in my mind, staying on the northern side of the next small peak to the west seems the easiest way to go. Ever the desperate optimist, the thought of finding a herd path to Saddleback Mountain remains a thought that just will not go away.

Unfortunately, such a path never materializes. Instead I fight my way through dense coniferous forests just trying to get back to where I climbed up on the ridge earlier this afternoon. As I approach the next peak that I detoured off of earlier, rocks and boulders join the spruce/fir forest in an attempt to stymie my progress. When I finally reach the western side of the small peak, there is no choice but to descend back into the col where I gained the ridge earlier.

Jay Mountain

With the sun sinking to the west as afternoon turns to evening, the desire to get closer to Saddleback Mountain gives way to the desire to stop moving, rest and eat dinner. Just after climbing into the col, with the young conifers closing in on me, my claustrophobia finally gives way to glee when I see a small clearing before me.

The small clearing, devoid of trees and fairly level but with dense coniferous forest surrounding it on all sides, feels like a sign sent by the heavens to stop pushing onwards. Not wanting to anger the gods of the forest, it takes me little time to shed my backpack and start looking for an optimum tree for hanging my bear bag.

Setting up camp is harder than normal, partly due to exhaustion but largely due to circumstances. My exhaustion often gets the best of me, with plenty of swearing going on while I set up my tarp. With all the cursing, it is surprising the heavens do not take back their clearing.

Finding a tree to hang my food proves difficult given the forest is largely made up of young coniferous trees. When my wanderings from the clearing turns up a paper birch with a suitable branch to hang my bear bag, the subsequent rejoicing soon takes a backseat to finding a rock to hang the rope. No tip-up mounds in this younger forest, so I have to settle for throwing a small chunk of wood to hang the rope. It takes some doing, with plenty of additional swearing, but finally I get the rope up, so I can turn to making some dinner.

View southwest

With less than two liters of water at my disposal and no chance of replenishing it up on the ridge, cooking dinner is out of the question. Instead, I settle for a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with a few snacks as dessert. This saves the majority of the water for breakfast and the trip off the ridge and down to Merriam Swamp tomorrow.

The temperature drops quickly, forcing me to don my light down jacket for comfort. It remains partly cloudy, with occasional dark clouds moving overhead. A constant breeze moves through, though not as forceful as earlier in the day.

The wind carries a rumble off in the distance, sounding like a motorboat cutting through waves on a lake. The sound always remains just within my range of hearing, to the point where it starts to gnaw on my consciousness. Could it be a stream running off the mountain, or perhaps construction equipment edging closer to Lot 8. It is hard to say.

Campsite on ridge

My exhaustion suppresses any curiosity about the sound, forcing me to flee for the warmth of my sleeping bag. In a few short hours, it will once again be time to force my way through coniferous trees as I descend off the ridge down towards Merriam Swamp for my last full day in the Jay Mountain Wilderness backcountry.

I will need every hour of sleep I can get for that.

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