Adirondack Sports November 2020

HIKING, XC SKIING & SNOWSHOEING
NOVEMBER 2020 15
Prepare for
Late Fall
Adventures
By Rich Macha
PHOTOS BY RICH MACHA
PICK A NICE WEATHER DAY, PROPERLY
OUTFITTED, AND YOU’LL BE REWARDED.
SPIKES GIVE YOU BETTER TRACTION
AND ARE RECOMMENDED IN
SLIPPERY OR ICY CONDITIONS.
YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIEND
SHOULD WEAR BRIGHT COLORS
DURING HUNTING SEASON.
AN INSULATED
PAD, WHETHER
SHORT OR LONG,
CAN MAKE FOR
A COMFORTABLE
BREAK.
A NOVEMBER PADDLE ON LAKE PLACID.
The fall foliage season has ended and we are
now in the fall “it’s beginning to feel a lot
like winter” season, but there is no reason
we have to curtail our outdoor activities as long as
we prepare ourselves accordingly. Weatherwise,
November can be all over the place, with the possibility
of some warm sunny days but some brisk
and breezy days are also highly likely. December
weather, especially in the Adirondacks, takes a
big step toward winter. So, whether you plan to
hike, paddle or ski, now is the time to plan and
prepare for the possibilities.
In Albany last year, 45% (27.9”) of the seasonal
snowfall fell in December, most of it at
the beginning of the month. Whereas, in the
central Adirondacks, Indian Lake received
close to average snowfalls, with 22” in December, 30” in
January, and 29” in February. This year, winter has already
fired off some early warning shots with a coating of snow in
late October, which quickly melted in lower elevations, but
hung around at higher elevations.
With over two months to go, there has already been a yearly
record of rescues by NYS DEC Forest Rangers in Regions 5
and 6, which encompass the Adirondack Park and surrounding
areas. This corresponds to an increase in the number of
folks participating in outdoor recreation. Most commonly,
the rescues involved injured hikers or lost hikers – many of
these incidents were preventable had the hikers planned and
prepared appropriately. With colder weather, the margin for
error becomes greater and the consequences more dire.
Keep in mind that fall is also hunting season. Northern
Zone (basically, north of Saratoga Springs and NY Route 29)
deer hunting season has begun and lasts through December
6, and Southern Zone season goes from November 21 through
December 13. During this time, it is best to wear bright colors,
preferably blaze orange – the same goes for your dog too.
Note also that snowmobiles are not allowed on state land
until these hunting seasons are over.
You should avoid wearing cotton clothing whenever perspiration
or any other kind of water is involved since cotton
has no insulative properties when wet and consequently it
can suck the heat right out of you. Dressing in layers gives you
the ability to minimize sweating and regulate your body heat.
Gaiters keep snow and debris from entering your boots, plus
they keep the legs of your pants from getting wet. I seldom
go out without at least four pairs of gloves and mittens – they
can be mixed and matched to keep my fingers warm and I
will have some backups if a pair gets wet.
There are several items that should be in your pack yearround,
often referred to as the “10 Essentials” – a whistle, map,
compass, water, food/snacks, extra socks and warm clothing,
rain/wind gear, headlamp plus extra batteries, first aid kit,
knife (utility tool or Swiss Army have useful extras), toilet
paper, a zip bag for trash (including used toilet paper), space
blanket, fire-starting kit, and some duct tape for repairs in the
field (I also bring some wire and a couple of hose clamps). A
GPS can be beneficial but you should still bring a paper map
and compass. Cellphones can be helpful in an emergency
but service is spotty in the backcountry and batteries do run
down, so a phone should not be depended upon as a substitute
for poor planning and preparation. Until things change,
bring some hand sanitizer and a mask to wear whenever you
can’t maintain a good distance from others.
A vacuum flask of hot chocolate or tea can be just the ticket
with lunch in cool weather. When you stop for a break, you
will be more comfortable if you throw on some warmer clothing
before you get cold – don’t wait until you are cold before
doing so. Chemical hand and toe warmers are inexpensive
and come in handy to warm up the extremities – most will
last for six or more hours – that’s cheap insurance. Bring an
insulated pad to sit on during breaks.
Newly-fallen leaves or snow can obscure the foot tread on
trails and make the way less obvious – you need to pay more
overall attention en route. The leaves can also be slippery,
especially when wet. Hiking poles are recommended for stability,
plus they will help save your knees in the long term,
especially when going downhill. If temperatures have recently
dropped below freezing, ice could have formed in the trail,
so the use of trail crampons, not quite as aggressive as fullon
ice crampons – and often referred to as microspikes these
days – are highly recommended for those times. Kahtoola
MICROspikes started this trend, Hillsound Trail Crampons
have become favorites of many High Peaks hikers, and Black
Diamond has also come forth with some offerings in this vein.
The better informed you are, the better the experience.
Check guidebooks for route descriptions and what to look out
for before you head out. For the price of a restaurant dinner, a
guidebook, written by someone who has done more research
on the subject than most anyone, provides a great long-term
investment – and still outdoes most everything you can find
online. For the Adirondacks, there are two series of guidebooks:
the ‘Discover the Adirondacks’ series by Bill Ingersoll
and the series by the Adirondack Mountain Club. Both are
great for hiking information, but the Discover books do add
more off-trail and paddling destinations. The NYSDEC website
is the best online resource for what to bring and for the
rules and regulations that pertain to the area you plan to visit.
Backcountry conditions for the Adirondacks: dec.ny.gov/
outdoor/7865.html. Backcountry conditions for the Catskills:
dec.ny.gov/outdoor/108207.html. These websites are updated
by Thursday evening on a weekly basis. According to a
recent survey, the alltrails.com website and app have become
the most popular source of info for many Adirondack hikers
these days but I find it often has errors and lacks detail, so I
tend to think of it as a supplementary source rather than a
primary source of information.
Check your gear for wear and tear before leaving the
house. Look over your boots to make sure the soles are not
delaminating, check the straps on your snowshoes, and look
over your skis for any weaknesses. You certainly don’t want to
be five miles out and have something break on you.
Late fall can still be attractive to some paddlers but I only
recommend it for those who have advanced self and assisted
rescue skills, a good comprehension of cold water survival,
and to those who wear a dry or wet suit. I have a thinking
process which I call “Three Good Reasons” that I go through
before deciding to paddle: if I can think of three good reasons
not to paddle, then I should do something land-based. For
example, I once went to Cedar River Flow in early December
and started out from Wakely Dam in my solo canoe. When I
got out into the main part of the flow the wind was blowing
fairly hard and was not making things easy. The water was
very cold, I was paddling by myself, and the wind was a problem:
three good reasons not to continue, so I turned around
and went for a hike instead.
It’s not a good thing to spend too much time on your butt
so do your homework, assemble the proper gear and clothing,
and get out and enjoy some fresh air.
A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the
Adirondack Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years in the
paddlesport/snowsport business. More of Rich’s adventures
can be found at northeastwild.blogspot.com.