Write-up: Roger Felske
Leader: Roger Felske
Co-leader: Dick Blanchard

As we approached our 24^th annual High Peaks Weekend. I began to wonder, as I have every year, what would the weather be for the weekend? The long-range forecast projected possible rain on Friday but clearing and sunny on Saturday. I could only hope. Since the club purchased the canopy a few years ago, we really had not had any significant rain. Hiking high peaks and camping in the rain is really not a lot of fun.

Again this year we headed for Heart Lake, owned by the Adirondack Mountain Club. We reserved 3 tent sites and 3 tent cabins the previous year. This provided plenty of room for this year’s participants also, 24 in all. (20 on site, plus two in town and two renting their own site.)

By the time I picked up the meats for grilling on Friday and Saturday night, I was getting a later start for Heart Lake than I had wanted to. However, I knew my trusty co-leader, Dick Blanchard and his wife Lu would be on the site getting organized. And sure enough, upon arrival, there they were just waiting for enough hands to erect the canopy. At 30’x12’ it takes a lot of tramps to do this. Before long, the “maestro” was directing the unpacking, sorting and assembly of a myriad of pieces.

Soon, “Voila!” our shelter was up! This year, for the first time, we used the side curtains as a wind block. We ended up with a nice cozy dining room with 3 tables. The cooking area was at one end with a separate 12×12 canopy.

There was much good food, adult beverages, hustle and bustle and laughter under the canopy. We spent the evening around the campfire discussing where we were hiking on Saturday, what time we would leave and what we needed to bring. As always, we rehashed for the umpteenth time stories from the past years: celebrating Ted Thomas’s birthday under a tarp thrown over a picnic table; Don Fellows tying a rope around a rock to throw in a tree to anchor a tarp we could actually walk under; Mary Edith flipping over in her hammock and not being able to get out; and on and on it goes…

No azure skies Saturday morning. With threatening overcast skies we were off on our five separate destinations; 13 to Whiteface and Esther with yours truly, 4 to Dix led by Tom Schenck, 2 to Indian Pass, 2 to Cascade, and 1 in search of a generator in Saranac.

Getting to Whiteface requires climbing over the old Marble Mountain ski area, which is a very steep trail underneath the old ski lift.

Two youthful guys passed us and made a comment, “Is there a bingo game at the top?” Young whippersnappers! The trail to Esther is off the ridge line to Whiteface and was muddy, to say the least. But it is an easy climb of 1.2 miles.

Coming back from Esther, we picked up the Whiteface trail again and crossed over a new ski trail being cut on Whiteface. The lift was in and probably being readied for this winter.

The trail became steeper as it wound its way high above the ski trails below. Climbing even higher we came to a man-made rock face supporting the highway to Whiteface summit. Laughingly I started to climb the rock face in lieu of following the trail, when suddenly Gail Hannahs said in a panic-stricken voice, “Roger, I can’t climb that, I can’t!” It was supposed to be a joke but then I felt bad, although it was funny!

As we climbed along the rock face we kept getting closer and closer to the road. Suddenly I was able to look over the retaining wall and surprise, surprise, oh my God, there was Bill Higgerson parked by the side of the road. The 13 of us heading to Whiteface and Esther had a special treat waiting for us at the end of our climb. With minor nudging, Bill Higgerson had offered to pick us up at the top of Whiteface and drive us back to our cars, which made our day! Bill had parked there earlier after Dick Blanchard, Carolyn Eastman and Deb Roberts had popped up in the same spot.The three of them had decided not to do Esther since Deb has a hip that needs replacing and Carolyn had blisters acting up from her Northville Placid Trail trek. Bill had taken them to their cars and returned to wait for the rest of us.

We finished our hike to the top, took pictures, had some soup, coffee, and the best cookies ever, before heading back down…in a car. Sorry Barb. [Thomas]

We arrived back at camp just in time to fire up the grill and prepare dinner. Saturday night is always fun because of an abundance of tall tales told about the day, including of course, mud, rain, views, no views, aches, need for a shower, need for a cold drink etc.

It was a little damp sitting around the campfire the second night. But that didn’t deter anyone from sitting there.

Dick “Flash” Blanchard started a flashlight contest and there was quite an array of extendable lights, mini lights, headlamps, and lights with various lumens. “Flash” is an expert on lumens, in case you didn’t know. We even learned from Dave and Mark Huxtable how to tip cows over and trim their hooves. You can learn a lot from a group of tramps. Finally the rain prevailed and we turned in for the night, of course, wine played no part in our turning in!

Sunday morning, Lu Blanchard prepared, with assistance from a number of Tramp women, beautiful blueberry pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, muffins, coffee etc.

Both Saturday and Sunday morning, Bill Higgerson had coffee on at 5am for the early risers. I have to add, Harold Pier was always the early one up making coffee, not quietly either. Harold could sound like a marching band the way he rattled all the pots and pans. Bill is stealthy by comparison.

The Sunday morning ritual of breakfast, packing up and taking down the canopy is always a little sad but we are left with many fond memories, a lot of laughs and hopefully enough desire to do it again next year.

As we got ready to leave, Colleen Felske’s car wouldn’t start, DEAD BATTERY. Colleen, with no cell service, asked, “how do I get in contact with AAA to give me a jumpstart?” Dick Blanchard overhearing this got the biggest grin on his face and immediately pulled a battery car starter from his car and had Colleen on the road in five minutes. THAT made Dick’s weekend. Who but Dick?

Next year, the 25^th Anniversary celebration will be August 7, 8 and 9.