20 | ADIRONDACK PEEKS I was impressed with the quiet and peaceful surroundings, and the fact that we were only a few miles from the hustle and bustle of daily events. Here we were alone with time to chat and think without fear of interruption. more or less selfdesigned. Most consisted of our bed roll (one wool blanket), in which we wrapped an extra shirt, underwear and socks, a wool sweater or jacket, and our cooking and eating utensils. Around all of this we wrapped some support straps so that the whole bundle could be worn over our shoulders. Clothing was, in the main, the regular khaki variety, except for one pair of white duck trousers which didn't stay white very long. Ed outlined our climbing procedure: fifty minutes of hiking with a ten minute rest. We all agreed. Then came the question, "Who is going to volunteer to carry the pack basket for the first fifty minutes?" Silence. Finally, after a short period of no response I raised my hand as I could see no reason for standing there any longer. A couple of the fellows helped me put the thing on my shoulders and right then and there I wondered how long was fifty minutes. That thing was heavy! I have hated pack baskets ever since. As I look back though, I think I made the right decision since most of my carry was on fairly level ground. We didn't start gaining altitude until my fifty minutes were up. We started up the Johns Brook Trail not knowing quite what to expect. It had rained for a few days immediately before our trip so naturally the trail was quite wet. It wasn't too long before our feet were wet also. As I recall, the trail was punctuated with many small ups and downs, altogether a delightful experience for the neophyte climbers. The fifty minutes seemed to pass quickly and I was soon rid of the pack basket. Perhaps a note of explanation for my dwelling on the pack basket. In those days we did not know much about dehydrated foods, so provisions for our company of six consisted mostly of canned or fresh foods which we packed in the pack basket. That meant it started off quite heavy with the weight diminishing after every meal. After our first ten minute break the climbing started to get steeper and the going slowed somewhat. But, since this was a new experience for most of us, the change was not a problem. The few times we had to cross the brook we managed to negotiate the rocks very easily, with one exception. Jack was carrying the pack basket on one of the crossings when he stepped on a loose rock. He lost his balance because of the weight of the basket and sat down in the middle of Johns Brook. I think his pride was hurt more than his body as it was hard for the rest of us to subdue our laughter and comments before helping him out of his predicament. One aspect of the first day that stands out in my memory is our approach to Plateau Leanto. We had to traverse a flat stretch of trail that looked innocent enough, but at the first step we were into mud over our shoe tops. Due to the nature of the terrain, we could not go around it but had to slog through. Needless to say, we were muddy halfway to our knees. The fellow with the low tops lost one of his shoes in the muck and had to fish it out. Plateau Leanto was sure a welcome sight for all of us. Our first job was to shed our shoes and try to scrape off some of the mud. Our next thought was of food and of finding some dry wood to build a fire. We managed a fire after some difficulty and proceeded to cook our chow. I don't remember many of our meals but I do remember that first one. Ed broke out two cans from the basket, each of which contained a whole chicken. Along with other goodies from that blessed basket, we ate, with relish, that chicken dinner. After dinner we turned our thoughts to preparing our bed rolls and turning in. It had been a long day. The ranger had prepared the leanto with a deep cushion of balsam boughs so we didn't have to sleep on the bare boards. The fire still had a bed of coals in it so I From left, Orville Cowie, #8, Bill Lance, Harry May, Jack Colby and Ed Hudowalski, #6, pose at the Plateau Leanto during their 1932 climb. Even sans leanto, the site is still one of the most beautiful and inspiring in the Adirondacks.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTk3MQ==