LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 47 High Peaks are on full majestic display, stunning in their size and proximity, Mts. Marshall, Iroquois and Al- gonquin to the north. Mount Colden looms massively on your right and as you ski east to Avalanche Lake. As you ski through, you will pass the Lake Colden Interior Outpost ranger station which may or may not be occu- pied as the rangers patrol a wide swath of mountain terrain. If you are lucky, a friendly chat and exchange of snacks with a ranger is a welcome winter partaking. Lake Colden's wide expanse is juxtaposed by the steep 1,900 foot plunge of Mount Colden's rock wall right into Avalanche Lake, an awe-inspiring slot of immense magnitude. Across Avalanche Lake you will pass Trap Dike, an in- timidating, pitched sedimentary rock cut which can be climbed with proper ice gear in winter. At the east end of Avalanche Lake, the walled approach to Avalanche Pass is a stunning experience shouldered by the mass of towering Mt. Colden opposing Wright Peak above you as the final moderately technical ascent snakes up through the trees into the 'Pass at the 3,065' height of land. The 1,000 foot drop down features the Avalanche Pass Ski Trail, a half-mile, swooping, 3-tiered 400 foot steep ski-only descent of intermediate difficulty. The pitch then levels toward an effortless cruise winding through birch and pine, striding on to Marcy Dam and views of Mount Colden and Wrights Peak. From there it is moderate ski trekking on undulating terrain to your seat at the massive stone fireplace inside the elegantly soft-lit ADK Loj. Stained glass and Adiron- dack interior charm greet you in a cozy atmosphere and a lodge full of others with stories to share. The meals are hearty and healthy, and the cafeteria set- ting encourages conversation and shared experience. After dinner, a walk amongst the trees and out upon frozen Heart Lake is a phenomenal experience with an absolute lack of sound or light pollution beneath the expanse of the universe. Shivers ripple as the under- foot rumbling and heaving of ice expansion on the far off shoreline permeates the night, your breath rising to the Milky Way on a clear winter night's brilliant dis- play. Sleep beckons, dreams commence in the tranquil- ity of woods in slumber. Clock wise from above: Ducking Trees on the Upper Works Trail. Drying boots at the Adiron- dack L oj. A ski bridge along the trail. Opposite: The crew at the Flowed L ands.

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