Owl's Head in Keene

 

Owl's Head

2,120 feet

Erwin and I had hiked Owl's Head once before when I was pregnant, so we knew it would be a good mountain for Frankie's first real climb.  He'd already been up a few mountains, of course, but in the carrier, and now he likes to hike on his own.  However, since he's still two and we want him to enjoy hiking, the mountain needed to be a pretty modest undertaking.  Owl's Head fit the bill perfectly.  It is a real little mountain: there are ledges with views to encourage one upward, steep rock scrambles, exposure, and a magnificent view from the summit.  Plus, it's only 0.6 mile to the summit with 460 feet in elevation gain.

Mossy Marshall

Marshall

4,360 feet  |  ranked 25/46 in height  |  21st peak climbed

After a month to recover from the bug situation on Seymour, Erin and I were ready for another hike.  We'd be repeating our now-standard long day of drive-hike-drive, so had to limit our selection to something relatively easy to accommodate our slow pace.  At roughly 14 miles round trip with approximately 2,600-feet elevation gain, Marshall seemed like a good choice, and I was super excited to check out another new trailhead: Upper Works.

Sloppy Seymour

Seymour

4,120 feet  |  ranked 34/46 in height  |  20th peak climbed

Due to our overwhelming desire to get back in the mountains, Erin and I decided to repeat the drive-hike-drive scenario we had success with last month.  It makes for an extremely long and exhausting day, but is easier to swing logistically.  We selected Seymour for this hike because neither of us had been to the Corey's Road trailhead before, and it's nice to mix things up, plus it has the advantage of being a slightly shorter drive.  There was a 40% chance of rain, and the NYSDEC had just lifted the muddy trail restrictions the day before.  We went in knowing the Sewards always have a bit of a reputation for mud, and thinking we had some idea of what to expect.

Beaver Lake: Hemlock Hollow and Bog Trails

I started Frankie out in a hat for this hike, for protection against mosquitoes.  However, it quickly became clear that the heat would be a bigger challenge to our comfort, so we ended up ditching the hat.  It got close to 90 degrees today, and my little sweat-head definitely lived up to his moniker.  Frankie loves boardwalks, so we made a figure-eight shaped loop using the Hemlock Hollow Trail and the Bog Trail.  Even when combined, these trails are only 1.0 mile, and are easy and level-surfaced.  This meant Frankie could manage the hike on his own, which is a bonus for me in the heat.  I'm a sweat-head, too!

Lower Dixes

Macomb

4,405 feet  |  ranked 21/46 in height  |  17th peak climbed

South Dix

4,060 feet  |  ranked 37/46 in height  |  18th peak climbed 

East Dix

4,012 feet  |  ranked 42/46 in height  |  19th peak climbed

Erin and I met at a Thruway park-n-ride at 4:15 am on a Wednesday morning, and by the time we returned to pick up my car it was 11 pm.  This was a very long day for us (especially considering we both worked the next day, and I leave for work at 6:15 am).  However, we were desperate to get in a hike and this strategy made it happen.  I had been worried about the limited parking at Elk Lake and our late arrival due to the long drive, but luckily there was only one other car in the lot when we arrived around 8 am.  The bugs were horrendous, and we were bit all to hell as we put on our boots and made last minute pack adjustments.  Luckily once we started moving, the bugs dissipated.

Colden Loop

Colden

4,714 feet  |  ranked 11/46 in height  |  16th peak climbed

My sister was my hiking partner again for Colden; what a relief to find a partner eager to climb more than one mountain per year (my husband's self-imposed limit).  Neither Erin or I had been through Avalanche Pass before, so we decided to make a loop of the hike, ascending via Lake Arnold and returning through the pass. 

Street and Nye

Nye

3,895 feet  |  ranked 45/46 in height  |  14th peak climbed

Street

4,166 feet  |  ranked 31/46 in height  |  15th peak climbed

My sister and I wanted to take advantage of the cabin rental and associated proximity to the trailheads to get in another high peak or two.  Since Erwin had already headed home to take care of the cats, my parents would be staying with Frankie for the day.  Out of loyalty and appreciation, Erin and I decided to tackle a hike my folks had already completed: Street and Nye.  This had the advantage of being a relatively short hike, which was comforting for me, not knowing how Frankie would do all day without me in a strange place (of course he was fine; he had a blast).  It was also a good choice for skill/confidence building, given our limited experience with trailless peaks.