Today was a two summit day to the last mountains that I had left that are over 3800 ft. (Table & Peekamoose Mountains) This is also the last of State maintained trail hikes. Everything else will be "off the beaten path" from here. The 8.7 mile hike required a long drive in the morning to the trail head at the end of Denning Rd. I've become very used to trail heads that are at the end of long valley drives on dead end roads. Although it took almost an hour to get there, it was one of the more rewarding drives over scenic mountain roads and finally following the Neversink River valley to the end of Denning Rd. I had woke up to overcast skies , but at least no rain. The temperature was cool, but cool is a good thing once you get moving. This would be my fifth multiple mountain day since I've been here which has helped me keep close to my schedule even though the weather hasn't cooperated.
The first 1.3 miles was on a mostly level trail along peaceful mountain streams. Sarge was happy to be back on the trail after a few days off for him due to bad weather and private property crossings. (unfortunately, by the end of the day, I would find that after three weeks up here, Sarge has decided that he is a mountain dog who is as free as the coyotes to do and go where he wants and not listen to me)
The initial yellow blaze trail led to the well marked blue blaze Peekamoose / Table trail that required a couple of early stream crossings. Fortunately, with bridges across each one, it didn't require me to get wet. The log bridge to the left had sustained a little damage in the recent floods and wasn't quite as stable as I think it used to be. Sarge started across it and then decided to go back and take his chances with the fast moving water.
Once the climb up Table started, it was one of those relentless climbs that seemed to go on forever. To make things worse, it had one of those false summits that lead you to believe that you are on the top only to find out there is still much more to go. As I got closer to the actual summit, I walked up into the clouds as you can tell from the misty picture to the left. The trail across the true summit is narrow and closed in through thick conifers. You really feel like you are in a different world walking through the mist with moss covered rocks and trees all around you. Because it is so thick, you can't see anything from the top but it was still one of the more beautiful summits that I have been on. This was mountain #26 and #27 was really only a short distance away. The trip into the col went down over large moss covered rocks and through a lot of running water, since it had been raining for the last three days. The weather was finally starting to improve and the sun actually peeked out a couple times as I continued on.
This day is continued on the next post... (Peekamoose Mountain and a long walk out)
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