I decided it was time that i started going off on my own hikes when noone else was around. I figured it was best to stick to a place I know fairly well, So i headed to Mt. Greylock. I did end up hiking up some trails I've never been on before.
The trail was severly over grown with 5 foot ferns and pricker bushes. It slowed me down a lot, I ended up hiking about a mile and a half in the dark. Like couldn't see my hand in front of my face dark. Luckily I had my trusty headlamp, backup headlamp, a flash light. Night hiking isn't nearly as bad as I though it would be.
While in camp I attempted to start a fire. Someone took the lighter out of my first aid kit without me knowing. So i had to resort to matches. I had 20 strike anywhere matches, not one of them struck anywhere, not even on the box. Luckily i had grabed some extra matches out of my night stand "just in case". There was about 6 matches in the box. Everything was wet. I had some little wax ball firestarters i wanted to try. Worst fire starters ever. Maybe it was cause it was wet. I ended up using toilet paper and hand sanitizer and finally got a fire going. With three matches left. Used one to light my stove, put some water on for my Pasta Primavera. Which was surprisingly very good.
I then began to set up my hammock, tent shelter in the dark for the very first time. I know I should have practiced setting it up before I left. It was an impulse trip, I didn't expect to set it up in the dark. It went pretty well, except one of the straps slid down in the middle of the night a little bit. I didn't even wake up. I did get a little cold on my backside. I'm guessing its cause the down in my bag was compressed. Not the best set up, but it worked. Will have to try it again with some bottom insulation and or in warmer weather(dropped into high 40's).
In the morning I packed up and headed towards March Cataract Falls to see what it was like with all the rain we've had lately.
After that, I headed towards the top I took more trails I haven't been on before. Went light my stove, struck the match, it burned out and didn't light my stove some how. Down to one match. Luckily it lit my stove and I could eat before hiking 8 miles down the mountain. So I ate, read for a while. Made my way down, stopped to snack on some pretzels filled with peanut butter at Jones Nose.
It was either I go back the way I came(Northup Trail) or take this other trail(Woodsman trail). In hopes that it would be better than the trip up. Well it wasn't. It was even more over grown, alternated between ferns, pricker bushes, more mushrooms than I've ever seen in my life.
Overall it was a great trip with some minor set backs(like those **** pricker bushes). I'll be going out solo again. Only bad things about going solo I can think of is less people carrying matches, no one to walk in front of me to catch all the spider webs to the face so I don't. haha
Here's some pictures!
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Originally Posted by sidvicious
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