Poke-O-Moonshine & Gilligan -Solo- 11/12/2017

Rules are meant to be broken!
When I finished the Saranac Sixers this past Summer I made a rule: No repeats for the rest of the year. After 23 mountains... A repeat was well deserved.

Poke-O-Moonshine (Ranger Trail)

Hiking the Poke-O-Moonshine Observer Trail with Kailee on Labor Day was a lot of fun. Now, it was time to scope out the shorter but steeper Ranger Trail for my first solo hike of the year.

I looked forward to setting my own pace seeing how much I could push myself.

The weather at the trailhead was pristine. It was 34°, sunny with minimal cloud coverage, and nary a hint of breeze.

I checked in at the register and proceeded at a good pace. The incline jumps at you but it isn't unbearable. After half mile, there's a lookout and the trail eases up from here to the Summit.

Beautiful dustings of snow and frozen runoffs decorated the hillside. Yet, it was a little strange not having Kailee or another hiking partner with me to fully enjoy this frosty, new perspective and route up Poke-O...

Beautiful ice covering the rock steps
near the Summit

I reached Summit in under an hour, including stops to check things out.

After enjoying 20 minutes of peaceful solitude which included climbing the fire tower and enjoying the views, I was feeling good and ended up jogging back down the trail.

The crisp air felt amazing and I was back at the trailhead in a little less than 30 minutes (which included a quick stop to watch some ice climbers).

After taking a moment to check out the campsite near the register, I hopped in the car and took off. As I drove, I decided to tack on a repeat of Mount Gilligan.

Mount Gilligan

Kailee and I climbed Mount Gilligan in a downpour on the Indigenous People-Columbus Holiday. Surely, there would be no problems with a solo hike on a beautiful late Autumn day.

Gilligan offers some nice
views on the way up.

I charged at Gilligan at a fast pace, determined to make quick work of the "Little Buddy."

About a third of the way up.  I felt a *Pop* *Pop* in my upper legs.

Cramps... Paralyzing cramps... Pushing it at Poke-O had gotten the better of me at Gilligan.

It was to time to rehydrate and stretch. Within a few minutes of doing so, things felt much better and I was able to get to the Summit without further issues.

For a smaller mountain, Gilligan has a pretty fun trail. Visibility was zero on my last visit. This time, I was granted a thoroughly rewarding and serene gaze at the Sun preparing to set behind the gorgeous Giant Mountain Wilderness. An excellent conclusion to a fun day of solo hikes!

An easy yet very rewarding view of the Giant
Mountain Wilderness from Gilligan.

Poke-O-Moonshine & Gilligan

Both Poke-O and Gilligan have greatly benefitted from the work of volunteer and support groups. 

The Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine have done a lot of great things with the mountain's two trails. You are guaranteed a rewarding hike no matter which route you take. The Observer Trail offers a nature experience and the Ranger Trail offers wonderful views of the Champlain Valley. The Ranger Trail is located on Route 9 in Deerhead. Visit www.pokeomoonshine.org for more info!

Gilligan is a privately owned mountain maintained by CATS. You can't go wrong with a CAT trail. They are so well marked and maintained that you feel safe the entire time. Gilligan is located on Route 9 in Elizabethtown. Check out http://www.champlainareatrails.com for information on Gilligan and many other great trails in the Champlain Valley!