Squeaked out unsupported FKT of Northville - Lake Placid Trail this past weekend. Left my car at Waterfront Park in Northville on Friday 9/8 and got a shuttle w/ADK foothill guides- Sheila was great, low key ride talking trails to Lake Placid Train Station. Started at 2:44 pm, did a fair bit of jogging the first 20 miles, slowed down after dark. Stopped at the last lean to on Long Lake around 3:30, slept for a little longer then intended but hadn't slept much the night before. Started moving again at 5:55 am, foot issues set in fast, but tried to keep a steady pace. Took one 30 minute break around the 1/2 way point and 5:00 pm. Right as I was navigating the beaver swamp of West Canada Lakes it started to rain/thunder/lightning. Rain was steady until around daybreak, but could have been much worse. Stopped again at Spruce Lake at 1:30 am, slept until 3:00 am. I made decent time to Piseco, but during the road walk was on and off hiking while asleep. Took a 10 minute nap at the trailhead, which did wonders. The rest of the day I just focused on going a between 3-4 miles per hour and minimizing breaks, knew that I was going to be cutting it close on the FKT. Finished the Benson re-route around 6:15, which felt long. Last miles went by pretty fast except for the pavement which was hard literally and metaphorically. Ended at 10:20 pm Sunday, just in time for pizza and milkshake from Stewarts. Trail was actually less muddy than I'd bargained for based on some recent time in High Peaks, great ponds/lakes, and lots of unhappy beavers slapping their tails after dark. I was carrying way too much food- probably had another full day's worth, mostly easy carbs also instant potatoes, tuna, brought my quilt, 2 headlamps- one battery one recharging, battery pack, phone, InReach Mini, stove/mug- which I ended up regretting but was thinking it would be way wetter & cold. I was tracking w/in reach mini. The distances are all off, times are accurate, guessing this is from longer send interval/tree coverage. I turned off device when I was sleeping to conserve battery, so it is three files. The abnormally warm/humid temps for September, shoes without quite enough life, and muddy & wet trail trashed my feet w/blisters and heat rash, but other than that felt pretty good. Hope that others will continue to lower these first two times, totally doable, might give it another go at some point with less weight and now that I know the trail! Have fun!
Comments
Great work! I was out later that week hoping to nab it, but you crushed it. That trail is no joke.