Heading up a river without a paddle

Yesterday's hike of Seward and Donaldson with Ken was proof of how hard it is to earn the 46er patch. It was also an example of how the toughest hikes are enjoyable as long as you make it back safe and sound. The forecast had called for high probability of showers, thunderstorms and hail. It seemed we left all that behind at the border as we didn't see any rain until near the end of the hike.

Our plan was to hike the Blueberry foot trail to the herd path up over Seward to Donaldson and then take the Caulkins brook trail on the way back. The first leg of that route is flat and boring and about 5 miles long. If you run out of things to discuss you can count the "do not trespass" signs on the left side of the trail. The herd path starts out at a very gentle grade and is soft underfoot as is the case with most trailless 46er peaks. While this is pleasant for a stroll in the woods it also suggests that you will pay for it in steepness later on.

Once the Seward herd path starts climbing it does not let up. The trail heads straight up the brook, sometimes along its side and often right in the it. About two thirds of the way up the path abandons the the brook but the path was still wet, sometime muddy and often running with water and mud. It was generally closed in by vegetation except where it was a steep wet slab of rock to scramble up. Due to the nature of the path you have to take each step carefully and it makes for slow progress. You might say all this sounds like hell but looking back I'd say it was actually fun. It is good for the soul to take a physical beating every once in a while from a large hunk of rock such as Seward!

Ken's idea to return via Donaldson and the Caulkins brook trail was a good one. Although I enjoyed hiking up Seward I think heading back down that way would have been a nightmare. It turned out that the trail from Seward to Donaldson was fairly tame. We met the only other people hiking there that day near the top of Donaldson and chatted briefly before they headed off to Eammons. I put on my bug hat to keep the blackflies at bay. It was my first time wearing it and it worked well, even had room inside for my sandwich.

The hike down the Caulkins herd path was really long although the path itself is gently graded and soft. Then the walk back along the horse trail and one last section of the Blueberry foot trail was something of a death march. We stopped in Tupper Lake for a well earned sub and 46er ale before driving home. A stellar day of hiking in the Seward range!