Hello there! Today we're going to do something a little bit different. We're going to document the Rocky Peak Ridge traverse hike from the point of view of the boot -- or, to put it more correctly, we're going to focus on what's underfoot every step of the way along a hike: the trail. We're going to see how the there's an amazing variety of terrain that your boots cross on the way from trailhead to trailhead: smooth, graded dirt; boulders and roots; clean expanses of bedrock; stretches of muck; bridges, spongy forest floor and hard-packed tread.
So, why the move to this rather unusual format, you may ask? Well, Jenn and I joined Pu this last September 11th for one of his organized group hikes, and the choice of hike was the Rocky Peak Ridge traverse in the eastern High Peaks. A fantastically diverse and scenic hike, to be sure - one of the Adirondack's best. However, I've done this traverse many times in both directions, and although I still find it enjoyable, I was seeking something different, something fresh; a new way of looking at the traverse. Well, I thought, maybe it was time to cast the view downwards. Hence, the idea of the
Bootspective - a hike from the boot's perspective.
Don't panic, however, if you came here seeking my more traditional style of trip report, full of images of mountain vistas and happy, smiling hikers. I've still included a bit of that, tucked away at the tail end of this report. So, if you'd rather avoid this bootspective nonsense, you can skip directly to these pages by clicking
here.
And now, without further ado, let's get started on our
bootspective journey along the Rocky Peak Ridge traverse. We start at route 73 and head up the Giant Ridge Trail..... and, please keep your eyes down!
