Allis Trail to William Brien Memorial Shelter – 17 miles
Thursday, September 18th 2014
This was a ROUGH day! The profile doesn’t look terrible in the guidebook but boy did I underestimate these ups and downs. I guess that’s one of the big differences between a section hiker and a thru-hiker… my legs are definitely not seasoned enough to be cartwheeling up and down these mountains. I was eagerly anticipating the Lemon Squeezer but had no idea that getting there would be such an effort. Again… for people in adequate physical health I’m sure these mountains are no big deal but for the section hiker from PA who’s previous hiking experience has been mostly on rocks… I felt a little out of my element! Water can be tricky in this part of NY and the local trail angels are very aware of it and helpful. Several times I happened upon gallon jugs of water in coolers chained to trees. They seem to be placed at just the right locations. And the first aid box! What a thoughtful gesture…the mountains here may be harsh but the people are definitely not. The Lemon Squeezer was a tight squeeze but I made it through. I didn’t make it quite as far today as I had hoped, and stopped at the William Brien Memorial Shelter instead of the West Mountain Shelter three miles further.
Wherever I May Roam 