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We attempted this 6-mile out-and-back hike less than two weeks ago (on Christmas Day) but the icy conditions forced us to regroup. Today,
much of the packed snow and ice was still there, but we came prepared with our brand new Yaktrax Pros. Yeah baby!
We parked on East Mombasha Road in Sterling Forest, where the AT crosses. Then we headed west on the AT, climbing at least two peaks of
Buchanan Mountain and then Mombasha High Point. It was a fairly strenuous hike. There were places on Buchanan mountain where the descent out
and ascent back was not only amazingly steep but almost completely covered in ice ... LOTS of ice. Yaktrax were, of course, useless here
so careful footing and butt sliding were in order.
(Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)
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 Armed with our Yaktrax! |
 Packed snow on Buchanan Mountain |
 Little Dam Lake from Buchanan Mountain |
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 Ice on the steep descent! |
 Ice on narrow path, steep drop to the left |
 Even sliding is tough here |
 A very icy AT |
 Steep descent continues |
 Yes, I have open hips [Photo by Laura] |
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 Another steep descent |
 Macro of ice crystals |
 Taking a breather |
 Houses to the south |
 View south |
 Tree lover [Photo by Laura] |
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 View south from Buchanan Mountain [Photo by Laura] |
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 Snow in Sterling Forest |
 Peter Buck plaque |
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 Nice boulder field |
 [Photo by Laura] |
 Thin stream ice |
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 Pond frozen solid |
 Photographing ice [Photo by Laura] |
 Boardwalk west of West Mombasha Road |
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 AT marker on Mombasha ascent |
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 Mombasha Lake through the trees |
 Mombasha Lake |
 Klaibers Pond from Mombasha High Point |
 Tower in Tuxedo Park |
 Our lunch spot on Mombasha High Point |
 Turning back at Mombasha High Point |
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 View of Mombasha Lake [Photo by Laura] |
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 Mombasha Lake |
 Mombasha High Point through the trees |
 House on a cliff |
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 I put that rock there |
 Total ice |
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 Buchanan ascent |
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 Houses south of Buchanan |
 The icy ascent |
 Finding tiny patches ice-free |
 And grabbing |
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 I'm in control. Honest. [Photo by Laura] |
 It's Miller time! |
 Back down to the car |
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Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |