by Meg Keech
“You’re going to do what??” “Won’t you be scared?” “Won’t you be lonely?” These were the reactions I got when I told my non-hiking friends about my plan to do a solo through hike of the Northville Placid trail (NPT), a 135-mile trail running from Northville in the southern Adirondacks to Lake Placid. I can see their point. A woman hiking alone in a wilderness setting is not what a lot of people would choose as an ideal vacation. But for me, it was.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be doing this, I would have laughed. Although I have been doing day hikes my whole life, my backpacking experience started only a few years ago. I will never forget leaving from the Upper Works trail head, on route to Flowed Lands, with my (VERY) full pack. After the first 20 minutes I was in tears. I have learned a lot since then.
My training for the NPT consisted of many miles of day hikes, gradually adding weight to my pack, until I was able to hike for 6-7 hours with a full pack comfortably. I also did several overnight backpacking trips, learned how to use all my gear and learned what gear I really needed and what I could live without. As I am sure you have read many times before, reducing pack weight is one of the keys to a successful and happy through-hike experience. The other thing I did to prepare was to study the route, read about the trail, and make a well thought-out plan of how I was going to take on this challenge.
I started my hike at Benson Road rather than at the true beginning of the hike in Northville. I did this to avoid the solo road walk, and also to shorten my hike by 1 day which I needed to do for logistical reasons. My hike from the Benson Road trailhead to Lake Placid took me 9.5 days, including one short 6.0-mile day. My longest day was 16.2 miles. I broke my trip down into three sections, with 2 gear drops, one in Piseco and one in Long Lake. This helped keep my pack weight manageable.
I planned my route to take advantage of the wonderful lean-tos scattered along the trail, although I did carry and use a small tent a couple of times. I carried a small stove, first aid kit, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, food in a bear canister, water filter, and minimal clothes. I also carried a Garmin InReach, so that I could get help in case of an emergency, and could check in with my husband periodically. As luck would have it, on the first night the signal didn’t go through, and he was worried until he heard from me the next day. I also carried bear spray, just in case.
The NPT trail offers a lot of variety. It is overall fairly flat, with small ups and downs to make it interesting. The only real climb is between Tirell Pond and Long Lake, where a steep climb takes you to the highest point on the trail at around 3000 feet. The trail has areas that are very wet. Beaver activity caused some re-routing in places. Overall, the trail is quite well marked, but there are a few places that require a little more awareness to stay on the trail. I carried sections of the guide book, map, and a compass. The description in the guide book helped me a few times in the areas that were less clear. The first section (which I didn’t do) has a creek to ford. The trail goes through the village of Piseco and passes nearby Blue Mountain and Long Lake. It also goes directly through the Wakely Dam area and Lake Durant State Park. Other sections of the trail are more remote including the beautiful Cedar Lakes, West Canada Wilderness, and Cedar Lakes areas, as well as my favorite section, the Cold River area. Beautifully located lean-tos, fabulous swimming opportunities, and a relatively easy flat trail that parallels the Cold River, make this section very enjoyable.
My daily routine was to wake up early, pack up my gear, have a quick breakfast (bar, oatmeal), and then set out on the trail, usually by 6:00 am. I then hiked to my destination, stopping periodically for snacks and short breaks. I went in early July and the deer flies were in full force. This kept me moving at a brisk pace. After arriving at my destination, usually by early afternoon, I would set up camp, do camp chores (get water, hang up clothes, set up bed, put out boots to dry, etc.) and then explore the area and rest. Dinner (hearty rehydrated food) was early—5:00 pm or so, and then I was usually in bed by 7:00 pm. The sleep after a day carrying a full pack is blissful, deep sleep. Was I bored? Not at all. Was I lonely? Not a bit! I met people going both northbound and southbound to chat with along the way. Each day brought new memorable experiences: swimming in the Cold River, seeing otters, sitting in my lean-to and seeing a canine (I think a coy-wolf?) climb out of the water onto the shore not far from me, listening to loons, enjoying a feast in Long Lake, having a hot shower at Lake Durant campground, etc. It also provided me many hours of time to enjoy peace and solitude. Was it all fun and games? No. I fell twice, leaving both shins tattooed with bruises and scrapes. One day I walked in wet boots too long and developed a nasty blister on one toe. The day I hiked between Blue Mountain and Long Lake I cursed the blow down and briefly wondered why I was doing this. But once I arrived at Long Lake and enjoyed a Stewarts hot fudge sundae while chatting with a southbound hiker, I forgot all about that.
Backpack solo might not be for everyone, but for me, the NPT provided a backcountry experience that was both challenging but extremely rewarding. I am going to go back this summer, this time with my husband.