adironmaple
02-28-2015, 09:55 PM
This summer we were lucky enough to secure a long term lease on a large tract of land in the Adirondack mountains. We busted our tails setting this bush up this fall. The terrain is remote and rugged to say the least, the mainline is 6000 ft long with the elevation changing about 650 ft over its distance.
We have been tapping in waist deep snow that snowshoes wont work in so its been a real struggle. Tap count up to 9000 with a couple lines left to tap. My two sons went up this morning, 12 miles from farm, to try to finish up. They split up one to finish a line that they didnt finish the other day and one went to the last line at the farthest point into the woods. He has been bothered lately with a back issue and trying to tough it out to finish tapping. He leaves his snowmobile and starts tapping down the line. About 400 ft down the line he looses all strength in his left leg and pain like hes never felt b4. There is no cell service once you leave the top of the mountain and his brother is half a mile away. It took him 2 hours to get back to his sled where he calls me, 12 miles away, to come get him. It took me 30 min to get to the parking area where we would meet. He wasnt there. Its about a mile and a half back to where he got to his sled. I started walking up the mountain on the skidoo trail hoping to see or hear a sled. After about 20 mins I heard a sled, it was my son. He was in tears.The pain just to handle his sled down the mountain was unbelievable. Got him home safe, thank god!
Things worked out but had the attack happened at the bottom of the line the potential outcome could have been tragic. No cell service, waist deep snow, 5000ft out to truck, 1500 uphill(600 ft elevation change) to sled,cold and no sled trail in. Even if his brother was to come up on him it would take more than 1 person to get him out and how long would it take to get him to saftey b4 hypothermia sets in.
So tonight I am thanking god that my son is safe from what could have been a life changing event for all.
We have been tapping in waist deep snow that snowshoes wont work in so its been a real struggle. Tap count up to 9000 with a couple lines left to tap. My two sons went up this morning, 12 miles from farm, to try to finish up. They split up one to finish a line that they didnt finish the other day and one went to the last line at the farthest point into the woods. He has been bothered lately with a back issue and trying to tough it out to finish tapping. He leaves his snowmobile and starts tapping down the line. About 400 ft down the line he looses all strength in his left leg and pain like hes never felt b4. There is no cell service once you leave the top of the mountain and his brother is half a mile away. It took him 2 hours to get back to his sled where he calls me, 12 miles away, to come get him. It took me 30 min to get to the parking area where we would meet. He wasnt there. Its about a mile and a half back to where he got to his sled. I started walking up the mountain on the skidoo trail hoping to see or hear a sled. After about 20 mins I heard a sled, it was my son. He was in tears.The pain just to handle his sled down the mountain was unbelievable. Got him home safe, thank god!
Things worked out but had the attack happened at the bottom of the line the potential outcome could have been tragic. No cell service, waist deep snow, 5000ft out to truck, 1500 uphill(600 ft elevation change) to sled,cold and no sled trail in. Even if his brother was to come up on him it would take more than 1 person to get him out and how long would it take to get him to saftey b4 hypothermia sets in.
So tonight I am thanking god that my son is safe from what could have been a life changing event for all.