Mt. Islip via crystal lake-windy gap 5_1_2011
Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 8:43 pm
What a great day to escape to the mountains. I did a solo hike out of crystal lake to Islip Summit. Temps were in the 50s when I started and didnt get too much colder than the 40s even in the wind.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1460.jpg)
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![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1464.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1465.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1466.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1467.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1468.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1469.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1470.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1471.jpg)
It starts to get really sparse just before reaching windy gap. Trees are screwed in that area.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1476.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1477.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1478.jpg)
I was carrying some tibetan prayer flags because I thought it might be fun to take them to windy gap and let them fly in the wind there. The wind did not dissapoint.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1492.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1491.jpg)
As I was gearing up in the parking lot some one asked me why I was carrying an ice axe. They said isnt that for the snow. I said "You never know when you may need it. but after 3.5 miles of hiking I was starting to wonder myself if it was stupid to bring it. Well I encountered snow and it was for about the last half mile to the summit. Completely covering the trail. This was hard, shaded and wind blasted. I am glad I brought my axe because I used it to chop steps. It worked great.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1479.jpg)
I made a couple of new friends on the way up. The were taking the Islip ridge trail and I was going through windy gap but we met up on the summit.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1482.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1483.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1484.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1485.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1486.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1487.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1488.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1489.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1490.jpg)
This is how my trip ended. My favorite part...
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1495.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1460.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1461.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1462.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1463.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1464.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1465.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1466.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1467.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1468.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1469.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1470.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1471.jpg)
It starts to get really sparse just before reaching windy gap. Trees are screwed in that area.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1476.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1477.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1478.jpg)
I was carrying some tibetan prayer flags because I thought it might be fun to take them to windy gap and let them fly in the wind there. The wind did not dissapoint.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1492.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1491.jpg)
As I was gearing up in the parking lot some one asked me why I was carrying an ice axe. They said isnt that for the snow. I said "You never know when you may need it. but after 3.5 miles of hiking I was starting to wonder myself if it was stupid to bring it. Well I encountered snow and it was for about the last half mile to the summit. Completely covering the trail. This was hard, shaded and wind blasted. I am glad I brought my axe because I used it to chop steps. It worked great.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1479.jpg)
I made a couple of new friends on the way up. The were taking the Islip ridge trail and I was going through windy gap but we met up on the summit.
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1482.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1483.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1484.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1485.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1486.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1487.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1488.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1489.jpg)
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1490.jpg)
This is how my trip ended. My favorite part...
![Image](https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/photobucket/i261/albums/ii57/VanLogan_photos/Hiking/Islip/IMG_1495.jpg)