Quick overnight in the Woods (Lake)

 

It has been quite a while since my friend Ian and I have hit the trail. With a weekday night available for a quick getaway for us both we settled on Woods Lake on the NPT. There are a few campsites along the trail side of the lake and another off a spur trail to the west.

The pull-off parking area was recently plowed and a large berm of snow separated us from the trail. We climbed over the snow and followed the red trail which had remnant tracks from other people. Was not difficult travel on the packed trail even with a few inches of snow on the firm base. Off trail was completely different; deep snow even with snowshoes. It was less than a half mile to the campsite. As we neared the previous tracks split off, one towards the lake while the other stayed on the trail. 

We passed two closed campsites before reaching our destination. A few boats were here on the point overlooking the lake. We setup our gear and went scavenging for wood. As previously mentioned, offtrail was difficult. I took my pulk aways back down the trail and scavenged a small amount of wood. The area nearby the campsites was picked clean, evidence of significant camping pressure.

We had enough for a small fire to keep us company. The temps were mild, and warming up. The sky would transition from blue sky to overcast, then a snow flurry and back again. Some winds off the lake chilling, but when they subsided the temps were reasonable. 

The sun set and the temps stayed mild. The moonlight cast shadows on the snow. Quite pretty. Clouds would roll in darkening the woods and then depart.

Eventually we climbed into bed. The changing weather continued all night although it stayed rather warm. 

After some great sleep I arose at first light. Some heat in the firepit signalled potential buried coals which I coaxed back to life. Soon a small fire crackled with the burnt ends leftover from our previous night's campfire. We cooked up some bratwurst for a morning snack. Packed up and headed home.

Preston Pond 2026: Tribute to Tammy

 Met the crew at the Stewarts Shoppe in Long Lake just before ten AM. We caravanned to the Upper Works lot and deployed our gear. Five of us plus a dog, two pulks. We headed up towards Henderson at around 11:30. A bit of a late start. The trail to the lake was broken out and some faint tracks still visible. Some wind out on the lake, but not that bad. Around the turn, I took the lead and broke trail. Mostly crusty snow but a few spots where lighter snow had drifted up. It was Glen, George and I taking turns up the lake. In the deep snow, Jet would hop through it instead of taking the easier way in our wake. 

A short break at the Henderson lean-to. 1:20 minutes to traverse the mostly flat 1.75 miles. This is about the normal time. The next 1.75 miles would be on unbroken trail with deep snow. It was very slow going. At the second bridge (broken) I took the lead. For the next mile and a half it would be me, George and Glen in front. With Jet following George and Glen with a pulk, I would do the majority of the main trail breaking. At spots I was sinking into the deep snow hip deep. Most of the time it was up to my knees. It would take us over 5 hours to reach Preston, and another 20 minutes to across the pond to the cabin. The sun was just below the mountains as we set out onto the pond. The waning twighlight was beautiful. We stopped momentarily to rest and appreciate it. Too tired to dig out my phone to capture it. Looking back, I wish I had. Glen put on his headlamp for the remaining 100 yards up to the cabin. Total of 7 hours to do less than 4 miles!

Once inside we all started on different chores, lighting the woodstove, starting dinner, breaking a trail to the outhouse were the major ones. I had dinner duty. The typical bratwurst and rolls. I also brought some creamy potato soup which was a great way to start and warm us up. The temp was already dropping considerably. We saved dishes for the morning when we could dig out a hole in the creek to get water. 

We all slept in. The sun was out before any of us got out of bed. The kitchen was cold. Ceiling covered in frost. I started some water for coffee. George made breakfast. Only one egg had cracked on the way in. Great filling breakfast.

We were all way to tired to anything other than chores at camp. Glen and Matt dug out a hole in the creek, I broke a trail and dug out our sump hole for waste water. Georgecleaned up our dishes from dinner snd breakfast, Teresa starting shoveling off the roof of the cabin. The stove pipe for ghe kitchen stove was completely buried. We checked the bunk room chimney the previous night before we started the stove in there. Sam arrived today, took him less than half the time. He mentioned it was minus 5*F when he was at the parking lot in the morning. We figured it was in the minus teens up here over night. 

Did some playing around at the cabin in the afternoon. With the kitchen chimney now unburied, we could get this stove lit. As the temperature of the kitchen rose, the now melting frost would drip down. Matt made chili for dinner.

Up a little earlier on Saturday. The snow from the roof is now piled up so high it blocks quite a bit of the sunlight. Sam re-started the kitchen stove and I put on water for coffee. Sam made breakfast. Was not as sunny today. Mostly overcast. After cleanup, Glen got ready to hike out to Henderson to meet up with his friend Aaron. Just before he set out, Carla arrived. She day hiked in with somd resupplies for us including donuts from Stewarts. We all hung out mostly in the bunk room around the stove. 

Glen returned with Aaron. Said it took less than an hour to get to the lean-to on Henderson. Carla said goodbye and headed back out. Glen & Teresa made dinner, chicken & biscuits. After cleanup and relaxing a few of us turned in early. Those who didn't stayed in the kitchen enjoying cigars and bourbon.

Sunday was departure day. Same morning routine as Saturday with the addition of packing up and securing the cabin. Final project before we left was to replace a chimney elbow in the bunk room stove. 

Headed out around 10:30. Back at cars in about 2.5 hours.