30 miles/3 days Spruce Lake

Monday Sept 14 - Wed Sept 16

With plans made the previous week to meet Dan at Spruce Lake again, I also arranged with Jim to join us. Jim and I carpooled from Canandaigua to Piseco where we headed north on the NPT. Ten miles to Spruce Lake, much was old roadway with a lot of loose rocks. The trail was in great condition otherwise. A short break at the Jessup River campsite, otherwise uneventful hiking in cool weather.

At Spruce Lake #3 we met another hiker on the 4th night of his southbound trek from Lake Durant to Piseco. He moved his gear in the lean-to to provide room. Nice guy. Paul from Palmyra. Dan arrived later after a grueling off trail bushwhack from Poor Lake. As planned, I brought him an extra day of food. I cooked up dinner for both of us. Not long after sunset we all were in bed; all tired for different reasons.

Night was chilly, but not as cold as expected. Dan was already up when I headed to the lean-to. Paul was already gone. He said he would be up early. After breakfast, we put together our day packs. Jim and I were headed 5 miles north to the junction with the French Louie Trail, Dan would be headed to fish Balsam Lake. Another cool day of hiking, this time with light day packs. Familiar trail as I hiked this last week, both directions. A short break at the bridge over Sampson bog outlet, and a quick side quest to a weird looking rocky promenade. A longer break at the West Canada Creek bridge and lunch at the lean-to. Only a couple entries in the book since mine last Thursday. 

After lunch we slowed our pace for the hike back to enjoy the walk. No need to rush only to do little more than hang out at camp. It was very nice walking at such a relaxed pace. Even with the reduced pace, we arrived at camp not much later than had we hiked normal. I noticed the woods were beginning to "smell like fall". 

Dan had reached his limit of brook trout at Balsam and cooked up some for us both. This would end up being my dinner. I spotted a hiker approaching the lean-to and said hello. He quickly turned and headed back to the trail. I suppose he wanted to camp alone. We stayed up a little later than the previous night. The crescent moon reflecting on the lake when we finally turned in. 

Warm night compared to previous. Heard an owl close by. A short rain shower also during the night. All was dry by the morning. I packed up my hammock and gear and headed to the lean-to. After small breakfast Jim and I headed back down the trail. Dan would stay a bit longer to fish. His truck was at the closer trailhead 3 miles away. Jim and I decided to again saunter down the trail at a slower pace. Even with a break at the Fall stream campsite we were back to the car by 1pm. 

Car camping and big mile days

 Met Cold River Bob in the Moose River Plains at site 90 near the trail to Beaver Lake. We spent the day setting up and taking a short walk to check out the river for Bob's potential paddle the next day. After dinner and a campfire we both retired. The next day I drove to the Brooktrout trailhead and hiked 14 miles to meet Dan at the Spruce Lake lean-to. He had left his bear bag rope at home and would be in the wilderness for two weeks. Two miles from the lean-to it began to rain. It did not subside until sometime in the middle of the night. Dan was at the lean-to when I arrived around 3pm. I set up my sleeping gear in the lean-to and he told me stories about his summer adventures including having to depart Quetico due to the forest fires. We both had no-cook dinners and went to bed. Along with the rain was significant winds. The wind did a great job of drying out the forest after the rain ended.

In the morning I cooked up bratwurst for us both for breakfast. We made plans to meet up again at the same lean-to in 5 days. I would bring him a days worth of food resupply so he would not have to leave before I got there. I also told him of a large can of chili at another lean-to I knew was on his route. We hiked together for the first five miles. With him carrying his full pack + canoe it was the only time he was ever slower than me. At the West Canada Creek lean-to, we had lunch and he pushed off into thd creek towards Mud Lake while I continued on trail back to my car.

I returned to Bob's site at 4:30 and cooked dinner. He had just finished his when I returned. We had another campfire and had an early start heading home the next day. A lot of fall fungus on the trail after the rains.