Cold River Lean2 Maintenance and quick hike to Streeter

 With 3 days to play with and having already been to the Cold River twice this year I made sure I also visited a new spot. Saturday was an easy hike in to Streeter Lake in the Aldrich Wild Forest. This would be my first time in this area making me one more step closer to backpacking and spending the night in all 48 different Wilderness and Wild Forest Areas in the Adirondacks. The hike in was quite easy following the CP-3 route. I noted a side trail soon after the initial rise going towards towards the lake as the main trail veered away. I would find out later this was a shortcut through the old potato patch. As I continued on the CP-3 route other signage for snowmobile trails intersected the trail. Quite a few different camping options in the immediate vicinity of Streeter Lake including the lean-to. The mowed field and lean-to area had a tent and an occupant, Chuck. He was awaiting the rest of his family who would be arriving on Sunday. They have been coming here for years. He gave me a lot of info on the area and allowed me to camp nearby. Due to Covid we stayed our distance but had a good time talking all afternoon and evening. Two family members arrived just before dark; they were expected around midnight. Soon after I retired to my hammock. I was up at dawn and hiked out taking the shortcut path through the potato patch. Will come back for sure to spend some time exploring.

An hours drive later to the Corey's Rd trailhead to find it already overflowing at 8am on a Sunday. Most were probably leaving today. I did find a spot in the main lot as someone must have just left. Signing in at the register I noted pages of people had signed in today. Mostly day hikers for sure. I had about 15 miles to do and gave myself plenty of time to get to Millers Falls and check on the lean-tos along the way. I stepped aside for a small group coming the other way. Then a few miles later a scout troop looking a little weary also came by. I chatted with the SM briefly. There were doing the circumnavigation loop. Good for them.  I stopped at Calkins Brook for an early lunch and checked it out for G&T. For me solo it is a quick hike to here even though it is 6 miles. I then climbed the hill and kept a lookout for the spring to fill up my water bottle. It is always a bit farther than I remember. On the way out I will need to remember to time it. 

There is beginning to be a significant amount of blowdown clearing and side cutting needed for some sections approaching Latham Pond. Took a short break for thew view of the Sewards as I passed Boulder Brook. This is often a rest spot for me in this area. The small path off the trail for a good view is getting a fair bit of use now. I recalled having morning coffee here at one time. The flooded section just before CR#3 had a herd path through the brush to avoid walking the through the muck. CR#3 was nice and clean. I had carried in a log book, but it seems G&T had brought one the last time they were here. I figured I could cross of the name on the one I carried and put it into one of the other lean-tos. After a short break and reading the entries I was off to CR#4 a quarter mile away. A little bit more trash here and the old CR#3 book somehow had made it here. I figured some folks might have been confused as to which lean-to was #3 since they do not go in order on the river. I am sure they thought they were being helpful. Anyway, I changed the name on the cover and wrote a quick note. It was only 3 miles to the Seward lean-to and it was barely 1pm. Even with taking two long breaks I was making great time without trying. As I approached Millers Falls I spotted a tent and hammock set-up in the camping area. The lean-to was oddly vacant. I went out to the river to get some water and the two folks who were set up nearby were sunning themselves up above the falls. I did not see them at first until I was headed back to the lean-to. 

A short while later Susan and John came in from their swim &sun. We talked a while and I set up my hammock nearby. John stopped back at the lean-to while I was having a beverage. I offered him one which he obliged. We talked and he told me about the family's plan to section hike the NPT. They had done some of it a few years ago on the recommendation of another lean2rescue volunteer who happens to be the adopter for the other 2 Cold River lean-tos. I made myself a huge dinner and went to bed not long after it got dark.

Even with "sleeping in" and a slow start I was moving by 8:30am. Said farewell to Susan & John and made my way back. Saw a couple thru-hikers along the way. Offered them early congratulations and recommended Wanika Falls for their final night. A long break at CR#3 to watch the sun light up the river. The morning sun reflecting on the river and rocks sparkles like gemstones. As George wrote in the log book, this is probably the best view from a lean-to in all the Adirondacks.

As I was readying to leave Susan & John arrived. They asked if the could take a photo of the Seward Steward. Susan jokingly asked if that is why I adopted it; for the name. I chuckled and said no, but that is a clever name. I retraced my route in stopping again at the spring and Calkins lean-tos for lunch. Back at the car by 3pm.

The NPT-west. Yeah, it's a thing (maybe).

I have hiked the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) a few times now. Most recently with my friend Andy in July. while planning for our adventure, I reminded myself of an idea I had been brewing for a few years. The NPT-west. The NPT was the first project of the Adirondack Mountain Club in 1922, and completed in 1924. there have been some changes to it, reroutes and additional sections. But for the most part it is the same 140 mile "straight" trail between Northville and Lake Placid. Being in western, NY I have an affinity for the western regions of the Adirondacks and envisioned a western arc trail also connecting Northville to Lake Placid. In conjunction with the current NPT, this would create a giant loop (or backwards D). The conceptual trail I have put together is approx 260 miles and uses existing trail corridors. It actually has less road walking than the original NPT in 1924. Together with the current NPT, this would be approx 400 miles, from start to finish (start). There is much of it I have not actually walked, so this trip would be my official start of the NPT-west.

I have 5 days in which to fill with miles. What a better way than to start at the beginning, the end of the NPT on Averyville Rd. I coordinated a ride and left my car at the Burntbridge TH in Cranberry Lake. I would hike the first 60 miles of the NPT-west to where it intersected with the CL-50 and then another 15 miles to get to my car. At 11am, Jack from Broadwing Adventures waved goodbye as I began my trek up Averyville Rd away from the NPT proper. I turned down Old Military Rd and then turned again at the railroad. The next few days I would be walking the unused railroad line. Currently the state is trying to rip up the rails and turn the right of way into a multi-use travel corridor; however it is tied up in the courts. The tracks were overgrown with weeds, which at times made walking through them uncomfortable. Often there was a "shoulder" of some sort, whether it was a foot path or ATV tracks which was a more level surface. A lot of the time was spent walking the tracks themselves. If the ground was level with the ties, it wasn't bad. When it wasn't the spacing was not a typical stride so steps were short and quick. Eventually I got used to it. I never did get used to the 6ft tall mullein weeds which showered their seeds when brushed against.

About halfway through my first day, the sky opened up and it poured. It had been overcast and rain was expected, but this front came in and dumped on me before I had a chance to get my rain jacket on (I had prepared my pack with its rain cover). I was drenched walking through the town of Saranac Lake. This all happened just as I had re-found the tracks. There was some bridge construction near the community college and the tracks were all fenced off, so I had to figure out a way around it. Only four hours in and I was dealing with all this already? I supposed it could only get better. The rain subsided soon enough and I continued on past Lake Colby which was my intended camping area to McCauley Pond. There is a small section of state land on McCauley. I found an old campsite, hung my hammock and dried myself out. 14 miles for the day including the drive up. I could hear the camp across the lake as I fell asleep in my hammock before it was even fully dark.

I had sent my itinerary to my buddy Lance whom I have hiked with a few times. There was a chance he would join me for part of this adventure. I also sent him a link to track my progress on google maps as long as I uploaded my position (if a signal was available). In town I could do this every few hours, but it burned up the battery quite fast. My second day of travel would be traversing the St. Regis Canoe Area. A few years ago we had to carry our canoe over these same tracks to get from one pond to another. This time, I would be cutting through the ponds on the tracks. This is a pretty area as the tracks passed by numerous ponds, marshes and lakes. It is also a wilderness area with no cell reception. My last upload for the day would be 10am, after only 6 miles. By 3pm, I had traveled an additional 9 miles to the far end of Rollins Pond. A snowmobile access path led to the water and there were plenty of trees on which to hang my hammock. I spent a little time exploring the shoreline and then headed back to where the tracks were in view. Made dinner and took a woods shower to get rid of the sweat and dust. A sound startled me and I turned around to see someone walking the tracks. He had on a backpack, I called out "Lance?". "Russ?" came the reply. I was not expecting to him until the next day at the earliest. We started to talk and then I said, "go set up your hammock, we have plenty of time to chat". A long quiet evening turned into a welcome chat by the campfire. Unlike the previous night, we stayed up well past dark.

Like usual I was up early, at least I waited until just before day break so I could still watch the sunrise. Lance had been dropped off in Tupper Lake, about 6 miles down the tracks. There is a diner right at the crossing, so we had an easy breakfast and got our giddy-up on to the Lumberjack for a late breakfast. Brenna, our waitress lent me her phone charger so i could get a few extra percents to my battery while we ate. Thank you Brenna! All fueled up, we headed down the tracks. the first mile was really nice, including crossing a significant bridge. After that, it was monotonous. Long stretches of nothing and the walking wasn't easy. Also water was no where to be found. After 9 miles of this (15 for the day) we made it to Mt Arab Rd where Lance's car awaited. I was just about out of water, but the map showed a stream nearby. Lance went to get his car, while I poked around looking for the little stream. Obscured by brush, it was there and flowing nicely. I flagged down Lance as he came by and told him I found the stream and was going to find a place to camp nearby on easement land. After a long break and a full bottle of water, I was restless (it was only 4pm) so I pressed on. The next 7 miles were much easier going. I passed by a few lakes, and some marshes. The tracks made a slight climb as well. Not noticeable while walking, but you could see it if you turned around. A few places the resident beavers had flooded the nearby streams and the water had made its way to the tracks. I did some balancing on the rails a few times to stay out of the wet. A neat thing about the RR is just like highways, they have mile markers so one can easily keep track of pace and location. Before too long Horseshoe Lake was in view and this would be where I would make my third camp. It was after 7pm, so I took a quick bath, ate a cold dinner of trail mix and fig newtons, and went to bed. 22.5 miles, not bad.

I slept great and was up before first light. I packed up and went to the boat launch to watch the fog lift from the lake as the sun rose. I made coffee and breakfast, chatted with a kid who was paddling his kayak and taking pictures. With the RR track portion of my trek behind me, I headed up the dirt rd. A snowmobile trail in winter #36/7A. The map showed quite a few intersections through this area, so I kept my eyes peeled and followed the map closely so as to not make a wrong turn. At one intersection with a gated rd, a couple of ladies were looking for a specific trail they had seen years before. I had never heard of it, but after some discussion, gave them some other information as to where it could possibly be located. For my troubles, they offered me food, water, bug dope... anything. I said jokingly, "I could use a beer". They replied, we got that too. So with my apologies to the Piano Man, it was 9 o'clock on a Saturday and I was hiking with a beer... The best part of it was it was ice-cold. One forgets how refreshing a cold drink can be after a just a few days. The downside was I had to carry an empty beer car for next 20+ miles. A happy price to pay.

The dirt rd soon gave way to a foot trail just after a gate and a bridge. A campsite (#11) was at the end of this road. I was now walking in the woods for the first time in 4 days. of course the trail headed up hill as pretty much all Adirondack trails do; both ways. The trail was an old woods rd so it was easy going. A few miles later I was at the intersection with the CL-50. This would be the end of my first section of the NPT-west, but I still had another 15 miles to get to my car. I passed a few hikers doing the Cl-50, took a break at the dog pond loop junction and headed up that trail away from Cranberry. I headed towards Burntbridge Pond. I had been here once before, but never hiked the this connector trail. This 4.5 mile connector (3.9 on the map) had always intrigued me. It twisted and turned, went up and down as you earned each mile. It passed by some prominent boulders, likely were used as navigation aides in the past. I noticed one tree which had scars from axe blazes on both sides. I arrived at camp at 4 with plenty of time to relax, take a woods shower, and read the shelter log. Soon after the sun set, I watched the moon rise. It was large and bright orange. The photos would look like a rising/setting sun. Soon it was dark, except for the significant moonlight. I do not remember falling asleep.

It was dark when I arose. I had my coffee by headlamp. I waited for the sun to rise before departing. Only 6 miles to my car. Moments after I arrived at 9am, it began to rain. Perfect timing. 75 miles in 94 hours. Time for some well deserved corned beef hash and eggs at the Stone Manor diner in Cranberry Lake.

Thanksgiving Weekend at Janacks Landing

After cleaning up from my family Thanksgiving on Wednesday, I finished up my last minute packing for the in the woods Thanksgiving weekend. Over the years this has become a tradition for me, and a good friend Eric has since been a regular on these trips. We often have one or two others join us as well. Past participants were unable to come with, so we had a new addition, Diana from the NPT Chapter of the ADK. She would be meeting us at the trailhead. I messaged Eric as to our food plans, etc.. His reply was “standard template”. I guess when we do the trip so often, it becomes a routine. So my last minute packing was to put the leftover green bean casserole into a container for transport. We were also expecting two others to join us on Friday.

I picked up Eric at 6am and we headed to Wanakena. For many years I had been exploring this area, but the last few have seen me in other areas. I vowed to myself I would spend more time in the 5 ponds. This would be my fourth trip in this year, although we would not venture to far from camp as is typical on these thanksgiving weekend trips. The forecast for the weekend was mixed and we weren’t positive about the snow depth in Wanakena, but we brought our snowshoes and pulk just in case. The Ranger School web cam showed significant snow.

As we pulled into the main road leading to the trailhead, we spotted Diana. She followed us into the parking area which we would need to dig out in order to park. With the cars parked, and the pulk loaded we ventured down the trail. It begins on an old road (or rail) bed so it is quite wide and flat. There was plenty of snow for the pulk, but not enough to need snowshoes. It was still slow going. Beaver activity had made a mess of some areas. After reaching the campsite at the flow, we still had about a mile to the junction and then another quarter to the lean-to. From here the trail would be a bit more rocky and undulating with multiple stream crossings and log bridges. Some would require care ensuring the pulk stayed straight. Multiple trips with lean2rescue have given me some experience in this area.

We arrived at the empty lean-to and were surprised that previous campers had left some large logs in the fire pit. We figured we would have to spend most of our time gathering wood from afar. Which we did anyway. We quickly set up, and then went wood collecting. A decent load was gathered and knowing I would need coals to cook the turkey, we started the fire. The wood was icy, so it took a bit of time to prep the kindling to ensure the fire would start. Once it was going we decided to have an appetizer of hot dogs, and a beer. The sun would set early as usual and eating dinner in the dark is not the most appealing so once enough coals were made, I got the turkey on. I prepped a boneless breast of turkey with sliced shallots and apple, wrapped in foil. For sides, we had stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole. Diana brought some rolls and Eric had a cheesecake for dessert.

We ate like champs as usual. The temp was dropping a bit and the strawberries on the cheesecake were starting to get icy. We stoked up the fire and put some candles in the lean-to for added light. Also like usual, we didn’t stay up too late. The next morning I was up first, as it often the case. I restarted the fire, made myself some coffee. I tried to stay quiet as Eric likes to sleep in. For breakfast I had some homemade sausage and cheese on an English muffin (had an extra for Justin as he always brings extra for me, but Diana ate it). The day’s activities would be hanging out in the lean-to and collecting firewood. Eric did more of the former, and I the latter. We were not sure what time the others would be arriving. The day was off and on rainy. Not particularly bad rain, more misty like. It was also warming up. The hike out on Saturday would be messy we figured. We also though it might be raining by then.

I made up a pot of chili for lunch, and we tossed in some of the hotdogs. The dogs on the rolls with a scoop of chili were fantastic. Such a basic combination, it surprises me I don’t do it more often. We had so much food, that we never ended up cooking the ribeye steaks I brought for dinner. Instead we ate chili and hot dogs, with beer. The others never arrived which probably added to the extra food issue. We stoked up the fire, I put a space blanket in the back of the lean-to to reflect light. It helped a bit. The night was much warmer than the previous. At one point the smoke from the fire really bothered Eric. He was in bad shape. I recommended a Benadryl. We still aren’t sure exactly what happened. He is allergic to mushrooms, and we wondered if one of the logs had some fungus that when it smoldered caused the reaction.

In the morning, I again restarted the fire made coffee and another breakfast sandwich. I also cooked up one of the steaks, because who doesn’t like steak for breakfast. Eric slept more, as his night wasn’t very restful. His throat was still uncomfortable and he felt sick, but was getting better. As Eric slowly regained strength and we got packed up, we headed back down the trail which was more mud/slush now than snow. We would be following hoof tracks from a pack animal. Back at the car, the hunters who use the camp I found earlier in the spring were there with their donkey. They had just returned from delivering supplies to the older gentleman who uses the camp. We made small talk, loaded up the cars and went to the PineCone for lunch.

A historical trek; features man-made and glacial- 5 Ponds wilderness

05/01/2016 A historical trek; features man-made and glacial- 5 Ponds wilderness

My original plan was to hike with Justin in the Silver Lakes wilderness. We intended to explore Three Ponds Mtn, specifically to locate Hell Devil dam. Two Tents and Ben from the NEOH Backpackers were starting the NPT the same weekend. Knowing their route would be close to where Justin and I would be exploring, I was hoping to cross paths with them to wish them luck in person. Towards the end of the week, Justin had to cancel so instead of going to the Silver Lakes WA, which I will likely be in two weeks again, I opted to return to the 5 Ponds Wilderness and continue my exploration of the old loop trail and also check out the canoe carry from Lows to the Oswegatchie.

I got a relatively early start Saturday am, the weather was fantastic. I wanted to take advantage of it knowing that tomorrow would include rain. My initial plan was to have lunch atop Cat Mtn, then head to the old loop trail, either bushwhack to the “Big Deer Pond trail” and head south, or return to the main trail, then continue down to Big Deer. From there depending on time I would either visit Lows and/or the Oz and return to Cat Mtn Pond campsite. Silently hoping Bill left some firewood in the rarely used site.

I had noticed a group of two had signed in at the register the other day, planning on spending 3 days at Cat Mtn and a small group day hiking to Cowhorn. Other than that, it seemed like the area was relatively empty. Along the Dead Creek flow, I passed by a gentleman his dog and two kids on their way out. The last boy's pack looked quite uncomfortable as it was not riding quite right. I was at Janacksjunction in about an hour and continued on to Cat Mtn. In all my years of coming to the 5 ponds, I had yet to climb this mtn. I had a strange tingling sensation in my foot, like the laces were too tight, but they weren't. I have had this before when I start hiking at a fast pace and I am not used to it. Eventually it goes away. The first push up Cat mtn is rugged, then it levels out for a bit, another small climb and level ground. The final climb is quite rugged. At the top the two gentleman who had signed in were relaxing on the open rock. Not wanting to disturb them, I stayed near the radio tower. I ate my lunch and was just finishing up when the two guys came over on their way down. We talked a bit and one guy checked the weather on his phone. Apparently there is 4G service at the summit. I took a photo and texted it to Rob, then shut my phone down again.

I headed down the mountain noting how dry the path was on the way to my next junction. Often it is almost a river flowing down the trail, especially in spring. I made the turn on the old trail which I started to explore 2 weeks ago. Some of flagging was gone, most notable at the major junctions. I continued past where I had turned around and was expecting to be a Clear Pond shortly. The trail, easily discernible stayed to the west of Clear Pond instead of approaching its North end. Perhaps I has misinterpreted Bill's info from last week. I was definitaly on the old trail, I wondered if there was a new path cut to the North end that I missed. I continued on the obvious old trail. To my west I saw a large clearing. I paused to look. The map shows the area. It is a strange area, not just this pasture like spot, but all of this was glacially formed. Much of the path was along an esker, kettle hole and other glacial deposits are quite apparent here. It was neat to see how thse odd formations on the map looked in person. Some flagging tape was hung going in the same direction I was heading along the path. In some instances it looked like an old roadway; just filled in with trees. I often had to walk just above it as the growth was too thick.

By this point I was sure I was not going where Bill had gone, there was signs of human navigation, but it was old and infrequent. The roadway got thick, oddly enough where it was most obviously a old roadbed. I approached Clear Pond along a peninsula separated it from a glacial kettle hole to its west. The shore line was mucky, but the ground was clear. All the brambles, ferns and grasses had yet to grow in. they were still all matted down from the winter's snow. I was close to the southern end of the pond which made my decision on how to proceed to the Big Deer Pond trail easy.

I continued along the pond's edge to where it intersected with the old trail again. Most often this area is cursed by the beaver population flooding. I was going to use the resident builders to my advantage and cross the their dam to get to the other side of the outlet. I turned off the old trail and noted how close I was to Nicks Pond. Another spot I would like to get to at some point. Someday, perhaps, make the whole old loop. The beaver dam was one of those mucky ones in a meadow, but it worked. At the other side, I made my way back up tot he pond and took a bearing towards a natural draw in the land. I followed the bearing generally; mostly allowing the land formation to dictate my travel. As the draw ended and the land flattened out, I knew I had not far to go to hit the other trail broadside. I kept my bearing and like usual when intersecting a marked trail, it becomes quite obvious when you hit it. I was to the south of slender Pond and west of Tamarack. Turning south on the red trail it is easy hiking compared to my last couple miles. Just before I reached the canoe carry, I noted what looked to be a path to the west, or perhaps my eyes were deceiving me from my recent path finding. At the carry junction I opted to go towards the Oswegatchie first. Not sure how far I would go. The trail came close to Big Deer pond and I wondered why anyone would be carrying around the big pond instead of paddling it. Strange. Shortly I saw another path heading west, this was clearly a path. Someone had even marked it with blue flagging. I decided to follow it for a while.

The path was obvious. In some places it looked almost road like as well. Flags were plentiful. The line paralleled the county line. I wondered if this was path to the tri county marker. The path stayed below the contours of where the marker should be, so perhaps not. The purpose of the flagging soon became apparent as I was greeted by a majestic hemlock. One of the old growth trees in the area that survived the microburst of '95 and the logger's axes a century before. This reminded me of the tree Justin and I discovered in the HadeRonDah which I named the Queen of the Woods. I would bet the Queen gets less visitors than this other noble. Since I was so close to the Tr-county marker, I could not let the opportunity slide. I headed up a few contours on the hill where the marker should be. I wandered around a bit looking for some evidence but didn't find any. I could have been right next to it looking the other way and not noticed. I dropped back down off the hill and headed back the way I came. I noticed the blue flags were not keeping the opposite bearing I took on the way in, they deviated by a considerable margin. Since I was exploring, I explored. Eventually they intersected with the canoe carry but at a different spot. Someone must have marked it as a mini-loop. Likely for the scouts at Sabbatis on Lowes Lake.

On the canoe trail, I headed back towards Big Deer, I passed by spot where I first turned off to fllow to the old path and blue flags. I passed by the junction to the north from which I came and proceeed down the carry towards the east side of Big Deer. It was a little after 4 and my stomach was telling me to think about dinner. I found a campsite on the shore of Big Deer (site #2) and make a twiggy fire to boil some water for dinner. Had a beer with my chili. Took my shoes off and relaxed. The trail signs said it was only 2.1 miles to Cowhorn junction. This would be an easy 2 miles as it would be on the marked trail. From there my campsite was within half a mile. I had plenty of time, I figured as long as I was heading back around 6 pm, I would be in great shape. It was a less than a mile to Lowes lake, I had time to visit. The trail was flooded right along the shoreline of Big Deer, but an obvious re-route was created. There were a few trees with significant claw marks from a bear clearly showing to all this was his territory. A few of the trees had claw both new an old claw marks. All were within a few feet of each other. I wondered if one side was one bear, and the other side a different one and this was their way of surveying. Quite a bit of moose turd along the carry as well; not very recent though. Lowes came into view and the carry path continued along a ways before descending down to the lake. I signed in at the register and saw my friends' entries whom paddled the traverse not long ago. It was only a 20 minute walk from my campsite. It was only 5:20. I remembered Chris telling me he and Kim would be hiking a loop and spending the night at Cowhorn. I thought I would surprise them instead of going to the Cat Mtn Pond site.

On my way back to the Cowhorn junction, I could see Tamarack pond to the east. Wanting to be at camp by 7, meant I had to be more judicious in my stop and look at at every possible view along the way. I did pause at Slender Pond as it looked like a potential campsite; it wasn't. I filled up my water bottle with fresh water. I dumped out the warm stuff from Big Deer. I could not get good water from Big Deer, so I had to fill up from a swampy spot. I boiled it so it was warm and not refreshing at all. I had been spoiled with the cold spring water gathered north of the junction. Since then, it had been pond water. A fish caught my eye in Slender Pond. At closer look, it was a 4 inch leech...yeach! Perhaps this means the pond is healthy, maybe even contains a trout population. From Slender back to the junction the terrain was in the neat glacial area with the kettle holes and eskers. Sam had done a good job clearing the trail from the '95 microburst (or dericho?) I soon passed a small stream, what a pleasant surprise, some cold clear water. I swapped out my pond water and drank my fill. Topped off the bottle and continued on. I was back on familiar trail at the top of the esker and noticed my knee was feeling a bit sore. Not surprising since I had done over 15 miles and it wasn't used to it. Not to mention the bushwhacking and Cat Mtn. A slowed down and approached Cowhorn quietly. It was empty. Some of the wood from two weeks ago was still there. I set some aside and collected some tinder for the morning as I was expecting rain at dawn. No Chris and Kim, but I did have the giant brownie and my other beer. A small fire with the setting sun and all was good. I knew I would sleep well tonight. It wasn't long before I found myself in my hammock. I was asleep quickly.

It was a warm night, the sun had not yet risen but due to impending rains I thought I had best pack up first. I had all but my breakfast stuff in my pack and some coffee water heating when I noted the first few drops on the pond. I was finishing my coffee a few minutes after 6. By now, it was fully light out but the sky could not decide whether it wanted to rain or not. I put on my pack cover and had my rain jacket in the outside pocket. Only about 6 miles to the car. It would rain slightly for most of the hike out. Tree cover kept me mostly dry. I didn't stop much, just for water and to take a picture of a red trillium with a mossy rock in the background. Later I would caption the photo, “Spring is officially here in the 5 Ponds”. I was at the car a little after 9 am. I am liking these big mile Saturdays and short Sundays back to the car. Every time I do them, I tell myself to plan more like this. Perhaps I will remember one of these days.

Trout Fishing no bites -Cowhorn Pond

04/17/2016 Trout Fishing no bites -Cowhorn Pond

I had penciled in April as “fishing month” in the Adirondacks. After narrowing down my short list of trout ponds to visit, I received a message from a fellow hammock forum member asking if I was available to hike into Cowhorn Pond. Interestingly, Cowhorn was on my short list so we made plans to meet at the trailhead Saturday AM. Weather was looking to be perfect and I was glad to be getting back to the 5 Ponds Wilderness.

Met Lance at the parking area and we donned our packs. I attached a paddle to mine so we could enjoy the boat at the pond. As expected, the weather was perfect. We made good time down the trail, stopping often just to take in the scenery. Cranberry Lake was now completely ice-free; to distinguish from my hike in last month. When I signed in at the trail register I noted Bill I would be in close proximity to us. I wondered if we would run into him. This reminded me of when we first met in 2008 at Olmstead Pond when I hiked the CL-50 and how we would write notes to each other in the trail register in the Black River Wild Forest. While Lance took a break, I stopped over to Cat Mtn Pond to check out the campsite. I thought Bill might be here and he was. I interuupted his lunch, so I tried to keep our conversation short. We shared our itineraries and some of the spots we have explored in the past. I left him and Lexie to finish lunch.

By this time, Lance had leap frogged me on the trail and I was following his footprints in the mud. I noted the side trails to Bassout, and the old “Red trail”. I arrived at cowhorn a few minutes behind Lance. We set up camp and had lunch. I collected some wood from the beech stands behind the other campsite. We decided to paddle around a bit in the aluminum jon boat. I used the paddle I carried in, and Lance used one of the cobbled together contraptions which resembled a witches broom. There was a small leak in the boat, so we would have to keep an eye on the water level. First, we went a short ways down the outlet then along the far side of the oddly shaped pond. We paddled into some hidden coves. The terrain along the shoreline was steep in some of the coves. The water was still quite cold, and deep in the middle of the pond. We certainly didn't want to get more intimate with these two details. Years ago I had read about another campsite on the far side of the pond, so we kept our eyes peeled for a potential landing spot. The water level in the boat was such that we needed to to decide whether to turn back, or make a landing and empty the boat. We figured we would go around the next point and then cross to the other side. As we passed by the point, I spotted the remnant fire ring. In the shallows, some trash could be seen. We opted to make land, empty the boat and poke around the old campsite. It had clearly not been used in many years. The rocks which made the firepit were covered in moss. We could not see any charcoal as it was completely grown in. A few beer cans were found nearby. Old pull-tab Genesee Beer. There was even the corner of an old DEC sign for the special trout waters on a tree. The rest of the sign was laying nearby. Odd it hadn't blown completely away. Lnce took some photos and we got back into the boat and headed back to camp.

I collected some more wood. A group of 3 hikers stopped by. They were making their way around the CL-50. When they mentioned heading back to the previous tent-site, I knew they meant the one where Bill was staying. We mentioned the one nearby (not the one we paddled to) and they opted for that. It was close by, but they would still have their privacy which appeared to be what they sought. We started the fire and fixed dinner. Right after the sun moved below the tree line, we went out in the boat to try our luck with the trout. There were plenty of flies around the water, but we had yet to see any fish rising. We spent a few minutes with nary a bite. We could see our neighbors had a nice bright fire going. With our hopes of trout for dessert dashed we headed back to camp. We were expecting a clear night and it didn't disappoint. The moon was bright and Jupiter was nearby. We sat by our fire as the temp dropped and soon we were both too tired to stay up and headed to our hammocks.

I awoke at first light, but decided to try to get in a few more winks. I knew Lance had to get an early start, and if he wasn't up yet there was no sense in me jumping out of bed. Some time later, I was fully awake and craved some coffee. I restarted the fire from a small coal which was left from the previous night and got my water on. As it was heating up, I took down my hammock and tarp. I chuckled to myself about my buddy Rob's recent blog post about morning routine (and them being anything but). A common iteration for me to is to get water on and pack up while it heats. A cup of coffee, a handful of dried fruit and some breakfast biscuits was all I needed. Lance would head out before me as he had to work. I would leave soon after to explore some of the side trails on my way out.

I first checked out the old “red trail”. It seemed to be even more clear than the last time I was on it. Also blue markers had been placed over the old red ones. It became clear to me the trail did indeed head towards Clear Pond. After about 20 minutes, I turned back. I wondered how far it had been cleared. No sooner was I back on the main trail, I ran into Bill. He was heading to the same trail I was just on. Apparently the new maps have it marked all the way to Clear Pond, so I guess it is an official trail now. I was both sad and glad at the same time. I wondered how long it would be before the rest of the loop trail would get cleared. It would make for some interesting backpacking routes in the area. I contemplated the idea of returning in a few weeks to go all the way to Clear Pond to camp, and potentially bushwhacking the rest of the old loop as my return route.

I ventured down a few other side trails, but not nearly as far as the old red trail. A lookout point above Glasby Pond, and the hunters camp trail near the flume. I could finally tell George about where that trail ended up. I snapped photos of some shelf fungus on the hike out and disturbed a couple of snakes. One allowed me (unenthusiastically) to take his photo. After Sand hill junction I could see an old trail heading into the valley. This path would follow the same direction as the main trail just on the other side. There was a small cliff face which still had a considerable amount of ice from the water running over it. I didn't take too many photos this trip, but this image needed to be captured or I might not even believe it. I had about 3 miles left to get back to the car, most along the old road bed. I knew it would pass quickly. Except for last month, it had been too long since I had explored the 5 ponds area. This trip reminded me I wrong to be neglecting it. I will be back soon I hope.

To Olmstead Pond and back

03/20/2016 To Olmstead Pond and back

A last minute trip, and the final destination was decided to be in the 5 ponds wilderness area. I had spent considerable time here a few years back, but have neglected to re-visit until now. I arrived in Wanakena late Sat AM and was soon on the familiar trail. The trail register showed no one, and with the temperature in the teens going to a low in the single digits overnight, I didn't expect very many people. The old rail grade passed quickly. I noted the drainage culverts put in a few back seemed to be doing their job. I stopped to visit some of the campsites along Dead Creek flow and to watch some otters playing in the portion of the lake which was no longer frozen. I figured I would have lunch at Janacks landing. As I approached I heard some voices. There was a couple just finishing their lunch at the lean-to. They were just finishing their morning day hike which included part of the Dobson trail and a bushwhack. They were the lean-to adopters for this lean-to. We chatted a bit about the 5 ponds region and the ADKs in general as well as lean-tos and stewardship. Turns out I was talking to Neil Woodworth and his wife Holly. Neil is the Executive Director of the ADK. We walked back to the junction together and parted ways. I had about 3 miles to the next lean-to (Cowhorn Pond), I figured I would have my lunch there.

The trail was just as I remembered. It never ceases to amaze me how much detail about a trail makes its way into our memory. The side trails I intended to explore, the hills I intended to climb, yet still haven't. I had been following some tracks in the light snow. I was not sure how recent. As I approached Cowhorn Junction, I would realize just how recent. A group of three were backpacking the CL-50. Neil and Holly had mentioned that the CL-50 has seen a huge growth in the use of the trails in this area. I shared pleasantries and my destination with the backpackers and headed down the esker. I was getting hungry. I took the turn to Cowhorn and made my way to the lean-to. I read the shelter log as I ate. The log book mentioned the boat Justin and I had paddled with the shovels a few years back. Some of the comments even mentioned using a shovel as a paddle. Noting the boat was still there and these are good trout waters reminded me of another intention of mine in this area.

It was a quarter to three and I had about 3 and a half miles to go. I was again following in the footprints of the backpackers ahead of me. I wondered if they would make it past Olmstead. This section of trail was high on the ridge. Quite possibly another portion of the esker. I had only been on this portion of trail once before and from the other direction, so this was new for me. I heard the sound of water off to my right, so I took a slight detour to see if there was a waterfall and to fill up my water bottle. I made my way to the sound of rushing water to a small stream cascading into the larger outlet creek of Cowhorn Pond. I still had about a half mile to my next junction. This section is long and straight and feels longer than the 2.4 miles. At the junction the sign says a half mile to Olmstead, but that is to the pond and not the lean-to. I had about a mile to go. Arrived at the lean-to to see it empty. I gathered some wood, just enough to have a dinner fire. I pushed myself to stay up as late as possible, but with the long day and it starting to get cold I crawled into my hammock.

I only got up once in the middle of the night. The moonlight was reflecting off the scant snow making the area bright. The temp had certainly dropped. I quickly climbed back into my warm cocoon. I awoke before the sun although the sky was beginning to lighten up. It was really cold by now. I decided against making breakfast and opted instead for a quick packing up and eating something as I hiked. I paused creekside as the sun was cresting the horizon and made some coffee. I carried it as I hiked, I didn't dawdle looking around as I wanted hike myself warm. At Glasby pond, I stopped for a break and a snack. I listened to the lake making ice. Always an eerie sound. By now the day was beginning to warm up a bit. The last 4 miles would go quickly. I just hiked. I wondered if the Olmstead Pond I stayed at was named for the famed park architect Frederick Olmstead? I checked later. No.

2009 in Review

27-28 December 2009.

Sgt Pulka's Maiden voyage. Todd, Chris and I left Roch at 8:15 headed to Cranberry lake, Peavine Swamp trail. Upon arrival we geared up and noted the tracks of a x-c skier ahead of us. We started off at a quick pace (pushing 3mph on snowshoes). Pulk was working great. We eventually ran into the skier on his way out. We chatted for a bit and then continued. At the leanto, Todd and I set up our tents/tarps while chris went for firewood. I finished setting up and began cutting breaking up the fine mixture of birch and maple Chris was able to scavenge. Todd joined me and Chris set up his rig. I made a fire bed and lit the fire before the sun completely set. Soon we had a nice little blaze going. We cooked up some sausages (and other foods) and sat around for a few hours. While I do not mind solo trips, the short days makes for a long boring night when alone. It was good to be with friends. I retired first and slept very warm... too warm in fact. The next AM Todd expressed a similar issue. I awoke before the sun at my typical time and made some cocoa. Chris was already awake so I didn't feel bad about making noise in the leanto. We left about 24hours from when we first began and made very good time on the return. Stopped at Stewarts for coffee/food. 9 miles total.

Nov 27-29 Bear Lake redux

another trip to Bear Lake to do work on the Lean2 site. Arrived Friday around noon. Quick hike in arrived to Lake just in time to see the tree fall. Set up camp and then immediately got to work. We (Pete, Paul and I) moved the “tooth” and dug a hole for its placement and planted the tooth. This took 3 hours, during which the rock cart flipped up and caught my knee. At one pint I was bracing this 1500lb behemoth between me and the firepit boulder for leverage. By this time, sun was setting so we headed down to camp. After dinner, it was dark and without a fire we decided to retire. Chuck arrived around midnight. The storm came in and since the wind was now from the East, I had to batten down the tarp. The winds were ferocious. The tarp withstood the pounding, though it was cold with the wind robbing my down uilt of its trapped heat. Heard a few trees/branches fall during the night. One right in the middle of our campsite, just a few feet from Chuck's tent. In the AM, we got to work and set the tooth. Then collected more rocks, none as large and we completed the firepit and hearth during which my second brush with near injury occurred. One of the large beech levers slipped out of chuck hand and slammed into my forearm. We prepped the landing site for the helicopter with logs to hold the materials and left garbage collected from around the lake. Evening around the fire with beer and sausages, Chuck, Judy and I. The night was warmer and I only awoke once to natures call. Next day, we cleaned up, covered the tools, hid the canoe and hiked out. 3 Miles and a few bruises

Nov 14-15 Bear Lake in Black river wild Forest with Lean2Rescue

Lean2rescue has built a leanto and will be assembling it this winter onsite. This trip was to prepare the foundation and dig the outhouse. I was on the road at 4:40am and got to the McKeever TH at 8AM. As I waited in my car, I heard another approach. I saw the camo canoe zip past me, so I started the car and followed. I got to the Bear lake Trailhead and met up with Paul. Others soon arrived. We loaded the caoe and began the push. About ¼ mile in, we realized we needed to rebalance the canoe, so Chuck, his son Matthew and I took our packs and we hiked them to the lake and then returned to help with the canoe. Arriving at the site, it was drizzling.. I quickly setup my tarp and others used it to stow their gear. Matthew was wet and cold, so we got him a dry spot underneath. We then go to work digging holes. 4 feet deep and 24inches across for the foundation.

The rain eventually stopped (it was never really that bad). With the holes dug we began looking for rocks. After quarrying and moving a few it began to get late so we set up camp down near the lake. Paul cut us some wood for the fire and then he (and others) left. Chuck, his son and I grilled sausages and had some beverages. Went to bed and slept great.

I awoke with the sun and went to explore the other campsite. After breakfast, Paul returned and we went to work quarrying more rocks. We broke a few straps (1 rated at 900lbs). We completed 3 foundation holes. Late afternoon we returned after stashing the canoe and paddles.

Halloween

Arrived at TH at 8am. The crew was an hour ahead of me but with what they they were pushing I figured to catch them about half-way. As I approached the two canoes, I could see i was in for a world of pain this weekend. I threw my pack into the second canoe and helped push. We slogged through the mud the remaining 2 miles to the lean-to. Set up camp and got right to work removing the old roof. The roof looked in ok shape. In fact the crew replaced it just last year but it leaked. While installing the new roof the rain came. it rained continuously. We finished the roof and went to collect wood. After a fire was made and dinner was eaten the rain stopped. The fire was great. Went to bed and slept like a baby in the hammock. the rain came again during the night. I awoke warm and dry and made breakfast from the comfort of the hammock. back at the lean-to, paul was tending the fire. When everyone was up and ready we continued the days work of bundling the old shingles and digging a new outhouse hole. After lunch we loaded tha canoes with the tools, etc... and began the push back. The first hill was a killer. At the top I became the mule and was pulling the tow line. Through all the mud, I was soaked. Back at the car I changed and headed home. During the trip we joked how if this were our job we would quit, yet we gladly volunteer for this work whenever it is available. As Paul says, we are a stupid bunch. Oh, i made jambalaya for dinner for Chuck and I. The Genny lights I carried in were good too.

Columbus Day Weekend

Met Kayakrski in Wanakena at 8am. Weather was misty, but forecast called for a nice weekend, possible showers on Sunday. We began hiking and getting acquainted with each other. After about 2 miles on the HFL we came to where I had tagged the TH Leary Trail on my GPS. Good guess, tagged it perfectly from the old maps. Gregg had inquired from the Ranger about the Leary trail in our plans. The Rangers report was spot on. {paragraph removed to allow you to experience it for yourself} We took a compass bearing and bushwhacked through, over, under, around, etc... to end up at the High Falls Loop 300ft from where we expected. Not bad considering we knew we were "bending west" due to the swamp. Ironically, at the end of the trip I looked at the old map and it shows a faint dotted line marking a path exactly where we traveled to avoid that swamp. Eerie to say the least.

We crossed a beaver dam to get to the Five Ponds Trail and we followed it to Big Shallow where we ate lunch. By then, the weather had begun to clear and the sky was looking blue. We saddled up and headed to Sand lake. After stopped numerous times to enjoy the views and other treats along the way, we arrived at Sand Lake; tired and hungry. We had traveresed a little over 12 miles, some of which was through the thickest blowdown and new growth i have ever experienced.

The sun was out and we enjoyed the chance to dry ourselves out and warm up. We made camp and collected wood; plenty to be found. Some nice treasures from the old days were found rusting in the near vicinity. A nice fire and stars emerging eventually gave way to my heavy eyelids. I ventured to my hammock while Gregg stayed up a bit longer. I slept soundly until the pitter pat of rain awoke me. A slight rain, but I was warm and dry. I was again fast asleep and awoke with the rising sun. I tried to stay quiet as I made a new fire to remove the morning chill. Gregg soon awoke from his slumber and we both warmed up and ate breakfast. We were on the trail sometime after 9.

On the way to High Falls we encountered the wet section. This was the wettest I had ever seen it. At one point I realized that any effort to stay reasonably dry would be futile so I just high stepped it through hoping my gaiters, boots and fast feet would keep my socks relatively dry. the splashing soaked my pants but in the end it seemed worth it. Soon after, we saw the first people on the trail; a couple of guys and a dog heading out. We warned them of the upcoming wetness.

We arrived at high falls and were the only people there. Strange considering last year at this time it was packed. A quick bite, and relaxing rest on the rocks we headed out. We saw a few more people on the way to Cowhorn, most were on their way back from Cat Mt. One group I noticed a small tree sticking out of his daypack. Thoughts of one of the Karate kid films entered my mind; the one when he went to get that bonsai tree from the cliff. Those thoughts gave way to just how wrong it was for him to be taking a tree, even such a small one. Trail was mushy on the way toward the cat Mt turn. many people=lots of mud. After the junction, the trail was much drier and not well marked. I always end up getting off the trail in this section in the winter since there is nothing to follow. This time of year it was easy to see the foot tread. The trail to Bassout was very obvious this time of year as well; I made a metal note of its location for a future exploration.

Gregg stopped for water and I continued to cowhorn Junction to wait. At the Jnct, I could see the beginning of the old trail to nicks, it disappeared within a few feet. Another future exploration. At Cowhorn junction it began to snow! It really started coming down as we hiked the esker skirting Cowhorn Pond. At cowhorn we decided to both sleep in the shelter and we collected wood. A business card for Hawks Vittles was tucked nicely among the hanging pots/pans in the shelter.

Lots of dead dry hardwood would make for a nice hot bed of coals. I built the base fire and Gregg tended it. We eventually had a nice rager going. After dinner, I soon went to sleep. I awoke at one point feeling very toasty warm. the next time I awoke, I could feel a chill. The reason became apparent in the AM when the frost was visible. The temp had dropped below freezing; my water bottle had ice. After a quick bite for breakfast and a nice warmup from the new fire we headed out a little before 9am.

A quiet and quick pace, my guess is we were both tired. We ran into a family on the way in who directed us around the newly placed logs since they were floating! Back at the car at 11:30 where we met Mark L (from the forum) he remembered me from last years CL-50 hike. What a coincidence. Sat 12.2mi, Sun 15.1mi, Mon 7.5mi. Total miles: 34.8.

24-26 July 2009 Lean2Rescue Woodhull Lake

Was supposed to introduce Pam to the world of Lean2rescue, but the forecasted rain caused her to bail. As promised the weather was sour for the hike in. Poured for over and hour from the TH on. Afterwards just a steady drizzle. After an hour with the poncho, I decided I might as well get wet quickly than slowly and off came the raingear. I slogged the 7.2 miles from Woodgate to Woodhull Lk. Where I met Dick (lean2rescue) Kevin, Tommy and Pat. Pat was guiding Tommy and dad on their first backpacking experience. I showed tommy how to properly use a hatchet and start a fire with wet wood, He was proud of the fire he made. Soon Martha and Sam (L2R) arrived. The rain had since stopped. The rest of the crew arrived and I finally got to meet Ordin (Chuck). We finished putting on the face logs for the lean2 and scouted a site for the new outhouse. Sat came and we headed out to the do the other jobs. I was planning on doing the bridge for which I got the measurements but instead was assigned to log detail. We boated back to the trucks and went to the marked trees. We cut a huge white pine and while using a poor man's crane to hoist the 18ft sections onto the trailers the “crane” tree was uprooted. We harvested that wood and made our way to the lumber yard. Back at the lean2 we carried th eold outhouse to the new location and awaited for the bridge crew to return. We had a great time socializing, beer and venison abounded. Rain came again as the sun set. I fell asleep before the rest of the crew and was an early riser on Sun. We loaded up and were on our way. 7.2 miles and loads of work/fun.

17-19 July 2009 Lake Lila/Mt Frederica

Left Fri AM arrived at parking lot by early afternoon. Forecast was gloomy. Potential rain Fri afternoon/night, thunderstorms Sat. Carried kayaks 0.3mi to put-in (carried the girls 'yaks too as they packed too much stuff and the boats were to heavy for them). Paddled around to find a suitable campsite. Chris went to explore the island site while we checked out the ones “around the point”.#17-20 looked like primo spots esp. #20 but they were all taken. We found Chris on the way towards Buck Island. The site there look good and was open. We got to the site deep into the hemlocks still with w slight view of the water. We made camp and collected some firewood. Went out for a paddle “around the island”. I decided to fish instead. I hooked a monster Large-mouth bass. I kept him on the line as he jumped out of the water, but lost him as he swam towards the boat. The one that got away! Got skunked the rest of the weekend. Back at the site, I wasn't hungry so I didn't make dinner, I just finished off the rest of my lunch snacks. Chris and the girls made hot dogs, I ate the last one else it would have gone in the trash. Used the ursack for the first time. No critters even attacked it. Slept great in the hammock. I awoke at first light and went out to fish a little. Got back to camp and made some coffee. Everyone else eventually awoke and after b-fast we made plans for the day. We paddled down Beaver river to the “falls”. On the return trip saw an eagle trying to fish. He got skunked too, man they are huge that close up. We paddled around to Mt Frederica. Climbed the 1.5 miles(ft elevation) to the summit and looked out over Lila. Sun was shining. So far the only rain was a slight drizzle as we embarked in the AM. Back down the Mt and we had lunch at the leanto (site #7). Paddled across Lila (wind was 45* bhind us so it was fun and tiring) to Shingle Shanty Brook and we went upstream to the first beaver dam. It felt like downstram due to the wind! The way back to the campsite meant going directly into the wind. What fun! Waved breaking over the bow of the boat, the ups/downs we a lot of fun. Back at camp we sat around a bit and eventually made dinner. The evening went quickly and soon we turned in. Slept great and again awoke before all. I had hot chocolate and kashi.Packed up camp and made a bee-line to the put-in. 2 more trips with the boats and we back on the road! About 15 miles in the boat and 5.2 miles on foot.

3-4 July 2009 NPT from Piseco to Spruce Lk

Picked up Alanna at 9am. Left trailhead in Piseco at 12:20 in pouring rain. Didn't wear raingear but protected the packs. Sloshed through the mud and stream crossings to eventaully get to Spruce Lake #2 by 4:30. Set up camp, collected some wood and rested. Ate dinner as the sun was setting and then lit a fire. Went to bed soon after the fire died down. Rained through the night. i awoke at 5am with the "sun". It was overcast and a fog was over the lake. I brought my hammock and sleeping nag to the shelter, retrived the food cache and made myslef some coffee. Alanna awoke at 6am, turned over and went back to sleep. She got up when her alarm sounded at 6:30. We were back on the trail by 7:40 (carrying an extra 5-10 lbs of trash left at the site... grrr) and reached the car at 12:15. 21 miles total. Even with no sun shining I still managed to get sunburned.

27-28 June Allegany National Forest NCT

Toby, Chris and I met at Jay's Diner at 8am. After breakfast we drove to TH near Willow Bay Campground. Hit the trail about noon. Saw a scarlet tanager fly through the trees... hope he keeps eating up any gypsy mothe larvae he finds! After about 300ft gradual elevation gain we descended back to the reservoir (4 miles) a neat campsite a few hundred feet up the run. We continued to Tracy Ridge trail. We took the left turn and gained about 700ft in elevation over the next mile or so. After a fgew side trails to see some vistas (none to be found) we made our way to Johnycake Run and back to the reservoir level. Made camp for the night. I went stoveless this trip and had a hummus, avocado, and tomato flatbread sammy for dinner. Toby yogied some beers from a pontoon boat tied up nearby. Keystone light, but after a day of hiking beer is awesome, and free beer can't be beat! Set up hammock with tarp folded back to sleep under the stars. Awoke to moonlight lit up hammock as it dipped to the horizon, and then back to dark when the stars appeared. Gazed for few minutes and back to sleep. Awoke to an overcast morning with a rainbow over the hills reflected back into the reservoir. Toby slept in as Chris and I had our breakfast. We woke up T at 8:30. At 9:15 we were back on the NCT, 6 miles back to the TH. As we passed by the “cool campsite”, I hung my hammock over the edge of the creek for a photo shoot. Rained on/off all morning but we didn't get wet. Rainy drive home. 15.4 miles total.

20-21 June Black River WF- Chub Pond

Left Roch at 8am. Met Budge and Sarah at the Syr Park&Ride at 10am. Drove together to TH. Talked about bushcraft on the way up. Nice folks. Weather called for rain all day. We were prepared to get soaked. Rain did come, but never got below the canopy. Sun appeared just as we arrived to the Lean2. Got measurements of the bridge for Chuck (Ordin) so we can do repairs. Set up camp. Collected wood. I ate lunch while budge and sarah finished setting up. Small hike to end of peninsula. Did some fishing, no luck. Saw humminbirds and loons. First time seeing loons for budge and sarah. They don't have em in Britain.Awoke early, tried to fish again no luck. Sat on the Princess bench for a bit to take in the view. Shoreline covered in broken (hatched) turtle shells. Watched a beaver swim across the lake. Broke camp at 8am. Remarked how we lucked out with the weather. Trail was soggy in many places due to atv and snowmobile use. Grr. Great trip. Nice to meet new people. 7.6 miles.

24-25 May 2009 Five Ponds WA

Left at 4am and arrived at Wanakena TH just before 8am. Rain appeared while I was driving. I contemplated whether I would need rain gear when I arrived. I did. After donning my poncho, I set out on the trail. About a mile in I came to a hunter's path. I decided to check it out for about ¼ mile before I headed back out. It has been obviously cleared over the years evidenced by the path cut via saw (I am guessing after the '95 microburst). I wonder if this was the old Dobson Trail? The rain ended and I continued to wear my poncho out of fear the rain would start again and to allow it to dry. I passed by High Rock and continued on to the junction with the five ponds trail. I have since removed my poncho and put on bug dope and a net. Skeeters were in full force. I headed to Big Shallow after crossing a few beaver dams and checking out the campsites on the Oswegatchie. Recent trail maintenance with log disks cut as steps in muddy sections. I arrived at Big Shallow and wasn't alone. A man by the name of Dan, from Liverpool was there. He had camped either there or Wolf Pond the night before. Ate some lunch and chit chatted with Dan. He told me some stories about the '95 microburst. The wind was blowing so it kept the skeeters and any black flies at bay. Another two people showed up. They stopped to take a photo and then were on there way. After lunch and filling up with water, I headed back out. I spotted a pink ladyslipper on the trail and snapped a photo. Back at the high falls loop trail I looked for the old junction of the Leary Trail with no luck. I stopped on the bridge to take respite in the breeze. Dan showed up and we again chatted for a bit. He also looked for the old Leary Trail with no luck. He passed on by me and I continued to High Falls to meet up with Rob and Lee. I turned around and the three of us headed back to High Rock. Rob and Lee we the last of the group that was supposed to hike the CL-50. A few had bailed after the first day due to bugs and injuries. We arrived at High Rock around 4:30pm. I totaled the miles in my head. Almost 20 miles for the day. No wonder my heels were starting to hurt. After making camp, I went to the river to soak my feet. I soon realized the cause of my heel uncomfort. A blister the size of a marble! I administered some first aid and decided against putting my feet in the water. My tender heel make walking now slightly painful. Made some dinner and we had a small fire and retired early. Rob and Lee were both tired. It was their big mileage day. I got up after sunset and restarted the fire as I knew the bugs would be gone. After a few minutes of campfire TV, I returned to my hammock. I awoke early and made some cocoa. The two others slowly emerged and after breakfast and packing up we were under way (about 7:30ish). We arrived at my car and 9:15 and I gave the guys a ride back to burnthbridge TH. Total miles for the trip 23.8.

28-29 March 2009. Chub Pond in Black River WF.

Glen, Pam and I left Jay's Diner at 9am for a quick trip to the ADK's. “We don't know shit trip”. The weather was supposed to be very nice and then turn to rain overnight. It was more than very nice, predicted mid 50's were in reality low 70's. Strange hiking on snow and arriving at camp with a frozen lake when the weather was in the 70's. Glen reminded me that it was exactly one-year ago that he and I (along with others) were there and the nighttime low was 4*F. When we signed in at the trail register I noticed Bill I. was going to Gull Lake. We exchanged pleasantries in the trail register. Beautiful day, and evening. Throughut the hike in we came across many animal scat which was emerging from its frozen slumber beneath the snow. Not sure what most were, hence the name of the trip. Rain didn't come until 3-4am. Hike out was damp and turned to rain. The combination of the warm weather and rain had increased the mud, and puddles on the trail. Some parts we were basically walking in a stream. Hike out as always was very quick. 2hrs. 9 total miles.

Feb 20-22^nd Sugar Hill State Forest along the FLT.

The "Don't strand me Bro" trip. Todd and myself parked at the firetower and hiked down to the FLT and then to the Buck Settlement leanto. Saw a tree that had been skimmed by a hunters deer slug just before we go to CR21. About 1/4 mile back on the trail after CR21, we saw a tree stand. We came to an area of the trail that "felt strange". I paused to view a small knob and some scraggily underbrush and wondered "what had been here", "was the trail speaking to me again". I noted how the areas seemed odd to me though I had passed it a couple times before. We descended to Glen Creek where I had always thought there used to be something here. Todd called me the "trail whisperer". The trail does have a spiritual sense but it may be just that I see things and my mind wanders. Who knows, maybe the trail does speak to me. We followed the creek to the Buck Settlement Leanto. We set up camp, I decided to spend the night in the leanto. Collected firewood, made dinner and retired early. I did not sleep so well, why I constantly go against my better judgement and try to sleep in leantos time and time again is beyond me. I awoke before daybreak and remade the fire. The sun rose as did Todd. He packed up and headed back to the car. I mused whether to take a hike or to collect/prep more wood. I elected the latter and soon had a large pile of cut and stacked wood, half of which wood not be burned. Glen arrived at 11:30. I hadn't expected him until 3. He texted me that he wasn't coming about 1/4mile from the leanto as a joke but since my cell phone was off I didn't get it. His eyes bugged out when he saw the wood pile and said he was only joking about me doing that. We took a short hike to the old cemetery and then to Ebenezer's X-ing. Glen really liked the cemetery. Back at camp we chatted for hours about which I cannot recall. We made dinner and a big fire. Conversation circled around the weather and what was expected for the night. We were on bed around 8:30ish. I slept like a baby until 3:30 when nature called and then immediately fell back asleep until the sun was already up (7:30). We packed up and were on our way. We saw some neat shelters people had built "survivorman" style. Glen was parked on CR21, so it was a short, but uphill hike back. Awesome trip, Glen and I decided we would Section Hike the FLT, including the spurs, together. 8.1 miles.

Jan 24-25^th Rimrock/Morrison Trail in Allegany NF.

We don't need no stinkin' snowshoes! Ok maybe we should have. Arrived at the TH and were underway by 11ish. Glen, Jen, Alanna, Pam, Amber, Rich, Toby, Jerry and myself took many wrong turns and eventually found our way to the resevoir, mostly along the Rimrock trail. We hiked on the frozen resevoir to the Morrison Campground. Estimated 2 miles along the frozen water. I made camp at a slightly different spot as I needed trees to hang the hammock. Made a quick fire to cook dinner. Was needed as most peoples stoves didn't work so well in the single digits. Was going to get cold. Went to bed early and slept great. Awoke to the ice booms every once in a while. Temp got down to -7*F at night. Was close to zero when I emerged and melted/boiled snow for coffee and oatmeal. Had sausage and cajun rice for dinner. First trip of 2009, and a frigid one.