Five Days in The Pharaohs

 The past few years I have been been doing my post xmas trip with Dan. I wanted to go back to the Paharaohs to check out a few more of the lean-tos but Dan has recently done a lot of exploring in the Pharaohs. He wanted to wait until spring to go nack for lake trout fishing. So my plan was to be a solo trip. Seems like quite a few of those this year. I let some friends know of my plans and as it turns out a couple joined me for part of my trip.

Day 1. 12/26 Campground to Clear Pond Lean-to. I parked next to Justin's truck leaving my snowshoes in the car. The trail would be somewhat familiar as it was the egress from last year's trip. I signed in oat the register and made my way to the first junction. I was taking it slow not only because of my pack laden with 5 days of food and winter gear but so as to not get to sweaty. The latter proved futile. The just under 2.5 miles was rather easy going, made even easier following Justin's tracks in the 3 inches of crusty snow. I arrived at the lean-to a little later than Justin expected. He had already gathered quite a bit of firewood. I took a break and added to the pile. Had a lunch break then gathered more wood. We had ourt usual great time together in the woods with a nice hot fire and cold beverages. The temp was forecasted to be in the low teens overnight; also was expected to be the coldest of the four nights. I slept soundly, toasty warm under my quilt in the lean-to. Justin had his tent pitched nearby.

Day 2. 12/27 Usually Justin is awake before me. I was glad I was up first as it meant he slept well. I restarted the fire with the remaining coals and made coffee. We took our time in the morning with packing up and breakfast. It was close to 10:30 before we set out. Justin would hike with me for a short ways before he headed back to his car. Due to his generosity, I still had my full complement of cold beverages for the remainder of my trip.At the junction Justin mentioned the hill would be my big climb for the day. I only had a bit over 4 miles to do for the day. My destination would be Tubmill Marsh Lean-to. Justin's intel about it getting little use bode well for easy firewood procurement. We said our farewells I headed North up the hill and Justin turned South back around the far side of the pond. I continued my slow hiking pace as I was in no rush. At the far side of the hill I would again be on familiar trail for the next couple of miles. I would pass by the waterfall which dan and I had paused at last year. Between Rock and Lilypad Ponds some blowdown obscured the path for a moment and since I was creating the only footprints int he snow besides the deer, squirrel, coyote, etc... it took a moment to get around it an re-aquire the path. Was neat to see all the different animal tracks and other signs. Once at Lilypad, I took a break and had a snack for lunch. I was already way ahead on food, having not eaten my dinner the first night. A weak cell signal here so I texted Emily to let her know I was ok. A c ouple of hikers came by from my direction of travel. Perhaps I would have some footprints to follow for a bit. At the next junction I headed towards Honey Pond the rocky downhill which Justin had described. The Rock Pond brook required some creative rock hopping to stay out of the water. After the crossing I expected the lean-to to be just downstream. The trail headed up the hill and around. I wondered if the lean-to was off a side trail and the sign had been removed. I was tempted to bushwhack down the hill and follow the shore line. I didn't, and gave myself a little more time. I figured I could always turn around. A minute or so later I could see the shape of the lean-to in the distance. The trail was still headed a few degrees away from it. Staying on the path, the sign and access trail was soon visible. As expected, firewood was plentiful. I gathered enough for my own use and enough to leave for the next visitor. I made an early dinner and read the shelter log book. Had a few of my cold beverages, saving a few fot the next night. I made it past 8pm before I was in bed. Another sound sleep. I could get used to this.

Day3. 12/28 The woods were visible in the early morning light while the back of the lean-to remained dark. The light eventually pulled me out of my warm sleeping quarters. Was a chilly morning. I restarted the fire and made coffee. Another short day; just over 3 miles so I was in no hurry. After breakfast I headed back the way I came towards Lilypad. Uphill of course. Nice way to warm up. At rhe junction I sent another text to Emily and also to Tony to let him know I was still on schedule. The next portiomn of trail brought back the memory of when Dan and I dropped our packs and did a quick hike up tto the top of Pine Hill. Both HorseShoe and Crab Ponds were familiar though I had forgotten about the steep section between them and the waterfall. I paused at the waterfall for a snack just as Dan and I had done last year. I had been following the footprints from the hikers but they went off in a weird direction SE of Crab Pond. I speculated they had climbed Treadway Mtn and then bushwhacked down the far side. I passed by the campsite and nodded to the bench. I planned on stopping here for my break but the waterfall was only a few minutes ago.  After Crab Pond it was an easy downhill draw to Oxshow Pond. As the day warmed, the snow became sticky; clumping up on my micro-spikes. AMde the last bit slightly annoying. I expected collecting firewood here would not be as easy, so it was good it was bearly noon when I arrived. My initial plan for this trip was lower miles between campsites to give myself time to do day trips w/o a full pack. Later morning starts, slow walking and wood gathering limited the time to explore too far away from camp. At Oxshoe, I think I walked an extra 2 miles gathering firewood as it was. The shelter log book was brand new, so only the adopter's initial entry to read. I added my own. Had a later lunch and went to gather more firewood. Found a sping while collecting wood, so no need to melt more snow. The winds were a bit more here. Possibly a result of just being closer to the water's edge. I do not think I made it to 8pm before I was in bed. 

Day 4. 12/29 Another great night of sleep. I have slightly more than 4 miles to Rock Pond with a schedule to arrive before noon to meet Tony O. Based on my pace I wanted to be on trail close to 8am to give myself plenty of time without rushing. I used my stove to boiil water for coffee and an easy breakfast to save time. I filled up my water bottle at the spring and was on trail not long after 8. Back up the gentle hill to the junction re-tracing my steps to Lilypad where I did another text check-in with Emily and also let Tony know I was still on schedule. It was colder than i thought, I had to put on a layer during my break. I was just about halfway to Rock Pond lean-to. I figured I would get there around 11am with the easy pace. The last quarter mile or so would be the only time not following my old tracks. Upon my arrival, IU swept out the lean-to and set up my gear in one corner. I was only here about 10 or 15 minutes before Tony arrived. He re-supplied me with some cold beverages; much appreciated. Even better would be the chance to hang out with Two-Ton again. I wonderied if we had even seen each other since the trip when Rob &I met him and Sdam on the NPT. Tony reminded me we were both at Paul's winter camp; which was still quite a few years ago. Was great talking and hanging out. Had to travelk even farther for wood gathering, so this took up some of our time. Among all the great coversations we decided we needed to plan a trip instead of just waiting for time and schedule to allow it like this one. We also want to try to plan something with Justin and hopefully the 3 of us will entice Rob to come along too. Tony strung up some christmas lights in the lean-to. We stayed up quite a bit longer than I had the last few nights, but it was not too late. 

Day 5. 12/30  I think it warmed up over the night. It was definitely the warmest of all. Not too much in the last morning. Just coffee, and breakfast. Tony had planned to be home by a certain time and I had a 5+ hr drive. We had no need to rush, but we didn't dawdle too much either. I have a lot of food left; it will be interesting to see exactly what is in my food bag when I get home. We started down the trail with micro-spikes but it became clear we would be taking them off soon which we did at the first junction. The ice was melting from the trees which made it feel like raindrops. Only a few miles back to the car. A few hills to climb which really warmed me up. We passed by a few hiker groups along the way. Glad I had a change of clothes in  the car. Would be nice to get out of these. Before I chnaged, Tony and I took a selfie video and we promised to plan another excursion for next year. 

I had expected at least one day of wintry mix weather which never materialized. So 10/10 on weather for the trip. First night with Justin and final night with Tony; fantastic!  

Winter or Not? -Lake George WF

The last few years I have done a winter trip with Dan between Christmas and New Years. With 5 days, we had many options. Dan suggested a foray into the Lake George Wild Forest as it was an area neither of us have explored. This is also a heavily used area and at this time of year would see less people. Besides hiking, camping and climbing we would also go off trail in search of special trout ponds. We sent our itinerary to a few friends in case they were able to join us for part of our trip.

Day one consisted of the long drive to Lake George and then along the dirt road to the parking area nearest Shelving Rock Mt. We noticed the "no parking on road" signs all along the way, and numerous dedicated lots showing just how much use this area must get in the height of the season. We saw no cars, and no signs of people on this day. The temp was barely int he twenties as we parked the car and geared up. Tonight and the last night were fore-casted to be the coldest of the nights, with friday being unseasonably warm and rainy. As such, we had to pack for two seasons; winter and rain. That and 5 days of food made for an unusually heavier pack. The hike began along an old roadway. We noted the exquisite stonework used to shore up the edge. These old roads were much "nicer" than the old logging, or camp roads I am used to seeing. The trail, err road, wound its way up the mountain side. Soon we stopped to shed our heavy layer. A half mile shy of the summit was our trail junction, so we dropped our heavy packs and put back on our heavy layers. Towards the top, there was an area which was obviously a site of an old home, or cabin. After about 1.5 miles and 700', we reached the summit of Shelving Rock Mt. We had a nice view of Lake George looking to the South. We took a few photos and headed back down to the the junction with our awaiting packs. We paused for a snack before continuing on.

From here we would be generally going downhill. Quite steeply in places. In total losing about 600' in elevation in less than 3/4 mile to the shore of Lake George. We continued south to the edge of private land just to see the shoreline. This took us about a half mile out of our way which we would then turn around and continue for another half mile to our camping area. Our chosen site had quite a bit of cut wood apparently from off season blowdown maintenance. We collected our own from a fair distance knowing that this wood is typically for the in -season users. It was still cold, and as the sun began to set, it was getting colder. While setting up his tent, a pole snapped back and hit Dan in the eye. A few highly stressful moments as we gauged whether to abort the trip to get him some emergency help. Fortunately the pole had hit just above the eye and his eye was not damaged. We would monitor though, just to be sure. A great dinner of roast venison with rice/beans.

As predicted it got quite cold over night. Windy too. I woke up often due to the flapping of my tarp. Even with the irregular awakenings, I slept plenty. I was out of my hammock before Dan and re-started the fire. With the water almost ready Dan emerged and finished making the coffee. We ate and packed up, Today would be the toughest as we had our almost full packs and the big climb. We hiked about 2 miles to Black Mt Point all the while exploring the shoreline of the lake. The signpost here gave the mileage to Black Mt Summit as 2.75 miles with 2200' of elevation. It was still cold out, but this climb got the blood pumping and warmed us up. At the junction, 1.8 miles up and 1500' complete we had lunch to fuel us before the next 750' over the next mile. We left our packs here for the final spur trail to the summit and fire tower. As we neared the summit, a view vistas allowed us to see over Lake George and the Tongue Mtn Range. From the top of Black Mtn, we could see not only Lake George, but the other mountains in this range as well as across Lake Champlain and the Green Mtns of Vermont. A mile back to our packs and then a long quarter to our camp at Black Mountain Ponds. While getting camp set up, a two-man group stopped by. They were day hiking the Black Mtn loop. (Fred and ???) As we got our fire going, they headed out. Ground venison stroganoff for dinner. Hearty and filling to refuel after today's workout of only 6 miles, but over 2200' of elevation.

Day 3 we expected rain which came over night. Our main wood pile had glaze ice on it, but we had stashed enough under the lean-to to get a breakfast fire going. Today would be a relatively short day with a lean-to midway for a dry lunch break. As we began to pack up, I looked at my watch and noticed it was a quarter to ten. We knew we slept in, but this was later than we thought. No worries since we had a short day. We donned our rain gear and hiked down to the main trail which connects to the Pike Brook trailhead. From here we headed to Lapland Pond. We followed the shoreline for a bit until we met the trail to the lean-to. Passed bv a fishermans campsite along the way. The lean-to was messy, and the roof leaked. It was also quite low. I hit my head twice on the overhang. At the lean-to was the typical junk including some canned food. We opened a can of campbells soup and heated it up on the stove. Except for the trash, the lean-to was situated at a picturesque spot on the lake. After our break we retraced our steps back to the main trail. Dan spent a little more time looking for boats without any luck. We continued on for another mile to Millman Pond and its lean-to. This one was very nice, and not just relative to the mess at Lapland. The caretakers, ironically are Russ and Dan. According to the log book they check in quite often. The other visitors commented on the outhouse as "the nicest they have ever seen". Before we left we knew we had to at least open the door to the privy. Inside it was painted red and white. there was a nice wooden box for the tp, and the walls were decorated with watercolor paintings encased in plastic. It certainly was the "nicest outhouse" I have even seen too. It was getting later in the afternoon and we had a short two miles to go to our camp for the night at Greenland Pond. we would be arriving with a waning daylight and needed to collect wood. This reminded us both of our winter trip in the Haderondah, specifically arriving at East Pond. We gathered the scraps nearby, and eventually found some downed hardwood quite a distance away. Dan cut it up and we carried it back to the lean-to as the woods darkened. We had to get water using headlamps. even with the wet wood we got a good fire going and stashed some extra birchbark for the morning.

we had bean and cheese burritos with salsa for dinner and went to bed. It was windy over the night. Not so much it kept us up but just enough to dry out much of the wood. Starting a fire int he morning was much easier especially with the dry charred logs from our evening fire. Another short day to camp, but we would first need to find a spot. We first explored Fishbrook Pond and its 2 lean-tos before continuing on to Bumps Pond. A very nice campsite was situated on the point, but with the winds it would not work on the this trip. We continued around the pond and found a designated site at the old homestead location. The remnant chimney was still there. Dan went to look for other potential spots while I collected firewood. We spent the early afternoon setting up camp and getting more wood. We still had some time and the bushwhack to Spectacle Ponds was on our itinerary so we loaded up day packs and headed down the trail to where we took a bearing. Our path to Spectacle was rough through a lot of small spruce thickets and beaver ponds to go around. It took a little longer than we expected to get there, but we still had enough time to explore its shoreline. At the southern end we opted to take a bearing to the Bumps Pond outlet and then follow it back to the trail. This was a much better route. As the trek progressed I could feel my legs running out of gas. The last quarter mile would be climbing around a small hill and then dropping down to the trail close to where we took our original bearing. We got back to camp before sunset. The fore was ready to go, so we got it lit. As the woods darkened, we noticed the temperature dropping rapidly and the stars emerging. We expected it would be a cold night. Some soup for dinner and then a walk to the pond's shore to look up to the sky before bed.

Dan was up before first light. He gathered the dry kindling we stashed under my tarp and got the fire going. I went to get water. By the time the fire was going the woods began to brighten in the pre-dawn making our headlamps no longer necessary. We chatted and packed up. We had more miles to do today but it would be mostly downhill back to the car, this would be after we climbed Sleeping Beauty Mtn. The northern trails had a lot more snow and ice than we had been walking on the last 4 days. After climbing about 500' over about a mile, we reached a lookout and wondered how such a well marked area would not have a sign to the summit. We descended a bit and then the spur trail to the summit appeared. Sleeping Beauty overlooked Lake George and also had views to the east. we spent a little time taking photos and climbing the various rocky knobs. It was still a bit cold out, but we basked in the warmth of the morning sun. We had the summit to ourselves.

We headed down the icy trail and over the next couple miles passed quite a few groups headed up. From dacy Clearing we had a number of options to get back to the car. We made decisions at each intersection which trail to take. It was obvious these trails get very little use compared to the main trails. About a mile before the car, we stopped at a pretty waterfall for lunch. Sitting for even the short lunch break allowed us to realize it was still rather cold. We arrived back to the car and noted the lot had quite a few more vehicles. It was apparent this area is heavily used. We were fortunate to have found the solitude and steal another pre-winter backpacking trip at the end of December.

Cabin Camp in the Cold

Having a few days after Christmas to spend in the woods is always a great present to myself. I was meeting friends on Thursday in Saratoga, so I was looking for a location in the Eastern Adirondacks. I was simultaneously making plans with two other hiking buddies and it all came together to camp at a rustic cabin and hike around the Hammond Pond Wild Forest. I picked up Dan early Tuesday morning and we made our way to North Hudson. With our gear loaded into my pulk we hiked the 10 minutes to the cabin, unloaded the sled and Dan went back for the second load. Justin was already at the cabin doing some repair work. We settled in and talked about our plans.

That afternoon we hiked the trail from where we parked past Trout Pond and then to Round Pond. The pond was snow covered and the ice seemed safe so we hiked across the pond to the campsite. We kept our distance from each other just in case. We stopped at the campsite for just a few minutes and then hiked around the shore of the pond back to the trail. As we hiked back to the trail head we could already feel the temperature begin to drop. Back at the cabin, we added a load of wood to the stove and got dinner ready. I made rigatoni with tomato sauce and sausage and meatballs. We ate like champs but still had some leftover. Justin helped me with the dishes. We talked and listened to music. I went to be early before the others.

The next day was already cold, and we knew it wasn't supposed to get much warmer and the night could drop to 20 below. After a feast of breakfast we decided on our plan for the day and got our day packs set. Justin had wanted to do a loop to Eagle's Nest Lake and climb Harris Hill. We first hiked to the nearby cabin to see the view from below their deck. Then hiked on to some meadows and marshy areas on our way to the drainage that was the outlet of Eagle's Nest Lake. Along the way we walked through some stands of cedar trees, noting that there were a lot of young growth at the base of the older trees. I wondered aloud whether it was growth from the root stock of the older trees. Justin had come this way before, but only to one of the meadows right before the drainage we would then follow. We took a break near where Justin had turned around, it had been a little more than an hour since we left camp.

Dan led the way up through the drainage. There was a lot to maneuver around, over and through. Eventually the outlet was to choked in so we headed up and away from it. The Lake was close. we could see the white surface from our higher vantage point and made our way to it. We would stop here for a lunch break. we chose to sit on some logs to face the cliffs on the North side of the lake. After lunch we crossed the lake to the campsite just east of the cliffs and began our climb up. We stopped for a bit towards the top where we would turn west. There was a open area with oak trees around. We headed west gaining more elevation to eventually reach our goal, the summit of Harris Hill. The sky was clear, the trees were icy, and the view spectacular. We took some pictures and had a snack. We would continue westward to two other summits, able to see the views of the high peaks along the way. Pausing at each of the summits and other vantage points for photos and to relish in the visual experience. The last part of the hike would be almost a straight shot to the cabin and downhill through mostly open hardwoods. We headed downhill towards the setting sun and were back well before dark.

A feast of venison, chicken, swiss chard, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes was prepared. We ate and celebrated Meat Festivus 2017. I joked the only airing of grievances I had was that Rob wasn't here. We listened to music and enjoyed each others company until it was time for bed. I wasn't the first to lie down in my bunk, but I might have been the first to fall asleep. I awoke at some point in the middle of the night and added logs to the stove. The steel was cold, but there were just enough coals to get the dry wood going. In the morning it was 12 below zero. Not as cold as we expected, but still frigid. I put the water on the stove so we could have coffee and cocoa. After breakfast we cleaned up, Justin finished the last of the repairs and we closed up the cabin. Back at the car and it was still below zero. My car had a rough time getting started. Apparently other parts of the Adirondacks were much colder. Another great trip with great friends.

Arrival of Winter in the ADKS

There was a little snow on the ground when we pulled into the parking area just off Route 28. I arrived only a few minutes after Justin. We anticipated more by the end of the trip. As we loaded Justin's gear into my car, our friend Bill arrived. He would be day hiking nearby and we let him know of our plans, so he could join us at our campsite if the time allowed. At the trailhead we opted against snowshoes. Justin started with microspikes. The hiking was easy along the old jeep trail. Some bridge repairs had been made. They were not as big as I thought. It also looked as if they used vehicular support to bring in materials. We stopped at the hunters campsite I had found a few years ago. The tent was not set up this time.

Soon after the trail junction we took a general bearing and began to follow alongside the drainage to try to locate the position of an old camp we noted on the 1903 topo map. It was thick, and mucky so we began to move up and away from the drainage to higher ground. After some exploring and poking around we were quite sure we had found the general area. Justin headed down towards the stream and I poked around a bit more inland. We took a bearing for a more direct route back to the trail. This would prove much easier as it was open hardwoods. We popped out on the jeep trail just past the junction and the drainage.

We stopped at Middle Branch Lake just to look around a bit and momentarily lamented we had told Bill we would be at Middle Settlement Lake as both of us would have been happy to make camp here. I ate my lunch. Onwards we went to Middle Settlement, this would make tomorrow a much shorter day too. The distance between the two lakes isn't great, but it sure feels like it. The trail is a series of ups and downs and some wet areas as well as a stream crossing. It is a rugged little section of trail. Beavers had made a mess out of a few areas, two which required finding a way across the flooded section. The stream crossing was not as bad as it first looked. We were able to rock hop it. At the outlet of Middle Settlement Lake we somewhat expected to see footprints as there were cars in the parking area as we passed by on the way to our trailhead. Crossing the outlet is always an adventure here. As I made my way, Bill arrived. Justin and I were quite a bit later than we expected and Bill a tad earlier. It would work out well with 3 of us collecting wood.

We dropped our gear at the lean-to and began collecting firewood. With the 3 of us, we soon had a decent pile. As the sun set, the sky had a nice pinkish glow to it, and the lake was just beginning to have a thin layer of ice. We got the fire going and hung out. I was tired and ended up not even eating my dinner. I went to bed early and slept soundly. Snow came through the night. Not as much as we expected. I re-started the fire from the remaining coals and took a photo of the now snow covered lake. After breakfast we packed up and begain our hike out. The snow was gently falling for most of the hike. Bill led the way mostly. At this point I was glad we had done the extra miles the previous day. We all loaded up into Justin's car and dropped Bill off at his car, and then me at mine. A fun little adventure. Justin's video of the trip: https://youtu.be/OzFES3wGeeQ

Annual Geminid Trip to ONeil Flow

The annual trip to ONeil flow lean-to on the NPT for the Geminid Meteor Shower was to occur close to the full moon. So even if we were fortunate to have clear skies, the likelihood of seeing meteors was slim. But we went anyway, as the celestial events are just an excuse to go hang out in the woods. Any meteors or stars, etc... are just a bonus.

As the trip approached, the forecast showed diminishing temperatures and possible hazardous driving. Many people dropped out for a variety of reasons, most not due to weather. The night before, a weather advisory was issued. I sent a message to the other two who planned on joining me that the trip was still on, but could be canceled if the driving conditions warranted it. None of us were worried about being in the woods during a snow or the cold, it was the roads that worried us.

Saturday, early morning showed a little snow, but all warnings would be over by 7am. I let the others know I was heading out. I met Kody at 7am, and we both drove together to Blue Mountain Lake where we met Bill at 10:45. Donning our snowshoes and packs we set out along the NPT northbound towards Tirrel Pond. The sun was shining although the temperature was in the teens still. There was only about 6-8inches of snow. Some blowdown along the way. And the creek crossing were beginning to freeze up solid. Even with the low temperatures I was warming up quickly hiking through the snow as we were generally going uphill. At one of our many breaks (we were in no hurry) I reprimanded myself for not wearing my sunglasses. The sun reflecting off the snow was not fun. I did at least remember sunblock.

As I walked around one of the trees crossing our path, Kody opted to duck under it. From there on he would lead. We crossed the frozen streams and soon were at the turn off to the lean-to. But first we would need to cross on a narrow two-log bridge spanning the outlet. Side-stepping in snowshoes is slow, and I took each step deliberately. We paused at the pond to catch the view. Just then it started to snow ever so lightly. The haze this created over the lake in conjunction with the whites, grays, and dark greens of the lake, mountains, trees and cliffs was breathtaking. We would often walk back to this spot over the next 24 hours just to take in the view.

We dropped our packs in the lean-to and went to col

lect firewood. With three of us it went quickly and we soon had plenty. Although we joked we would run out. After the wood was all broken down, or cut with a saw. I placed a small pile beside the lean-to to be for tomorrow morning. We got the fire going and set up our sleeping gear. The sun was at the edge of the hillside, so we knew it would be getting dark soon , and the temp would also begin to drop considerably. We ate, we drank, we laughed and added more layers. When dinner was over, we loaded the larger logs onto the fire. The moon began to rise behind the lean-to and the first stars became visible. Venus and Mars also made their appearance known. We headed down to the beach area to look up at the sky. I was significantly colder here by the lake than by the fire. The sky was beautiful and provided a grand accent to the view during the day which was now illuminated by moonlight. We stared upwards for a short time but soon opted for the warmth of the fire. No meteor sightings, but we joked about telling Diana we saw a bunch. Diana was planning on joining us, but came down with the flu. She was bummed about having to miss it. A couple more times during the evening we would come to the beach to look skyward.

Not sure how late we actually stayed up, but it couldn't have been that late. The fire crackled for quite some time during the night. Each time I awoke for brief moments, I could see the dancing glow of the fire within the lean-to. It certainly got cold, my sleeping bag was zipped up almost all the way. It was till dark and Kody's alarm went off. I suppose he forgot to turn it off from yesterday. I posited 6am out loud. Kody replied 5, time to go back to sleep. So we all did. The first to eventual emerge was Bill. He restarted the fire which had a good amount of coals. I went to get water from the hole I cut in the ice previously. I had to cut through almost an inch of new ice. We had listened to the lake make ice all night. With water in the pot and fire it the pit, coffee and cocoa would soon be had. I also cooked up a leftover bratwurst.

All cleaned up and packed we set back down the trail to the cars. The sun was beginning to shine again. There was a dusting of fresh powder in our tracks. No idea of the time, but it was early still. Made it back quickly and at the trail register was the forest ranger. He had seen our cars as was just checking the register to see if the people who had signed in were overdue. Since it was just us, he asked about the snow conditions, and blowdown. With a quick report we all walked back down the trail to the vehicles. Car was slow to start. It was only the high teens and 10:30am. We waved goodbye to Bill, and headed to the diner as both Kody and I had burgers on our mind.

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.

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.

As Cold as Ice -Kelly's Point

02/20/2016 As Cold as Ice -Kelly's Point

For the second trip in a row I would be heading back to Long Lake. I would be leaving the deep snow of home to a few inches in the Adirondacks. It is usually the reverse. The first day temps were forecasted to be a high of 19*F with a nighttime low of -6*F. The sky would be clear all day and through the night explaining the low temps. The second and third day would be above freezing. I dislike having to pack for trips like this as the cold weather gear is way overkill for the warmer temps. I brought my pulk and snowshoes just in case there was enough snow.

Arriving a late morning the temps had risen to about 11*, so I geared up my sled and strapped the snowshoes on top. I wore microspikes on my boots. Since the last time I was here only a few people had signed in to the trail register. None going further than Catlin Bay. Downhill with the pulk is very easy. A few blowdowns were easily bypassed. I paused at the inlet stream by Catlin Bay to gauge the ice. There were a few places downstream where water could be seen through a crack. Testing each foot with my poles I crossed with ease. I could hear how thick it was by tapping the metal point of my pole on the ice. I paused at Catlin Bay to grab a quick snack and read the shelter log. A couple had signed in writing in their native tongue, but I could not tell what language. Only another 3 miles to Kelly's Point. My only concern was crossing the stream just after Hidden Cove. I figured if I could not find a way across, I could go back to Hidden Cove.

I pressed on and after slowly descending the steep decline to the aforementioned stream, I could see it was frozen. Still not wanting to tempt fate, I crossed upstream where I could minimize my contact with the ice. My crossing spot was dotted with rocks and “islands” instead of a giant solid sheet. A few more blowdowns and another sketchy crossing and soon Blueberry Mtn came into view. I had contemplated climbing this and/or Kempshall Mtn tomorrow as something to do during the day. But who was I kidding, I am a flatlander. Especially when solo. As I left the view of Blueberry, Kelly's Point came into view. There are two-lean-tos at the site of a former Hotel/ Camp. The remnant foundations and stone staircase are all that remains. I set up camp and began to collect wood. There was little snow near the lean-to so I would have to collect it from farther away. I had enough water left to make lunch, so I did that first. I cooked up a venison sausage but opted against having soup. After lunch I gathered more wood. I planned on staying all three days here. I also filled my sled with snow from farther away to use as a water source.

Unlike last trip, the snowmobiles decided to use the lake. First it was a lone sled heading north with quite a bit of gear dragging behind. A few hours later a line of 6 sleds headed the same direction. These 6 would return after dinner. One had engine trouble right across the lake from Kelly's Point. For dinner, I had some jambalaya and added an andouille sausage. I made half of the stew and some hot cocoa. The temp was already dropping. The sky was clear allowing for some stargazing. As is typical for me, once the sun sets I am ready for bed. I try to fight it as long as possible, especially in winter due to the long nights. The night was still... and cold.

I awoke before dawn. Warm and rested. I restarted the fire and went back to my hammock to sit. I soon snuggled back into my bag and fell asleep. I re-awoke after the sun had risen. I defrosted my food for breakfast instead of taking the easy way out and making oatmeal. It took longer, but was worth it. Bacon, sausage, and cheese on bagel with coffee. A lot of fat to stoke the internal furnace. It might have warmed to about zero degrees by then.

After eating I walked over to the other lean-to to read the shelter log. A corner had gotten wet and so the pages were frozen together. Not wanting to tear it, I could only open it a little. Just enough to read one entry from the ADK trail crew's work last august digging new holes for the privies. The desire to climb anything today was gone, so instead of sitting around I figured I would break camp and go back to Catlin Bay. This would allow me to save some time the next day. I stopped at a few tent sites along the way and made lunch at Hidden Cove; the second half of my jambalaya. No one had been there since my last visit. I was back to Catlin Bay in the early afternoon. It was already considerably warmer than the previous day.

I gathered wood and water and took a short hike to the other lean-to on the peninsula. According to the shelter log, no one had been there since our trip in Thanksgiving. I find that hard to believe. More than likely people just didn't sign in. back at the other lean-to I prepared dinner and the winds started to pick up. A few drop of rain between the winds provided contrast from the previous night.

I again awoke before dawn, but this time went right back to sleep. I think it warmed up over night. I had the same breakfast as yesterday, but more coffee. I cleaned up and loaded my sled. There was about a half inch of fresh snow, it was wet and sticky. It would clog up my microspikes. Like walking on glue paper. It was only a mile back to the car, but mostly uphill. I warmed up pretty quickly. Took off gloves and hat before reaching the trail register in the late AM.

Winter Solitude at Hidden Cove, Long Lake, NY

02/07/2016 Winter Solitude at Hidden Cove, Long Lake, NY

After this past Thanksgiving Weekend trip to Long Lake, I knew I needed to spend more time along its shores outside of the busy boating season. I somewhat expected snowmobiles to be riding the lake this weekend. Perhaps they usually do, but the recent warm temps might have made over-ice travel inadvisable. Other locales had experienced thin ice accidents recently. So I headed out to Hidden Cove Lean-to about 2 miles down the NPT.

There was little snow on the trail but I carried snowshoes anyways, just in case. The trail was icy with a light layer of fluffy snow. I had left my crampons in the car, so I donned the snowshoes for the traction they provided.. I made it to Catlin Bay quite quickly. I carefully crossed the inlet stream on the ice bridges. I was very tentative due to the recent warm weather. I stopped at Catlin Bay Lean-to #1 just to take a break and read the shelter log. I made my entry and noted a few others from the NPT Chapter and was on my way.

While the tread was obvious along the trail, it was also obvious no one had been here for a while. Boot marks had filled in with snow and the only tracks visible were mine and the animals.

Just me and the wildlife in the #adirondacks. Squirrel tracks and his lunch leftovers. pic.twitter.com/iy68LXmmNT

— DuctTape (@DuctTapeADK) February 7, 2016

I was enjoying myself so much I walked right past the unmarked trail to Hidden Cove. I didn't realize my mistake until I got to the stream crossing a quarter mile past it. I turned around and headed back. The “official” unmarked trail was a little farther back, so When the lake got back into view I headed towards it and intersected with the approach trail. I noted potential firewood gathering spots as I hiked in.

At the lean-to I flipped through the log book and began my entry. It was early afternoon and I had the rest of the day and night all to myself. If the snow machines were going to be out on the lake, I surely would have seen or heard them by now. Instead it was just me and the solitude of the lake. I unpacked a few items and went to gathering wood. It didn't take long to get a small pile for the next morning squared away. I set it aside and prepped the rest. I took breaks here and there since I was enjoying the calm day. Now and again snow would begin to fall. The real light fluffy kind that barely covers anything but looks pretty. I checked out the lake ot see if it would be easy to get water. It seemed quite thick. There was a crack near shore which showed at least a foot of ice. The light fluffy snow on top was easily brushed aside to reveal hard clear ice. Would be great for skating. As is my rule when I am solo, I do not venture on the ice ever.

Quiet solitude on Long Lake in the #adirondacks. pic.twitter.com/QVGZ1p0GyK

— DuctTape (@DuctTapeADK) February 7, 2016

I found some decent sized downed beech and maple so I brought hose back to camp. Between them and what I had previously gathered, I would have enough wood to get by. It turns out I had more than enough and left a good supply for the next people. I had a late lunch of hambuger potato soup and some cocoa. I wasn't very hungry but I knew I should eat something. I never did eat my dinner though. There were some word search books on the shelf, so I wasted a few minutes doing a page. I read “The Call of the Wild” out loud. Service's poetry was meant to be read aloud.

I went to bed just as it was starting to get dark. One of my favorite things about winter solo camping is the shear quantity of sleep I get. I tossed a bunch of the bigger logs onto the fire and climbed into my hammock. I could see the fire from my hammock if I turned just the right way. I was soon asleep. I awoke once during the night and tossed a few more branches on the fire. I was awake before the sun. I restarted the fire and melted some snow. Having coffee as the night becomes day is such an amazing experience especially when in a place like this. I thought about those longer distance trips I do in the summer when I do the same thin; have coffee and watch the sun come up. On those trips, I have already hiked a few miles. A couple of mergansers flew by, some making their grunt sounds. I thought they only did this for alarming of predators. Perhaps the coyotes were still around.

The hike out was uneventful. Mostly uphill, but only two miles. My snowshoes were loud on the ice and snow. I stopped quite often just to listen. I thought I heard voices at one point, but this was not likely unless it was carrying from across the lake. There were fresh footprints though. The trail register recorded a group 5 day hiking yesterday. They had signed in to go to Catlin Bay, but appeared to have gone almost to my campsite. I wonder if they missed my tracks when I turned off the trail. The car thermometer read 27 degrees. A nice quiet 24 hour trip into the woods.

The Call of the Wild -Chase Lake

01/24/2016 The Call of the Wild -Chase Lake

A last minute getaway to the woods. The wild is calling...where to go? Looking at my to-do list, Chase Lake in the southern Adirondacks has a lean-to I haven't visited. Plus the trail is gentle enough for me to test out the repaired pulk. Hiking companion from this past summer, Ben, joined me. I picked up Ben at 6am and we headed out. The forecast was for high in the 20's and overnight lows close to 0. No precipitation expected contrasted with the storm hitting the eastern seaboard. We would be in the Adirondacks and getting no snow, while Washington D.C. would get almost 2-ft.

On the trail at 9:30am with the temp in the mid teens but rising. Trail was broken out by snowshoes and bare boots. The snow wasn't deep but the crampons on the snowshoes would provide great traction. The first mile of trail went easy through the mixed hemlock forest. The snow crunched under our shoes. Even though it was in the teens, I could feel myself heating up already. I had on my pack and was also dragging the mostly empty pulk. I tried to remember to keep drinking water. I have a bad habit of not drinking enough water in the winter. The beginning of the trail wound its way around private land before following an old woods rd towards the lake. After 1.6 miles we reached the junction to the old lean-to site. We headed down the newer section of trail which was a nice meander through the woods. Gentle ups and downs with a few small stream crossings. Easy with the packed snow. The lake began to come into view and we continued along the trail as it headed down towards the lean-to. 2.6 miles covered in an hour and a half with a few short breaks.

It was just about lunch time, so Ben set up his gear and had a bite while I headed up the hill to scout for firewood. I found a nice spot with plenty of wood in the area and began to collect. I carried down a few long sections to camp and returned up the hill with my pulk and saw. I had the pulk half full when Ben arrived to help out. He took over the cutting, and when the sled was full I brought it down to camp. Back at the top I finished cutting what was left and we brought the next sled load and a few other branches down. It was plenty of wood for our needs.

I gathered some tinder and got the fire going. While it grew I set up my sleeping arrangements. We had the rest of the day to lounge around, and eat. We checked out the lake which was quite frozen. Too thick to punch through for water, so we would be melting snow. In the later afternoon we were visited by a gentleman named Vince and his Black Lab. Vince had skied in just for the day. Vince mentioned in was 19 degrees when he headed down the trail. He went down to the lake and then headed home. While sitting in the lean-to looking out over the frozen lake I commented on just how perfect it was. No matter what is going on back in civilization, right now here was perfect. Ben mentioned how others don't understand why we would do this. They don't understand how enjoyable sitting in the woods in the middle of winter can be. It isn't something one can explain, only experience. I commented about my favorite poem, Call of the Wild by Robert Service and how many of his writings captured these types of experiences. Well, even though the days are getting longer, dark still comes early. We would have close to a full moon to provide significant illumination throughout the night. The clear sky also foretold the temperature drop we would experience.

I fell asleep early and only got up once in the middle of the night. In the AM, I tried to stay in bed as long as possible but soon my bladder won that battle. Ben was already up and heating water for coffee, the moonlight had still not given way to the sun. I started a warming fire as Ban poured me some hot water for coffee. By the time the fire was going the sun began to light up the eastern sky. I went down to the lake to watch the sky change colors.

We packed up in shifts between breakfast and sitting around. We were still on the trail around 8 am. It was still rather cold and the sun was glistened off the snow. The crystals refracted the sunlight and the snow sparkled with greens and blues. A few reds and yellows could also be seen. Unfortunately the camera could not capture the effect. Continuing on I took many short breaks just to listen to the silence and gaze into the woods. The hike back to the car went just as quickly as the hike in. There were two more cars in the lot when we arrived. According to the trail register a group was heading to some cliffs to do some ice-climbing. Another great 24 hours in the woods. I suppose I should quote some Robert Service as a few lines from Call of the Wild were quite apropos.

“Have you known the Great White Silence,
not a snow-gemmed twig aquiver?
...
Then hearken to the Wild -- it’s wanting you.

Cascade Lake and falls

01/18/2016 Cascade Lake and falls

MLK weekend usually has me solo due to the extreme cold and most do not have a 3-day weekend. This year, I was only going overnight as an approaching storm could possibly strand me past the 3rd day. This made it easier to head out with friends who also were going Sat-Sun. Justin, Rob and I decided to go to Cascade Lake, which was the original plan for post Christmas. Dan also joined us at the last minute. Chris was a newcomer to the group. Leaving home at 5am, and getting Chris at 5:30, then Dan and lastly Rob. The car was loaded with people and gear. Justin was at the trailhead when we arrived. He was only minutes ahead of us. We loaded up our packs and pulks and headed down the trail. Surprised there were no ski tracks as this is a popular x-country ski loop. There were old snowshoe tracks however.

Gentle terrain through the woods for about a quarter mile to the old roadway. Cascade Lake used to have a girls camp on the far north side. This old roadway was the remnants from the camp. Another quarter mile and we reached the junction for the loop around the lake. We opted for counterclockwise due to potential swampyness around the other way. Our destination was just off trail near the inlet where a waterfall cascaded over the ridge. This was the inlet to the lake and where the lake derived its name. The trail was easy and conversation made the miles go quickly. The last half mile, one of the poles on my pulk broke. Apparently the pin I had glued in to hold it somehow worked itself out. A quick field repair to use the pulk with a single pole was made.

At camp chris declared he would be happy to just hang out here. Funny since he was the one who had originally wanted to do much more exploring and miles in the 5 ponds wilderness. With the food and beverage, we didn't venture far from camp. 5 people makes gathering wood easy. Especially in an area off trail where few camp. Soon we had a nice fire and we began our feasting. Starting with hot dogs, then jambalaya, marinated chicken breast and venison steaks. Lots of laughs to go with.

Eventually night came and headed into our tents and hammocks. The overnight low was in the teens, but I was very warm. We received some additional snow, but not much. In the AM, the fire was restarted and we feasted some more. Since we didn't have far to go we dawdled in the AM before packing up and heading out. On the eay out we passed by 3 groups of snowshoers day hiking the loop.

Some videos from the trip:

2012 in Review

12/15/2012 Caves and Birds -Brewer Lake NY 1 5.00

This was supposed to be an easy trip with my buddy Ian last weekend. Due to circumstances beyond our control we postponed it to this weekend. I got an early start and headed in to brewer Lake. It is a relatively short hike in... a gradual uphill the entire way except for the last quarter mile. Easy trail which doubles as a snowmobile trail in winter. I wonder where I will park in the winter. Once at the lake, I began the bushwhack around to the secret campsite. The rocks here make some great caves and overhangs. The firepit has been meticulously maintained as well as the rest of the site. While waiting for Ian to arrive I heard a knocking on the other side of the boulders. I inched closer to see what was making the noise when a decent sized bird flew out towards the lake. I only caught a glimpse until he rotated around the tree trunk from where he landed. His profile was unmistakable as was his color. It was a pileated woodpecker! I have seen them more and more often the last few years. This site must not be used by many as there is plenty of downed firewood close by. The trailhead register shows most people only day hike to the lake. few probably even know about this campsite. My bet is just the locals who use the hidden canoe to get to it. The canoe is gone now, either hidden in a new spot or brought home for the winter. I am certain to carry in my canoe next summer. With a fire going, I began to cook up some bratwurst. I received a text from Ian. Work has delayed him for too long and he won't make it. He was quite disappointed. I finished my dinner and relaxed by the fire. The sun was setting and the air was cooling down quickly. As the day turned to night, the sliver of moon appeared as did the stars. I was hoping to catch a few remnants of the Geminids in the early AM. I went to be early and awoke while it was dark. the sky had turned cloudy and no meteors would be seen. Back in my cocoon, I fell back asleep. The glow of the AM was my sign to arise. A quick cup of cocoa and I packed up.  

11/25/2012 Thanksgiving Weekend -Moss Lake and Queer Lake NY 2 11.00

Thanksgiving is typically experienced traveling across the town, state or country and sometimes to multiple locations. Often people are invited and no one knows who will show up or when, if ever. Some will have to leave early... plans change. Food is incredible. People bring dishes to share, there are often many different libations and in general, there is a lot of food and drink.

Well this Thanksgiving weekend trip had all the above. Starting Thursday AM, George (from hf.com) and I met at the Moss Lake trailhead and hiked around the lake to find a good site for the day. After setting up camp and eating some lunch we decided to scrampble up the rocky North side ridge. This was steep, real steep. The leaf litter made it quite slippery and also hid the broken-ankle-pockets between boulders. After climbing up a few hundered feet and looking over Moss Lake (and catching our breath) we headed back to camp. Dead and down firewood was plentiful and we started a small fire. I heated up some packets of thanskgiving dinner (leftovers from my Wed night turkey dinner) and we drank our own libations. The sun set and the stars appeared as did the bright moon. In an area which gets much summer traffic we had the place to ourselves except for the few day hikers which passed by seemingly unaware of our presence. Morning broke to a blazing red sunrise over the lake. George toyed with his new camera, the shots will certainly come out nicely. We packed up camp and headed out to the Queer Lake trailhead.

The plan was to meet Ian here and then we would hike in to Queer Lake with possibly Erik arriving later. A message from Ian indicating car trouble and letting us know that he wouyld meet us at the campsite. So george and I began our hike in. In not to long we were removing some layers since the day was beginning to warm ... as were we. We stopped and chatted for a while and soon heard voices. Not far behind us was Ian and Erik. We saddled up our unusually heavy packs and all 4 continued on the everchanging terrain of this trail We crossed numerous creeks and hiked up and down ridges for apparently no reason. We soon made it to Queer lake. But as its name suggests, the lake is strange. We needed to hike another mile to get to a point only a few hundred feet away. This was due to the odd shaped shoreline of the lake. At camp we set up, relaxed and the reasons for our heavy packs soon appeared. Erik with a gallon and a half of a good german beer, Ian with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy along with a few dozen hot dogs and rolls, George with a few bottles of a nice whiskey and enough summer sausage for a small army, and myself with enough steaks that we would have to carry out at least 2 pounds of uneaten beef the next day. Wood here is scarce as the campsite is in a grove of hemlock, so we had to travel a bit to gather some good stuff. We soon had a fire going, beer was flowing and food was being consumed. We barely even noticed the weather had turned sour. It was raining and windy, but we were smiling and joking around. Most likely alcohol induced. At some point in time, no one really knew we were in bed. Erik in the leanto and the other three of us in our hammocks. The overnight weather was a mix of everything mother nature could throw at us. We awoke to a few inches of snow and a chilly temp.

It wasn't until after george and I got a fire going did Erik decide to extricate himself from the warmth of his sleeping bag (either that or his bladder won out) and we heard Ian rustling about. It was later int he AM than we had expected and we discussed the plans for the day. Ian had had a rough night due to his back, so we decided to spend the day  and then head out. We cooked up a bunch more of the food and looked at he remaining beer. Concern that we would have to carry out unfinished beer was a depressing thought which vanished when a a couple of day hikers showed up. They were impressed with the steaks cooking on the rocks and although they didn't take advantage of our generosity in that area, they did accept a beer. I suppose they heard our pleadings that we didn't want to carry it out. With full stomachs and the snow again beginning to fall we headed back. It took us quite a bit longer to get out even with our now much lighter packs due to Ian's back injury. But we did eventually make it. Thus ended my annual thanskgiving trip to Queer Lake and my first snow trip of the season. Between the snow, the bright moon, the winds, and Ian's injury it all reminded me of my favorite writer, Robert Service and his well known story the Cremation of Sam McGee. 

There are strange things done in the midnight sun

By the men who moil for gold;

The Arctic trails have their secret tales

That would make your blood run cold;

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,

But the queerest they ever did see

Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge

I cremated Sam McGee.

10/21/2012 The Queen of the Woods -East Pine Pond NY 1 19.00

Looking at the 1910 USGS map of the HaDeRondah wilderness  shows a "road" which cut through the major "trail" section of the northern zone. Trail is in quotes due to this being a minimal maintenance area so it is not your typical trail. The DEC even posts that significant orienteering skill may be necessary to navigate the area. So I contacted my friend justin who, like me, enjoys bushwhacking and trying to find old trails, and camps. I sent him a simple message, "Look at the 1910 USGS Map for Thendara, do you see what I see?" He replied immediately, "When are we going?" This past weekend would be past peak for the leaves, so it would be easier bushwhacking as all the hobblebush would be clear and out visibility would be at a maximum. We met at the TH at 8:30 and hiked into East Pond where I stayed a few weeks ago. We then continued on to Blackfoot Pond to check it out. It really should be called Blackfoot pondS as there are a couplee small ponds all in the one area. We didn't find a spot to camp that was better than East pond (though we did find a neat waterfall cascading down from the ridgeline towards one of the ponds. Back at East, we setup camp and had lunch. With daybacks we hiked back to the junction and made our way down the little used trail. Recent rains had made the trail quite sloppy and the beavers don't help either. After a mile or so, we looked for any signs of where an old "road" would be. Not seeing anything, and not really expecting to, we took a bearing and headed along the contour of an unnamed hill which the "road" hugged. We moved up and down the contours attempting to find any terrain which a road would have used. A few times we thought we might be on it, but the thought quickly dissipated. we held our bearing for a while and then realized we needed to be a bit farther East, so we took a bearing and headed "down" the contours from which we then recalibrated and followed the contour around the hill. We kept our eye on our compass as we knew our heading would be slowing shifting from south to west. Once we were heading west along the southern shoulder of the hill, we could see the next hill in the distance. At the notch netween the two, the countour would be heading almost due north and this would be our aid to head down the contours to the marshy area. At the notch, a small stream was flowing, which really wasn;t a surprise for this area. We followed it down to the just above the marsh and then stayed the ridge just above the marsh. This was the area in which the old maps showed the camps. Seeing a few promising places, but nothing significant we continued to the next rivulet and crossed it to catch a view of the meadow here. At a high point just above the meadow was a nice vantage point so we climbed up the few feet. One could quickly see why hunters of old would travel and camp here. At this vantage point was also a single old growth White Pine. She majestically stood watch over the meadow. I dubbed her the queen of the woods. We sat beneath her and had a snack. We wondered aloud whether the old hunters also sat here gazing over the meadow awaiting a prized buck and what stories the Queen held. We decided to head back as we had less than two hours of sunlight left. We slowly retraced our steps along the area of the old camps looking for any signs. we discovered a cliff face in the area which I am sure the old hunters would have also explored. Back at the notch, we decided to use it as a handrail to the North and back to the "marked" trail. The terrain wasn't easy, but it would be much shorter than our original approach. We hit our mark right where the topo said we would and quickly made our way back to camp. We were both tired and Jenny's (the dog) pads were getting tender. At camp we started a fire, got dinner going and reminisced about our off trail adventure. While we didn't find any signs of manmade history, the cliff and majestic white pine made the trip all worth it.