I've spent most of the last two weeks in nature, off the grid and relaxing. No email, no internet, no cell phone service = happy. If you are so inclined you can see pictures here and here.
Showing posts with label backpacking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label backpacking. Show all posts
Soft Maple Sketch
I've spent most of the last two weeks in nature, off the grid and relaxing. No email, no internet, no cell phone service = happy. If you are so inclined you can see pictures here and here.
Let the Camping Season Commence
"When I'm alone in the woods, across the fields, I forget all about myself. I don't exist...but if I'm suddenly reminded of myself, that I'm me - then everything falls to pieces."
Whortleberry Pond
It's been way too many years since I've been into the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. My last trip was a solo backpacking adventure. Perhaps the reason it's taken me so long to return is the reputation the area has for unruly and garbage-spreading visitors. I've seen bags of garbage left at lean-tos, empty food packages left in fire pits, and cigarette butts galore. Despite this, the area is absolutely stunning and there has been an increased effort to clean up the area and enforce backcountry regulations.
Moving on from the slightly creepy caches we found a perfect campsite right on the northeastern edge of the pond. On the second day we took a walk to Pharaoh Lake to explore. I was surprised to see empty lean-tos and campsites. I was, unfortunately, not surprised to hear a group firing off pistol rounds at the northern end of the lake - which the aforementioned ranger explained was also legal.
For such a small mileage investment, Pharaoh Lake really gives a great payoff. The area was a mushroom hunters dream, and a birdwatchers dream, and a fisherman's dream. I would just recommend that you head in on an off day to be sure to find a campsite and to enjoy the area without distractions.(More photos here.)
skylight - #44
we are only one dayhike away from becoming 46rs after this weekend's backpacking trip. we spent three days camped at flowed lands and climbed mt skylight. so many people say this is their favorite high peak and after seeing the summit on a clear day i can understand why.
many more pictures here.
many more pictures here.
successful none the less.
perhaps it was the amount of time since our last backpack. perhaps it was the declining frequency of our gym visits. perhaps it was an over ambitious plan. perhaps it is the nature of aging. i don't recall when post-trip expectation switched from muscle aches to joint pain.
regardless, our backpacking trip was shortened by one day and one mountain peak. (poor skylight, we just keep shirking you! this time it was due to a trail-less behemoth named allen mountain-trip report to follow in a separate post).
we started from the upper works trailhead outside of newcomb on independence day. it's the first time we have hiked this trail in a few years and the re-routing caused by hurricane irene is obvious. the calamity brook trail, some of which is newly cut, now follows the north side of the brook for the beginning portion. one of my favorite suspension bridges was washed away. i feel fortunate to have gotten some pictures of it to refer back to.
we headed for a campsite off of flowed lands that is new to us and a bit out of the way. it turns out that the livingston point campsite was the highlight of the trip. livingston point is on the east shore of flowed lands, 0.6 miles from the junction of the calamity brook and hanging spear falls trails. it initially climbs up above flowed lands only to descend back to water level. it seemed clear that the trail and the camping areas saw much less use than other sites in the vicinity.
just prior to arriving at the camp area, we passed a fresh pile of bear scat in the trail. it seems this was nature's foreshadowing as that bear, apparently a mama with three cubs, visited our bear-proof food canisters early on the second morning of our adventure. our food was safe but our neighbors across flowed lands were not so lucky. we heard them banging pots and calling, 'hey bear' for quite some time around dusk. crossing paths with a DEC officer on the trail out, we learned that that group had left juice and cooking dishes out, a big no-no in the eastern high peaks.
we chose to take the campsite rather than the leanto due to its proximity to the water and also because of the view. much of the time not on the trail was spent staring out over flowed lands towards mt marshall, iroquois peak, algonquin and mt colden. there was orange hawkweed growing throughout the campsite. we were visited by all types of birds and a brave little chipmunk. there were also tons of little, tiny baby frogs hopping around.
no one else came through the livingston point camps the entire time we were there and the leanto remained vacant. we enjoyed two nights without the need for a rainfly, caught the sunset and saw the stars.
despite the aching hips and knees, we covered 27 miles and had one of the most memorable adirondack backpacks in recent memory.
regardless, our backpacking trip was shortened by one day and one mountain peak. (poor skylight, we just keep shirking you! this time it was due to a trail-less behemoth named allen mountain-trip report to follow in a separate post).we started from the upper works trailhead outside of newcomb on independence day. it's the first time we have hiked this trail in a few years and the re-routing caused by hurricane irene is obvious. the calamity brook trail, some of which is newly cut, now follows the north side of the brook for the beginning portion. one of my favorite suspension bridges was washed away. i feel fortunate to have gotten some pictures of it to refer back to.
we headed for a campsite off of flowed lands that is new to us and a bit out of the way. it turns out that the livingston point campsite was the highlight of the trip. livingston point is on the east shore of flowed lands, 0.6 miles from the junction of the calamity brook and hanging spear falls trails. it initially climbs up above flowed lands only to descend back to water level. it seemed clear that the trail and the camping areas saw much less use than other sites in the vicinity.
just prior to arriving at the camp area, we passed a fresh pile of bear scat in the trail. it seems this was nature's foreshadowing as that bear, apparently a mama with three cubs, visited our bear-proof food canisters early on the second morning of our adventure. our food was safe but our neighbors across flowed lands were not so lucky. we heard them banging pots and calling, 'hey bear' for quite some time around dusk. crossing paths with a DEC officer on the trail out, we learned that that group had left juice and cooking dishes out, a big no-no in the eastern high peaks.we chose to take the campsite rather than the leanto due to its proximity to the water and also because of the view. much of the time not on the trail was spent staring out over flowed lands towards mt marshall, iroquois peak, algonquin and mt colden. there was orange hawkweed growing throughout the campsite. we were visited by all types of birds and a brave little chipmunk. there were also tons of little, tiny baby frogs hopping around.no one else came through the livingston point camps the entire time we were there and the leanto remained vacant. we enjoyed two nights without the need for a rainfly, caught the sunset and saw the stars.despite the aching hips and knees, we covered 27 miles and had one of the most memorable adirondack backpacks in recent memory.
oh, hi there.
happy july to you all. it's hard to believe that summer has only just begun. it seems that the vegetable garden and the flowers are so much further along than usual. it also seems that every spare moment of time has been filled with some task or activity.here is an abbreviated list of some recent happenings:
•we put new floor in the kitchen and pantry.
•we celebrated adam's 35th birthday at one of our local favorite restaurants, bistro tallulah.
•a gloriously uneventful day was spent on lake george.
•i unexpectedly learned of the death of a client of more than seven years in a sudden and unexplained way.
•i made a small effort to restart written correspondence.
•two new recipes made it into the repertoire: honey habanero tofu and carrot cake cookies.
•i updated my illustration website a wee bit.
•we spent a relaxed day catching up with friends, being charmed by their children, and floating around glen lake.
•and finally, we're getting our packs ready for the first backpacking trip in quite some time. we have four days in the backcountry lined up with the goal of hiking both allen mountain and mt skylight.
(whew, no wonder i'm tired.)
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