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." 

Andrew Wyeth

Super Moon on Piseco Lake

We had the superior luck of having perfect weather for our recent camping trip on Piseco Lake. We even were graced with a spectacular supermoon.

(photos here)

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.

In the effort to find a bit of solitude we decided to camp just off Pharaoh Lake on Whortleberry Pond. It's just 0.3 miles off the main lake but it seems to receive few overnight visitors. The trail is not maintained but isn't very hard to follow. Upon arriving we noticed what appeared to be a cache of firewood covered in a blue tarp. There was also the remnants of a canoe, a separate cache of (full) cases of beer, and a large hidden boat. Other than the blue tarp, most of it was well hidden. We found the stashes while collecting firewood. I personally find it distracting to the backcountry experience but a DEC Ranger who visited us on the second night explained that you can apply for a permit to allow for a temporary hunting camp to be established.

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.

sacandaga campground.

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(more pictures here - including some pretty frightening dobsonfly pics)

a lot of laughing.

you know, the following pictures might not accurately capture all of this past weekend's camping trip to lake harris. scratch that-they definitely don't.
how could you encapsulate a gigantic amount of awesome laughter, abundant food, positive energy, and fireside banter into a handful of photos?
we were surrounded by amazing people all with the same brash sense of humor and an excellent recall for eighties movies. it made for conversations that always ended in brays of laughter that were so intense your cheeks hurt from the effort.
we considered who our doppelgangers would be and tried to determine their names.
we debated whether that streak across the crystal clear night sky was actually the milky way or just a "bunch of clouds". (it's definitely the milky way.)
there were bald eagles and a roving bunch of very large raccoons who pillaged our food on the second night.
did i mention there was a lot of laughing?