Northeast Wild

CASCADE POND 10/3/19 - The 3-mile red trail via Rock Pond had a fair amount of mud & blowdown. A helicopter landed on Cascade Pond in the Blue Ridge Wilderness, stayed ~5 minutes - possibly the state stocking fish. Colors are at peak & maple leaves are falling, Whiteface reported some snow!!! It will be past peak in the Adks over Columbus Day weekend which is on the late side this year. Feb 22, 2017 - NPT thru the Lake Durant Campground into the Blue Ridge Wilderness. After 2 miles took a L on unofficial path to SP. Skied along the pond with view of Blue Ridge to lean-to site. NPT uphill N to junction then L to CP. Checked out the outlet cascade then to the lean-to, no-one had written in the logbook this year. Skied S on the pond for the view N to Blue Mtn. Mostly downhill on way back. ~20" of heavy wet snow - skiing ok but slow, hard to turn in untracked snow, sunk in ~3"; NPT to SP had light snowshoe use. Elevations 1,800'-2,200'. 9.3 m...

Avalanche Pass gets all the attention when discussing thru-trips on skis but it has some problems - It is a long drive between start and finish (so it is most often done with 2 groups going in opposite directions and doing a key exchange), plus there is almost as much uphill as there is downhill. So here are some thru-trips that have a short drive/bike/walk/ski between trailheads and have much more in the way of elevation loss. Some old trip reports: OLD FARM-HALFWAY BROOK-RAYMOND BROOK starts at 1,800', climbs to >2,200', drops to The Vly 2,030', >2,300' on Raymond Brook trail, end at North Creek Ski Bow1,000'. Mar 26, 14 - From Old Farm Trailhead.  Gain 500' on Halfway Brook trail passing jctn to Botheration Pond then dropping over 200' to The Vly with its view of Gore Mtn.  (Coyote trapping in this area - keep your dog on trail).  Crossed Barton Mines Rd to Raymond Brook trail to top of pass.   Feb 11, 2015 - RAYMOND BROOK & spu...

The Lake Ann lean-to has since been refurbished. Bonita Lake & Lake Ann at Moreau Lake SP, Hennig Preserve, Anchor Diamond:     Article - click here Jan 25 - More SARATOGA SPA STATE PARK skiing, from Warming Hut. Needed to check out the non-golf course skiing. Passed Victoria Pool, crossed North South Rd & picked up the 5-Mile Trail (aka Geyser Trail) at the Ferndell Pavillion, the only well-marked trail I've seen in the park & it is most interesting with lots of sights along the way, more wooded than the golf course, intermediate skiing, some roots & rocks showing with 5" (should be fine if there is 10"+) - don't look for it on the ski trail map, look here https://parks.ny.gov/…/SaratogaSpa2015SaratogaSpaTrailMap.p… . Also did the Peerless Trail & some exploring. Attractions include Geyser Brook (the smell!) (which is a tributary of Kayaderosseras Creek), Island Spouter, Karista Spring, Peerless Pool, disc golf course, SPAC. Saw a red-belli...

April 28, 2016 - Hike from 13th Lake on the newer red trail off from the Peaked Mtn Pond trail, 500' gain in 1 mile. Checked out the campsites at the pond. Flowering: yellow violets, spring beauties; purple trillium just starting to come out. Some mud, but not too bad. 8.2 miles, 5.5 hours. Feb 8, 2009 - HOUR POND. From Old Farm trailhead. Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Temp slightly above freezing at the start (mostly heavy wet powder), slightly below freezing at the end (tracks icing up). Branched off Puffer Pond Trail to Hour Pond & lean-to. Took new red trail back down to 13th Lake - advanced skiing today, intermediate+ in perfect conditions. Crossed lake with lots of slush/water to Elizabeth Point & back up to start. 8 miles, 6 hours. Jul 20, 2008 - THIRTEENTH LAKE paddling & HOUR POND hiking. Raining often. Paddle 1 mile down the lake & start the hike on the new red-marked trail. Gain 500' in ~1mile. Join yellow trail from Puffer Pond Trail a...