JENKINS MOUNTAIN, BLACK & LONG PONDS hike & ski
Feb 28, 2023 – BLACK & LONG PONDS, JENKINS MOUNTAIN TRAIL ski, from St Regis Mtn trailhead (Black Pond trailhead not plowed) on Keese Mill Rd. Black Pond east side trail – lots of ups & downs – came close to groomed trail of the VIC – some icy base noted. Lean-to. Saw a deer shoot across the pond. Pond-ski to N end & picked up the trail to the W side of Long Pond. Half-mile to Jenkins Mtn Trail & went L. Groomed for a bit. Ups & downs over eskers & hardwoods (deeper powder). Gave up when the trail got steeper. Path to top of esker that parallels the ponds – L to the summit of the esker – decent views of Jenkins & Long Pond – saw 3 yellow paint blazes & there were some old snowshoe tracks. S on esker & woke up a deer. Ups & downs for a while then a short traverse down to the S end of Long Pond. Checked out the fish barrier dam then skied down the W side of Black Pond then across the pond, into a good headwind, to the Black Pond lean-to for a...