PACK DEMONSTRATION FOREST & BEN WOOD MOUNTAIN hiking, paddling & biking

 


Sept 7, 2021 - Wanted to check up on the loons, paddle Ben Wood Brook thru wetlands, & find some peace & quiet - only partly successful.  Tried the brook first - a bit of a carry N of the camps (no-one there) - just so happens there is logging going on & the trails around the NW & N part of the lake + the trail up Ben Wood Mtn are closed - an empty logging truck drove past.  So back around to the E side of the lake to "lake access" & paddled around PACK FOREST LAKE.  Soon spotted 2 loons, an adult & a chick.  The chick must have been born mid to late July, sort of late but there is still time for it to learn to fly before ice-in.  Saw the 2nd adult, some calls.  A hawk flew above.  Could hear the logging to the N.  Poked into the lily pad-filled bay where BW Brook enters but it does get thick in there, saw a gb heron & kingfishers.  Checked out the loon nest.  Back to the put-in for lunch & the logging stopped - enjoyed the peace & quiet, except for a few loon calls, from a nice sunny spot S of the access for the next 1.75 hours, logging did not restart while I was there.  Dragonflies were busy & a hummingbird paid a brief visit.  Did a loop on the Nature Trail which goes thru old-growth hemlocks & white pines - the Grandmother Tree is a pine that is well over 300 years old.





  

July 15, 2021 -  Paddled the perimeter of mile-long Pack Forest Lake & more from Lake Access, no-one else on the water.  Poked into some coves & the inlets (Ben Wood & Cataract Brooks).  Fairly peaceful, especially the N half.  Some islands.  Stumbled upon a loon nest, loon slid off because I was too close, I could see one egg, got out of there quickly so as to not disturb them further.  Flowering: swamp rose, pickerelweed, bullhead lily, fragrant water lily.  3 hours.



     


June 24, 2021 - My kind of weather - 70s, low humidity, & breezy.  The circuit around Pack Forest Lake is fairly smooth & made for some easy mountain biking.  Went clockwise on a gravel road.  Soon a short path on the R led to a memorial for the Packs.  The next path led to a spillway.  The next R went to the fishing/observation deck.  Then came the kids camp - there were some folks having a meeting there.  The trail continued on a woods road passing a small pond on the R & a wetland around Ben Wood Brook on the L.  Found a longer path that led to a campsite (camping not allowed) amongst red pines & next to the lake - spotted a loon.  Stashed the bike & hiked up to Ben Wood Mtn - took 20 mins.  Had the lookout to myself for lunch while a red-tailed hawk glided around.  Back down to the bike & down the E side of the lake on Old Rte 9, a paved road but bumpy since it receives minimal maintenance.  Visited the boat launch.  Around once again, passed 2 horse riders, to the campsite for a break because it was such a nice spot.  Saw a weasel?  Back out.  Saw 1 hiker.  About 10 miles of biking & 1.5 miles hiking, ~4.5 fairly peaceful & enjoyable hours.  Light bug activity - at times there were some mosquitoes, deer flies, & black flies.











 


April 19, 2021 - I've driven past this place N of Warrensburg hundreds of times, it's about time I explored it.  Started at the SE parking area & headed out onto the accessible Nature Trail which went past a stream, around an esker & thru a mature hemlock forest.  Reached the Grandmother Tree - a white pine that could be the tallest in NYS, 4' wide & over 175' tall - it's well over 300 years old!  Continued up the W side of mile-long Pack Forest Lake, past the kids' camp area (will not be in session this year) & spotted a pair of loons.  Passed some wetlands.  Much of the route was on woods roads.  At the N end, took the 0.7-mile spur to Ben Wood Mountain which climbs moderately, past a logged area then back into lovely hemlock woods, gaining 400' to ledges with views W & S - could see the old Hickory ski area to the S & Crane Mtn to the W, also Moose, Prospect & Black Spruce Mtns.  Continued the loop around the lake on Old Route 9, mostly away from the lake, there are 2 side trails that lead to the lakeshore - 1 is used for launching canoes/kayaks, a short carry, or the 200' trail can be driven by high clearance vehicles.  Saw GBH, mallard, C goose, maybe wood ducks.  Flowers: coltsfoot, bluets.  7.1 miles, 4.2 hours, 780' el gain.  Most of the loop would make for an easy ski, the side-trip would be a fun run for intermediate skiers - the trail is wide, fairly smooth & no sharp turns.  No trail markers - bring a map.  











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