AMY'S PARK, WALNUT RIDGE, GODWIN PRESERVE & POLE HILL POND hikes

 

Jan 18, 2023 (Wed) - AMY'S PARK & HIGH NOPIT hike, from Trout Falls Rd. Parked on side of the road (1,020' el, only the main parking area on Padanarum Rd gets plowed) & started up Ed's Red Stripe Trail. A gain of over 350' in 0.75 miles to a nice lookout. Some thin patches of snow along the way. Whacked S dropping down a bit, & crossed some logging trails, before climbing steeply up High Nopit. Very nice views from rocky ledges on the S side of the 1,667' summit - there was a mist over Lake George (not frozen) and despite mostly cloudy skies, the sun was attempting to break thru. Views range from Black Mtn to the E, Cat to the S, & Gore Mtn to the W. Back to the red trail donning spikes for grip & down the yellow trail. Removed spikes but poles are always helpful. Up the E side of the ponds on yellow & looped around the orange trail. Some nice sections with wintergreen, mosses & lichens, & pond views; also larger patches of deeper snow than at higher elevation. Temp in the mid to upper 30s. 7.4 miles, 1,371' gross el gain, 5.5 hours.

 

July 22, 2021 - AMY'S PARK from the main parking area on Padanarum Rd.  Clockwise around the pond + Ed's Red Stripe trail to the lookout - view of Pole Hill, Tongue Range, Erebus & Sleeping Beauty Mts, Lake George.  Lots of fungi, flowering dewdrops & bunchberries.  Thrushes sang in the woods.  5.8 miles, 810' gross el gain, 4.4 hours.

April 10, 2021 - WALNUT RIDGE & POLE HILL POND. Parking area on Rt.9N was quite muddy (450' el).  Did the loop counterclockwise, many of the trails are on old woods roads.  Slow pace early on because we were also looking for any evidence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (none found).  Climb up to Middle Mtn (1,400') with filtered views of Lake George.  Dropped down 150', then up to some open rock on Walnut Ridge (1,586').  Very nice views of LG over to Black, Buck Mtns & S end of the Tongue Range.  Trail drops steeply to a junction - we took a R on red LGLC trail then R on yellow to a rock ledge (1,300') overlooking the S end of Amy's Park - High Nopit to the W, Crane Mtn seen in the distance, & Thomas Mtn to the SW.  Back to junction & soon pine-ringed Pole Hill Pond (1,100', some wet spots near the pond).  Pole Hill seen across the pond, 5 beaver lodges, a Canada goose was staying low while nesting on top of one of the beaver lodges.  Blue trail continued on old woods roads staying close to the pond's outlet & going around an old beaver pond with a tractor tire in it.  After a while the trail makes a L & up on rocky trail to avoid private land, then down on yellow & back to start.  Some mud here & there, temp got close to 70F.  7.3 miles, 6.3 hours.

Sept 3, 2020 - WALNUT RIDGE & POLE HILL POND counterclockwise loop, from Rt.9N, N of Bolton Landing. Rained yesterday, the trail was wet but not really muddy, some wet spots near the pond. A bit of a view of Lake George on Middle Mtn but a very nice view from the ridge after ascending 1,200' - could see most of the southern part of the lake across to Buck Mtn. Lots of different fungi, a few red efts. Variable mosquito activity. Saw only 1 other person. 6 miles, 4 hours.

Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 2 at 9:30 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers who became disoriented on Pole Hill Pond. The hikers, from Brookhaven, did not have a light source or warm clothing with them as temperatures dropped. Dispatch advised the hikers to stay where they were until help arrived. Warren County 911 shared coordinates to the hikers' location as their only working cell phone battery died. Forest Rangers Donegan and Kabrehl responded to assist, arriving on scene at 10:30 p.m. Voice contact was made at 12:15 a.m., and the hikers were found off the trail at 12:33 a.m. Forest Rangers escorted the couple back to their vehicle at the trailhead.

Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 3 at 7:53 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch from a hiker stating that she and her eight-year-old daughter were stuck on the trail for Pole Hill Pond. The hiker stated that they did not have any light sources and that she had fallen, causing minor injuries. Forest Rangers Donegan and Kabrehl responded to the pair's location along with Bolton Fire and EMS. Rangers proceeded up to the trail to locate the stranded family from Saratoga Springs and Ranger Donegan advised that he was with the pair at 10:48 p.m. After being assessed by Rangers, the mother and daughter were provided light sources and safely escorted back to the trailhead. At 10:58 p.m., the incident concluded and all emergency service providers were cleared the scene.

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