Mar 4, 2022 - SECOND POND xc ski. Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Very nice snow conditions, & you can't beat those blue skies in winter. Elevations between 2,235' & 2,525'. It often seemed like we were going up or coming down. Good powder skiing on the pond - no slush/wetness. 3.8 hours.
Apr 16, 2019 - April 16 - SECOND POND ski. The trailhead on Chatiemac Lake Rd is at 2,320" - one of the highest elevation trailheads in the Adks. Siamese Ponds Wilderness. 0-30" of snow, the trail had a hard spine/monorail & softened somewhat as time progressed, off-trail the snow was nice. Soon went off-trail to the R down to a vly with a view of Gore Mtn but less than half the vly had any snow. Back on the trail it was ok for a bit then I started hitting bare & wet spots so decided to ski off-trail wherever the snow took me - found 2 more small vlies & a flagged route to the S. 2.6 hours. Last ski of the season?
Mar 17, 2014 - SECOND POND from Chatiemac Rd. Figured our best chance of finding powder skiing was to start at high elevation - almost 2,300' here. Generally uphill at first then mostly downhill to the pond. Gore Mtn to the E. After lunch on the N shore we bushwhacked NE eventually picking up a path (old woodsman type markings like axe blazes & cuttings) that ran from the old Highwinds Ski Touring Center. After leaving state land (no posted signs) & gaining 350' to a high point there were more obvious trails or old logging roads with thru-the-trees view to the High Peaks. Back to the pond (I think our path was slightly to the N of the trail shown on USGS map) & out. Snowshoe tracks for the 1st mile made the trail bumpy. Then ski tracks for a while but we ended up breaking trail the last mile to the pond. Mostly very good skiing with a foot of powder on deep unconsolidated base. 5.5 hours.
Jan 23, 2013 - SECOND POND near Johnsburg. Temp -1F at start, 2F at end. Elevations 2,200'-2,500'. Up to 6" of powder on good base made for excellent skiing. Main trail is marked with yellow xc ski markers. 0.8 miles in a red-marked trail goes off to the R & in not too long a distance ends at a small beaver meadow on Black Mountain Brook - this trail could be a work in progress. Bushwhacked back to main trail & took it to height of land then whacked N then W getting to the inlet of Second Pond. Pulled away from the inlet to avoid alders. Pond is pretty with good view of Gore Mtn. Returned on the yellow trail - a long uphill, a good downhill run & some rolling terrain. 4 hours. Feet stayed quite warm in Fischer BCX 675 boots.
Jan 21, 2008 - SECOND POND from Chatiemac Rd near Johnsburg. No sign at trailhead - start at well over 2,000' (one of the highest winter trailheads in the Adirondacks on a plowed road). After some ups & downs climb a moderately steep hill (fun on way back) & continue on rolling terrain (more downs than ups) to the scenic pond where there is a good view of Gore Mtn. Tried to find the old trail to Highwinds on Gore Mtn that is shown on older maps but no luck after bushwhacking around a fair amount of blowdown. Ice on pond covered with snow felt quite solid. Very good hard base with up to 10" powder. 6 miles, 5 hrs.
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