BUCK MEADOW FLOW hiking & skiing.

 


Siamese Ponds Wilderness, Adirondack Park, NY.

Jan 14, 2023 - It has been a poor season for snow with recent rain. S on the trail past Old Farm Clearing (still some old stonework there from the farm) - the first 1.2 miles was packed-hard snow & easy walking. S of the clearing the E Br Sac trail was washed out in spots. 2 miles from the trailhead, we went off-trail, generally in a WSW direction, following some new & old flagging. Crunchy, sometimes supportive snow, 0-15" in depth. Lost the flagging (once again) & made our own way to the flow where we found more flagging paralleling the flow - we would have liked to continue S & try to find the Tin Camp but were worried about time & energy. After lunch, we followed the flagging NNE & lost it again, so brought out the compasses & GPS. Most the off-trail route from that point was thru open hardwoods & fairly easy going - much better than the flagged route. Came out onto the red Puffer Pond trail ~0.1 miles from OFC - that trail was very wet & streamlike. Nice easy finish back to start. Saw no one despite this being a Saturday of a holiday weekend altho 3 parties had signed in after us but they all seemed to be going for short walks. Elevations ranged from 1,780' to 2,100'. 7.4 miles, 5.2 hours.







Jan 18, 2021 - Siamese Ponds Wilderness.  Started S from Old Farm trailhead on E Branch trail, bushwhacked over to Puffer Pond trail & tried to hit Buck Meadow along the way but missed it, saw some flagging at times.  Short detour to falls on Hour Pond Brook.  Very good skiing on about 15" (mostly powder), some rocks showing & wet brooklets on Puffer trail.  6.5 miles, 4.6 hours.  Owner of Garnet Hill Lodge joined the group today - not sure if he will ever want to ski with us again 





April 7 - BUCK MEADOW FLOW ski, from Old Farm trailhead.  Siamese Ponds Wilderness.  Last quarter mile to actual trailhead was blocked off so had to ski the snowbanks.  Good skiing to start on Old Farm Trail but after ~1 mile there was a lot of tree debris going thru the plantation (Norway spruce?/balsam fir).  Took a R on Puffer Pond Trail, skiing got better once among hardwoods.  Left the trail & bushwhacked SW 1.3 miles to BMF, most of the way in open hardwoods.  Went out onto the N end of the flow but would have been nervous about ice depth to continue S, it's a big long vly - cool spot tho.  Returned E of my tracks - 1.6 miles to PP Trail - very good skiing on 15"-20" with corn surface. Stream crossings are beginning to be a challenge.  Elevations 1,700'-1,900'.  7.7 miles, 4.3 hours.




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