JOHN & CLEAR PONDS hiking, skiing, camping in the Adirondack Park
Southeast of Indian Lake village. Jan 9, 2020. JOHN & CLEAR PONDS ski. Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Temp at start 10F rising to 20F, blue skies, no wind. Very good skiing on a solid base (~6") topped with 3"-7" of powder (more in open areas & hardwoods, less in the softwoods which still held snow on the branches). Fairly easy skiing to JP. Someone had skied the first mile - easy breaking trail after that - I broke the whole way despite having 4 others who could help. Some wetness below the powder on the ponds (the prepared skier always brings a scraper). Lunch on JP in the sun, felt warm, quick stop at the lean-to. Intermediate skiing to CP with some short steep downhills on return. Some blowdown. Back the same route. 8.2 miles, 4.7 hours. Doing the loop would have been shorter but we wanted more skiing. In the Adirondack Park, there are 43 Mud Ponds, 21 Long Ponds, 16 Clear Ponds, 16 Round Ponds, 14 Lost Ponds, 14 Rock Ponds, 14 Deer Ponds, 13 Grass Ponds, 12 B...